BC likes new ‘home,’ pounds Maine

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ORONO – The Boston College Eagles have found a home away from home.

The Eagles became one of the few teams to win three consecutive games at the Alfond Arena Sunday night by following last year’s two-game sweep in Orono with a convincing 7-2 men’s hockey victory over the Maine Black Bears.

The game was never in serious doubt as BC was superior in all three zones and cruised to its 12th win against three losses and a tie. BC is 6-1-1 in Hockey East. Maine, which could dress only 19 skaters due to injuries to four regulars, fell to 6-6-4 and 3-3-2 in Hockey East.

BC extended Maine’s winless skein to three games (0-2-1).

Freshman left winger Tony Voce and senior left wing Mark McLennan supplied the Eagles with a well-deserved 2-0 lead early in the first period before junior center Ales Dolinar extended it early in the second period.

Senior Kevin Clauson, who was playing both left wing and defense for the shorthanded Bears, scored 26 seconds after Dolinar to give the Bears some momentary life.

Jeff Giuliano sewed the game up with a disputed goal in the third period off the rebound of a Chuck Kobasew shot. Maine goalie Matt Yeats tried to glove it before it crossed the line but the goal light went on and referee Jeff Bunyon ruled it had crossed the goal line.

Rob Scuderi, Ben Eaves (power play) and Kobasew (shorthanded) made it 7-1.

Matthias Trattnig capped the scoring for Maine with his fourth goal over the last three games.

Boston College, which last played on Wednesday (a scoreless tie at Northeastern), was clearly the fresher of the two teams. The Eagles were a step faster and created several turnovers and transition opportunities with their superior speed. They were just as impressive defensively as they limited Maine to only 16 shots on goal.

“We played very well as a team defensively. I don’t remember any letdowns,” said senior goalie Scott Clemmensen, who made eight Grade-A saves.

BC captain Brian Gionta said his team was especially thorough in the neutral zone.

“We got the puck deep and were able to capitalize on our opportunities. Getting the two-goal lead early was huge, especially up here. You need to take advantage of your chances,” Gionta said.

Maine coach Shawn Walsh was impressed with the Eagles.

“They’re a great team. They set the standard in the conference,” said Walsh. “They’re third in the country [USA Today/American Hockey Magazine College Hockey poll] for a reason. I applaud our guys for the effort. We’re undermanned and, in addition to the injuries, we had some guys throwing up. They spent more time with the trainer than with me this week.”

Maine junior defenseman and co-captain Doug Janik said, “They were a real good team and they were better than we were but not 7-2 better.

“We’ve got to stop using a depleted lineup as an excuse and find a way to win,” added Janik.

Walsh wasted little time yanking goalie Mike Morrison after Vose and McLennan scored 4:15 apart during the game’s first 6:43.

Morrison had allowed two goals in the final 2:08 of regulation in his last start, a 3-3 tie overtime tie against Northeastern last Sunday,

Maine, which played at Boston University on Friday (3-2 loss), found itself in a hole just 2:28 into the game when Vose’s centering pass from behind the net hit Morrison and deflected in.

“It hit my hand and went in. I had my stick down to try to block the pass,” said Morrison.

BC made it 2-0 when the Bears failed to clear the puck and it landed on the stick of Ty Hennes along the left-wing boards. He made a quick diagonal pass to the right circle to McLennan and he was able to fight off a Maine defenseman and one-time a 16-footer that sailed over Morrison’s glove into the short-side corner.

“He put it in a good spot. We gave him too much room,” said Morrison. “They can finish. They don’t need a lot of shots to score a lot of goals.”

BC had scored its two goals with seven shots.

“I had to do something. I couldn’t let it keep going that way,” said Walsh in explaining his goaltending change.

Yeats came on and held the Eagles at bay for the remainder of the period.

Maine had two good scoring chances but Clemmensen gloved Gray Shaneberger’s breakaway and Robert Liscak missed an open net off a two-on-one with Todd Jackson when he chipped Jackson’s pass over the net.

Dan Kerluke assisted on Trattnig’s goal, giving him his 100th career point on 49 goals and 51 assists in 128 games.

Eagles 7, Black Bears 2

Boston College 2-1-4 – 7

Maine 0-1-1 – 2

First period – 1. BC, Voce 6 (S human), 2:28; 2. BC, McLennan 2 (Hennes), 6:43. Penalties: Maine, Janik, roughing, 3:55; BC, Hughes, 7:17; Maine, Trattnig, hitting from behind, 8:52.

Second period – 3. BC, Dolinar 4 (Forrest), 3:42, pp; 4. Maine, Clauson 2 (Loya), 4:08. Penalties: Maine, Nault, hooking, 2:18; BC, Orpik, high sticking, 7:19; BC, Lephart, obstruction holding, 9:02; Maine, Clauson, hooking, 11:09; Maine, Dimitrakos, charging, 13:59; BC, Lephart, interference, 18:28.

Third period: 5. BC, Ciuliano 7 (Kohasew, Kolanos) 12:24; 6. BC, Scuderi 2 (unassisted) 12:44; 7. BC, Eaves 2 (Orpik, Lephart) 15:12; 8. BC, Kobasew 9 (Voce) 16:51; 9. Maine, Trattnig 7 (Jackson, Kerluke) 17:47; Penalties: BC, Kolanos, roughing 7:02; Maine, Begg, roughing, 7:02; Maine, Schutte, slashing, 13:53; Maine, team, delay of game, 13:53; BC, Dziama, slashing, 15:40

Shots on goal: BC 12-7-11 – 30; Maine 6-5-5 – 16

Goaltenders: BC, Clemmensen (14 saves); Maine, Yeats (16), Morrison (5), Clark (2)

Power-play opportunities: BC 2-7; Maine 0-5

Attendance: 5,641