BU Seeks Maine Sweep at Agganis as Bednarik Returns to the Lineup

BU has a chance to turn Friday’s decisive win over Maine into a sweep on Saturday, but the rematch brings a different test: carrying that strong performance into another game against the same opponent. The No. 14/13 Terriers host No. 19 Maine at Agganis Arena, with puck drop set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

There’s a home-ice pattern BU can draw on. The Terriers have won their last six meetings with Maine at Agganis and their last nine against the Black Bears in Boston. Their record at the arena against Maine stands at 20-6-3. Those results provide context, but the immediate challenge is to sustain the pace and detail that fueled Friday’s win.

Lineup changes and a chance to finish the job

Kamil Bednarik returns as BU’s third-line center. Viktor Nörringer, who scored his first collegiate goal on the power play Friday, is listed as the extra skater for this game. That adjustment gives Bednarik a place in the middle of the lineup while Nörringer comes out after making a notable contribution to the previous night’s result.

For Nörringer, the first goal is a useful milestone early in his college career, and scoring on the power play makes it an especially memorable one. His designation as the extra skater means there’s no second appearance in the lineup on Saturday as listed, but Friday’s goal gives the freshman a moment to build on. Bednarik’s return, meanwhile, restores a familiar option at center on the third line.

BU’s preview points to a more demanding response from Maine. After a lopsided result, the team that lost has a clear reason to sharpen its coverage and compete harder for possession. The Terriers will need to earn their chances again, rather than assume Friday’s openings will be there. A sweep would make the two-game set a strong statement; the first task is to recreate the habits that made the opener go BU’s way.

BU Oldtimer’s Terrier Takeaways from Friday offer a specific checklist for what worked and what still needs attention. The observations praised BU’s breakouts and forecheck, along with its pressure on Maine’s attempts to move out of its own end. Disrupting those exits helped create scoring opportunities, while chemistry among the forward lines stood out as another positive. That mix of clean puck movement and pressure is likely to matter again against a Maine team that now has a game’s worth of evidence about BU’s approach.

The review also singled out Morello’s work despite his finishing the night with one point. It noted four clean breakaways in the third period, credited to Murtagh, Fondrk, Morello and Malhotra, though none resulted in a goal. The chances show how often BU found a way behind the defense late in the game; converting those looks would be another step for the Terriers.

There were defensive concerns, too. The takeaways pointed to Maine getting inside the dots too often, as well as BU losing battles and turning over the puck behind the net and in the corners. Those details can change the feel of a rematch quickly. Better control in those areas would limit Maine’s chances near the middle of the ice and make it harder for the Black Bears to turn pressure into sustained offense.

Inside BU Hockey features both programs

The third episode of Inside BU Hockey brings together voices from the men’s and women’s teams. Bernie Corbett interviews men’s head coach Jay Pandolfo and freshman Xavier Villeneuve. Kat Cornetta speaks with women’s assistant coach Ian Milosz and senior Neely Nicholson.

Villeneuve’s conversation includes a recruiting story that gives a glimpse of the effort behind his path to BU: he says the entire Terrier coaching staff flew to Quebec in a snowstorm to meet him. He also talks about a developing relationship with Lane Hutson and identifies himself as a Bruins fan. The episode’s lineup offers listeners both a freshman’s perspective on joining the men’s program and a look at the women’s side through Milosz and Nicholson.

Women host Northeastern

BU’s women also have a Boston matchup on Saturday, hosting No. 4 Northeastern at Walter Brown Arena. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m., two hours before the men’s rematch with Maine. It gives the Terriers a home date against a highly ranked opponent as the Halloween schedule puts both BU programs on the ice.

The men’s game will be carried on ESPN+, with radio and game statistics links also listed in the team’s preview. BU enters the rematch with a strong home record against Maine and a chance to complete a sweep, but Friday’s takeaways point to the areas that will decide whether that opportunity becomes a result: pressure through the neutral zone, cleaner puck management around the corners and finishing the open looks.