LEWISTON, ME– With their season on the line, the Maryland Black Bears looked to Game 4 to try and even the series and for a Game 5. However, after a first period to forget, the Black Bears were unable to get back into the game and had their season ended in the divisional semi final for the first time in team history. 

Maryland worked into the offensive zone and tried to create chances and get on the board early, but couldn’t get the bounces in their favor. Penalty trouble reared its ugly head in the middle of the frame, which allowed Maine to get on the board first as Laurent Trepenier notched his first of the playoffs to make it 1-0 Maine. The Black Bears pressured again, but a turnover in their offensive zone allowed Maine to make it 2-0 with Connor McNaughton notching his second of the playoffs. Bounces in the offensive end for Maryland were starting to show, but nothing bounced into the back of the net. With only five seconds remaining in the frame, Tomek Haula knocked in a loose puck at the side of the net to make it 3-0 for Maine going into the first intermission. 

Trying to dig deep, the Black Bears kept on their attack, finally cashing in with Josh Frenette putting home a rebound four minutes into the period off a Mason Stenger point shot to make it 3-1. Maryland kept on their pressure, but penalties became a problem in the middle of the frame. The penalty kill, however, was on it, as they kept pressure away and Marko Bilic made some key stops to make sure the deficit didn’t get bigger. Despite a couple chances late in the frame, the Black Bears went into the third period down two goals. 

It was not a great start in the third, as Maine made it 4-1 after Ethan Wongus ripped home a shot under the arm of Bilic only 25 seconds into the period. While Maryland tried to pressure while four-on-four, Maine made it 5-1 after an odd-man rush led to Zion Green netting his second of the playoffs on a one-timer.  The Black Bears were hampered with pucks that would bounce around in the crease, but never find the way past the goal-line. After a double minor penalty on Maine expired, Kareem El-Bashir would hammer home a one-timer to make it 5-2. That’s as close as Maryland would get as a late-game power play would halt the Black Bears momentum and end their season with a 5-2 defeat.