For a second straight game, the #18 Maine men’s hockey team was unable to hold a one goal third period lead as Boston University triumphed 3-2 in overtime on Friday night in a Hockey East contest at Agannis Arena.
After a scoreless first period in which the Black Bears outshot the Terriers 20-12 (7-3 on net), Maine would break the deadlock on a Frank Djurasevic goal at 1:22 of the second. A free rolling puck came to the junior defenseman in the right circle. Djurasevic then carried it down to the side of the net at the goal line and flipped a shot from a bad angle up over the shoulder of BU goaltender Mikhail Yegorov into the far corner for his third of the season and a 1-0 lead. The hosts didn’t take long to tie it back up as a one-timer from a wide open Jack Murtagh in the right circle 1:45 later made it 1-1. Max Scott regained the Black Bears lead at 11:33. With bodies on top of the loose puck in the low slot, Scott stepped in just as it came free and hammered it home for the one goal advantage after 40 minutes. Cole Eiserman had the answer in the third period with a powerplay marker at 4:27, as once again a Terrier was unmarked and the sophomore lit the lamp on a one-timer from the slot that eventually sent it to overtime. Albin Boija came up big in many key moments of the game, including on three breakaways on the night for BU. It wasn’t enough however, as Ryder Ritchie sent the home fans home happy with a low hard shot from the high slot at 1:42 of the extra session to win it for his team.
Jack Harvey was the leading point getter in the Boston University victory with two assists including one on the game winner. Yegorov made 28 saves, as the Terriers went 1-1 on the powerplay. BU improves to 13-13-2 and 9-10-0 in Hockey East. Scott had one goal and one assist in the Maine loss. Jeremy Langlois and Jaden Lipinski also added one assist each. Boija ended up making 28 saves, and the Black Bears went 0-3 on their powerplay (now 1-22 in their last nine games). Josh Nadeau and Owen Fowler both also returned to the lineup, as Nadeau had been out with an illness since January 10 and Fowler was battling an upper body injury that kept him sidelined for the game vs Providence last Saturday. Maine slips to 14-11-2 and 8-9-0 in the conference, currently in a three way tie for fifth place with Northeastern and Merrimack with seven games left in the regular season. The Black Bears return home for a rematch of the league championship game from last season when they take on the UConn Huskies in a two game series on Friday and Saturday night at Alfond Arena.
Photo courtesy of UMaine Athletics
