Southern Maine deals Salve Regina a 7-3 defeat

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Southern Maine advanced to the finals of the 18th annual Middlebury College Holiday Classic with a 7-4 victory over Salve Regina. The Huskies will take part in the championship game on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. against Middlebury, a 4-0 winner over Babson earlier today. The Seahawks meet the Beavers in the third-place game at 4:00 p.m.

Southern Maine opened the scoring 5:42 into the game with a power play goal. Paul Conter fed Chris Travis, who made a quick cross-crease pass to Jon Rutt for the goal. The lead doubled at 18:01 as Travis found an open net after a failed poke-check by the Seahawk netminder. The Huskies made it a 3-0 game with just 17 seconds remaining in the period, as Zach Joy scored a shorthanded goal with a nifty backhander on a breakaway.

The lead grew to 4-0 just 21 seconds into the third period, when Travis found the back of the net. Salve Regina made a run shortly thereafter, scoring a pair of goals in 33 seconds. Patrick Bambery scored the first with a snapshot from the right side, before Tyler Trott converted a breakaway at the 5:14 mark.

Southern Maine answered, coming back with a pair of goals in 1:13 to make it a 6-2 game. Paul Conter beat a screened Bobby Baylis from the perimeter, before Kyle Baker made it a four-goal game at 7:15 with a blast from the left point.

Nathaniel Burns scored a power play goal for the Seahawks at 12:36, before Dan Rautenberg wrapped-up the scoring with an empty-netter for USM with 46 seconds remaining.

Mason St. Hilaire played 40 scoreless minute to earn the win, making 21 saves, while Tim Gerrish allowed three goals on 10 shots in the third. Bayliss made 17 stops for the Seahawks.

Courtesy of Middlebury sports information