BU scored four goals in 4:49 on the way to a 7-2 win over No. 19 Maine, with seven Terriers finding the net.
Boston University’s 7-2 win over No. 19 Maine was effectively decided before the crowd of 3,525 at Agganis Arena had settled in. The No. 14/13 Terriers scored three times in 91 seconds, then made it four goals inside 4:49. That start set a 21st-century program record for fastest scoring burst to open a game. It was a complete offensive display, though the early avalanche can obscure how much BU’s defense and transition game helped create it.
BU turned neutral-zone giveaways into rush chances, moved the puck sharply in the offensive zone and finished. Seven Terriers scored, including three players with their first collegiate goals. Fifteen of BU’s 19 skaters recorded a point. The power play went 2-for-4, while the penalty kill held Maine scoreless on its first three chances. The numbers were lopsided early; the final shot count was closer, 37-30.
Head coach Jay Pandolfo’s postgame press conference after BU’s 7-2 win over Maine.
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Tynan Lawrence started the rush of goals 29 seconds after the opening faceoff. He tracked down Maine’s Judah Markway, carried the puck into the offensive zone and beat Petter Wickström Stumer for his fifth of the season.
FINALLY WE CAN CATCH UP ON ALL THOSE GOALS!
T-Law got us going just 29 seconds in.
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The next goal was a passing sequence worth the replay. Caleb Malhotra found Conrad Fondrk, who sent a no-look feed to captain Jack Harvey. Harvey passed up a Grade A shooting chance and set up freshman defenseman Xavier Villeneuve for his first collegiate goal. The goal arrived on a three-on-two rush, with Villeneuve joining the play.
Villy's first collegiate goal was a thing of beauty!
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Thirty seconds later, Jonathan Morello split two defenders and slipped a pass to Ben Merrill in the slot. The Canadiens draft pick stopped sharply and lifted a backhand under the crossbar for his second goal of the season, in as many games. Niklas Aaram-Olsen earned the second assist. BU had scored on all three of its first shots.
Benny's second goal in as many games made it 3-0 just 1:29 in!
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Stumer’s night ended after a hooking penalty gave BU its first power play. Villeneuve passed to Malhotra in the right circle, and Malhotra sent a one-timer across to Viktor Nörringer at the left dot. Nörringer beat Stumer to the stick side for his first goal as a Terrier—and a 4-0 lead before the five-minute mark.
Viktor's first goal as a Terrier came on our first power play of the night as we extended the lead to 4-0!
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Maine got one back when Tanner Klimpke collected a strange end-board rebound from a point shot and beat a lunging Mikhail Yegorov. Klimpke’s fourth of the season made it 4-1. BU had outshot Maine 16-6 through the first period.
Tanner's 4️⃣th of the season!
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Midway through the second, Merrill moved the puck to Carter Amico entering the Maine zone. Amico’s pass sent Aaram-Olsen in alone, and the Norwegian winger beat relief goalie Albin Boija with a backhand to the glove side. It was Aaram-Olsen’s first collegiate goal and made it 5-1.
A heck of way to score your first goal, Olse!
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Swede Vikor Nörringer and Norwegian Niklas Aaram-Olsen both scored for the Terriers tonight, it is the first time since January 22nd, 2016 (also vs. Maine) that Terriers from two different Nordic countries scored in the same game (Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson 🇸🇪 / Ahti Oksanen 🇫🇮)
Late in the period, Nick Roukounakis sent Haoxi Wang charging in from the left point. Boija knocked the puck off Wang’s stick near the crease, but Brandon Svoboda was positioned for the rebound and scored his second of the season. BU took a 6-1 lead into the third.
Taking a 6-1 lead into the third period after Boda's second goal of the season!
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A minute into the third, BU capitalized on a five-on-three. Ryder Ritchie won the puck in a corner battle and found Jack Murtagh behind the net. Murtagh quickly centered for Fondrk, whose one-timer beat Boija’s blocker. It was Fondrk’s first goal of the season and BU’s second power-play goal.
AN ABSOLUTE ROCKET FROM FONZ!!
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Maine’s Max Scott scored from the right post late in the game, ending Yegorov’s shutout bid and bringing the final score to 7-2. Yegorov made 28 saves. Maine held a narrow 27-26 edge in faceoffs; Svoboda went 7-for-14, and BU blocked nine shots to Maine’s eight. Amico and Villeneuve each finished plus-three.
Meeks and Vik were tonight’s players of the game!
📸 Eliza Nuestro https://t.co/SGDDw0jdLv
Three goals in the first 1:31 and four in the first 4:49 tell the story of BU’s start. The more useful takeaway may be how many players contributed: 15 of 19 skaters recorded a point, and three players opened their collegiate scoring accounts. BU’s offense was sharp, but its quick pressure and puck movement began with defensive stops and turnovers in the neutral zone.
Tynan Lawrence and Viktor Nörringer’s postgame press conference following BU’s 7-2 win.
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The teams finish their two-game series Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
BU’s attack is clicking, but the defensive details still need work
Boston University’s 7-2 win over Maine had the feel of a game that got away early and kept getting worse for the Black Bears. The Terrier offense looked sharp in several ways: breakouts were clean, the forecheck applied pressure, and BU repeatedly disrupted Maine’s attempts to exit its zone. That pressure turned into chances, while the forwards showed strong chemistry.
There were individual performances worth separating from the scoring sheet. Morello finished with one point, but still had an outstanding game. BU also generated four clear breakaways in the third period through Murtagh, Fondrk, Morello and Malhotra. None resulted in a goal. That’s an unusual amount of open ice to leave unused, even in a comfortable win.
Here’s the part that keeps this from being a perfect report card: Maine still found too much room inside the dots, and BU lost battles and turned the puck over behind its net and in the corners. Those flaws didn’t change the result against Maine, but they’re the kind of habits that can matter more against a tougher opponent. The next test is the Denver series; the question is whether BU’s optimism will hold up by late Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend.
