The #2 Boston College Eagles rallied for three goals over the final 9:35 of the third period on Friday night, knocking #5 Maine from the ranks of the unbeaten with a stunning 3-2 victory in men’s Hockey East action at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Maine controlled most of the play early on, outshooting Boston College 9-2 in what ended up being a scoreless first period. The Eagles had 11 of the final 15 shots of the opening 20 minutes, and rang two off the post behind Black Bears goaltender Albin Boija.
BC (7-1, 1-0 Hockey East) had the best chance to break the deadlock in the second period when Maine forward Ross Mitton was called for a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing at 4:21. The Black Bears did a great job though on the penalty kill, not allowing any shots on goal during the five minutes and getting five shots of their own (three on odd man rushes) that Eagles netminder Jacob Fowler was able to turn away to keep it 0-0. The guests would take a 1-0 into the second intermission when Josh Nadeau found the back of the net at 16:50 of the stanza. Nolan Renwick won a faceoff in the BC zone right to Nadeau, who took one stride to the top of the left circle and fired a hard wristshot that went off the shoulder of Fowler glove side and into the net for his second goal of the season. It was also the 20th career marker for the sophomore, and his 50th career point.
The Maine fourth line helped extend the lead to 2-0 at 7:00 of the third period. Oskar Komarov got to a loose puck in the left corner of the Boston College zone, skated around the back of the net and threw it out front. The puck would end up deflecting off the skate of Eagles freshman forward James Hagens and into the back of the cage for the first career goal by Komarov.
The hosts began their comeback when Black Bears defenseman Grayson Arnott was called for tripping with 9:44 remaining. It took BC nine seconds to score on the powerplay and get on the board for the first time. Gabe Perreault kept it in at the Maine blue line at the right point, and sent it over to Ryan Leonard in the left circle. Leonard didn’t waste any time in snapping a tape to tape pass to a wide open Andre Gasseau, who fired it in to the left of Boija who had no chance on the play to cut it to 2-1. Maine responded well after that goal, as Nadeau had a good look from the high slot that was kicked out by the pad of Fowler who also got his stick out to stop Thomas Freel on the rebound chance. The Eagles evened it at 2-2 when Mike Posma fished out a puck in the right faceoff circle that got stuck in the skate of Jack Dalton, and beat Boija up over the left shoulder at 16:59. Boija would keep it tied a short time later when he made a sliding toe save on a point blank chance by Will Vote on a 2 on 1 down low. The game winning tally was started by Perreault near center ice, as he one touched a pass leading to a 2 on 1 breakout for Hagens and Leonard. Hagens held onto it until he skated into the bottom of the left circle, and then set up Leonard with a perfect pass into the low slot for the easy tap-in goal with just 1:33 remaining as BC in dramatic fashion won their league opener.
Boija made 27 saves in the first loss of the season for Maine. Renwick, Thomas Pichette, and Owen Fowler each had an assist as the Black Bears went 0-2 on the powerplay. Leonard had one goal and one assist in the win for Boston College, while Perreault had two helpers. Fowler made 30 saves as the Eagles went 1-2 with the extra man. Maine falls to 6-1-1 and 3-1-1 in Hockey East. The teams will finish off their two game series at Conte Forum with a rare Sunday afternoon tilt at 1 p.m.
Videos in this recap courtesy of MaineIceHockey on X
