Sophomore forward Ryan Leonard had a game winning goal for a second consecutive game on Sunday afternoon, as the #2 Boston College Eagles capped off a two game men’s Hockey East sweep with a 3-0 win over #5 Maine in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Just as the teams did Friday night, in what turned out to be a 3-2 comeback win for Boston College, the first period was scoreless. Maine had the best chance on a 3 on 1, but Jacob Fowler turned away a Sully Scholle shot. The Leonard game winner came at 10:39 of the second, as he was given plenty of room to skate across the opposing blue line and into the high slot for a wristshot that beat Albin Boija stick side. The Black Bears had a great chance to even it up at the very end of the middle stanza, as Thomas Freel had a partial breakaway in the dying seconds but a backhander was stopped by the pad of Fowler. The Eagles got some breathing room after a Maine turnover in their own end at the 8:36 mark of the third period. Andre Gasseau picked up the loose puck, strolled into the right faceoff circle firing one in far side to make it 2-0. The guests pulled Boija with 2:49 remaining, but wasn’t able to establish anything as an empty netter by Gasseau with less than 10 seconds left would ice the sweep.
Boija made 20 saves in the loss, as Maine drops to 6-2-1 and 3-2-1 in Hockey East. The Black Bears only had one powerplay chance and went 0-3 on the weekend. Other than the two goals from Gasseau, Teddy Stiga and Gabe Perreault each had one assist for Boston College. Fowler stopped all 26 shots for his third shutout of the season. The Eagles who are now 7-1 and 2-0 in league play, have not yet allowed a powerplay goal against so far (0-16). Maine, who is now 1-2-1 on the road in the early part of the year, returns back home to Alfond Arena to host Boston University in a two game series next weekend. Both games on Friday and Saturday night are slated for a 7 p.m. faceoff.
