Boston College received a second-period goal from sophomore right wing Ryan Leonard and a pair of third-period goals from junior left wing Andre Gasseau as it completed a weekend sweep of the University of Maine men’s hockey team with a 3-0 victory at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill on Sunday afternoon.
The second-ranked Eagles improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in Hockey East while fifth-ranked UMaine fell to 6-2-1 and 3-2-1, respectively.
Leonard and Gasseau each scored in BC’s come-from-behind 3-2 win on Friday night and Leonard, a first round draft pick of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, had the game-winners each night.
BC sophomore goalie Jacob Fowler, a third round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens and the reigning Hockey East Goalie of the Year, made 26 saves while posting his third shutout of the season and sixth of his career.
“We didn’t test him enough. He made the saves he needed to make,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr, who called his team’s performance disappointing.
“It wasn’t great. [BC] played like a veteran team. They kept wearing us down. They were [always] working in the [offensive] zone.
“All we did was defend. We never really got much going (offensively),” Barr added. ”It was tough to get out of our zone. Credit to BC. They played really well. They’re really good, if not the best [team in the country]. We have to learn from it and grow.”
Leonard scored his fifth goal of the season when he took a pass from Gabe Perreault along the right wing boards just outside the UMaine blue line, skated into the offensive zone, maneuvered across the slot unattended and snapped a wrist shot past Boija’s blocker side from between the faceoff circles.
Then midway through the third period, BC’s Will Vote checked Josh Nadeau along the boards to the left of Boija and the puck squirted out towards the faceoff circle.
Gasseau pounced on it and snapped a wrist shot past Boija into the far corner from the right faceoff dot to make it 2-0. It was his third of the season.
“[Defenseman] Jack Dalton had broken his stick shooting the puck and was without one. It was [bad luck] for us,” said Barr.
Gasseau later added an empty-net goal.
Barr said playing a quality opponent in their building requires more of an effort than playing at home.
“It’s different than playing at home. Some guys were able to do that, but we just didn’t have enough guys willing to take that on this weekend,” said Barr. “It’s more mental.
“When plays are there to be made, you have to make them. There was a lack of composure. We threw the puck away [too much].
“But it’s an all-of-us thing. I didn’t coach well enough,” he added.
Boija finished with 20 stops.
UMaine will host Boston University at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.