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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- In front of a Harold Alfond Forum record attendance of 1,427, the No.9 University of New England and No.15 Salve Regina University men's ice hockey teams finished in a 1-1 overtime tie in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action on Friday night (Jan.19). The game doubled as the 8th Annual Teddy Bear Toss, which is organized by the Harold Alfond Forum Building Managers and benefits the Southern Maine Health Center and Make-A-Wish Maine.

By the end of the evening, the Seahawks (12-3-2, 7-1-2 CCC [24 points]) did extend their lead atop the league standings to two points by gaining an extra one on the Nor'easters (12-2-3, 6-1-3 [22]) with a 2-1 result through six rounds of a shootout. The teams will complete the weekend series on Saturday in Rhode Island.

UNE's unbeaten streak continues to 13 outings (10-0-3), which equals the second-longest run in program history. The Nor'easters have largely done it with a stingy team defense; now with just 15 goals against over the last 12, the squad holds the nation's 3rd-rated scoring defense on the season (1.71/game). The hosts kept the 4th-best offense in the country (4.50) off of the scoreboard for more than 50 minutes in the contest.

Things were scoreless into the 2nd period, when Dominic Murphy netted the Teddy Bear Toss goal with 6:04 gone in the frame to give UNE the advantage. Backpedaling through the neutral zone, Noah Szretter poked it away from SRU to Murphy, who immediately sent it back to Szretter with space in the defensive zone. Szretter paused momentarily before delivering it to Murphy at the offensive blue line for a rush in on the left side. While Murphy's first attempt on the forehand was denied, the rebound fell to his backhand and he buried the second goal of his rookie campaign from a lower angle [Watch]. Szretter, a sophomore defender, now has the lone assist on the last two Teddy Bear Toss goals.

The Nor'easters carried that 1-0 cushion into the 3rd, but a power-play strike by Garrett Szeremley midway through the stanza knotted the score for the Seahawks. Logan Calder and Matthew Fawcett set up the tally, which was a one-timed chip shot by Szeremley, around a screen and into the top-left corner.

UNE had twice as many shots as Salve on the night (46-23), but Cayden Bailey rose the the challenge by making 45 stops for the visitors, including five in overtime. His counterpart for the Nor'easters, Billy Girard IV, put forth another solid effort with 22 saves.

In the shootout, Calder converted the first chance and Murphy leveled it in the second round. Joseph Kile provided the difference for SRU and Bailey came through with the ensuing denial to seal it.