ORONO, Maine-Despite a goal on the first shift of the game, the Maine Black Bears took a 5-1 victory from the American International ice hockey team to sweep the Yellow Jackets at Alfond Arena.

AIC ends the first half of the campaign at 3-12-0, while Maine stands at 9-6-1.

It was a quick start for AIC, as junior right wing Brandon Fagerheim (Calgary, Alb.) sent in senior center Blake Peake (Lethbridge, Alb.) with a pass across the blue line. Peake's initial shot was stopped but sophomore left wing Chris Porter (Stoufville, Ont.) was there to put the puck home for his fourth of the year at 0:31 of the first.

Maine would quickly tie it up, however, as freshman forward Blaine Byron hammered home a shot for his sixth of the year at 2:09. The teams were relatively even for the rest of the period, though Maine put pressure on late in the frame.

In the second, shortly after Porter was denied on a breakaway, the Black Bears scored two goals in 1:55; junior forward Stu Higgins broke the deadlock at 8:19 on what proved to be the winning goal with his fourth of the season, and sophomore forward Ryan Lomberg added another at 10:14, his third of the campaign.

However, a bright spot for AIC came late in the period, as senior goalkeeper Ryan Kerpan (Saskatoon, Sask.) faced down a penalty shot from junior forward Connor Leen; Kerpan was able to ward the shot away with his arm to keep it 3-1.


The Jackets came out in the third with jump, but Maine added the final two goals of the night, as freshman forward Brian Morgan netted his fourth of the year at 2:39 and Lomberg struck again for his fourth of the year at 11:01.

In goal, senior Dan Sullivan stopped 18 of 19 shots to start his season with a win, while Kerpan stopped 39 shots in the loss, falling to 0-3-0.

AIC will return to action in 2014, with a home Atlantic Hockey series against the Air Force Falcons starting at 7:05 p.m. on January 3.