Léger, Southern Maine Men Shut Out Suffolk 4-0

            GORHAM, Maine -- Senior goaltender Paul Léger (Blainville, Quebec) stopped 24 shots for his first shutout of the season as the University of Southern Maine blanked visiting Suffolk University 4-0 in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's action Saturday at the USM Ice Arena.

            With their Senior Day victory, the Huskies improved to 7-12-3 overall and 6-7-2 in NEHC play.  The Rams dropped their third straight game to fall to 6-13-2 overall and 2-10-2 in conference play with two weekends to go in the regular season.

            Léger was steady throughout the game making eight saves in all three periods.  The clean sheet was the third of his career.

            The Huskies got what proved to be only goal they would need at 5:32 of the first period as rookie Nick Ritmo (Niskayuna, N.Y.) potted his first collegiate goal off assists from seniors Ethan Bassile (Scarborough, Maine) and Tristan Dundas (Chilliwack, B.C.).  Sophomore Michael Green (Baie d'Urfã, Quebec) doubled the Huskies advantage at 9:59 with his fifth goal of the season.  Rookie Curtis Judd (Saco, Maine) and junior Adam Papayoanou (Valencia, Calif.) were credited with the assists.

            Sophomore Derek Tillotson (Bow, N.H.) netted the only goal of the second period, that coming in the final minute.  Tillotson finished off a 2-on-1 with classmate Adam Withers (Kenora, Ont.) for his fourth marker.  Senior Brock Padgham (Chilliwack, B.C.) picked up the second assist.

            Junior Maverick Lynes (Sherwood Park, Alberta) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season at 9:46 of the third period after taking a pass from Green.

            Southern Maine outshot Suffolk in the game, 28-24.  Neither side could convert on the power play as Suffolk went 0 for 2 while USM was 0 for 3.

            Suffolk rookie goalie Cal Wilcox (Pomfret, Conn.) surrendered all four USM goals and stopped 20 saves before giving way to classmate Jarrett Bovarnick (Boca Raton, Fla.).  Bovarnick played the final 10:14 and recorded four saves.

            Prior to the start of the game, the Huskies recognized their seven seniors playing their final regular season home game.  In addition to Léger, Bassile, Dundas, and Padgham, the Huskies honored defenseman Johnny Kyte (Carp, Ontario) and forwards Mark Tomaschek (Toms River, N.J.) and Cody Braga (Middleboro, Mass.).

            Southern Maine hits the road next weekend for NEHC games at nationally-ranked Hobart College on Friday (7 p.m.) and Skidmore College on Saturday (4 p.m.).  Suffolk will be at home on Friday (7 p.m.) entertaining nationally-ranked Babson College. 

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