Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.–The University of Maine men’s ice hockey team, ranked No. 1 in the country by the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll, made a firm statement to remain there, with a strong two-game outing at Boston College Friday and Saturday nights.
The Black Bears defeated the Eagles 4-3 Friday, thanks to Robert Liscak’s second consecutive game-winning goal, and then got a late goal Saturday from senior captain Chris Heisten to gain a 2-2 tie at Conte Forum.
“We’re happy with these results,” UMaine coach Tim Whitehead said. “I thought we played hard and played smart. It was a good weekend of hockey.”
The weekend was characterized by Boston College out-shooting UMaine in both games, 30-22 Friday and 41-24 Saturday, but the Black Bear defense and goaltending stood strong against the Eagles considerable offensive talent.
Friday night the Eagles swarmed around UMaine goaltender Jimmy Howard’s net for the first minute and a half without scoring. UMaine was able to take advantage of a turnover in the BC zone to set up their first goal, just 2:56 into the game.
An Eagle defenseman’s clearing attempt was intercepted by Gray Shaneberger, leading to a two-on-none for Shaneberger and Cameron Lyall. Lyall gave a pass back to Shaneberger, who beat BC netminder Tim Kelleher to give UMaine the lead.
Senior Lucas Lawson scored his sixth goal of the season at 13:20 of the first on a low wrist shot from the right circle to make it 2-0 on assists from Martin Kariya and Francis Nault.
The Black Bears put the Eagles down by three goals for the first time all season when Greg Moore put home a Colin Shields rebound shot on the power play at 7:57 of the second period.
The Eagles got one back when A.J. Walker tipped home a centering feed from Ty Hennes at 17:16 of the second period, making it 3-1 UMaine.
BC came back in the third, scoring two goals to tie the game. Ryan Shannon scored a power play goal at 6:03 as Chris Collins screened Howard. Shannon’s shot deflected off of Howard’s skate. Then, at 7:55, Ben Eaves put home a rebound from Andrew Alberts to tie the score at three.
Whitehead used the opportunity to call a timeout to get the team focused again.
“I told the guys to relax and use this as an opportunity to get back in the game,” Whitehead said.
His reasoning worked.
With about 10 minutes left, Liscak centered a pass for Shields, whose one-timer slid through the crease to the left wing corner. Liscak found the puck and threw it toward the front. The puck hit Kelleher’s skate and went in the net with 9:58 left for the game-winner.
“I saw that the goalie was out of position, so I just threw it at the net,” Liscak said. “You want to throw it in there hoping that something good happens, and it did.”
The story of Saturday’s game was the play of UMaine’s junior netminder Frank Doyle. He had yet to play against an opponent of Boston College’s caliber in his college career, but he stepped up and played well, stopping 39 shots, including 12 in the overtime.
“For the most part, I think [BC's] shots were kept to the outside,” Doyle said. “[The defense] did a good job in front of me again, and that made my job a lot easier.”
BC went on top early, as freshman Patrick Eaves was finally able to knock the fourth shot attempt past Doyle for his tenth on the season at 6:31 of the first.
Shields tied the game on his tenth of the year, after beating Kelleher with a forehander on the breakaway 2:56 into the second period to tie the game.
BC scored a power play goal with 11:05 left in the third. Ben Eaves found Collins alone in front, who put a wrist shot by Doyle to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
But Heisten was able to salvage the tie on a rebound with 7:49 left.
“The goalie was sprawled out,” Heisten said. “He was trying to hold the post, and got it right under his glove.”
UMaine nearly won the game in overtime when Heisten had a breakaway, but he crashed into the net, knocking it off the moorings, before the puck trickled by Kelleher. UMaine then dodged a bullet with just 14 seconds left as Shannon’s shot from the left slot hit the post.
BC is winless in three straight games and is now 9-3-2 (6-2-1 Hockey East). UMaine is unbeaten in its last 12 games, and is now 11-1-2 (5-0-1 Hockey East). The Black Bears will play Iona College Friday night at Alfond Arena.
