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BIDDEFORD, Maine – #11 University of New England scored three times in the third to erase a deficit on its way to a 5-4 victory over #15 Endicott College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's ice hockey clash at the Harold Alfond Forum on Tuesday.
 
The Nor'easters improve to 16-3-1 overall and stand alone atop the CCC standings at 15-3-1 (46 points) with two games remaining. Endicott falls to 16-6-1 overall and is third in the conference at 13-5-1 (41 points).
 
The Gulls struck first with 47.7 seconds left in the opening period as Connor Amsley was able to knock the puck loose from the Nor'easters and found Zach Mazur for a short-handed score on the other end to take a 1-0 lead into intermission. Endicott extended its lead to 2-0 on a goal by Andrew Kurapov, 7:02 into the second.
 
Jake Fuss took a pass from Austin Morgan and deked an Endicott defender on the way to his first of two goals on the night at the 11:42 mark of the second [Watch]. Morgan tied the game with 6:02 left in the second as Jared Christy found him with a pass behind the defense in the slot. Fuss also assisted on the goal [Watch]. The excitement didn't last long, though, as Kevin Craig put the Gulls back in front with a tough-angle shot after a face-off just 1:15 later.
 
Ryan Kuzmich knotted the game up once again as he redirected a slap shot by Chris Jones at the 12:47 mark of the third period [Watch]. Only 11 seconds later, Morgan intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and found Fuss in front of an open net to give the Nor'easters their first lead of the game at 4-3 [Watch].
 
The UNE penalty kill was stellar down the stretch as it staved off a 3:33 power play chance by the Gulls, including a 5-on-3 and 6-on-3 during that span. Endicott had a two-man advantage after a Nor'easter penalty and the goalie on the bench with just over two minutes remaining. But Tyler Seltenreich poked the puck free near the boards and eased it into the empty net for a short-handed goal to put UNE in front 5-3 with 1:23 left in regulation [Watch].
 
Thomas Albert would cut the deficit to one with a goal for Endicott with 34 seconds left. Then Billy Girard IV stonewalled a point-blank shot by Noah Strawn from the slot in the closing seconds to preserve the victory [Watch]. The goaltender finished with 27 saves in the victory.
 
Conor O'Brien, who entered the night with an NCAA-leading 1.16 goals against average, stopped 23 of the 27 shots he faced. The four goals allowed were the most he has let in all season.

UNE welcomes Salve Regina to the Forum on Friday night in a battle for first place in the CCC. The Seahawks currently sit at 14-3-2 in conference play, just two points behind the Nor'easters. Puck drops at 7 p.m.