Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of Massachusetts Boston, ranked No. 9 in the nation, defeated the University of New England by a 7-3 margin on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7), in an ECAC East League men's ice hockey contest played at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Winners of five in-a-row, the Beacons improve to 19-3-1 on the year and 14-2 in league action. The Nor'easters slip back to 8-12-2 overall, 6-8-2 in the ECAC East.

Junior Mike Miller tallied two goals to pace UMB, while classmates Matt Lemire and Peter MacIntyre each registered three points (1 goal, 2 assists) on the day. Senior Stephen Buco, sophomore Albee Daley, and first-year Colin Larkin notched two assists apiece in support.

The Beacons received their other three markers from senior Nathan Milam, junior Frankie DeAugustine, and junior Connor McStravick. Between the pipes, junior Billy Faust posted 38 saves.

Milam opened the scoring less than five minutes into the game, before UNE sophomore Nick Wirth found the back of the net to level things at the 6:35 mark, with an assist going to junior Ryan Quinn.

Just 20 seconds later, however, Miller put in his first of the afternoon to put UMass Boston back in front. The Beacons carried the 2-1 margin into the break, also holding a 17-10 advantage in shots.

Despite getting out-shot 17-6 in the 2nd period, UMB added to its cushion (3-1) near the midway point of the frame on DeAugustine's goal.

Miller (3:19) and Lemire (5:45) made it 5-1 early in the 3rd, until Big Blue sophomore Blaise Healy scored (6:18) off a face-off win by Wirth.

MacIntrye upped the gap to 6-2 with 8:13 gone in the final stanza, and UNE senior Jared Melman got one back at the 9:55 mark. Sophomore Trevor Fleurent and senior Zeth Zielinski assisted on the last tally for the hosts.

McStravick tacked on an empty-net goal in the closing moments to cap the scoring.

For the Nor'easters, senior Craig Ryan recorded 34 saves on the day.

The regular-season wraps up for both sides next weekend, with the Beacons hosting Saint Michael's College (Friday) and No. 1 Norwich University (Saturday), and UNE heading for New England College (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) and Saint Anselm College (Saturday, 4 p.m.).