Statistics

GORHAM, Maine -- Paced by three goals from Ryan Kuzmich, the top-producing forward line that also includes Dominic Murphy and Drew Olivieri accounted for five scores as the University of New England men's ice hockey team cruised past the University of Southern Maine, 7-2, on Friday night (Dec. 13) at USM Ice Arena.

Kuzmich was the most-recent Nor'easter to record a hat trick, doing so for the first time in his career on January 20, 2023. With an assist on the first UNE tally, the four-point outing matched a personal high.

Murphy's team-leading ninth goal of the year got the visitors on the board at 5:13 of the 1st period. Olivieri's 11th helper -- which also tops the squad -- came as he collected the long rebound and delivered a tape-to-tape feed for Murphy to redirect back on target from outside the left post.

Murphy -- who ended with four points, as well -- factored in the first three scores for the Nor'easters (7-4-1). At the 6:40 mark of the initial frame, Murphy's slick toe-drag out of the corner moved the pick into a dangerous spot, and Kuzmich lifted the stick of a defender to keep possession and fire it in. Kevin O'Keefe also picked up the first of his career-high three assists/points.

UNE padded its 2-0 cushion with 1:34 elapsed in the 2nd frame, as Murphy chipped it out of the defensive zone to a streaking Olivieri, who skated with Kuzmich in a 2-on-1 and snapped it himself into the upper, near-side corner. David Wilcox had his first of two assists on the play.

The Huskies got one back at 6:58 off the stick of Marcus Torgner, but a trio of scores in the latter half of the period broke things wide open for UNE (6-1). Juraj Elias found the back of the net for the second time in as many games, coming to a hard stop inside the right dot in transition and sending a laser under the bar at the near post. Jayden Price then joined the action by stuffing in a goal on the doorstep, and Kuzmich capped the stanza by squeezing a low shot between the goalie's pad and the post.

Kuzmich put the icing on his night with 1:33 gone in the 3rd, curling off of the right wall and straight in from the dot for the only goal to beat USM's backup netminder, Jacob Kindestin -- who made 10 stops over the final 20 minutes.

Joey Stanizzi earned the win between the pipes for the Nor'easters, logging 15 saves over 53 minutes of work. Stefan Kulhanek made his first appearance of the season in relief, denying the three shots that came his way.

For the Huskies (2-7-1), Zach Desmarais was responsible for the second marker, which was shorthanded at 6:41 of the 3rd. Starting goalie Mason Palmer totaled 21 saves.

The outcome was a sixth straight victory for UNE against USM, during which the Nor'easters have dialed up a 40-13 scoring advantage. It is now the first time that the all-time series favors UNE (9-8).

The Nor'easters are idle until January 6 and a visit to Colby College.