Box score

Northeastern turned in its first two power play goal performance of the season in a 4-2 losing effort on Friday night at Alfond Arena against the University of Maine.

Rookie Rob Dongara registered his first-collegiate power play goal while junior Mike McLaughlin accounted for his second of the season. Dongara's and McLaughlin's goals gave the Huskies the advantage on both occasions, but Maine provided the answer each time NU lit the lamp.

Despite surrendering three goals, sophomore goaltender Chris Rawlings had a superb game in net, stopping 30 shots in his fifth loss of the year. Dan Sullivan turned away 17 shots for the Black Bears.

Maine stifled the Huskies in overall shots, finishing with 34 to Northeastern's 19.

It was the Huskies power play that came alive in Orono, capitalizing on two of their five chances. Maine finished 2-for-7 on the evening.

Northeastern did a great job keeping Maine off the board in the early goings as the Black Bears applied heavy pressure on Rawlings.

Freshman Luke Eibler upset a great UM bid after sweeping away a rebound that bounced out to the slot about three minutes into the contest.

The Huskies penalty-killing unit banded together to keep Maine off the board in the first, negating infractions committed by Cody Ferriero (hooking – 4:13) and Eibler (interference – 13:06). Despite giving up a couple grade-A chances, Rawlings anchored the defense throughout the first 20 minutes.

The Huskies notched their sixth power play goal of the season after Ryan Hegarty took a seat for a high-sticking call at 16:01. Sirman lost his balance away from the play and sophomore Garrett Vermeersch was able to connect with senior Wade MacLeod and Dongara to take advantage of the vulnerable situation. Vermeersch gathered the puck and deferred to MacLeod at the top of the point who then unleashed a missile that Dongara was able to get a piece of to deflect it up top for the 1-0 lead at 17:06.

Rookie Jamie Oleksiak was issued a hooking penalty to close out the first stanza, yielding Maine's first tally at 1:33 of the second period. The Huskies kept Maine at bay for the first minute and a half, but Jeff Dimmen was able to slip a hard wrist shot past Rawlings on the near post to lock the game up, 1-1, on the power play goal.

Maine was presented with a 5 x 3 situation for 40 seconds about four minutes into the middle session, after freshman Anthony Bitetto and captain Tyler McNeely took calls at 3:49 and 5:15, respectively. Northeastern staved off the power play window and turned it into its own chance after Dimmen was sent off for tripping at 7:54. The Huskies could not counter, but Mark Nemec's high-sticking penalty at 11:13 gave way to the Huskies' second extra-man tally of the night.

It looked as if Maine was able to kill of its second-straight penalty, but McLaughlin lit the lamp with one second left in the opportunity. Hewkin made an astutue play and flung the puck on net, as Dan Sullivan gave up a rebound that bounced right out to a streaking McLaughlin from the bench. The junior made one move left and gave the Huskies their second lead of the night at 13:12, 2-1. McNeely received credit for the second helper.

A minute and a half later, Spencer Abbott took advantage of a wide-open net at 14:42 for the first even-strength marker of the night. Josh Van Dyk and Gustav Nyquist each tried two shots, but Rawlings turned away each attempt. As Rawlings tried to gain position on Abbott's angle, the junior forward beat the sprawled-out goaltender for the second tie of the contest, 2-2.

Another hooking call was assessed to Oleksiak at 19:25 to close out the second period and give Maine the advantage to start off the third, but the Huskies kept the Black Bears off the board within that frame.

The Black Bears posed the first threat of the third after Abbott had a breakaway about seven minutes in, but NU's defense recovered and denied the chance.

Ferriero took an interference call at 8:26, which helped Maine take the lead for good at 9:51 off the stick of Joey Diamond. Adam Shemansky generated the play with a perfect pass from behind the net. Diamond eluded the Huskies defense and banged in the game-winner right out front.

Nyquist added an empty netter at 19:49 to set the final count, 4-2, after wristing one over a defenseman's stick from center ice.

Northeastern concludes its visit to Maine tomorrow, Nov. 13, with a 7 p.m. puck drop at Alfond Arena.

GAME NOTES
• Mike Hewkin and Garrett Vermeersch accounted for their first points of 2010-11 with assists