BOSTON – The University of Maine Black Bears suffered a costly and heart-breaking 3-2 loss to Boston University on Friday night in their first-ever appearance at the year-old Agganis Arena.

Junior left wing Kenny Roche’s goal with 1:10 remaining gave the Terriers their triumph over the Black Bears, who also lost the services of outstanding senior center Michel Leveille and top-scoring defenseman Bret Tyler to leg injuries.

Tyler, who had six points in his last four games, was hurt in the first period and Leveille, who had 11 points in six games including an assist in the first period, was hurt in the third when he was hip-checked by senior defenseman Jekabs Redlihs into the glass at the corner of the BU bench.

BU improved to 9-8-2 overall, 7-6-1 in Hockey East. Maine fell to 14-7, 7-5.

The teams will play again Saturday at 5.

Roche’s game-winner, his second goal of the game, was set up by Pete MacArthur.

MacArthur came down the right wing in a one-on-one against Maine defenseman Steve Mullin. Mullin tried to pinch him off with a hip check but MacArthur fought through it and slid it across to the unattended Roche.

“Coach [Jack Parker] is always telling us to keep our feet moving,” said MacArthur. “He [Mullin] made a good defensive play but I was able to get around him.”

Roche faked a shot and pulled the puck around Maine goalie Matt Lundin before tucking it between the goalie’s right skate and the right post.

“I had just come off the bench and I saw Peter going wide. I snuck into the slot,” said Roche. “I took the pass on my off-hand [backhand], faked the shot and put it to my forehand.”

Lundin said, “I set my feet because I thought he was going to take a one-timer.”

Mullin said the play was a microcosm of the game which saw Maine dominate the first period and BU control the rest of the game.

“I put a good hit on [MacArthur] but he kept his feet moving and beat me back to the puck. He outworked me. That was my responsibility,” said Mullin. “We played a good first period but they outplayed and outworked us over the last two periods.”

Maine was also victimized on the play by a poor line change as the original forwards had stayed on the ice too long and came off instead of backchecking. The forwards coming on to the ice were too far behind the play.

University of Maine senior right wing and captain Greg Moore staked Maine to a pair of one-goal leads but Roche and Saco’s John Laliberte answered for the Terriers.

Moore scored on Maine’s first power play but Roche tied it up when MacArthur’s pass glanced in off his skate late in the first period.

Referee Tim Benedetto originally waved the goal off but after conferring with assistant referees Bob Bernard and Kevin Shea, the goal was allowed.

“The puck went in off my skate but I didn’t kick it. Their guy [Travis Ramsey] had my stick tied up,” said Roche.

After a scoreless second period, Moore gave Maine a 2-1 lead just 12 seconds into the third period.

Laliberte tied it on the power play 4:32 later, snapping a Maine string of 30 consecutive penalty kills.

The Bears opened the scoring just 2:12 into the game when Moore scored his 13th goal of the season and his fifth in the last six games.

Moore scored off a rebound as Mike Lundin slid a pass over to Leveille for a one-timer from the mid-point.

Curry kicked it out with his pad but right to Moore, who snapped a 20-foot wrister over his shoulder.

Maine had several chances to expand the lead but Curry came up with several outstanding stops to keep his team within one.

In one flurry, Curry made a terrific right-skate save off Rob Bellamy and also flashed out his pad to reject Keith Johnson’s follow-up.

Roche equalized even though it appeared he had at least one skate in the crease which would have nullified it. Hockey East does not use video replay.

Maine outshot BU 17-5 in the first period but the Terriers had the same territorial advantage in the scoreless second period, outshooting Maine by an even larger margin at 18-4.

Lundin came up with several good saves in that middle period.

Moore made it 2-1 by converting a Soares pass from behind the net 12 seconds into the third period as he one-timed the puck into the short-side corner after Curry got tied up behind the net momentarily.

But Laliberte converted a breakaway off a Brad Zancanaro pass as he was 10 feet behind the Maine defense when he accepted the pass.

He made a few fakes that left Lundin face down on the ice and he lifted it over the goalie.

A high-sticking penalty on freshman Chris Hahn created the power play and Maine coach Tim Whitehead said he felt that penalty halted Maine’s momentum.

He also said, “our defensemen got caught unaware. When we turn the puck over, our guys have to have their heads on a swivel.”

Maine outshot BU 31-29.

“That was a great college hockey game. It was fun to be a part of,” said MacArthur.

TERRIERS 3, BLACK BEARS 2

Maine (14-7) 1 0 1 – 2

Boston Univ. (9-8-2) 1 0 2 – 3

First period – 1. Maine, Moore 13 (Leveille, Lundin), 2:12 (pp); 2. BU, Roche 4 (MacArthur), 18:44. Penalties: BU, Morrow, obstruction-hooking, 1:26; Maine, Johnson, holding, 2:40; Maine, Johnson, hooking, 10:51; BU, Van der Gulik, obstruction-interference, 12:14; BU, MacArthur, charging, 19:52

Second period – No scoring. Penalties: BU, Ewing, tripping, 5:33; Maine, Moore, high-sticking, 10:40; Maine, Jankus, roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct, 19:50; BU, Roche, roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct, 19:50

Third period – 3. Maine, Moore 14 (Soares), :12; 4. BU, Laliberte 7 (Zancanaro, Yip), 4:44 (pp); 5. BU, Roche 5 (MacArthur, Yip), 18:50. Penalties: Maine, Hahn, high-sticking, 3:05; Maine, Leveille, contact to the head, 5:59; BU, McGuirk, hitting from behind, 8:31; Maine, Plaszcz, tripping, 12:03; BU, Zancanaro, high-sticking, 12:40; Maine, Clark, hooking, 13:31; BU, Van der Gulik, high-sticking, 13:54

Shots on goal: Maine 17-4-10-31; BU 5-18-6-29

Goaltenders: Maine, Ma. Lundin (29 shots-26 saves); BU, Curry (31-29)

Power-play opportunities: Maine 1 of 7; BU 1 of 7

High-percentage scoring chances: Maine 13-4-9-26; BU 6-11-4-21

Attendance: 5,911