BOSTON, Mass. - Freshman forward Charlie Coyle scored an extra-attacker goal with just 1:21 remaining in the third period to lift Boston University into a 2-2 tie with Maine on Saturday night at Agganis Arena.
Junior Chris Connolly gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead with his second-period power-play goal at 15:51. Maine's Gustav Nyquist and Jeff Dimmen then tallied third-period markers at 2:11 and 6:12, respectively, to skate the Black Bears to a 2-1 advantage.
With junior Kieran Millan pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Coyle scored the game-tying goal with 1:21 left in regulation.
Millan turned aside 34 shots, while Maine goaltender Dan Sullivan made 28 saves.
BU moved to 6-0-2 (4-0-2 HEA) on the season and, in the process, became the first Terrier team since the 1977-78 national championship squad to go undefeated in its first eight games.
Maine was 0-for-6 on the power play, as BU's penalty kill has successfully killed off its opponents' last 22 chances with the man advantage.
The Black Bears recorded 19 of the game's first 24 shots, but Millan and the BU defense kept it a scoreless affair until the Terriers broke through on their third power-play chance of the game.
On a play from right-to-left, freshman Adam Clendening received a pass from classmate Garrett Noonan and then found sophomore Alex Chiasson in the middle of the slot. Instead of taking a shot, Chiasson spotted Connolly at the bottom of the left circle, where the junior co-captain potted a goal for the third straight game and ignited the crowd.
BU took a 1-0 lead into the second intermission and quickly secured a 5-on-3 in the early stages of the third period. The Terriers were unable to cash in on the chance, however, and Maine soon after took control of the game.
In a 4-on-4 situation, Nyquist roofed a shot from the left circle on assists from Dimmen and Robby Dee. Just over four minutes later Dimmen sent a puck towards the BU net from the left point and then picked off a clearing attempt before firing and scoring from the high slot to give the visitors a 2-1 lead with 13:48 left in regulation.
BU, which held a 14-9 shot advantage in the third, put plenty of pressure on the late stages and were rewarded just seconds after pulling Millan in favor of an extra attacker.
A shot by junior David Warsofsky from the right point hit Connolly's shin as he streaked to the far post. The puck then made its way to the top of the crease, where senior Joe Pereira knocked it to an open Coyle, who cashed in just above the right post to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
Both teams had chances in overtime, but the defenses stood tall and the top-10 squads settled for a tie. BU, which had its 2009-10 season ended by a 5-2 loss to Maine in the Hockey East semifinals, continued its streak of not dropping consecutive games to Maine that dates back to the 2003-04 season.
The Terriers will return to action on Friday (Nov. 12) when they home a weekend home-and-home series with Merrimack at Agganis Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Maine will host Northeastern for two games next weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. tilt on Friday.