Biddeford, ME - In a battle of two top 10 teams in the country, the Curry men's hockey team took down #8 ranked University of New England on Saturday by a final score of 4-3. With the win, the Colonels move to 21-3-0 on the season, and 15-2-0 in CNE play. The Nor'easters are now 17-6-1 and 13-4-0. The Colonels extend their winning streak to 13 games, the longest in the country, while snapping the UNE winning streak at 10 games. Additionally, the Colonels clinch the Conference of New England regular season title for the second straight year.
The scoring opened up midway through the first period, as Grady Friedman scored his ninth goal of the season off of assists from Manny Cabral and Makem Demers. Demers, who did not play in the first 21 games of the season has now recorded a point in the last three games. But that lead would only last for a little under three minutes, as the Nor'easters tied things up. It appeared as if the teams would head to the first break tied at one, but Gage Dill had other ideas. Dill skated the puck deep into the offensive zone before firing a pass back to the trailing Nolan McDonough, who fired the puck into the net with just over a minute left in the period. That 2-1 score was how the game would remain all the way until the third period.
Just six minutes into the third period the Nor'easters tied things back up, this time scoring on a second chance shot after the first was blocked. But once again the Colonels had an answer. Again, it was McDonough, this time deflecting a rocket of a shot by Shane Carr. It was McDonough's ninth goal of the season in just 14 games. A huge moment in the game came just seconds after the following faceoff, as the Nor'easters were charged for a five minute boarding penalty. The Colonels would take advantage, as Victor Daigneault scored his fourth goal of the season off assists from McDonough and Jesse Galassi. The Nor'easters would not go away though, as they would score a power play goal of their own with a little over two minutes remaining in the game. That goal came with an empty net as well. They would keep the net empty, but were unable to find an equalizer, and the Colonels would win the game 4-3.
Colonels goalie Shane Soderwall made 17 saves, picking up his 20th win of the season. That ties David Griffin in the 1987-88 season and Reid Cooper in the 2022-23 season for most wins in a season. Only a sophomore, Soderwall moved into third place in career wins on Friday, passing Cooper (2021-2023) and Derek Mohney (2011-2015), both of whom had 33 career wins.
The Colonels outshot the Nor'easters 33-20, while UNE won the faceoff battle 34-26.
Up Next - The Colonels will close out their regular season on the road next Friday at Johnson & Wales. That game will begin at 7pm.
