WORCESTER, Mass. -- The University of Maine Black Bears scored three unanswered goals in the first period and added another goal in the second period to defeat the University of Denver Pioneers 4- 2 in the NCAA East Regional Saturday. The Black Bears, now 30-5-6 in NCAA play, advance to the NCAA semifinal in Providence, R.I., next week, where they will play the winner of the West Regional match-up between Michigan and Wisconsin. The Pioneers outshot the Black Bears 33-29, but Black Bear goaltender Blair Allison, playing in his 42nd game this season, saved 31 of those shots. Pioneers goaltender Sinuhe Wallinheimo had 29 saves. Denver finishes its season with a record of 25-15-2. Black Bears 4, Pioneers 2 FIRST PERIOD -- 1, Maine, Thompson 11 (Lovell, Frenette), 8:54; 2, Maine, Lovell 22 (Thompson), 11:48; 3, Maine, Tory 12 (Purdie, Rodrigue), 18:12 (PP) SECOND PERIOD -- 4, Denver, Laaksonen 17 (Dairon), 3:24; 5, Maine, Cardinal 7 (Conlan, Shermerhorn), 14:44 THIRD PERIOD -- 6, Denver, Gunther 8 (una), 17:36 _____________________________________________________________________ Ryan Robbins "Nothing in fine print is ever good news." University of Maine -- Andy Rooney _____________________________________________________________________ [log in to unmask] ____________________________________________