BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Junior Harry Matheson (Kingston, Ontario) had two goals and an assist in the second period as the nationally ranked Bowdoin College Polar Bears scored five unanswered goals en route to defeating the University of Southern Maine Huskies 5-1 in non-conference men's ice hockey action Tuesday evening at Watson Arena.

            The Polar Bears, ranked third in the USCHO.com and D3hockey.com polls, won their fourth straight game and improved to 16-1-1 overall.  The Huskies dropped their fifth straight game to slide to 6-12-0 overall.

            After spotting the Huskies a 1-0 lead on senior Jon Grandinetti's (Ottawa, Ontario) goal at 14:36 the first period, the Polar Bears exploded for five markers in the middle period.

            Sophomore John McGinnis (Cocoa, Fla.) drew the home side even at 4:47 of the second period with his ninth goal of the season.  Senior Robert Toczylowski (Reading, Mass.) potted what proved to be the game-winning goal four minutes later with a backhand shot inside the post.  Matheson added his first goal to increase the Polar Bears' advantage to 3-1 converting a rebound.

            Junior Colin Downey (East Sandwich, Mass.) and Matheson added goals 19 second apart late in the period to finish the Polar Bears outburst.

            Senior Daniel Weiniger (Warren, N.J.) had two assists for Bowdoin.  Junior Angelo Vrachnas (St. James, N.Y.) and sophomore Sam Guimond (Portland, Maine) had the assists for USM on Grandinetti's goal.

            Bowdoin junior goalie Steve Messina (Newton, N.J.) made 25 saves to earn his 10th win of the season.  Rookies Patrick Farrington (Sandwich, Mass.) and Josh Hillegas (Middleton, Wis.) split the goaltending chores for USM.  Farrington stopped 24 shots in 37 minutes before giving way to Hillegas who made 10 saves over the remaining 23 minutes.

            Southern Maine returns to ECAC Men's East play this weekend when it host Saint Michael's College on Friday (7:00 p.m.) and number one ranked Norwich University on Saturday (4:00 p.m.) on Saturday.  Bowdoin is off until February 1 when Amherst College visits Watson Arena.