ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine men’s hockey team has had a penchant for surrendering goals within a minute of scoring one. It proved costly Friday night.
Sophomore right wing Cam Atkinson’s goal just eight seconds after Maine’s Joey Diamond had tied it gave the Boston College Eagles the lead for good, and they held on for a 4-3 victory over the Black Bears at Alfond Arena.
BC is now 5-3-1 overall, 4-3-1 in Hockey East. Maine fell to 4-7 and 3-4, respectively.
The teams play again tonight at 7.
BC, with seven players who were first- or second-round NHL draft choices, received a first-period goal from Pat Mullane and a second-period goal from Jimmy Hayes, and appeared to be on their way to a convincing victory as they completely controlled play.
Only the goaltending of Scott Darling through the first two periods kept Maine within striking distance. He made 27 saves as Maine was outshot 28-15 through the first 40 minutes.
But the Black Bears stunned the Eagles with goals 2:14 apart early in the third period as Gustav Nyquist and Diamond brought the Alfond Arena faithful to their feet and seized the momentum.
But Atkinson broke the tie and quieted the crowd and Price’s four-on-four goal expanded the lead at the 9:05 mark.
Diamond’s second goal at the 12:40 mark pulled Maine within one, but the Bears couldn’t get the equalizer.
Atkinson’s pivotal goal came off a pass from Mullane. Atkinson was in the circle to Darling’s right and beat the goalie with a rising wrister.
Maine has now given up four goals within 17 seconds of scoring this season.
Price got what proved to be the game-winner when a deflected shot trickled in on Darling but before the goalie could cover it, Price whacked a backhander into the net. Price has now scored five of his 14 career goals against Maine.
Maine squandered a pair of two-man advantages in the first period, one lasting 39 seconds and the second one spanning 1:21, and that proved to be decisive.
Trailing 2-0 midway through the second period, Bear leading scorer Gustav Nyquist had a breakaway but freshman goalie Parker Milner got his glove on Nyquist’s shot.
Mullane opened the scoring when his centering pass deflected into the net off a Maine stick with 49 seconds left in the first period.
Hayes made it 2-0 7:29 into the second period when he swept a pass from Steven Whitney under the stick of Darling from a difficult angle to the goalie’s right.
Nyquist scored his sixth goal with a centering pass from deep in the corner that deflected in off Milner.
Diamond leveled things when he took a pass from Kevin Swallow, beat BC defenseman Brian Dumoulin of Biddeford to the outside, and cut in and snapped a 15-foot wrister over Milner’s blocker.
Diamond and Swallow teamed up again as Diamond skated on to Swallow’s drop pass and swept the puck past Milner.
BC outshot Maine 35-26.
Women’s basketball
St. Joseph’s 79, Thomas 61
At Waterville, Carolyn Freeman totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds to help lead St. Joseph’s College of Standish to victory over Thomas College in the Colby College Tournament.
Megan McDevitt had 13 points for the Monks. Ashley Geel had 11 points and 11 boards. Allie Parent recorded five assists.
Mallorie Blakney paced the Terriers with 16 points. Karin Bird and Kellie Martel each scored 13 points. Jessica Nassetta added 10 points.
St. Joseph’s (1-1) 79
Freeman 5-3-15, McDevitt 5-1-13, Geel 4-3-11, Miner 4-1-9, Shufelt 2-3-9, Parent 2-4-8, Bridges 3-1-8, Drake 1-4-6, Daigle
Thomas (0-2) 61
Blakney 6-3-16, Bird 5-3-13, Martel 4-1-13, Nassetta 5-0-10, Allen 2-1-5, Chaisson 1-0-2, Matchett 1-0-2, Lee
3-pt. goals: Shufelt 2, McDevitt 2, Freeman 2, Bridges; Martel 4, Blakney
Halftime: St. Joseph’s 40-32
Colby 61, Vassar 45
At Waterville, Julianne Kowalksi had 10 points and 10 rebounds to lead Colby College past Vassar.
Samantha Allen tossed in 13 points and Diane Manduca 10 for the Mules.
Emily Haeuser paced Vassar with 13.
Vassar (1-1) 45
Haeuser 6-1-13, Chaltain 4-2-10, Parks 4-0-9, Tempora 3-0-7, Crampton 1-3-5, Allen 0-1-1, Haft, Fredman, Westbrook-Gold
Colby (1-0) 61
Allen 5-1-13, Manduca 5-0-10, Kowalski 5-0-10, Ritchie 2-4-8, Adler 2-0-6, Mack 3-0-6, McLaughlin 1-1-3, Vaughan 1-0-2, Potvin 1-0-2, Cappelloni 0-1-1
3-pt. goals: Tempora, Parks; Allen 2, Adler 2
Halftime: Colby 26-24
Southern Maine 74, Curry 50
At Farmington, four players scored 11 points or more to help lead the University of Southern Maine by Curry College in the first round of the UMaine-Farmington Tipoff Tournament Friday night.
Senior Guard Nicole Paradis of Skowhegan and freshman Curran Leighton each scored 14 for the 1-1 USM Huskies. Renee Nicholas of Sebago scored 11 points to go with seven rebounds and seven steals, while Haley Johnson had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Hailey Rafferty led 0-2 Curry with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Danyel Cousins of Brunswick grabbed 14 rebounds.