Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior forward Mike Richard (Derry, N.H.) netted three goals and added an assist to help Saint Anselm College pull out a 7-5 victory over the University of New England men's ice hockey team in ECAC East League action Friday evening at Biddeford Ice Arena.

The Hawks improve to 12-8-3 (7-8-3 ECAC East) on the season with their fifth straight win, while the Nor'easters fall back to 3-18-2 overall (1-16-0 ECAC East).

Saint Anselm led by three (6-3) for a stretch of about eight minutes in the middle of the third period before UNE got a power play goal from sophomore Zach Lokey (Elizabethtown, Pa.) at the 13:05 mark. Lokey then set-up first-year Zeth Zielinski (Woonsocket, R.I.) just 1:21 later to bring the margin down to one (6-5).

A penalty gave the hosts a man advantage with 2:36 left, and Big Blue nearly broke through for the equalizer on multiple occasions, but could not capitalize.

Moments after returning to even-strength, Hawks first-year Johnny Daniels (Andover, Mass.) guided a shot from just inside center ice into an empty cage for the final tally and a two-goal cushion.

Daniels and junior Tim King (Weymouth, Mass.) each notched a goal and two assists in support on the night, and sophomore netminder Robert Kang (Glen Rock, N.J.) posted 31 saves to earn the victory and move to 8-2-1 between the pipes.

For UNE, senior Kyle MacLennan (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia) recorded a pair of scores to lead the offense, including the lone marker of the first period.

Goals came at a furious pace in the early-going of the second, as Richard tied things up 3:26 in. Big Blue junior Adam Laite (Howie Center, Nova Scotia) popped-in a pass from Lokey a mere 22 seconds later to restore the UNE advantage, but Richard found the back of the net after another 24 ticks went off the clock (4:!2 in) to make it 2-2.

King -- who assisted on both goals by Richard -- had the favor returned to him at the 12:53 mark of the middle frame and got on the board for the go-ahead marker. Daniels also assisted on the play.

Saint Anselm junior Tucker Mullin (Andover, Mass.) increased the difference to 4-2 with two minutes left in the second, before MacLennan got one back for the Nor'easters with 0:33 to go in the stanza.

Richard followed by first-year Sean Jenkins (Boston, Mass.) pushed the margin to three (6-3) with scores in the early stages of the final period. The Hawks visit the University of Southern Maine on Saturday (4 p.m.).

UNE -- which received 32 saves from sophomore goalie Ian Edwards (Linden, Mich.) -- hosts New England College on Saturday to conclude the regular-season. The game, and some Senior Day procedings, begin at 4 p.m.