GORHAM, Maine -- Freshman goaltender Braely Torris (Eckville, Alberta) stopped 25 shots to post his second shutout of the season backstopping the University of Southern Maine to a 3-0 victory over the University of New England in an ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Men's East game Saturday afternoon at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win was the second straight, and third in the last four games, for the Huskies who pull into exams and the holiday break with a 4-4-1 overall record and a 2-3-0 mark in league play.  The Nor'easters dropped their third straight game to slide to 1-6-0 overall and 0-5-0 in the league.

            Torris got some help posting the shutout as the Nor'easters had an apparent goal waved off early in the third period.  Protecting a 2-0 lead, Torris made the save on the initial shot from the left wing circle, but the rebound went out in front where it was fired into an open net that had been dislodged by a UNE player looking for a rebound.  The officials conferred and waved off the goal ruling that the UNE player had knocked the cage off its pegs prior to the shot going in.

            In a fast-paced first period, the only goal would come at 7:26 as senior Zach Joy (Dover, N.H.) fired a shot from the top of the left wing circle after a faceoff past UNE senior goalie Mike Roper (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia).  Sophomore David Nies (Brookline, Mass.) and rookie Mike Greene (Arvada, Colo.) picked up the assists.

            The Huskies doubled their lead early in the second period.  Sophomore Dustin Rider (Farmington, Conn.) split the UNE defense to pick up a loose puck and went in alone to beat Roper for his second goal of the season.  Sophomore Sean Travis (Scituate, Mass.) had the lone helper.

            Senior Jon Rutt (Scarborough, Maine) gave USM an insurance marker midway through the third period beating Roper through the legs for an unassisted short-handed goal at 12:32.

            Roper finished the game stopping 34 of 37 shots, including 16 of 17 in the third period, as the Huskies took command.

            Southern Maine is off until New Year's Day (1:00 p.m.) when it hosts the USA U-18 Team in an exhibition game at the USM Ice Arena.  UNE returns to action on December 30-31 when it participates in the PAL Invitational being hosted by Plymouth State University.