Maines Patrick Holway (in white) checks Brandon Hickey from Boston University along the boards during action at the Alfond Arena on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Photo by Anthony Delmonaco.
ORONO, Maine- Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger made 26 saves Saturday night, as the #3 Boston University Terriers completed a weekend home and home Hockey East sweep over Maine by a score of 3-1 at the Alfond Arena before a sellout crowd of 5,125.
Keller got the scoring started in the first period with just two seconds remaining on a Maine powerplay. Keller intercepted a diagonol cross-ice pass by Rob Michel in Michels own offensive own zone, and broke in alone on Maine goalie Rob McGovern making a few dekes before depositing a backhander into the back of the net to make it 1-0 Terriers with 4:37 left in the first. “Obviously a great play by Keller on the shorthand, he has great hand eye (coordination), and he’s done that a few times this year”, said BU head coach David Quinn.
BU extended the lead to a pair 15:32 into the second period, as Patrick Harper took a great cross-ice pass and one timed it past McGovern on the powerplay to make it 2-0. The goal came about a minute after Maines Patrick Holway had rang one off the post behind BU goalie Oettinger. It was the second one to ring the pipe on the night for the Bears.
Maine finally was able to get a good bounce in the third period to break on the scoreboard. A shot by Blaine Byron bounced off a defenders skate and fluttered into the top right corner of the net on the powerplay to cut the Terriers lead to 2-1 at the 6:18 mark. But just 2:55 later, Brandon Hickey was in the right place at the right time, depositing a blocked shot taken by Keller that ended up right on his stick to finish the scoring on the night and give BU their eighth straight victory.
“A great weekend. Anytime you can sweep in this league it’s a great accomplishment”, added Quinn, as his Terriers improved to 16-5-2 overall and 9-2-2 in league play.
McGovern would make 34 saves in the Maine loss, as the Bears dropped to 8-13-3 overall and 2-9-1 in Hockey East. Maine was 1-4 on the powerplay, while BU was 1-6.
“I think it’s clear, we had two on ones and breakaways last night and two on ones and breakaways tonight and we didn’t finish”, said Maine head coach Red Gendron. “I cannot fault the effort, and how hard our kids worked and how hard they competed. We played some pretty good defense. There were times they broke us down, but we did a pretty good job in front of our own net. There is lots to build on”, added Gendron.
Maine returns to action next Friday and Saturday night when they welcome in UMass to the Alfond. BU has a three game week battling Merrimack in a home and home series Tuesday and Friday, then hosting UMass-Lowell Saturday.
BU (16-5-2, 9-2-2) 1 1 1- 3
UM (8-13-3, 2-9-1) 0 0 1- 1
