ORONO - Jeff Dimmen's goal with 26.5 seconds left in regulation gave the Maine ice hockey team a 2-1 win over Massachusetts on Sunday at Alfond Arena.

Maine snapped a nine-game winless streak and earned its first win since Dec. 13, and its first Hockey East win since Dec. 7.

Dave Wilson made 28 saves for Maine (11-12-3, 6-9-2 Hockey East), including a glove save with 5.1 seconds left to preserve the win. Matt Duffy also scored for the Black Bears.

Casey Wellman scored for Massachusetts (11-12-3, 6-8-3), while goalie Paul Dainton made 19 saves.

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Call it a Super Sunday for Jeff Dimmen. Moments after he scored Maine's game-winning goal in a nationally broadcast game on ESPNU, the sophomore defenseman got some national air time, as he was interviewed post-game by the ESPNU crew. (Imagine that phone conversation. "Hey Mom, I was just on ESPN …")

Dimmen, a sophomore defenseman, scored with 26.5 seconds left in the third period to give Maine its first win in more than seven weeks.

But did Dimmen see the puck go in the net? After the game, he admitted, "I was trying to get a good shot off. But really, I closed my eyes!"

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After one game, the "Will O'Neill experiment" was deemed a relative success by Maine Coach Tim Whitehead. O'Neill, a freshman defenseman, was converted to a third-line center for Sunday's game against UMass. While he played at the point on the power play, O'Neill finished with four shots on goal and an assist on Matt Duffy's power-play goal 44 seconds into the game. O'Neill also went 4 for 12 on faceoffs.

"He's such a heart and soul player," Whitehead said of O'Neill. "He's good as a defenseman, he's actually good on the faceoffs and we'd practiced that with him, in hopes of giving him an opportunity … he really earned it."

Dimmen, who scored his fifth goal of the season, said it was a little unusual not seeing his usual defensive partner on the ice with him.

"It was different not having him as my (defensive) partner, but he played well," Dimmen said. "He did great as a forward and he really got into it in the forecheck and he made some stuff happen. He played well all over the ice."

Whitehead said no decision has been made yet as to whether or not O'Neill will continue to play at forward for next weekend's series at No. 13 New Hampshire.

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Maine took one penalty in the third period - an interference penalty against O'Neill, who was called at 9:49 after he got tangled with Massachusetts goalie Paul Dainton, who was playing the puck behind the goal. The Black Bears also outshot the Minutemen 14-6 in the third.

"Those were the big things we talked about between periods," Whitehead said. "Discipline and gaining some territory, getting the puck deep and finally getting to the net-front on both ends. That was the most pleasant surprise of the game, our poise in the third period."

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Three stars:
1. Jeff Dimmen, Maine
2. Dave Wilson, Maine
3. Casey Wellman, Massachusetts

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