Boston College
14-10-1,10-7-1HEA
Maine
12-8-3, 9-7-2HEA
Men's Hockey Loses At Maine, 7-4
January 21, 2012 | Men's Hockey
Jan. 21, 2012
ORONO, Maine - Senior alternate captain Barry Almeida netted a hat trick, including a shorthanded goal that temporarily tied third-ranked Boston College and Maine at four goals apiece at 8:36 of the third period, before Maine's Connor Leen snapped the tie on his first collegiate score in the 17th minute and the host Black Bears netted a pair of empty-net scores in the game's final 2:06 of play to capture a 7-4 Hockey East victory before 5,098 fans in Alfond Arena.
The victory secured the two-game weekend sweep for Maine, which captured its first three-game regular-season over Boston College since it swept a series during the 2005-06 season. Earlier this season, BC beat Maine, 5-1, at home on Nov. 5.
BC scored twice in the game's first five minutes before Maine registered four consecutive scores - three on the power play and one shorthanded - to claim a 4-2 lead at 13:26 of the middle period.
Almeida cut the Eagles deficit to one goal - at 4-3 - on his second goal of the game at 14:01 of the second period prior to notching the tying score - and completing the hat trick - while skating shorthanded at 8:36 of the final frame.
Junior forward Steven Whitney assisted on two of Almeida's scores while senior captain Tommy Cross also recorded a pair of assists on the night.
Freshman goaltender Brian Billett made 28 saves in the losing effort while his Maine counterpart, Dan Sullivan, tallied 31 saves to capture the win.
Maine junior Matt Mangene, who scored the overtime gamewinner in the Black Bears win on Friday, also tallied a hat trick.
Maine finished 3-for-5 with a man advantage while Boston College, which went 2-for-4 in the team's 4-3 overtime loss the night before, finished 1-for-3 on the power play.
Almeida opened the scoring just 2:21 into the contest. Freshman Johnny Gaudreau double the Eagle lead at 4:33, redirecting Cross' hard drive toward net from the center point.
Next, Boston College will face New Hampshire in a two-game home-and-home weekend series that begins at BC's Kelley Rink on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. on NESN. The teams will conclude the series at the Whittemore Center the next night.
Team Records: Boston College 14-10-1, 10-7-1 Hockey East; Maine 12-8-3, 9-7-2 HE
Game Notes: Almeida's hat trick marked the first since Jimmy Hayes scored three times in a Hockey East quarterfinal win over Massachusetts on March 12, 2011 ... Junior defenseman Patch Alber finished with a +3.
