19 Maine wasn’t able to hold a 2-0 lead after two periods on Saturday night at Agganis Arena in Boston, as #14 Boston University rallied to tie it and then won it in overtime 3-2 to sweep the weekend men’s Hockey East series. The Black Bears have now lost 10 straight games at Agganis Arena.
Things started out very promising as compared to the debacle that was on Friday night, as Maine scored both their goals in the first period to take the early lead. Rowan Calvert, playing in his third collegiate game, knocked home a loose puck at 5:37 for his first career goal to make it 1-0. Max Scott doubled the advantage at 14:45 with his second of the season off a beautiful pass into the low slot by Will Gerrior, as the Black Bears dominated the opening frame outshooting BU 21-8. The Terriers had better Grade A chances in the second period, but Albin Boija kept them off the scoreboard. An undisciplined penalty cost Maine in the third, and the best player to this point in the season for BU took over. After Scott was whistled for slashing at 6:10, Tynan Lawrence scored at 6:56 on the powerplay on a one-timer from the top of the right circle to get the home fans back in the game. Lawrence tied it with his second of the period (6th and 7th goals of the season) on a wristshot from the left dot at 17:48 that eventually sent it to overtime. Caleb Malhotra got the winner in the extra session at 1:35, skating into the Black Bears zone and deeking around two defenders before walking to the left circle to fire a wrister just inside the short side post over the right shoulder of Boija to end it.
Jack Harvey helped set up both goals by Lawrence in the win for Boston University, as he had two assists. Mikhail Yegorov made 34 saves, as the Terriers improved to 6-2 and 4-2 in Hockey East. Gerrior, Lee Parks, and Jaden Lipinski had an assist each for Maine. Boija stopped 24 shots. The Black Bears (4-4, 0-2) get 1 point on the weekend, and still remain winless at Agganis since a 3-1 victory back in November of 2018. They will return to Orono to take on UMass next Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Alfond Arena in the home Hockey East openers.
Photo from UMaine Athletics
