GOTW: Solow’s late goal gives Northeastern 3-2 win over Maine, weekend sweep

 (Jim Pierce)
Zach Solow’s redirected of a pass over the glove of Maine goaltender Jeremy Swayman with 4:13 remaining gave Northeastern a 3-2 victory and weekend sweep of Maine (Photo: Jim Pierce)

Trailing after two periods is never a good omen for a hockey team.

And certainly for No. 13 Northeastern, a team that entered Saturday 0-3-0 when falling behind through 40 minutes against a hungry Maine team didn’t provide much optimism.

But Neil Shea’s first career goal at 4:16 knotted the game at 2. Then Zach Solow, a offensive cog in the NU attack, redirected Ryan Shea’s shot-pass with 4:13 remaining as Northeastern rallied for a 3-2 victory and earned a weekend sweep of Maine.

The victory catapults the Huskies into a tie for second with UMass Lowell as the team heads off on Sunday to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for this year’s Friendship Four tournament.

Northeastern struck first on Jayden Struble’s first goal at 13:32 of the first period.

The Huskies got into penalty trouble in the second and on an even-strength tally by Mitch Fossier and a power play goal by Adam Dawe, Maine jumped into the lead.

But the Huskies were dominant in the third, outshooting the Black Bears, 14-8, and finding a way to earn the victory.

Michigan State 3, No. 3 Notre Dame 2

Michigan State’s Logan Lamblin and Sam Saliba each struck in the final 6:12 of the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit and upset No. 3 Notre Dame, 3-2, in Big Ten play.

Nick Leivermann gave the Irish a 2-1 lead 18 seconds into the third with a power play tally.

The Irish, one of the best teams in the nation protecting the lead, couldn’t close this game out on the road. In fact, Notre Dame never trailed in the game until the final 70 seconds.

Saliba finished the game with two goals for the Spartans.

Miami 4, No. 18 Omaha 1

Gordie Green scored twice and Chase Pletzke answered Omaha’s only goal with a marker of his own just 26 seconds later as Miami knocked off No. 18 Omaha, 4-1.

Miami goaltender Ben Kraws was excellent, making 32 stops including 17 in the third period to seal the victory.

Jack Clement registered a goal and an assist for the Red Hawks.

No. 7 Massachusetts 3, Merrimack 2

The Minutemen looked to be in rough shape at the midway point of its game against Merrimack on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0, UMass found a new life from the stick of Cal Kiefiuk. Not only did Kiefiuk draw the Minutemen within a goal before the end of the second. After his teammate Ty Farmer knotted the game at 2 with 4:33 remaining, Kiefiuk buried the game-winning goal with 42 seconds remaining.

UMass took three-of-four points from Merrimack on the weekend after a 3-3 tie in Amherst on Friday.