ORONO, Maine — It appeared to be a promising goal-scoring opportunity for Boston College.
But a hustling play by Jon Swavely transformed it into a three-on-one for the University of Maine, and freshman Connor Leen capitalized for his first college goal and point with 2:59 left in regulation to break a 4-4 tie and give Maine a 7-4 men’s hockey win over Boston College on Saturday night at Alfond Arena.
Maine completed a sweep of the nationally ranked Eagles — Maine won 4-3 in overtime Friday night — and it marked the first time Maine has won a season series from BC since the 2005-2006 season when Maine won all three meetings with BC.
Maine improved to 12-8-3 overall, 9-7-2 in Hockey East, thanks to its sixth win in its last eight games (6-1-1). BC, ranked third in one poll and fourth in another, fell to 14-10-1 and 10-7-1, respectively. BC is 2-5-1 in its last eight.
On the game-winner, BC had a three-on-two rush and Steven Whitney carried the puck into the Maine zone. He tried to pass it back to a teammate trailing the play but Swavely poked the pass away and Leen pounced on it.
Leen skated down the right side on the three-on-one and, after BC goalie Brian Billett kicked out his shot from the right circle, Leen swatted home the rebound.
“This is the biggest moment of my life so far,” said a grinning Leen. “I was trying to put a shot on net for a rebound and I just happened to get my own rebound and I put it over the goalie’s short side pad.”
“He hit it out of the air,” said Billett, a freshman from Brunswick.
Joey Diamond iced it 53 seconds later with an empty-net goal from 150 feet and Matt Mangene added another empty-netter with 24 seconds left to complete his first collegiate hat trick.
Diamond’s empty-netter came from right along the left-wing boards in the defensive zone.
“I was just trying to get it out of the zone,” said Diamond. “The puck was right on my stick. I had a weird feeling it was going to go in.”
The Black Bears displayed resiliency as the energetic and determined Eagles jumped out to well-deserved 2-0 lead on goals 2:12 apart by Barry Almeida and Johnny Gaudreau.
But the Black Bears equalized with power-play goals 2:46 apart by Diamond and Brian Flynn as Maine extended its streak of consecutive games with at least one power-play goal to 15 (28-for-73).
“To be down 2-0 and to be able to come back is huge,” said Maine senior defenseman and co-captain Will O’Neill. “We didn’t get down on ourselves, we stuck to the game plan and kept grinding it out. We know we can score.”
Mangene scored a pair of second-period goals, the first one on the power play and the second one shorthanded, to give Maine a 4-2 lead but BC received a power-play goal from senior left wing Almeida to pull within 4-3 and Almeida finished off his first college hat trick with a shorthanded goal to tie it 8:36 into the third period.
Maine coach Tim Whitehead said the Mangene shorthanded goal was crucial “because even though BC scored one on us, it allowed us to break even.”
BC received a five-minute power play courtesy of a Mike Cornell hitting-from-behind major but Mangene scored 11 seconds later when he used a burst of speed to beat a defenseman wide, fired a quick wrister and put the rebound past Billett.
“I wanted to get the momentum in our favor early (in the penalty-kill). I shot at his pads at first and chipped the rebound over his shoulder,” said Mangene, who had scored earlier in the period when he parked at the far post and swept a Spencer Abbott cross-ice pass into the open short side.
Almeida closed the gap 35 seconds after Mangene’s shorthander when he took a Whitney pass at the post and nestled the puck inside the far post.
But Maine killed off the rest of the penalty and an ensuing two-minute minor on Diamond.
Almeida’s shorthanded goal was courtesy of a Whitney feed from behind the net as he one-timed a 15-footer past Maine goalie Dan Sullivan.
Almeida opened the scoring at the 2:21 mark of the first period when he converted his own rebound from a tight angle.
Gaudreau tapped in a perfect feed from Tommy Cross.
Diamond cut the lead in half at the 13:01 mark when he was positioned alone in front of goalie Billett and angled his stick so O’Neill’s pass from the midpoint deflected up over Billett’s glove.
Flynn tied it on a two-on-one after a BC rush was stopped in the neutral zone by a linesman’s skate.
Abbott gathered in the puck, broke down the left wing and slid the puck across to Flynn, who redirected it between Billett’s pads.
“Full credit to Maine. They’re a very sound hockey team and their crowd was a real good factor for them,” said BC coach Jerry York who felt his team played well and competed hard.
Sullivan finished with 31 saves, including 15 of the Grade-A (high percentage) variety and Billett made 28 of which 16 were Grade-A’s.
Another nice win. Nice weekend all around for the players and fans….
Wow, you’ve got something nice to say for the team this time huh? That’s nice ;-)
If only you were capable of being nice….
Wonderful back to back weekend victories. Let’s suspend further criticism of Tim Whitehead. Congrats to the team and the coaching staff and, above all, to John Baldacci, who made it all happen.
guessing sarcasm. don’t get it. explain?
yup some one lite a fire under someones butt, or the guys wanted it badly to show they can win hockey east and go to frozen four:):):):)
That would be me
Congrats on a HUGE 4 pts in hockeyeast….needed them all, since we have games in hand with other teams behind us….a super weekend and maybe this is a sign we can get home ice for the HE playoffs, which we need so badly……and yes, lets give a break this weekend about who should get fired, this and that, and celebrate what UM hockey did this weekend against yes, A TEAM in the top 5 of every poll out there….to hush up some of the noise about this team that cant be a quality team….well we did this weekend, TWICE! Another HUGE weekend next weekend down at BU!
Congrats to Coach Whitehead and team! Great weekend.
Get 2+ points on the road next weekend and then I’ll buy it.
I agree completely.
Earn Maine’s first regular season win at Aganis arena EVER and maybe I will be convinced.
As for extension or no extension, Please LARRY, Talk to some family advisors and coaches in Juniors and see what people are saying to potential recruits.
Just because Maine wins a couple big games does not mean that Tim knows how to develop talent to be able to play at the next leve.
Can anyone name a single Non-Grant Standbrook-coached player who has played a single game in the NHL?
Is House the only one who has played more games in the AHL than in the ECHL?
Is that what we want from Maine hockey?
–to the people who want the negativity suspended, I gotta ask… Do you know ANYTHING about college hockey and what Maine Hockey WAS 10 years ago?
To help alumni and fans, like myself, and perhaps Larry, maybe you could enlighten us as to what those advisers and coaches are saying and how you come about that knowledge.
And maybe, without getting too detailed so as to protect your important online anonymity which allows you to criticize openly, you might provide a little of your college hockey experience that makes what you say credible and not just the rants of a disgruntled fan.
I doubt Whitehead and the team could care less whether or not you are convinced, but if you want fans to become like-minded and join you in your crusade, well, then, you need to convince us.
Ask around Adirondacker07, find someone close to Maine Hockey. You’ll be surprised at what you hear.
I am no longer surprised.
When I hear it from hockey east officials and from other coaches around the league (head and assistant).
my resume… hmmm, I have been professionally employed in the game of hockey since Whitehead played at Hamilton . Before that, I played D, affiliated with the Canadien’s organization. Probably not on a team as good as you played on in the Adirondacks. [how do I roll my eyes, here? ; ]
I like your style. You want ME to say all the things that you, hiding behind YOUR anonymity do not dare say yourself. Well played.
Well, Dumoulin is a name that comes to mind. Why don’t YOU go to a BC game. Seek out his family and family advisor and see what they have to say?
John Laliberte is another name you MIGHT know. Ask the same of the people associated with ole Saco John.
Heck, talk to Matt Duffy and his family and family advisor.
Then, go speak with every single coach in the USHL and see what they have to say about having YOUR kid play for Whitehead and whether he will develop under Tim’s tutelage.
Talk to Robbie Dee, a kid who had all the tools, size, skills, sense. And where is he now?
talk to the Hegartys and ask if they are happy with what the Ducks are saying about his “progress” and whether they would want another of their draftees to just whither away under the strong defensive coaching of PokeCheck Timmy and Danny the former Defenseman Kerluke [?]
As a Maine alumni who has followed, supported, and loved this team since its inception I applaud you for being so forthcoming. What you say commands a great deal more respect from me now, and others, I’m sure. Thank you.
For the record, hockey is a game I never played or coached. Your experience trumps mine, but I still love the game and the team. I have many fond memories of Alfond and the fun I had at games there. I don’t care if Yogi Bear is the coach. Whatever gets us back to the top, I’m on board.
While I won’t join in on the public bashing of Whitehead, I’ll reserve my criticism of those like yourself that do. Just reserve criticism of me if I choose to continue to cheer them on. Some haven’t and that spurred my outburst.
What I would like to understand…
Besides ‘LIP SERVICE’ … Do you actually provide any $$ contributions to the Maine Hockey Program or any other Maine Athletic programs?
Would that be the Tyler Durden from Turner, Gray, Litchfield or some other Maine city or town?
Non-Grant in the NHL? Umm, does the name Gustav Nyquist ring a bell mr “impressive” resume? Maybe time to brush up on your so-called “knowledge.” Spencer Abbott will be soon to follow…the NHL is all over him.
I love Abbott, his offense may be able to produce in the NHL, but he’s got to learn better defense in the AHL first, which is very possible, but to say he will be an NHL player for more than a cup of coffee is an overstatement at this point. He may well get there and is a great college player but he will need to hone his craft more before I’d consider him a sure thing for the NHL….
that was my point.
I asked if someone could name a single one. I did not say that nobody could name a single one.
ONE. ONE NHLer.
But I am also willing to say that he did not develop under Whitehead. He could stick handle in a phone booth in his first game for the black bears.
I can also say that I was at Merrimack to give him a hug after his very last college game and to congratulate him on a fine college career. I know who Gustav is. Were you at that game too?
Great effort to overcome an early 2-0 deficit. Huge shorthanded goal just after the five minute penalty kill began was the difference along with some solid penalty killing. Mangene once again had a stellar performance today. He is carrying this team and showing great leadership. Nice win in front of a capacity crowd that appreciated the effort. 4 important hockey east points. Now lets take some of this momentum to BU next weekend. Can’t get down two goals on the road though. Need a much better start to the games to match the great finishes. Wins at BU will go a long way toward making the doubters into believers. Oh and yeah…..go Pats!!
Great game, my 8-year old grandson and I enjoyed it very much. As in the Friday night game, I was negatively impressed with BC’s chippiness. Several times I was heard to yell, “what kind of cheese do you want with that w(h)ine. They were so persecuted … (LOL).
If Whitehead wins at BU next weekend (which would be the first road win against a top HE team since 2008), then give him an extension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was kidding about the extension, but if they don’t win on the road AGAIN this season, then he has got to go..
It’s not rocket science!!!!
Mr. Negative strikes again….
…..back with a vengeance. You never know how or where he will strike only that somehow somewhere he will find something negative to say even when something positive has happened.
It’s two wins. That’s it. Two wins. They were exciting, but they do not change the fact that Tim Whitehead is wrong for this hockey program. One can be excited that the team won, and also point out the fact that there needs to be a change in coaching at the same time. As many have said time and time again, they support this team, not this coach.
umm… it’s called facts. 4 seasons without a road win against the top 3 HE teams.
How can u go to the NCAA’s without winning on the road genius?
Two great 60 minute effort by the players. They shut down BC no 1 line and that was impressive. They were all committed and a special BooYAh to Matt Mangene Maybe the best individual effort I’ve seen from this team . Kudos to the coaches for rolling the guys over the boards to stymie and frustrate BC .
Notice that York didn’t offer any excuses after the game… unlike Timmay’s sorry excuses after every loss
You know, with all the NEGATIVE comments in the past few months, these 2 huge wins are a breath of fresh air to the Maine Hockey Program. Attending both games reminded me of years past when Maine was feared by ALL opponents and the Alfond Crowd was soooo loud, you couldn’t hear yourself think. Great win guys!! Looking forward to the rest of the season and the play-offs.
Bill, I think what many people lose sight of is that those who make “negative” comments about Mr. Whitehead probably care about this program more than the casual fan. If you’re the “I go to Maine Hockey games because it is fun” category, one might think that some are being negative about the state of the program. If you fall in the “Maine Hockey has a proud tradition of winning and excellence.” side of the coin, one would see that these are fans that care deeply about this program and can clearly see, through statistics, that this program has fallen significantly from its days of NCAA appearances. Mr. Whitehead and how he runs this program, recruits players, treats them after they have arrived, is solely responsible for this decline. Until he is removed from his position, we will not return to national prominence as a program.
With all that said, we can still be excited about beating BC this weekend. But we must realize, that these wins are only wins, not a miracle turnaround of this program.
Nostra is the only Mr. Negative around here……GO BLUE! Looking forward to the rest of the season and the NCAA tournament
Also I’d actually argue if you’re going to pick a player on the current team who will have an NHL impact, IMO Brian Flynn is the more likely choice. Not that I’m knocking your comment on Abbott,my opinion of what I see is just different.