The Boston University Terriers have been an exceptional third-period team this season and the University of Maine Black Bears have won just one road game since the start of last season.
And that’s how things played out on Friday night at Agganis Arena in Boston as third-period goals by BU’s Ahti Oksanen and Matt Lane erased a 2-0 deficit and freshman phenom Jack Eichel won it 3-2 2:40 into in overtime after Connor Leen was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for hitting from behind just 16 seconds into the OT.
BU, ranked third in the country, improved to 7-1-1 overall, 5-1-1 in Hockey East, while Maine fell to 3-8-1 and 2-4, respectively.
BU extended its unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1) while Maine suffered its fourth straight loss.
Maine is now 1-16-3 on the road in its last 20 games and had its road winless streak extended to nine games (0-8-1).
Maine will visit Boston College at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Maine coach Red Gendron said his team “played well but not well enough.
“We had chances on the power play all night long. It was all good except for the finishing,” said Gendron whose Bears went 0-for-4 on the power play and are now scoreless with the man-advantage over the last three games (0-for-12).
“The guys played their tails off. But the truth is we have to be precise. We’re getting closer but it’s not good enough,” added Gendron.
Eichel took a pass from Brandon Fortunato in his own end, sprinted up the left wing and beat Maine goalie Sean Romeo with a shot from the left faceoff circle.
BU goalie Matt O’Connor also picked up an assist on the goal.
Ben Hutton’s first-period goal and a shorthanded goal by Leen 56 seconds into the second period staked the Black Bears to a 2-0 lead.
Leen extended his goal-scoring streak to four games.
But the Bears failed to extend the lead on three power plays later in the middle period and it came back to haunt them.
Oksanen began the comeback with a one-timer off a passing sequence involving Danny O’Regan and Eichel 4:50 into the final period.
Lane equalized just 4:13 later as he converted from a scramble in front off assists from Nick Roberto and A.J. Greer.
Maine had some chances on a late power play but hit the post and couldn’t convert.
Leen was whistled for a hit on BU defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in the OT and it proved costly.
“We got outplayed in the third period and when I took that penalty, it gave them momentum,” said Leen. “I was chasing the puck and (Grzelcyk) went back for it and made a spin move. He turned his back to me and was in a vulnerable position. I tried to lay off him. I didn’t want to hurt him. I gave him a little push and he fell down. He may have embellished a little bit but, at the end of the day, it is what it is.”
BU has now outscored its opponents 20-3 in the third period as the Terriers outshot Maine 11-6 over the final 20 minutes.
Eichel, who has registered at least a point in all nine games, won it with BU’s only shot of the overtime.
“It was a very tough situation but we have to find a way to kill it off,” said Hutton. “We played pretty well tonight but we didn’t close the game out. We let them back in. It’s unacceptable.”
Hutton had opened the scoring by snapping home a Cam Brown rebound.
Leen extended the lead in the second period when he stole the puck from Evan Rodrigues in the BU zone and flipped the puck past O’Connor while he was falling to the ice.
O’Connor finished with 26 saves while Romeo wound up with 33 stops.