University of New England forward and Biddeford native Trevor Fleurent prepares to shoot the puck during Tuesday’s game against Bowdoin College. Fleurent posted four points in the Nor’easters 8-3 win over the Polar Bears. (PHOTO: University of New England )
BIDDEFORD – The University of New England men’s hockey team have been playing well this season despite not getting the results the team feels it deserved.
With a losing record coming into Tuesday evening’s game against in-state rival Bowdoin College, the scoreboard finally reflected the Nor’easters’ play as Trevor Fleurent notched a hat trick and added an assist en route to an 8-3 victory over the Polar Bears in non-conference action at Harold Alfond Forum in Biddeford.
UNE improve to 2-4-1 overall, 1-4-0 NEHC, on the season, while Bowdoin is now 0-2-1 overall, 0-1-1 NESCAC.
“It’s our first win against Bowdoin and coming into this point the season with us being 1-4-1, it’s a big second win for us,” said Biddeford native Trevor Fleurent. “The last couple of games we have been competing and not being able to get that bounce. Tonight, we worked hard and got those hockey bounces and put them in the back of the net.”
After Bowdoin had dominated the first half of the first period, the Nor’easters settled in the second half.
They would get on the board first as Dylan Bengston skated down the left side and he made a gorgeous cross-ice feed to freshman Brady Fleurent for his first collegiate goal just past the 14-minute mark. His older brother Trevor Fleurent recorded the secondary assist.
Brady, who said he’s in a slump, said it was great to get his first goal of his career.
“We played together a couple of years ago, so I knew he was going to find me,” Brady Fleurent said of Bengston’s assist. “(Trevor) had a nice chip up the boards and I went backdoor. I knew (Bengston) would give (the puck) to me.”
“Unfortunately, we had some slow starts here in the first five or six games of the season,” UNE coach Kevin Swallow said. “We weren’t coming out strong, and hopefully we can improve on that. “Ultimately, the guys bounced back hard, and we had a pretty big win.”
The offensive game opened up for both teams when Tom Gildersleeve gave UNE a 2-0 lead as he received a pass in the slot at the 12:20 mark. Blaise Healy and Ryan Quinn set the assist.
The Polar Bears got on the board with Chris Wallace’s first collegiate goal as the freshman answered 70 seconds later. Fellow freshman and Freeport native Bradley Potter was credited with the assist.
UNE responded with 2:31 remaining in the period as Bengston had another nice dish. This time to Armand Uomoleale for his fourth goal of the year.
“The guys are buying in on what we are preaching,” Swallow said. “We are preaching going to the net hard and trying to make some plays at the net. I thought we did a great job of that tonight. The first three goals we crashed the net hard with some great passes that went into the net.”
Trevor Fleurent stretched the lead to 4-1 with his third goal of the season with Brady notching one assist and Walsh getting the second assist 59 seconds into the third period. Trevor Fleurent would pick up his second goal of the game at the 3:31 mark.
The goal spelled the end of the night for Nathan Colannino as the freshman netminder allowed four goals on 19 shots. Fellow freshman Erick Wurman entered the game in relief, making 12 saves.
The Nor’easters scored 15 seconds after Trevor Fleurent’s second goal. This time, it was Sam Vikich with Nick Wirth picking up the assist.
Healy made it 7-1 at 12:30 of the third period with a shot from center ice that found its way past Wurman.
Trevor Fleurent completed the hat trick with 5:42 remaining in the game with younger brother Brady getting the assist along with Bengston.
With the three goals on Tuesday, Trevor Fleurent leads the team with five goals on the season.
“That line has some great chemistry,” Swallow said. “The brothers, it’s kind of like a sixth sense out there, they know where each are going to be. Dylan Bengston has fit in very well with them. They have had some good chemistry here, making plays and scoring some goals.”
Bowdoin fought to the end, getting goals from Matt Rubinoff and Camil Blanchet.
Bowdoin was 0-for-5 on the power play while UNE went 0-for-3.
Connor Maloney made 38 saves for his first career victory.
He played great. He made the saves he needed to and gave us a chance to win that hockey game,” Swallow said. “We put the puck in the net, and it ends up in a W for us.”
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