CHARLESTOWN, Mass. – The Suffolk men's hockey team saw its win streak end Friday night as the Huskies of Southern Maine snuck by the Rams, 3-2, in NEHC action at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Southern Maine 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-10-0, 4-7-0 NEHC) | Southern Maine (3-12-3, 3-8-1 NEHC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Penalties plaques the Rams from the get-go and the Huskies hung around because of it. Four seconds after Miller Rubin returned to the ice after sitting down for two minutes for hooking, Connor Ferrera picked up the rebound of Brendan Dowler's stopped shot and found the back of the netting to give the visitors a 1-0 edge 5:15 into the action. 

From there, USM had three other man-up opportunities in the opening period, but Suffolk's defense backed-up Michael Levine, who made 12 saves over the final 15 minutes of action to keep it a one-goal game.  

It was a back-and-forth battle in the opening period of the middle period with both teams seeing a handful of opportunities, but each squad's netminders keeping the one-goal game intact.  

Miller Rubin had other things in mind as the sophomore sniped his first first-ever goal to level the playing field at the 10:49 minute mark. Rubin received help from Connor Henry and Billy Roche to score the game-tying goal.  

The tied game was shortlived as Parker Sanderson put away his first goal of the season nearly minutes to regain the lead for the Huskies. Tyler Gardiner assisted on the marker that put Suffolk in a one-goal hole once again. 

Suffolk saw its chance to knot the score grow with less than a minute to go in the second as USM was whistled for a pair of penalties. The Rams were unable to capitalize in the final 35 seconds of the second period, but would come out of the locker room with 1:25 left on the 5-on-3. 

The Rams drew up the right play in the second intermission and Joseph Mortillaro scored 26 seconds into the third period to even the conference contest at 2-2.  

USM never gave up the lead and went back in front at the 7:53 minute mark as Tyler Gardiner fired the puck past Michael Levine. Ferrera helped put the Huskies ahead, 3-2.  

As time dwindled, Chris Glionna pulled Levine from the net with 1:06 left on the clock to give Suffolk's offense an added boost. Things fell even more in the Rams' favor as Jess Kestenbaum was sent to the box at the 19:07 minute mark for delay of game.  

The blue-and-gold could not capitalize even with a pair of extra skaters and costly penalties from both teams with 11.7 seconds on the clock sealed the fate for the Huskies. 

NETMINDER NOTES

• Levine had 24 saves to his credit in the setback. 
• Anthony D'Aloisio put together a 42-save effort in the victory.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Mortillaro and Rubin each scored for Suffolk. 
• Bryan, Brooks, C. Henry and Roach all passed out one assist. 
• Suffolk outshot USM, 44-27. 
• The Rams also took the face-off head-to-head, 43-32.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Rubin notched his first collegiate goal. 
• Rubin extended his point streak to two. In the stretch he has tallied three points on one goal and a pair of helpers. 
• C. Henry passed out one assist in the last two outings. 
• Brooks pushed his point streak to four. Over those games, the junior has registered five points with one goal and four assists.
• Bryan extended his point streak to four straight. In that stretch he has contributed eight points with three markers and five handouts.
• Roach recorded his first collegiate assist. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes the weekend action tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 19 when it entertains New England College. Prior to the 7 p.m. puck drop, the Rams will honor the careers of its 11-member Class of 2019; Nick Abbene ,Joe Admirand, Tommy Bishop, Mikhail Bryan, LJ Fellows, Brendan Heinze, Connor Henry, Sean Henry, Michael Levine, Connor Parent and Tyler Scearbo.