Oksanen, Maguire The Difference As BU Tops Maine

ORONO- The final score may have read 5-2 BU, but it was much closer than that. The final shots were 34-34 and Maine threatened early with 15 shots in a back and forth opening frame. Sean Maguire made two phenomenal glove saves in the first period to hold the Black Bears at bay.

Tommy Kelley and Connor Riley scrap after the whistle
in the second period.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

The reason Maguire had to play so well in the first was simple. BU made some really hideous turnovers in their own end that led to odd man rushes and good scoring chances for Maine.

BU also knocked on the door early. Matt Lane powered a shot through Maine goalie Matt Morris, but as it was rolling toward the goal line, Maine forward Blain Byron swept it away.

The Terriers finally broke the ice at the 14:19 marker of the first. Danny O'Regan and Ryan Cloonan worked a high cycle in the Maine zone. At the top of the circle, Matt Grzelcyk stepped down from the point and took a dump off pass from O'Regan. Two Maine skaters followed O'Regan into the slot allowing Grzelcyk to take an uncontested shot. He wired a wrister inside the far post on Morris for his eighth goal of the year.

BU extend their lead 4:18 into the second period. Jordan Greenway attempted a wrap-around from behind the net. The puck didn't go in, but went through the crease and found Ahti Oksanen's stick on the backdoor. The Finnish forward didn't miss as he backhanded home his team leading 12th goal of the year.

Ahti Oksanen nets his first of two goals on the night.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Just over two minutes later, Maine finally solved Maguire on the power play. Steven Swavley slipped a pass through a defender and Cam Brown picked up the puck in the slot. Brown then made a shifty move to his backhand and beat Maguire glove side.

Some sloppy play by Maine deep in their own zone led to BU's third and eventual game winning goal. After a tough turnover by the Black Bears, Greenway worked the puck to Oksanen down in the near corner. From there, Oksanen found Mike Moran uncovered in the slot. Oksanen's pass wasn't prefect and Moran made a nifty play to transfer the pass that was in his feat to his stick and then into an open net. The whole play left Morris well out of position and once Moran corralled the puck all he had to do was throw it in the vacant net.

Jacob Forsbacka Karlsson struck on a rebound goal in the opening minute of the third period to further distance the Terriers. This basically put the game away. Maine did give a little push back late in the period though. With 2:59 left Blain Byron slammed home Maine's second power play goal of the night on a rebound.

24 seconds later, Oksanen answered for BU on a diving goal. Matt Lane moved the puck to Oksanen in the slot and while falling to his left, rolled his wrists and tuck the puck into the net. It was his second goal of the night and third point.

Overall it was a very physical game. There were big hits all over the ice throughout and even a nice brawl in the final five minutes. There will be lots of love to cary over for tomorrow as the two teams go at it again tomorrow in Boston at 7:00.