Black Bears shut out BU
Listless Terriers can’t compete
When you’re hot, you’re hot.
Maine proved that last night by extending its current unbeaten streak to eight games, including six straight wins, by thoroughly dominating a sluggish looking Boston University squad, 3-0, in front of 3,957 disheartened fans at Agganis Arena.
Maine (11-7-1, 5-4-1 Hockey East) was led by two-point efforts from senior left winger Nolan Vesey of North Reading and junior right winger Brendan Robbins. Freshman Jeremy Swayman, a Bruins draft pick, posted 31 saves in becoming the first Black Bears goaltender to hang a whitewash on BU since Martin Ouellette on Nov. 15, 2013.
“Obviously, it was a very good game for us,” said Maine coach Red Gendron. “We jumped out to the lead on the power-play goal. Then in the second period we built a two-goal lead, and I thought we played solid to the end.”
Maine outshot BU, 32-17 through two periods and 37-31 for the game, and held the talented Terriers to 0-for-4 on the power play.
“Not much to say. They skated and competed; we didn’t. Credit Maine,” said frustrated BU coach David Quinn. “Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don’t. I have a few theories but I prefer to keep them to myself.”
BU (8-11-1, 6-7-1 HE) was a bit lethargic in the opening period after not playing since Dec. 9. Still, the hosts had some quality chances. Drew Melanson fought through traffic to fire a point-blank shot at Swayman. Next, freshman Logan Cockerill cut sharply and slid a backhander that banged off the right post and out into the crease where Swayman covered up the loose puck at 7:06.
Maine senior Vesey got in alone at the 9-minute mark only to be turned aside by BU goalie Jake Oettinger (34 saves), one of three returning members of Team USA that won bronze at the world juniors, along with Brady Tkachuk and Patrick Harper.
Almost immediately, BU’s Jordan Greenway exited the penalty box and sped away on a break-in, only to be foiled by the calm Swayman.
Maine finally took the lead at 6:39 of the second period. With BU captain Brandon Hickey in the box for interference, Vesey cashed in his eighth goal of the season with a shot from the left side after a pass across from Doherty.
Maine doubled the advantage just under five minutes later, at 11:35, when sophomore left winger Ryan Smith re-directed a pass from the left corner by Tralmark for his second goal of the season.
Robbins, a fourth-line right winger, cemented matters with a transition goal at 11:46 of the third.