Men’s Hockey: Did Not Fall For The Trap — Ritchie’s OT Goal Lifts Terriers Over Maine

By Jenny Chen

Boston University men’s hockey (13-13-2, 9-10-0 HEA) avoided the dreaded Beanpot trap game and avenged its early-season sweep with a 3-2 overtime win over the University of Maine (14-10-2, 8-9-0 HEA) Friday night at Agganis Arena.

“This is a tough game to play before the [Beanpot] Championship, so it’s credit to our group that they stayed focused and stuck with it,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said.

Both teams opened the game shakily with frequent turnovers, but the Black Bears registered the first shot on goal — a bouncing puck easily handled by BU sophomore goaltender Mikhail Yegorov. Maine built early pressure after BU was called for too many men on the ice, but the Terrier penalty kill held firm.

The first period was low-event, with Maine outshooting BU 7-4. The Terriers’ best chance came when sophomore forward Cole Eiserman exited the penalty box unmarked on a breakaway, hitting the post.

Maine broke through just 90 seconds into the second period, but the Terriers responded quickly. Freshman forward Jack Murtagh buried a one-timer from the right circle off the rush to tie it 1-1 at 3:07, assisted by sophomore defensemen Cole Hutson and Gavin McCarthy.

Despite the equalizer, BU struggled to clear their defensive zone and paid for it halfway through the frame when Maine capitalized on a loose puck in the slot to regain the lead.

A late second-period slashing penalty on sophomore forward Kamil Bednarik carried into the third, but BU’s penalty kill again kept Maine off the board — and nearly scored shorthanded through freshman forward Ben Merrill.

Early in the third, the Terriers earned their first power play and made it count. At 15:33, Eiserman fired a wrister down the slot, tying the game 2-2 with assists from junior defenseman Lane Hutson and Merrill.

“That’s important — to score on the power play,” Pandolfo said. “You get an opportunity in the third period to tie it, and we got it done.”

From there, it became a goaltending duel. Both Yegorov and Maine’s junior netminder Albin Boija finished regulation with 28 saves apiece, as the teams ended tied 2-2 and 30-30 in shots.

Two minutes into overtime, freshman forward Ryder Ritchie delivered. After BU recovered the puck off a backcheck, Ritchie skated into the slot and snapped home the game-winner — securing redemption for the Terriers and his first goal since Nov. 8.

“[I] thought we bounced back in the third, played a great third, so I was excited to get one,” Ritchie said.

Unlike his disallowed overtime goal in the Beanpot semifinal, this one stood — sealing BU’s second straight win and crucial conference points ahead of the 300th Battle of Commonwealth Avenue.

The Terriers now turn their attention to the Beanpot Final against Boston College on Monday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden, with coverage on ESPN+, NESN, and NHL Network.