Junior hockey: Maine Nordiques shut out Maryland Black Bears in NAHL East Finals Game 3

May 10—LEWISTON — One thing has been constant through the first three games of the North American Hockey East Division Finals between the Maine Nordiques and Maryland Black Bears — there has been a shutout.

Friday night, it was Maine's Carter Richardson who put up the bagel.

He made 28 saves in a 3-0 victory over the Black Bears in Game 3 at The Colisee.

Richardson had a 2-0 shutout in Game 1.

"I just try to get in a routine," Richardson said. "I feel like I come to the rink early and do the same thing: stretch and get into the right head space and try not to worry about anything."

Maine can clinch the series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. when it hosts Game 4.

"Carter Richardson, obviously to this point, is the MVP of the series," Maine Nordiques coach Nick Skerlick said. "I thought his rebound control is fantastic, the way he challenged pucks. They probably had 10 shots to the net that were Grade-A opportunities. Owen Lepak was good again obviously. He made two critical saves at the end when we turned it on."

Nils Forselius potted two goals in the win.

Owen Lepak was also solid, making 20 saves for the Black Bears.

"The refs let us play and both goalies have been terrific," Maryland coach Clint Mylymok said.

Lepak had a 1-0 shutout in Game 2.

After a scoreless first period, the Nordiques top line got things going early in the second period when Forselius tried to send the puck into the slot from behind the net. However, the puck redirected off a body and into the Black Bears' net a little over three minutes into the period. Kellen Murphy was credited with the lone assist.

"It was a pretty lucky bounce. I was having a rough game tonight, it wasn't my best hockey," Forselius said. "I got it in on the forecheck there and got a nice stick on the puck. I saw Zion (Green) in front of the net, I tried to pass it to him. Luckily, it hit off — I don't even know what it hit off, maybe one of their defenders, and it just bounced in."

Like in the first period, when Maryland withstood Maine's early attack in the offensive end, the Black Bears seized possession time in the second stanza.

Richardson was stellar by making several saves in the frame, including one off a Murphy blind pass into the slot midway through the second.

"I try to stay ready, especially when we are breaking out, just in case someone is coming in speed and pick off the puck," Richardson said. "It comes back right down our throat, it can be tough. I felt like we did a good job when we turned the puck over, we fought back to get back."

Forselius created a turnover about eight minutes into the third period but a great defensive stop by a Maryland player stopped the opportunity. Forselius put the puck on the net off a rebound moments later.

The Nordiques got caught shorthanded a minute later when one of Cole Hipkin's skate blades popped out in the offensive zone. He struggled to skate on one leg and the officials didn't blow the whistle even when Maine had possession. Once he got to the bench, it created a 3-on-2 for the Nordiques, but Forselius couldn't get the puck past Lepak.

Skerlick credits equipment manager Seth Miller for quickly getting Hipkin getting back onto the ice.

"Cole Hipkin didn't miss a single shift. That's our guy who shuts down the other team's top line. kudos to Seth Miller because he got that (blade) on Cole Hipkin's skate before he got back to the bench," Skerlick said.

Maryland took its timeout with 2:32 remaining in the third period before an offensive zone faceoff. Maine won the ensuing draw and 30 seconds later got the puck out of the zone, but missed the open net for an icing call.

The Nordiques got the puck out of the zone again and defenseman Evan Orloff sent the puck down the ice into the open net with 1:49 remaining.

"It maybe takes one game where you get a couple, some greasy ones or a bounce," Mylymok said. "Things can change in a hurry and we got to remember that and tomorrow, I wouldn't say we need to change too much, we just have to capitalize."

Forselius skated out of the defensive end past Maryland defenders for an uncontested breakaway to add the second empty-netter.

"I got a good stick on it and got a lucky bounce going over someone," Forselius. "I think I knew I was gone and I just had to get by one guy. He stepped up, I don't know why. I was nervous I was going to miss it completely, but I caught it right in the middle of the net."

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