ORONO — When both teams score in the first minute of a hockey game, it’s no surprise when a shootout develops.
Maine scored a season-high eight goals Saturday, outlasting Boston University 8-5 to take a weekend sweep at Alfond Arena.
“I don’t know how often we want to get into an 8-5 game with them, but we obviously ended up on the right side of it, so it’s good,” Maine coach Ben Barr said.
The teams combined for 77 shots, 46 by Maine (5-2-1, 2-0 Hockey East). The Terriers (3-5-1, 1-3) opened the scoring with Ben Merrill’s goal 36 seconds into the game. Maine answered just 23 seconds later when Charlie Russell scored the first of his two goals, and his first of the season.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think I’ve played bad hockey. Sometimes pucks go in and sometimes they don’t,” said Russell, who also had an assist. “This year, I didn’t like my first game of the year. That’s the only (one), I guess, I really want back.”
Jeremy Langlois and Owen Fowler each added a goal in the first period to give Maine a 3-1 lead and chase Terriers goalie Mikhail Yegorov after he allowed three goals on eight shots. Max Lacroix played the rest of the game for BU and made 33 saves.
Max Scott also had two goals and an assist for Maine, while Justin Poirier chipped in with a goal and an assist. Poirier’s goal, a backhand with his back to the net while under pressure from Terriers defenders, gave the Black Bears a 4-2 lead at 10:07 of the second period.
Brandon Holt had three assists for Maine, while Lucas Peterson assisted on two goals.
Brandon Svoboda had two goals and two assists for BU.
Mathis Rousseau earned his first collegiate win in net for the Black Bears, making 26 saves.
“I think we took a step this weekend. I think we still have a long ways to go,” Russell said.
WESTBROOK NATIVE CARTER AMICO came back to Maine as a first-year defenseman for the Terriers. In both games, the 6-foot-5, 218-pound Amico skated on a pairing with fellow freshman Charlie Trethewey.
“It was not the first (Alfond) experience I wanted, but it was a good atmosphere tonight,” Amico said after Maine’s 5-4 overtime win Friday night.
Amico was selected in the second round, 38th overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL draft in June. A member of the U.S. National Development Team the last two years, Amico missed most of last season because of a broken kneecap.
BU coach Jay Pandolfo said he’s seen some rust in Amico’s game, mostly in timing and adjusting to the pace of the college game. That was expected, he said.
“Obviously, coming off a pretty significant injury and not really playing since, basically for a year, that’s a big step coming into college hockey,” Pandolfo said. “If you’re healthy and feeling great as a defenseman coming into college hockey, there’s going to be an adjustment period. He’s got a good attitude, and he works.”
