FINAL SCORE: Maine 4, No. 17 Vermont 2
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Connor Leen scored twice in the second period, including the eventual game-winner, as Maine evened up the best-of-three Hockey East Opening Round with a 4-2 victory on Saturday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
The Catamounts dropped to 19-13-4, while the Black Bears improved to 14-21-3 as they snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series. Maine also posted its first win over UVM in six tries this season in the 50^th all-time meeting between the schools.
 
Vermont and Maine face off in Game 3 of the series on Sunday (March 8) at 7:05 p.m. at Gutterson. Tickets will be available online at UVMathletics.com/Tickets starting at 11 p.m. on Saturday night. 

The UVM Athletic Ticket Office on the balcony of Patrick Gym will be open at 8 a.m. on Sunday (March 8). Reserved seats cost $22 for adults and $17 for children 17 and under, while general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children.

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Maine struck just 55 seconds into the first period as Cedric Lacroix deflected Steven Swavely's shot from the high slot through the pads of Mike Santaguida (24 saves). Jake Rutt picked up the second assist as the Black Bears took a 1-0 lead.
 
Ben Hutton nearly doubled the Maine cushion on a 4-on-3 power play but missed a wide open net over the cross bar from the slot.
 
Later in the frame, the Catamounts were handed a 5-on-3 power play for 1:42 and took advantage quickly to knot the score. Nick Luukko set up Mike Paliotta the left point, and Colin Markison tipped his wrist shot glove side to beat Sean Romeo inside the right post at 7:46.
 
Leen collected his first tally 36 seconds into the second period, stuffing home Cam Brown's centering pass at the top of the crease.
 
Vermont answered eight minutes later as Brady Shaw fed Brendan Bradley in stride at the Black Bear line. Bradley skated into the left side of the slot and fired a wrister into the upper left corner past Romeo. The goal was Bradley's third in as many games, while Alexx Privitera registered his third point of the weekend with an assist.
 
Leen restored the lead for Maine at the 16:16 mark of the frame on a scramble down low. Santaguida saved a left circle shot from Bill Norman and the rebound caromed off Leen at the edge of the crease. The puck tipped into the air, deflected off Santaguida's left skate, and trickled over the goal line near the right post.
 
Bradley nearly knotted the score early in the third period but couldn't connect on a pair of passes from linemates Shaw and Jake Fallon.
 
Brian Morgan tallied an insurance goal for Maine with under nine minutes left, one-timing a centering pass from below the goal line off the stick of Swavely.
 
UVM pulled Santaguida for an extra skater with 3:17 remaining in regulation, but the Catamounts took a tripping minor at 18:57 and the Black Bears held on to extend their season.

Game 3 will be televised on FOX College Sports Atlantic and on WVII, WFVX, and WPME in Maine. Check your listings for FCS Atlantic ­availability on local cable providers (channel finder).
 
Pack Network will stream all the action on a pay-per-view basis via HockeyEastOnline.TV. Fans can purchase a league pass for up to 20 playoff games for $59.95, and individual games are available for $9.95 each.
 
Pre-game radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM, SportsJuice.com, and the TuneIn Radio app with Alastair Ingram and Joe Gervais on the call.