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In their last game before the holidays, the University of Maine men’s hockey team can’t be too merry after dropping their lone weekend game to No. 11 Boston University 5-1 in the Alfond Arena.
The Black Bears fall to 6-7-2 and 5-6-1 in Hockey East, while BU improves to 10-5-1 and 8-4-1 in conference.
“I thought we played extremely well from start to finish,” said BU head coach Jack Parker. “It certainly wasn’t a 4-1 game — or whatever it was.”
Anthoine put the Black Bears ahead in the second period, but four-strait goals by BU ended UMaine’s hopes of the upset.
“I think they did a good job on the rush and getting opportunities off the rush,” said BU senior goalie Kieran Millan of UMaine. “It’s something we’ve done a good job of defending. My teammates did a good job handling that. It was a lot closer than it seemed.”
The game was marred by two seperate game misconducts in the second period, sending BU junior Justin Courtnall and UMaine senior center Brian Flynn to the showers early.
“He’s a key guy,” Parker said of Flynn. “They got the worst of that deal. Flynn is a terrific player.”
The game started out with a fast-paced first period, with each team putting pressure on the game’s goalies.
BU freshman forward Yasin Cissé got the first look on sophomore goalie Dan Sullivan, but Sullivan deflected it away with ease.
The Terriers had their first opportunity on the power play less than 3 minutes into the game after junior defender Nick Pryor was tagged for slashing. BU managed good looks, but Sullivan was able to keep the Terriers off the scoreboard.
A hitting-from-behind call on UMaine junior center Kyle Beattie gave the Terriers another look with the man-advantage and Sullivan again took care of anything that came his way.
Midway through the first period, it looked as though the Black Bears had their first chance on the power play after sophomore center Charlie Coyle was called for boarding. But UMaine sophomore forward Mark Anthoine followed Coyle to the box for embellishment.
Nothing came from the four-on-four action, as the Black Bears’ got another opportunity with 5 minutes remaining in the period. After freshman forward Evan Rodrigues was called for interference, Flynn got a great look on net, only to have Millan sprawl with his pad and save the goal.
Each goalie exchanged great saves to end the period, as Sullivan stopped a two-on-nothing by denying junior forward Wade Megan. Millan followed it up by stopping a wrist shot by freshman center Stu Higgins. The period ended scoreless.
The second period didn’t differ much from the first, other than the addition of scoring and the subtraction of two key players.
Six minutes into the second period, Courtnall was dismissed after a 5-minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct. Seconds after UMaine junior forward Adam Shemansky was laid-out at the center of the ice, Courtnall decked junior defender Mike Cornell to earn the early shower.
Millan kept the game level seconds into the power play after Flynn had a nice look at net. The Edmonton native wasn’t unable to keep the puck out for the penalty’s entirety as Anthoine scored his fourth goal of the season after a nice centering pass by Beattie.
“It’s something me and [Beattie] work on in practice,” Anthoine said. “He’s spot on in his passes and I’ve been pretty accurate on my shots. I tried to get it and get rid of it as soon as I can.”
Just seconds after the go-ahead goal, Flynn followed Courtnall to the locker rooms after a hitting from behind penalty. The Black Bears were able to fend off the 5-minute major, but not before sophomore forward Sahir Gill rattled the post.
UMaine head coach Tim Whitehead was visibly frustrated after the game, quick to dismiss conversation of Flynn’s game misconduct.
“It’s a shame, isn’t it?” Whitehead said of the ejection of his captain.
Millan returned the favor after stopping Abbott’s one-timer.
With 3 minutes remaining in the period, the game went to four-on-four after O’Neill and junior center Ben Rosen were each booked for interference. Cornell followed O’Neill soon after for a high stick, and the Terriers took advantage of the four-on-three, scoring with a scrum in front of the net, bringing the score to 1-1 heading into the final period.
The third period opened with the Black Bears on the power play after freshman defender Alexx Privitera was called for cross checking.
Each team fended off another power play before the Terriers broke the deadlock. Just over 6 minutes into the period, sophomore defender Adam Clendening fired the puck toward Sullivan, only to have it tipped in by Gill.
“There was a battle in the corner, and the puck went back to Clendening and he has great vision,” Gill said. “I tried to get to the net and looked up and made eye contact and he hit my stick.”
BU extended their lead to 3-1 after senior center Corey Trivino connected on his 12th goal of the season. Clendening picked up his third assist of the game.
“We’ve been focused on playing 60 minutes,” Gill said. “It was a process tonight, but it was a feel-good win for us.”
A fourth goal with just under 6 minutes remaining and an empty-netter late in the period sealed the win for the Terriers, who are winners of seven of their last eight.
“I’m not real pleased with how the game finished up, but no excuses,” Whitehead said. “I didn’t see that coming, didn’t anticipate that result in such an evenly played game.”
The Black Bears have a long layoff before traveling to Florida for the annual Florida College Classic on Dec. 29. The Black Bears open that weekend up against Clarkson University.
Bangor Daily News