Sophomore left wing Mitch Fossier tied the game with 4:46 remaining in regulation and scored the game-winner with 21 seconds left in overtime to give the University of Maine Black Bears a dramatic come-from-behind 4-3 Hockey East victory Wednesday night over the University of New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire.

The victory sews up at least a home ice berth for the first round of the Hockey East playoffs for the Black Bears, who are now 16-11-4 overall and 10-8-3 in Hockey East.

It was UMaine’s fourth straight overtime game and sixth in its last eight games.

UNH fell to 10-15-6 and 5-11-5.

The Black Bears ended UNH and senior goalie Danny Tirone’s nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) at their expense.

Fossier tied it with 4:46 remaining when he tipped in Alexis Binner’s shot from the point after Tim Doherty had won a faceoff.

Cedric Lacroix had pulled UMaine within 3-2 just 1:50 earlier when he swatted home a Ryan Smith rebound after Smith came out of the corner and took a shot.

In overtime, Eduards Tralmaks set up Fossier’s goal.

“It was at towards the end of a shift and we had a pretty good forecheck. There was a loose puck and [Tralmaks] made a nice pass to me in the slot. I shoveled it towards the net and I got a rebound,” said Fossier, who called the victory an “unbelievable character win.

“So many guys stepped up and made huge plays,” added Fossier, who has a team-leading 11 goals. “It would have really hurt to lose it. These are huge points.”

Keith Muehlbauer’s goal just 28 seconds into the game gave the Black Bears a short-lived 1-0 lead, but Jason Salvaggio answered just 38 seconds later with a rebound off an Eric MacAdams shot.

It was Muehlbauer’s second of the season and picking up assists were Nolan Vesey and Brendan Robbins. It was Salvaggio’s eighth goal.

The Wildcats carried the play in the first period, outshooting UMaine 18-11, and they took a deserved 2-1 lead on Liam Blackburn’s goal with 2:51 remaining. For Blackburn, it was his eighth as he knocked home a Shane Eiserman pass. Benton Maass also collect an assist.

Anthony Wyse extended the lead with the only goal of the second period, coming at the 11:14 mark. His goal was his fifth and it was assisted by Charlie Kelleher and Ara Nazarian.

Kelleher flipped the puck across to Wyse, who converted with a backhander.

Jeremy Swayman finished with 37 saves for UMaine and Tirone had 39 for UNH.

“It was a heckuva’ hockey game,” UMaine head coach Red Gendron said. “We didn’t start out particularly well in the first period but we played better in the second period overall and to come back from two goals down in the third period and send it to overtime … to give ourselves a chance to win it. It’s a pretty big win for our hockey team.”

Gendron said he wasn’t surprised his team was able to rally.

“It has happened before. We’ve been like that all year. Our players just keep plugging,” Gendron said. “It was a great win. This is a tough place to play and UNH is our biggest rival.”

UMaine was without co-captains Chase Pearson and Mark Hamilton, who are both injured.

Pearson was leading the team in scoring.

UMaine will host Boston College on Seniors Night at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

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