Maine Nordiques’ Cannon Green fires the puck towards the goal during Sunday afternoon’s hockey game in Lewiston. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Maine Nordiques’ Trent Grimshaw looks down the ice for an opportunity during Sunday afternoon’s hockey game in Lewiston. Teammate Noah Kane and Maryland Black Bears’ Cameron Recchi watch the play from the right. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Maine Nordiques’ Cannon Green slams Maryland Black Bears’ Thomas Jarman up against the boards during Sunday afternoon’s hockey game in Lewiston. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Maine Nordiques’ Caden Pattison frees the puck from against the boards while Maryland Black Bears’ Hampus Rydqvist bears down on him during Sunday afternoon’s hockey game in Lewiston. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Maine Nordiques’ Jack Strauss and Maryland Black Bears’ Aiden McDowell keep their eye on a runaway puck during Sunday afternoon’s hockey game in Lewiston. Maine Nordiques’ Isaiah Fox tracks the action from behind them. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
LEWISTON — The Maryland Black Bears defeated the Maine Nordiques 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, sending the Nordiques on their second three-game losing streak of the season.
The first three game losing streak came Nov. 16-23 where they lost a home game to the Johnstown Tomahawks and were swept by the New Jersey Titans.
Nordiques coach Nolan Howe said everybody must be better going forward, including the coaches.
“(Maryland) played a good road weekend, they played their structure well and made live difficult on us,” Howe said. “We wanted to stick-handle and pass through it, a little simpler approach may have been more effective for us. Four goals in three games, two on the power play, two goals five-on-five, it’s not going to get it done.”
“We tried to put the nail in the coffin (in the third period), we didn’t win a third period all weekend, Like I said, the job didn’t get done and it starts with me.”
With the sweep, Maryland (13-13-4, 30 points) earned all six points on the weekend to take a three-point advantage over the Nordiques (13-17-1, 27 points) for fourth place in the NAHL Eastern Division.
Maryland was paced by University of Massachusetts-Lowell commit Jackson Sterrett, who had a goal and two assists, while Thomas Jarman scored his first two goals of the season.
“What a weekend he had,” Maryland general manager and coach Clint Mylymok said of Sterrett. “He was all over the puck, he’s a player-and-a-half. He’s a big player for us, one of our leaders. It’s nice to see him rewarded because he works hard in every practice and game.”
Sterrett also had a goal in Friday and Saturday’s wins as he finished the weekend with five points.
Tyler Harvey opened the scoring for the Nordiques early as the defender skated from the offensive blue line to just inside the circle and snapped it past Maryland goalie Andrew Takacs.
“I thought our first period was one of our best this season.” Howe said. “Definitely the most checks we finished, getting the board first was good for us. It was a period we demanded out of the (players) and they responded. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to carry that over.”
The Black Bears started the second period fast. Just past the 30-second mark, Luke Martin parked himself on top of the crease and tipped in a Jackson Sterrett point shot past Maine goalie Marco Duronio to tie the game up at one.
Sterrett put the Black Bears up 2-1 near the eight-minute mark as he stole the puck from Nordiques defender Casper Soderling at Maine’s offensive blue line, went in all alone on a breakaway and snapped the puck past Duronio.
“There’s a lot going through your head because you have any option you want,” Sterrett said of the breakaway. “I try to keep it simple and just shoot it.”
Maryland’s lead was stretched to 3-1 after Nordiques forward Makem Demers was called for a double-minor for high-sticking. The Black Bears capitalized on the front half of the penalty as Jude Kurtas found the back of the net. The goal came midway through the period.
Maine scored at the end of the second period as Noah Kane found the back of the net on the man advantage.
Thomas Jarman added a 5-on-3 power play goal nine minutes into the third period. Nordiques Trent Grimshaw was called for a five-minute major for a hit to the head while Kevin Pitts had a high-sticking minor
Jarman added an empty net goal late in the game while University of Nebraska-Omaha commit Brayden Stannard capped the scoring for the Black Bears in the final minute of the game.
The Nordiques host the Northeast Generals Friday (2:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Colisee.
NA3HL
L/A 8, Louisiana 4
BLAINE, MINNESOTA — Bryce Leger and Connor Kennedy each had two goals and three assists in the L/A Nordiques’ 8-4 victory over the Louisiana Drillers in their first game at the NA3HL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota.
Peyton Hughes had a goal and three helpers while Sam Frechette and Tyler Larsen each had a goal and an assists for the Nordiques. Joe Clark had a goal.
Grant Griffin and Brandon Morgan each scored twice for the Drillers.
The Nordiques face the New Ulm Steel Monday at 7 p.m. for the second game at the showcase.
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