Swept Away At Maine

This past weekend, Boston College played perhaps their most exciting hockey of the season in a pair of hair-splitting duels against the University of Maine. Unfortunately, both of those close games ended poorly for the Eagles, and BC rode the bus back to Chestnut Hill with no points to their name.

The first game in Orono went down to the wire. Tied at three going into overtime, Maine's Matt Mangene connected on a powerful slap shot, giving the Black Bears (9-7-2) a much needed win going down the stretch towards the Hockey East Tournament.

Saturday's rematch provided a chance for the Eagles to redeem themselves. Just 10 minutes in, the result already seemed decided. BC's Barry Almeida and Johnny Gaudreau quickly cashed in on a pair of opportunities that silenced the crowd at Alfond Arena, making the score 2-0 halfway through the first period.

Maine, however, is infamous for its drive and determination to never give up on a game, regardless of the score. Before the period ended, the Black Bears had knotted it up with a pair of power play goals from Joey Diamond and Brian Flynn.

As the game continued, the two squads exchanged strikes back and forth. BC goaltender Brian Billett and Maine netminder Dan Sullivan each did their best to keep their teams in it throughout the second and third periods. The score was even at four apiece with just five minutes left in the game, and the New England rivals seemed fated to go into overtime for the second time in as many games. But it wasn't meant to be. Connor Leen, a freshman forward for Maine out of Don Bosco Prep (NJ), scored his first collegiate goal. Two quick empty-netters then sealed the game for the Black Bears.  

After game two, head coach Jerry York gave credit to his opponents, saying, "They have a really sound hockey team. We could have won both games, but full credit to Maine, because they did win both games."

As York said, the result could easily have gone either way, particularly in the second game. At first glance, a 7-4 final gives the impression of a lopsided goal bonanza; in reality, it was often the goalies that kept their teams in it, and the game could have gone BC's way if not for some iffy penalty calls and a few lucky bounces.

Going into the games, the biggest question for Jerry York and his Eagles was that of BC's goaltending trio, who have all split playing time of late. Senior goaltender Chris Venti had gotten his first career start at Fenway Park last weekend against the Northeastern Huskies. In that game, he let just one goal slip between his pads in a victory that surely will prove to be a memory of a lifetime.

Unfortunately, it seems that nothing was working for any of BC's goalies this weekend.  

"We have three goaltenders now, and we're going to play whoever gives us the best chance to win," York said.

Though York went with Venti and Billett rather than junior goalie Parker Milner for these two games, he looks to employ a mix of all three of them going forward.

BC now looks to rebound in a home-and-home matchup against New Hampshire next weekend. UNH (6-9-1) has won three of their last four games and is trying to put together a winning season in time for the Hockey East tournament.

The Eagles are now tied for second place in the Hockey East with Merrimack and are four points behind Boston University for first place. Maine sits just a point behind the Eagles. With eleven games remaining in the season, BC needs a strong finish to ensure that they play in front of the Superfans this March.