Box Score

PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Senior goaltender Mike Roper (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia) stopped 30 of 31 shots on goal, as the University of New England men's ice hockey team advanced to the championship game of the Plymouth State Invitational with a 4-1 win over Becker College on Thursday evening at Hanaway Rink on the campus of Plymouth State University.

The Nor'easters (2-6) will face the host Panthers -- a 9-0 winner over Salve Regina University -- in the title game Friday at 4 p.m.

UNE led start-to-finish, notching a pair of first-period goals to establish a 2-0 advantage. Sophomore Scott McManaman (Amherst, Nova Scotia) opened the scoring six minutes into the contest when his pass from behind the cage deflected off the Becker goalie into the goal. Sophomores Adam Laite (Sydney, Nova Scotia) and Paul Kashmanian (Grand Island, N.Y.) recorded assists on the play.

Big Blue would double its lead three minutes later when Laite converted a 2-on-1 opportunity off a feed from McManaman.

Sophomore Ron Paiva (Rehoboth, Mass.) got Becker within one midway thru the second period, poking a rebound past Roper for what would prove to be the Hawks' lone tally of the evening.

Junior Mike Tiano (Dover, N.H.) would respond right away for Big Blue, notching his first goal of the season 35 seconds later. Sophomore Brendan Brickley (Everett, Mass.) and first-year Adam Wheeler (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) assisted on the goal.

UNE added another insurance goal at 17:06 of the final period when junior Ted Fabian (Oakland, Maine) rattled a wrist-shot off the post and into the net. First-year Sean Sullivan (Worcester, Maine) set-up the play.

The Nor'easters came away victorious despite being outshot 31-23. UNE was strong on the penalty-kill, burning off all seven of Becker's opportunities. Roper registered 24 of his 30 stops over the final two periods.

Junior Jake Rosenthal (Wantagh, N.Y.) had 19 saves for the Hawks (4-5-2), who will face Salve Regina in tomorrow's 1 p.m. consolation game.