GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Mike Kuhn's (Holbrook, Mass.) breakaway goal in the final minute of the second period proved decisive as the visiting University of Massachusetts Beacons held off the University of Southern Maine Huskies, 3-2, in ECAC Men's East hockey action Saturday at the USM Ice Arena.

            The Beacons, winners of four straight games and unbeaten in their last seven (5-0-2), improved to 6-1-2 overall and 3-1-2 in the league.  The Huskies dropped their second straight to slide to 4-5-0 overall and 3-4-0 in league play.  The two teams will meet again at UMass Boston on February 7.

            In the final minute of the second period, Kuhn intercepted a cross-ice pass at his own blue line and went in alone on USM rookie goaltender Dylan Wells (Nashville, Tenn.).  Kuhn put a couple of moves on Wells before slipping a shot under the pad for his second goal of the game, and the eventual game winner.

            UMB sophomore goalie Zach Andrews (Coral Springs, Fla.) made the one-goal lead stand up through the final period making 10 of his 24 saves and getting some help from the iron as USM hit two posts.

            Southern Maine got off on the right foot in the opening minute of the game as rookie defenseman Cole Klippenstein (Franklin, Tenn.) blasted an 80-foot slap shot past Andrews for his fourth goal of the season.

            The Beacons tied the score with a power-play marker at 11:24.  Senior Travis Daniel (North Brunswick, N.J.) scored his fourth goal of the season after taking a feed from sophomore Peter MacIntyre (Norfolk, Mass.) and beating Wells from the left wing circle.

            USM regained the lead at 7:18 of the second period as freshman Kelby Lorenz (Mississauga, Ont.) lit the lamp for a power-play goal.  Classmate Todd Bannerman (Georgetown, Ont.) and junior Ryan Seward (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) picked up the assists.

            Kuhn equalized at 11:30 with a shot from the high slot through a screen after receiving a pass from senior Mark Grinhaus (Scarsdale, N.Y.).

            Wells finished the game stopping 24 shots before being lifted for the extra skater with 29 seconds to play.

            Southern Maine is back in action on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.) when in-state rival Bowdoin College comes to the USM Ice Arena for a non-conference game.  UMass Boston will host Wentworth Institute of Technology in non-conference action on Friday (7:00 p.m.). 

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