ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine men's ice hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to Boston College on Saturday night at Alfond Arena in Orono. The Eagles broke a 2-2 tie late in the second period and then added an empty-net goal. Simon Danis-Pepin (Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec) and Andrew Sweetland (Bonavista, Newfoundland) each netted goals for the Black Bears, who fall to 8-11-3 on the season and 4-8-3 in Hockey East play. Boston College improves to 12-5-7 overall and 8-3-6 in conference play.
The Eagles got on the board 10:49 into the first period when Dan Bertram found Joe Whitney who skated in and beat Maine goalie Ben Bishop (Des Peres, Mo.) for his seventh goal of the season.
Maine tied the game not long after. Tanner House (Cochrane, Alberta) was able to find Mike Banwell (Scarborough, Ontario) who fed a pass to Danis-Pepin just inside the blueline. Danis-Pepin rifled a shot past BC goalie John Muse for his third goal of the season and second of the weekend. The teams went into the first intermission tied at 1-1.
Ben Smith broke the tie for the Eagles with a power play goal just 37 seconds into the second period. Bertram and Tim Kunes each assisted on the goal, which was the 14th of the season for Smith which was scored from the just in front of Bishop.
Again, the Black Bears would tie the game up at 2-2. House and Danis-Pepin teamed up to find Sweetland who beat his defender and Muse with a shot from the right face-off circle. It was his fifth goal of the season and third on the power play.
The Eagles took the lead for good just over 10 minutes later. Brian Gibbons fed Nathan Gerbe who had a breakaway and beat Bishop for his 19th goal of the season which turned out to be the game-winner. Matt Greene added an empty-net goal for BC.
Bishop had another strong game in goal for the Black Bears and he stopped 27 shots, including several breakaways. He falls to 8-11-3 on the season. Muse made 18 saves for the Eagles.
Each team scored a power play goal as Maine was 1-for-5, while Boston College was 1-for-4.
Maine returns to action on Friday, Feb. 1 when it travels to UMass Lowell for a 7:00 p.m. game with the River Hawks.