Alex Newhook scored a game winning third period powerplay goal on Friday night and Matt Boldy added a pair of goals, as the #1 ranked Boston College Eagles defeated the Maine Black Bears 4-2 at Kelly Rink in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts in men’s Hockey East play.
Maine, who was playing their first game since January 23, hung in against the top ranked Eagles. After a scoreless first period, BC (14-3-1, 14-3-1 Hockey East) jumped on top first when Boldy scored shorthanded 1:25 into the second on a great individual rush beating Black Bear goalie Matt Thiessen with a backhander up and over Thiessens shoulder in the low slot. Tristan Poissant buried a rebound even strength just 1:45 later for Maine to tie it 1-1. Marc McLaughlin gave the hosts the lead again headed for the second intermission when he scored his ninth goal of the season at 8:09. The resilient Maine team would tie things again when Brad Morrissey scored on a 5 on 3 powerplay at 8:21 of the third period. Just seven seconds after the 5 on 4 powerplay would expire, the visitors took a penalty that would lead to the game winner by Newhook on a one timer from just outside the left faceoff circle at 10:05. The Bears were called for a late penalty with 1:34 left, and would pull Thiessen to make it a 5 on 5 situation. Boldy would then find an empty cage at 19:03 to cement the win for Boston College.
Thiessen made 28 saves in the loss, as the Black Bears drop to 2-8-1, 2-8-1 HE with their fourth straight defeat. Jakub Sirota, JD Greenway, Adam Dawe, and AJ Drobot each had one assist on the night. The Bears went 1-6 on the powerplay, and played without two of their top three scorers in Eduards Tralmaks and Jacob Schmidt-Svestrup. Spencer Knight made 24 stops in the Boston College net in the victory, as the Eagles ended a five game losing streak against Maine (first win since Feb 24, 2018). Boldy with the two goals and McLaughlin with a goal and an assist were the point leaders for BC. The two game series finishes on Saturday at 5 p.m.
