Auburn, ME – CMCC Men's Hockey scored four power play goals and got multi-goal performances from alternate captains Michael Belleau and Heath McLean to take care of #24 Dartmouth, 7-1. The win moves the #7 ranked Mustangs to 18-3-0 overall and a perfect 7-0-0 in NECHA Colonial North division play.
Before the game, Central Maine honored its 14 graduating players. Ryan Becker, Will Galligan, Cullen Rafford, Zach Mitton, Jonathan Rioux, Dylan Blue, Colby Pawson, Michael Belleau, Alex Alonso, Aaron Higgins, Lukas Sargolini, Isaac White, Cody Dionne, and Emmit Sullivan were all presented with a framed portrait and took photos on the ice with their family and friends.
The Mustangs came out fired up in the first period, outshooting the Big Green 18-3 over the first 20 minutes. Belleau opened the scoring 12:05 in. First, the sophomore drew an interference penalty from Aedan Coyle. Then, just eight seconds into the power play, the forward knocked in a loose puck after Braeden Gagnon's shot sneaked through goaltender Graham Webber and was bouncing in the crease.
Belleau made it 2-0 less than two minutes later. Mitton picked him out with a pass to the left circle, and the Lewiston, ME native buried his wrister short side, past the blocker. Mitton made it 3-0, heading back to the locker room with his second goal of the season. He led the rush into the zone, passed to Higgins who curled below the goal line, and knocked in the return pass with a low one-timer.
The power play was CMCC's primary way of scoring in the second period, sparking three of the team's four tallies in the frame. Heath McLean provided the first with a vicious one-time slapshot from the left circle that buzzed into the top corner.
Higgins made it 5-0 Mustangs exactly halfway through the hockey game. Sam Foley led a two-on-one down the left wing and played a perfect pass across the slot for Higgins to send to the back of the net. It was the Falmouth High School product's 20th goal of the season and 51st of his career.
Dartmouth pulled one back with 5:34 remaining in the second with a whacky bounce. Defenseman Ben Wang took a shot from the left point that deflected wide off a leg. The puck caromed towards Rioux and Big Green forward Philip Brooks at the side of the net. Both of them attempted to get a stick on it, sending it parallel back across the slot and into the pads of White, who was still getting reset after being square to the initial attempt. The surprised goaltender felt it ricochet off his right leg but could not get it covered before it rolled behind him and across the goal line.
The shutout attempt gone, Central Maine took out its frustration with two more powerplay goals late in the period. McLean got his second of the night on a great pass across the zone from Lucas Laforest setting the defenseman up again in the left circle. This time, the Arundel, ME native went short side, popping the water bottle with an effort over the blocker and just under the crossbar.
Blue tallied the final score of the night at the 18:25 mark. Higgins deked his way toward the left side of the net, forcing the goalie to hug the post. It was then just a matter of a simple pass across to Blue at the bottom of the right circle. The former Lewiston Blue Devil could hardly miss the wide-open far side of the net, making it 7-1.
Neither team scored in the third, with Becker replacing White in net for the final period, getting his first minutes of the season. White made 10 saves to pick up the win in net and move to 5-0-0 on the season while Becker stopped all nine shots he faced. The Mustangs outshot the Big Green 51-19. The visitors did take a penalty with seven seconds left in the game, meaning CMCC finished 4-for-5 with the man-advantage while Dartmouth was 0-for-3. Rafford, who was acknowledged during the senior night ceremony for only having taken one penalty in his career, was called for two of the hosts three penalties in the game.
Central Maine now begins a three-game road trip to end the regular season. They visit UNE on Sunday before travelling to Colby and Dartmouth next week.
