The Maine Nordiques battled Sunday afternoon, but it wasn’t their day.

The Northeast Generals took two of three games  on the weekend with a 3-2 victory at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

“It was one of those games where we couldn’t catch a break,” Nordiques coach Nolan Howe said. “Again our compete level was there; the boys were all giving it their all. They exploited on a few bad pinches that led to odd man rushes. I don’t think our details are as good as they need to be. Three games in three days, there was no excuse, it was a must win and we didn’t get the job done.”

Midway through the second period it was Gerard Marretta who gave the Generals a 1-0 lead as he beat Nordiques goalie Avery Sturtz (30 saves). The goal came two seconds after a Nordiques power play ended as the Generals Tyler Cooper was in the box for roughing.

Nordiques Isaiah Fox had one of five shots for Maine in the second period and it beat Generals goalie Joseph Stanizzi (26 saves) 27 seconds after Marretta’s goal at the 10:52 mark.

One minute later Kyle Schroeder found the back of the net for the Generals for a 2-1 lead.

“I will give (the Generals) credit, I thought all their goals were well-executed plays and they came out on top tonight,” Howe said.

The score remained 2-1 for the Generals until Nordiques defenseman Andrius Kulbis-Marino found the back of the net six-and half minutes into the third period. The Sacred Heart commit has scored three goals in five games since joining the Nordiques after he started the season in the United States Hockey League.

Clark Kerner notched the game-winner with under seven minutes remaining in the game.

The first period was scoreless between the two teams but the period had its fireworks. After Nordiques forward Cannon Green was sandwiched as two Generals players hit him simultaneously. It appeared contact was made to Green’s face/head region as he was cut. The referees made no call on the play and soon after Nordiques captain Noah Kane and Generals defenseman Cam Gaudette dropped the gloves. Each got five minutes for fighting. Kane received a 10-minute misconduct. Gaudette receive a two-minute misconduct and a game misconduct for instigating.

“Early in the game there was some things. We lose Cannon Green who’s a huge part to our game on a cheap shot,” Howe said. “(Noah Kane) did a tremendous job sticking up for him. At the end of the day, we lose two guys off our first line and kind of put us behind the eight ball there a little bit.”

When the Nordiques (20-28-2, 42 points) were on the power play for Gaudette’s instigating minor, Howe cost his team the remaining 41 seconds of the man advantage for yelling at the officials after it appeared the Generals (19-25-2, 40 points) had too many men on the ice during a line change. The Nordiques bench received a two-minute minor

With 7:45 remaining in the first period Ignat Belov, a University of Connecticut commit dropped the gloves with the Generals Thadeus Marcola. Both got five minutes for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct.

NA3HL

NORTHEAST 5, L/A 1

Kolye Bankauskas had two goals and an assist to lift the Generals past the Nordiques in NA3HL action Sunday morning at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

Carson Asper had a goal and two assists for the Generals while Ben Pizzimenti and Ryan Reifler had a goal each.

Nick Pomerleau scored in the third period for the Nordiques.

Raphael Gaughan made 26 saves in the victory while Brogan McDonald made 48 saves in the losing effort for the Nordiques.

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