NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Gustav Nyquist and Brian Flynn each scored two goals, and goalie Shawn Sirman stopped 24 shots as the University of Maine clinched a berth in the men’s Hockey East playoffs with a 5-1 victory over Merrimack on Saturday night.
It was just the third loss of the season at home for the Warriors (14-17-1, 11-13-1).
The Black Bears (16-13-3, 13-10-2 Hockey East) took a 1-0 lead on Flynn’s short-handed goal at 16:40 of the first period. Nyquist got the puck to Ryan Hegarty, who sent a shot toward Merrimack goalie Joe Cannata. Cannata stopped the shot, but Flynn put in the rebound.
Just over a minute later, Nyquist wristed a pass from Will O’Neill past Cannata for a power-play goal.
John Heffernan scored with 1:06 left in the first for the Warriors, assisted by Carter Madsen. But Nyquist countered with a second-period shot just inside the far post for a 3-1 lead entering the final period.
Robby Dee gave the Black Bears a 4-1 lead at 4:28 of the third, and Maine capped the scoring when Flynn tapped home Nyquist’s pass at 16:40.
The Black Bears outshot Merrimack, 36-25. Maine was 1 for 5 on the power play while holding Merrimack to 0 for 8.
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