Portland, ME – Maine coach Tim Whitehead wishes that his club could make a couple of trips to Portland each year.

Adam Shemansky scored a pair of goals, and Dan Sullivan added 30 saves, giving the University of Maine men’s ice hockey team a 4-3 victory over Clarkson University before 5,328 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in the Black Bears annual visit to Maine’s largest city.

“It was a really great event,” said Whitehead. “It’s different because we don’t have the student section, but it was a great game for us. The record speaks for itself. As for what Portland does for us, it’s a great feeling down here. Our players really feel wanted here and feel at home.”

Maine's Spencer Abbots attempts to ellude Clarkson's Andre Himelson. Maine defeated Clarkson, 4-3, the Black Bears annual game in Portland, ME (PHOTO: Dan Hickling)

The Black Bears (4-6-2 overall; 3-5-1 Hockey East) improved to 12-0-3 in its last 15 games at the Civic Center, which included a pair of exhibition victories against the US 18-under team.

The Black Bears were looking to snap a five-game winless streak (0-4-1) after earning a tie against Massachusetts and an exhibition win on Wednesday night against the US Under-18 team.

“We’ve built some momentum,” said Whitehead. “We had the tie on the road at UMass and the win over the US team and now here, so were building some momentum. We’d like to see that carry us into league play.”

“When you’re clawing your way back into the hunt you need to just chip away one game at a time. We’re performing better and now we just need to keep it going.”

Maine built a two-goal lead early in the second period, but Clarkson battled back to score twice in a span of less than a five minutes.

Adam Shemansky started the scoring just 1:13 into the second period when he ripped a shot from the right circle that beat Clarkson goalie Paul Karpowich, giving the Black Bears a 3-1 lead.

At 4:42, Jake Morley pulled the Golden Knights back to within a goal with a gift as Dan Sullivan was behind the net to corral the puck, it made its way to Morley’s stick for a wide open shot at the net.

Allan McPherson worked his way around a defenseman from Maine and fired a blast from the top of the right circle, beating Sullivan stick side at 9:30 of the period.

With four seconds remaining in the second period, the Black Bears took the lead, 4-3, when Matt Mangene’s shot from the blueline deflected off a Clarkson skate into the net.

Both goalies stood on their head in the third period, and although Sullivan gave up the two goals in the second period, Whitehead thought Sullivan might have been Maine’s best player.

“Despite a 4-3 result,” said Whitehead. “I thought both goalies may have been the best two players on the ice. I was very impressed with both goaltenders. We will certainly take the win.”

Maine’s Klas Leidermark took the first penalty of the game at the 3:20 mark of the period, but fifty seconds later, it was Stu Higgins putting the Black Bears on the board as a turnover by Clarkson led to an odd-man rush. Higgins snapped a shot from the right hash-mark, beating Karpowich just over the glove.

Maine scored two power-play goals, going 2-for-7 on the night, adding a shorthanded goal to win the special team battle.

“With the shorthanded goal and the two power-play goals that was big for us to win the special teams battle,” said Whitehead. “(Stu) Higgins showed a lot of poise for a freshman… That was a really big goal to score shorthanded.”

With Mangene and Kevin Tansey in the box for hitting after the whistle at 10:40, both teams skated four-on-four.

With three seconds left in the matching minors, Clarkson tied the game, 1-1, at 12:38 when Louke Oakley picked the upper right corner with a laser that beat Sullivan over the glove.

The tie only last three minutes as Maine regained the lead, 2-1, after Shemansky took the puck from behind the net, beating Karpowich on a wrap around with a backhand shot in the slot.

“We had some turnovers (in the game),” said Clarkson coach Casey Jones, who in his first season behind the bench for the Golden Knights. “There players come across the blueline and make plays. That’s the strength of their team. We gave them time and space, which you don’t want to do and they took advantage.”

NOTES: This is not the only time that Maine will face Clarkson this season. Both teams will take part in the Florida Classic in Estero, Florida on Dec 29.