Junior center Derek Damon scored a pair of power-play goals and fifth-ranked Maine had four special-teams goals in a 7-2 victory at St. Lawrence Saturday night.
Maine, which dominated the third period of Friday’s series-opening 3-2 win, picked up right where it left off to start the Saturday rematch.
The Black Bears scored three times in a span of 5:06 of the first period to take command of the game and went on to win their fifth straight to open the season. St. Lawrence is 1-4-2 overall and is winless in its last six since a season-opening 3-1 win over Miami.
“We had hoped to play tonight much the same way we did last night,” said Saint coach Joe Marsh. “But you can’t get into a special-teams contest with a team with Maine’s ability. We hurt ourselves with the penalties, and Maine took advantage of them.”
Senior wing Colin Shields scored the first Maine goal with a shot that trickled through the pads of Saint starter Kevin Ackley at 4:44, and sophomore Greg Moore made it 2-0 from Ackley’s doorstep off a pretty pass from Todd Jackson at 7:06.
Junior defenseman Troy Barnes scored his first goal of the year on a four-on-three power play with a rising slapshot at 9:50 to make for Maine’s early 3-0 lead.
The Saints battled back when senior center Rich Peverley scored his third of the year at 14:28 of the first and the two teams battled on even terms until Maine made it 4-1 on a major power play at 13:49 of the second, when Damon scored his third goal of the year.
Damon got his second of the night on a five-on-three power play just 14 seconds into the third period, and Todd Jackson made it 6-0 with a shorthanded breakaway against Saint backup goalie Mike McKenna, who took over for Ackley at the start of the second period.
Keith Johnson completed the scoring for Maine with his second of the weekend at 15:51 and Saint defenseman Simon Watson took advantage of a Maine turnover to score his first of the season with 1:21 to play for the 7-2 final.
