ORONO, Maine- The Maine Black Bears men’s ice hockey team honored their seven seniors on Saturday night during their last home game of the season. Two of those seniors came up big in a win for the Black Bears. Brendan Robbins scored two goals, and Rob McGovern made 30 saves as Maine blanked Boston University 6-0 in a Hockey East matchup at Alfond Arena before a crowd of 4,801.
Robbins got the scoring started early. Robbins skated near the right faceoff circles to the left of BU goalie Jake Oettinger, and fired a high rising wrister that found the net 1:44 into the opening period to make it 1-0. Just over 5:30 later, after a hard check that freed up the puck, Chase Pearson took it to the net in front of Oettinger and fired a backhander that made it 2-0. The Bears Emil Westerlund had a breakaway with a little less than nine minutes left, but couldn’t convert to extend the lead. McGovern made 13 first period saves, as the Terriers outshot the Bears 13-7 in the opening frame.
Maine goalie Rob McGovern reaches up to make a glove save during Hockey East action vs Boston University at the Alfond Arena in Orono on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Photo by Anthony Delmonaco (click to enlarge)
Maine never let BU back into the game, and had the foot on the accelarator all night long. Robbins got his second of the game 2:28 into the second. Freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svestrup gained control of a puck in the Terriers zone, and sent a perfect pass to Robbins who tapped it past Oettinger to make it 3-0. Tim Doherty extended the lead 6:10 later when he was sent it alone at the blue line after receiving a pass from Robbins. Doherty beat Oettinger with a low wrister stick side making it 4-0 to end the night for the Terriers netminder.
Maines Brendan Robbins takes a shot in Hockey East action at Alfond Arena in Orono on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Maine won 6-0. Photo by Anthony Delmonaco (click to enlarge)
The Bears added a pair in the third period on a rebound goal during a scrum in front of the BU goal by Brady Keeper at 7:22. Mitchell Fossier ended the scoring at 13:28. Robbins had two goals and an assist on the night, Keeper had a goal and two assists, Fossier had one goal and two assists, Pearson had a goal and an assist, and Schmidt-Svestrup added two assists for Maine. The Bears finish the regular season at 15-15-4, and 11-9-4 in Hockey East.
Oettinger took the loss in net for BU (14-16-4, 12-9-3) making just eight saves on 12 shots in his 28:38 of action. Vinnie Purpura allowed two goals on 14 shots in relief. Maine was 0-2 on the powerplay, while BU was 0-4. McGovern made several grade A saves to earn a win in net for the first time since 12/30/17 in a 5-2 win at RPI. The senior goalie was starting his first game since a 4-4 tie at Brown on 1/8/18.
Maine heads to Northeastern next weekend for a best of three Hockey East quarterfinal series with the Huskies. The Bears lost 3-2 and 4-0 at home in January in the season series with Northeastern. Boston University needed a win to host their quarterfinal series with UMass-Lowell, but now with a loss with head to Tsongas Arena in Lowell.
Maine honored its seven seniors prior to the game with Boston University on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Left to right is- Rob McGovern, Canon Pieper, Daniel Perez, Keith Muhlbauer, Brendan Robbins, Sam Becker, and Rob Michel. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco (click to enlarge)
