ORONO, Maine – Freshman Mitchell Fossier recorded a hat trick in his first collegiate game to lift the University of Maine men’s hockey team to a 5-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in the season opener for both teams, on Friday night at Alfond Arena. With the win, the Black Bears open the season at 1-0, while the Engineers are 0-1.
Freshman Patrick Shea (Marshfield, MA/Kimball Union Academy) opened the scoring at 6:06 of the first period, leading a 3-on-2 rush into the RPI zone. Shea fired through a screen to beat Rensselaer sophomore netminder Chase Perry (Andover, MN/Wenatchee Wild) for a 1-0 lead.
Less than a minute and a half later, Fossier (Alpharetta, GA/Sioux City Musketeers) buried a rebound at the right side of the crease to make it 2-0. Assists went to classmate Chase Pearson (Cornwall, ON/Youngstown Phantoms) and junior Nolan Vesey (North Reading, MA/South Shore Kings).
The Black Bears took a 3-0 lead at 7:30 of the second, as Fossier netted his second from senior Eric Schurhamer (St. Paul, MN/Lincoln Stars) and senior Blaine Byron (Manotick, ON/Smiths Falls Bears).
Pearson netted his second goal at 2:02 of the third, with the lone helper going to Vesey.
RPI broke onto the scoreboard less than a minute later, when junior Jared Wilson (Calgary, AB/Vernon Vipers) buried his first of the season from sophomore Jesper Ohrvall (Halmstad, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs).
Fossier finished off the hat trick at 14:45 of the third to cap the scoring. Vesey had the lone assist once again for the hosts.
Maine sophomore netminder Rob McGovern (Weymouth, MA/Bay State Breakers) finished with 29 saves, while Perry had 31 in his Rensselaer debut.
Both teams are back in action tomorrow night for game two of the series. Puck drop is set for 7pm.
