ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The University of Maine men’s hockey team was anxious to get off to a good start this season, particularly on the road, after winning just one of its 16 road games a year ago, when the Black Bears went 1-12-3.
The wait continues.
The University of Alaska at Anchorage received second-period goals from freshman center Austin Azurdia and sophomore left wing Hudson Friesen, and the Seawolves held the Black Bears to just 19 shots on goal en route to a 3-1 victory in the Kendall Hockey Classic at Sullivan Arena on Friday night.
Maine will play the University of Alaska at Fairbanks — a 1-0 winner over Wisconsin earlier Friday — in an 8 p.m. game Saturday.
Azurdia broke a 1-1 tie at the 4:37 mark by scoring off a two on one, just four seconds after UAA killed off back-to-back Maine power plays.
Friesen extended the lead at the 16:13 mark by converting a pass from behind the net by Matt Anholt.
The Seawolves protected the lead impressively in the third period, limiting the Black Bears to only five shots on goal.
Scott Allen’s power-play goal off a nice feed from Blake Tatchell staked UAA to a 1-0 lead just 2:17 into the game, but Maine sophomore defenseman Dan Renouf equalized 2:22 later. Renouf scored with a shot from the point one second after a Maine power play elapsed.
Blaine Byron and Conor Riley assisted on Renouf’s goal.
Just under four minutes later, the Black Bears had a golden opportunity to take the lead when UAA’s Dylan Hubbs received a five-minute major and game misconduct for a contact-to-the-head penalty.
But the Black Bears never seriously tested Seawolves sophomore goalie Michael Matyas.
“We had to use the whole bench to kill that off, including some guys who hadn’t done much penalty killing previously,” UAA head coach and former Maine assistant Matt Thomas said. “The guys did a real good job.”
Matyas did make some important saves while UAA was shorthanded early in the second period, before Azurdia took a pass from Chase Van Allen, broke down the left wing in a two on one and beat Maine goalie Matt Morris.
“He held it and held it and then put it upstairs quickly over the glove hand,” Thomas said. “That goal, coming from a freshman, gave our guys a jolt on the bench. That gave our guys a chance to collect themselves.”
The Seawolves killed off two more Maine power plays before Friesen made it 3-1 by freeing himself in the middle of the slot and firing the Anholt pass past Morris.
Maine went 0-for-6 on the power play.
“Our power play was atrocious,” said Maine coach Red Gendron, who didn’t feel his team’s overall play was much better.
“We didn’t play well at all,” Gendron said. “Passes were going off sticks, guys weren’t shooting when they should have — we have to play way better than that on Saturday.”
The one exception was Morris, who finished with 26 saves in his first start since a 5-2 loss to Mercyhurst on Jan. 5, 2013.
Morris sat out last season after having November hip surgery.
“Matt played very well,” Gendron said.
Thomas agreed.
“He made a lot of big saves,” Thomas said.
Thomas said he thought both teams played “pretty well.”
“It was a typical early-season game. Neither team was as sharp as they wanted to be,” Thomas said.
But he was generally pleased with his team’s showing.
He thought Matyas, who finished with 18 saves, was sharp and did a good job controlling rebounds.
“And our defense played really well. They did a nice job boxing out in front,” Thomas said.
Thomas also felt his team protected the lead effectively, staying aggressive while being thorough defensively.
He noted his team didn’t take any penalties in the third period.
“They played better than we did,” Gendron said.
Maine senior left wing Connor Leen suffered an undisclosed injury late in the first period and didn’t return.
UAA went 1-for-6 on the power play.