A four-goal second period propelled the Maine Nordiques to a 6-2 victory over the Springfield Jr. Blues at the North American Hockey League Showcase on Friday in Blaine, Minnesota.
“The team is built to score three goals a game right now,” Nordiques coach Nick Skerlick said. “I think anytime we can score more than three, we are over-exceeding our expectations.”
Cody Pisarczyk scored twice and added an assist for Maine, while David Helledy and Kellen Murphy had a goal and two assists each.
“I think every line chipped in today,” Skerlick said. “It’s been a couple of different guys every game out here so far, which is nice to have.”
Both teams scored in the first period. Logan Sutton potted a goal for Springfield and Pisarczyk answered late in the stanza for Maine (3-1-1, 7 points).
Nordiques defenseman David Helledy started the second-period scoring off 1:17 into the frame for a 2-1 lead, with Kellen Murphy and defenseman Aidan Dixon recording the assists.
Murphy notched his sixth goal of the season near the midway point of the second to extend the Nordiques lead to 3-1. Charles-Edward Tardif and Cole Hipkin had the helpers.
Grant Dietz, who assisted on Pisarczyk’s goal in the first period, gave Maine a three-goal lead 11 minutes into the second. Pisarczyk notched the assist.
After Springfield’s Jake Peterson cut the deficit to 4-2, Tardif restored Maine’s three-goal advantage late in the second period. Murphy and Helledy added to their point totals with assists on the play.
Pisarczyk capped the scoring by beating Springfield goalie JJ Cataldo (15 saves), who played the first and third periods.
Cade Chapman made seven saves in the second period for the Blues.
Thomas Heaney stopped 15 shots for Maine.
The Nordiques’ final game of the showcase is Saturday at 10:30 a.m. against the Corpus Christi IceRays of the South Division.
“If we can win tomorrow, it sets us up for an off weekend and get guys rested up, get guys some college tours,” Skerlick said. “We are already feeling good, but if we can start the year 4-1-1 through our first six games, it will be our best start through six games, we will feel really good.”
NOTES
Auburn’s Cam Robichaud earned his first Tier II victory, coaching the New Hampshire Mountain Kings to the franchise’s first victory on Friday, defeating the Anchorage Wolverines 5-3.
Robichaud became the Mountain Kings coach this spring after a couple of seasons with the Twin City Thunder organization as an associate coach and co-owner. Before his time with the Thunder, Robichaud was with the Nordiques organization, coaching the L/A Nordiques of the NA3HL and an associate coach with the Maine Nordiques and 16U Maine Nordiques Academy coach.
Lewiston’s Damon Bossie had an assist for New Hampshire on a goal scored by former Maine Nordiques forward Hunter Fetteroff. Bossie played with the Twin City Thunder last season.
Lisbon’s Greg Moore had his first coaching victory with United States National Team Development Program U17 team Friday night. The NTDP of the Tier I United States Hockey League defeated the EL Paso Rhinos of the NAHL 5-3 in an exhibition game at the NAHL Showcase.
Former Nordiques forward and Sanford native Oliver Genest committed to Division I Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, after his junior hockey career. Last year with the Nordiques, he had 20 goals and 20 assists in 58 games.
He’s currently with the Cedar Roughriders of the USHL
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