GORHAM, Maine – The first goal of the season for junior Kadin Ilott (Kenora, Ontario) gave the University of Southern Maine Huskies a 6-5 overtime win over in-state rival Bowdoin College on Saturday evening. The Polar Bears led by as many as three goals midway through the second period and led 5-3 in the third period before the Huskies tied the game and forced overtime.
 
Ilott also had an assist and was one of five Huskies with multiple points. Senior Jeff Pollara (Braintree, Mass) and sophomores Marcus Torgner (Mjolby, Sweden) and Kayde Kinaschuk (Calgary, Alberta) matched Ilott's scoring line with a goal and assist each. Sophomore Matt Sullivan (Hingham, Mass./New Hampton School) had assists on three of the Huskies' goals.
 
Bowdoin's Aidan Lyons scored the first two goals of the game for the Polar Bears. Isaac Abbott recorded a goal and two assists while Jack Barbro and James Cerepak each had a goal and an assist.
 
The Records:
Bowdoin: 5-6-0
Southern Maine: 3-7-1
 
Series History:
The Huskies and Polar Bears have now played 40 times with Bowdoin leading the series 28-9-3. Today's victory was the first win by the Huskies in the series since a 2-0 triumph on January 5, 2020.
 
The Goaltenders:
Bowdoin: AJ DiChiara (1-2-0), 61:02, six goals allowed, 30 saves
Southern Maine: Kyle Penton (2-2-1), 61:02, five goals allowed, 30 saves
 
How It Happened:

• The teams made up for a scoreless first period by combining for five goals in the second. Lyons scored his first 1:12 into the period with assists by Michael Dinges and Cerepak. He then added a second 6:08 into the period with Luke Wheeler and Barbo assisting. Abbott extended the lead to 3-0 with a score that was assisted by Hunter Fetterolf with about 10:30 left in the period.
• The Huskies scored twice in the final five minutes to make the score 3-2 leading into the third. Pollara cut the lead to 3-1 by finishing off the rebound of his own shot that bounced off the back boards. His goal was assisted by Sullivan and senior Mathieu Sabourin (Alexandria, Ontario). The second goal came when a blast by fifth year senior Nick Nault (Goffstown, N.H.) ricocheted off the Bowdoin goalie and freshman Gavin Simopoulos (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) before landing in the net. Simopoulos was credited with the goal with assists by Nault and Sullivan.
• Cerepak gave Bowdoin a 4-2 lead just under five minutes into the third period, but the Huskies quickly answered with an Owen Arend (Palmetto, Fla./Kents Hill School) goal after Pollara got the puck on a breakaway and his pass found Arend with an open net. Freshman Gage LeTourneau (Presque Isle, Maine) also had an assist on the goal.
• Bowdoin answered with a goal by Barbro less than two minutes later with Gabe Shipper and Abbott assisting. The Huskies again quickly responded with a backhanded goal by Torgner from fifth year senior Cole Ouellette (Lewiston, Maine) and Kinaschuk.
• Kinaschuk scored the equalizer with just over seven minutes left in regulation off the rebound of a shot by Ilott that was blocked by a Bowdoin defender. The goal was set up by a faceoff win by freshman Danny Caputo (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.) that allowed Torgner to send a pass to Ilott at the point.
• Sullivan forced a turnover in overtime and fed a pass to Ilott who then passed back to sophomore Ethan MacDuff (Lloydminster, Alberta). MacDuff's shot was saved but Ilott was able to drive home the rebound to give Southern Maine the win.

 
Inside The Stats:

• The Huskies had a slight 36-35 lead in shots on goal and 39-26 in faceoff wins.
• Sabourin was a difference-maker at the faceoff dot winning 13 of 19 draws. Junior Conor Donovan (Nahant, Mass./Swampscott) was also a big contributor by going 12-for-24 on faceoffs.
• Wheeler won 16 draws for Bowdoin and blocked three shots on defense.
• Each goalie made 30 saves.
• Sullivan's seven assists and eight points this season lead the team.
• Arend and Simopoulos are tied for the most goals on the team with four each.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies will travel to face Albertus Magnus College in a two-game series next week. The first game will start at 5:00 pm on Friday, January 10.