Good teams find a way to squeak out wins in big moments.
The Black Bears made their first trip to TD Garden since the 2011-12 season, but the bright lights of the new environment did not phase them, as they pestered the Terriers from puck drop.
“I don’t know if we were at our best tonight,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said postgame. “Give Maine credit. They did a heck of a job…but at the end of the day, our power player was very good and our goaltender was excellent.”
The No. 2 Boston University men’s ice hockey team (26-8-2) edged the No. 7 University of Maine Black Bears (23-11-2) by a score of 4-1 in Friday’s Hockey East Semifinal to inch one step closer to defending the conference title. In similar fashion to the teams’ regular-season meeting in November, in which seven power play goals were scored on either side, special teams made all the difference at the Garden.
“This is what they’ve done for us three out of three games this year,” Maine captain Lynden Breen said postgame. “We’ve probably got the better half of them five-on-five but…they just capitalize on every chance they get, especially on the power play.”
The Terriers struggled to set up anything offensively over the opening frame’s first half — taking six minutes to record their first shot on net — but opened the game’s scoring on just their second shot.
The loose puck took a fortunate bounce behind Maine’s freshman goaltender Albin Boija and landed on the tape of Quinn Hutson’s stick. The sophomore forward wasted no time finding linemate Ryan Greene in the slot who fired the puck past Boija at 8:59 to give BU the 1-0 lead.
Greene, who scored the game-winner over Boston College in the Beanpot Semifinal, picked up his 10th goal of the year to set a new career high.
“[Greene] plays in every situation,” Pandolfo said. “He’s just becoming more of a complete player…he’s a big part of why we’re where we are at.”
Despite the scoreline, the Black Bears largely controlled the period and only turned up the pressure in the frame’s final minutes. Maine peppered BU’s crease with shots, forcing junior goaltender Mathieu Caron to remain sharp. On the back end, the Black Bears’ sound defensive structure barred BU from getting inside.
Maine dominated the blocked shots 10-3 and held the edge in shots on net 6-5 to end the first period.
The Terriers’ penalty kill was put to the test to start the middle frame after Lane Hutson took the game’s first penalty with 12 seconds remaining in period prior. BU killed off the remainder of the two-minute minor, but Maine’s man advantage set the tone to start the second.
The Black Bears’ relentless forecheck prevented BU from clearing its defensive zone, and Maine held the lead in shots on net 5-0 over the first three minutes.
The scarlet and white caught a much-needed break on one of its first offensive-zone possessions of the period — drawing its first power play of the contest.
The Terrier man advantage has come through all season long, and the now second-best power play in the nation converted once more to double BU’s lead and make it a 2-0 game.
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) March 23, 2024
In vintage Lane Hutson fashion, the Hobey Baker finalist showed composure and patience with the puck to deke out a Maine defender and beat Boija glove side at 9:21 of the second. Lane ended his five-game goalless drought to pick up his 13th goal of the season.
“Great plays all around by Macklin to give me that puck and then Lachance — taking away the eyes, as usual,” Lane said postgame.
At the end of the 40 minutes, BU was held to just 10 shots on net and needed a big response in the final frame.
The Terriers had their best start to open the third period, capped off by a Shane Lachance power-play tally, but the goal was successfully challenged by Maine for offsides. Soon after, Maine earned a power play of its own, and captain Lynden Breen only took 12 seconds to open the scoring for the Black Bears at 6:48 of the third.
Suddenly, a once 3-0 score was cut to 2-1, and BU had to prove it could close out the game.
“Our guys do a lot of the talking on the bench this time of year,” Pandolfo said. “They said ‘hey, it’s not going to hurt us. Let’s just keep playing.’ ”
Fortunately for the Terriers, Greene finished off his standout night with a second goal — this time on the power play.
Lachance started the play, using his physicality to pinch a Maine defender along the boards before finding a wide-open Macklin Celebrini net front. In a similar sequence to the first goal, Macklin found Greene ready in the slot to make it a 3-1 game at 10:43 of the third.
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) March 23, 2024
“If you give a team like that grade A chances in the slot, whether it’s on the power play or at five-on-five, it just sits in the back of the net every time,” Maine head coach Ben Barr said postgame. “There’s no margin for error against a team that talented.”
The Black Bears were aggressive in pulling Boija with almost four minutes remaining, and they pressed hard. Maine fired everything on net, but Caron stood tall to maintain BU’s 3-1 lead.
As BU held its breath, graduate forward Sam Stevens sealed the game with an empty-netter at 19:33 to make it a 4-1 final.
Caron showed a full 60-minute effort, making 32 saves, to give his team a fighting chance.
“Knowing he’s back there, he makes it really easy for all of our D,” Lane Hutson said. “He always has our backs, and we’d love to have his back, too.”
In BU and Maine’s seventh meeting in the Hockey East Semifinal round, the Terriers topped Maine for the first time in this stage of the tournament to live another day.
Up next, the Terriers will face off against BC for the third time in the title game and fourth time this season.
“We’re going to be ready,” Greene said. “It’s always exciting playing those guys, and to get to play them in the Hockey East Championship makes it even more special.”