BOSTON — The University of Maine men’s ice hockey team’s first conference game of the season got off to a rough start on Friday, Oct. 30, as Boston University (BU) scored three goals in 91 seconds and never looked back, handing the Black Bears a 7-2 loss at Agganis Arena. Maine entered the weekend looking to continue its strong start to the season and earn its first win at BU since Nov. 17, 2018, when former goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman made 40 saves. Instead, Maine will have to regroup ahead of Saturday’s rematch.
Maine entered the contest ranked 19th in the USCHO poll and 13th in the NPI, coming off a split weekend against the highly ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats and a double shutout sweep of Colgate. The Black Bears’ 4-2 record gave them reasons to feel optimistic heading into conference play.
Before the game, Maine head coach Ben Barr acknowledged the challenge of playing at BU, a place where the Black Bears have struggled in recent years.
“It’s a place we haven’t been very good, so it’s a great challenge for us,” Barr said. “They’re playing great. I watched both of their games from last weekend. They’re an outstanding team. So it should be fun to be able to go down there and test ourselves against a team like that.”
Barr also emphasized the importance of limiting BU’s opportunities to play an open, fast-paced game.
“If you just have an up-and-down-the-ice game with them, that’s not something that’s going to be probably successful for us,” Barr said. “So we got to try to shrink the game a little bit and play in the trenches as much as we can.”
The Terriers entered the matchup with a 4-2 record, ranking 20th in the NPI and 14th in the USCHO poll. They were coming off a split weekend against No. 17 University of Connecticut, taking four of six conference points. BU lost 5-4 in overtime before winning the second game 6-3.
BU head coach Jay Pandolfo recognized Maine’s defensive strengths ahead of the matchup, noting that the Black Bears had returned to their identity after a difficult previous season.
“It looks like to me they’re playing back to their identity,” Pandolfo said. “I know last year didn’t go well for them. It didn’t go well for us, and to me, just watching them play early on here, they’re bought into the way they need to play.”
However, Pandolfo also knew his team would need to generate sustained offensive pressure against Maine.
“We’re going to have to make sure that we’re not just one-and-done against them,” Pandolfo said. “We got to find a way to create offensive-zone time, create second, third chances, find a way to get inside.”
Boston University wasted little time putting that plan into action, scoring three goals in 91 seconds as second-year forward Tynan Lawrence, first-year defenseman Xavier Villeneuve and second-year forward Ben Merrill put the Terriers ahead 3-0.
Third-year Canisius transfer Petter Wickström Stumer started in net for Maine, splitting starting duties this season with fellow Swede and fourth-year goalie Albin Boija. Wickström Stumer, who started last Friday’s shutout against Colgate, was pulled less than five minutes into the game after first-year forward Viktor Nörringer converted a BU power play to extend the lead to 4-0.
Maine finally responded shortly after, as fourth-year forward Tanner Klimpke gave the Black Bears life and cut the deficit to three.
The Terriers quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback, adding two more goals in the second period as first-year forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen and third-year forward Brandon Svoboda beat Boija. BU extended its lead early in the final period when second-year forward Conrad Fondrk scored the seventh goal.
Maine added a late consolation goal from fourth-year forward Max Scott, who converted a power play, but the Black Bears could not find another response.
Despite winning 27 faceoffs to BU’s 26, Maine was outshot 37-30. Third-year goalie Mikhail Yegorov stood out for the Terriers, making 28 saves with a .933 save percentage. Wickström Stumer finished with a .333 save percentage, while Boija posted a .903 mark.
The loss dropped Maine to 4-3 on the season and 22nd in the NPI, while BU improved to 5-2 and 16th. The Black Bears will look to avoid the sweep when the teams meet again Saturday.
Maine will then return to Alfond Arena for a two-game series against No. 20 University of Massachusetts on Nov. 6 and 7, with both games scheduled for 7 p.m.
