Amherst, MA – CMCC Men's Hockey suffered a 5-1 loss on the road to UMass-Amherst, ending the team's 11-game winning streak. Aaron Higgins had the lone goal for the Mustangs, scoring his team-leading 18th goal of the season. Central Maine finishes the first semester with a 14-3-0 overall record and a 4-0-0 mark in NECHA Colonial North division play.
"It was a tough ending to a good semester," said head coach Jordy Knoren. "Tonight, we didn't have the energy to climb back after being down three goals. It just shows our guys how good this league is and that you have to play at a high level every night to continue to win hockey games."
The game was a rematch from the meeting on November 14th when the Mustangs defeated the Minutemen 6-0 on home ice. This time around, #11 UMass-Amherst out of NECHA Colonial South got the better of #3 CMCC.
The hosts took the lead 7:19 into the first period. Jake Shapiro scored a powerplay goal to make it 1-0. Less than three minutes later, Brendan Vokey doubled the advantage just before the midway point of the frame. Higgins got on the scoresheet with a powerplay marker of his own, with an assist from fellow alternate captain Michael Belleau. The junior from Falmouth, ME cut the deficit to 2-1 with 6:03 remaining in the first.
Special teams remained a factor in the second. Jason Anzalone scored a 5-on-4 tally 6:42 after the restart. Owen Welch then made it 4-1 to UMass-Amherst with 8:52 left on the clock. That spelled the end of the night for starting goaltender Cam Wickens. The freshman from Revere, MA was pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots. However, it was a minor bump in the road for the netminder who had posted a fantastic first semester with a 10-3-0 record and a .932 save percentage.
Isaac White came on in relief for the rest of the way. The junior, who posted a 1-0 shutout on the road against the Minutemen last season, allowed one goal early in the third. Braeden Cunningham scored 2:19 into the period to make it 5-1. White turned everything else away to finish with 15 saves in 28:52 of work.
Defenseman Max Meserve finished with six shots on goal, behind Higgins' game-high ten. Central Maine went 1-for-4 on the power play with UMass-Amherst scoring twice on five man-advantages. Michael Gilerman made 38 saves in net for the hosts to earn the victory.
CMCC returns in the second semester against the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards on January 17th. The Mustangs next play at home at the Norway Savings Bank Arena on Friday, January 23rd against the rival Thomas College Terriers.
