GORHAM, Maine  --  The University of Southern Maine scored three unanswered goals in the third period en route to a 5-2 victory over Salem State College in a non-conference men's ice hockey game Thursday evening at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win was the second straight for the Huskies who improve to 3-4-1 overall.  The Vikings had their three-game unbeaten string snapped and fall to 5-2-1.

            Freshman Kevin Smith (Auburn, Maine) snapped a 2-2 tie at 2:34 of the third period with his first collegiate goal to spark the Huskies' uprising.  Sophomore Chris LaCount (South Easton, Mass.) picked up the lone assist.

            Senior captain Chris Travis (Scituate, Mass.) increased the lead to 4-2 at 9:10 when he beat Salem State goalie James Lacour (Silver Springs, Md.) from the top of the right wing faceoff circle.  Junior Jon Rutt (Scarborough, Maine) won a faceoff back to Travis for the only assist.

            Junior Zach Joy (Dover, N.H.) added an insurance goal at 17:18.  The goal was Joy's second of the game and 10th of the season.

            Salem State grabbed a 1-0 lead at 6:23 of the opening period when junior Alex Eisath (Renon, Italy) beat USM sophomore Koray Celik (Ile-bizard, Quebec) from the slot area.  Rookies Casey Terreri (Warwick, R.I.) and Brad Hanafin (Burlington, Mass.) earned the assists.

            Joy's first goal in the final minute of the first period tied the game.  Junior Paul Conter (Woodbridge, Ontario) gave USM a 2-1 at 14:33 of the second period before Terreri deadlocked the score at 18:27.

            Sophomore Mason St. Hilaire (Saco, Maine), who came on to play goal for USM in the third period, picked up his first collegiate win stopping all 10 shots he faced.  Celik had 13 saves over the first two periods.  Lacour registered 32 saves for Salem State.

            Southern Maine is off until January 2-3 when it will participate in the Middlebury Holiday Classic.  Salem State hosts Worcester State College in a MASCAC game on Saturday (2:00 p.m.).

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