But BC is no ordinary program, as the Eagles clearly demonstrated at the University of Maine’s expense Friday night.
In one of three Black Bears games scheduled at Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena this season, undrafted BC forward Austin Cangelosi netted a hat trick to lead the visiting Eagles to a 6-1 win.
“He been our most consistent, best forward the whole season,” BC associate head coach Greg Brown said. Brown is filling in for longtime bench boss Jerry York while York recovers from eye surgery. “He shows up every day to work and he plays with no ego — he’s a humble kid.”
The loss drops the Black Bears to 3-4-2 overall and 0-1-0 in Hockey East play, while the Eagles improve to 7-2-1 and 3-0-1 in Hockey East.
“We have to learn as team to do all the little things for a full 60 minutes,” Maine coach Red Gendron said. “We can’t take shifts off and periods off. We have to be a heck of a lot more physical and a better job winning battles.”
The Black Bears had two power play chances in the first period. They couldn’t convert on Connor Moore’s slashing call.
Senior Chris Calnan then went to the box for high sticking at the 11:08 mark, and Maine put the pressure on. Freshmen forward Patrick Shea put the puck on goal and BC goalie Joe Woll couldn’t control the rebound. Sophomore forward Dane Gibson grabbed the loose puck in front of the crease to put Maine up on the board 1-0 at the 13:04 mark.
The Eagles responded on a power play of their own with 1:35 remaining in the opening period. The puck was worked to Cangelosi, who set up shop in the slot. He received the puck and snapped it passed Maine goalie Matt Morris. Assists went to Chris Brown and David Cotton.
“We try to play fast and we try to practice fast,” Cangelosi said. “I feel that can be a strength of ours. We are trying to find our identity this season and that’s one of the things we can rely on. The puck took some bounces and we were able to capitalize. We used our legs to get some chances.”
He said it’s been a while since he last scored a hat trick.
The game went into the second period tied, but the wheels quickly fell off in the second.
“There were various times after they tied it and we got behind we created some things that the puck did not go in,” Gendron said. “That’s on us, but there were too many opportunities in the second period for them and not enough for us. To me, that’s where the game was decided in the second period.”
BC dominated play in the middle frame, outshooting the Black Bears 13-4 in the period. Cangelosi gave the Eagles the 2-1 lead with a shorthanded breakaway just three minutes into the period.
Cangelosi complete the natural hat trick on the game’s first even-strength goal. Maine forward Daniel Perez hauled him down as he shot the puck into the net with 5:41 remaining in the period.
BC’s offense continued early in the third period when Ryan Fitzgerald found Calnan going to the net. That goal came 1:04 into the period.
Cotton recorded his second point of the game as he scored on the power play to give the Eagles the 5-1 lead 5:32 into the period.
BC was 2-for-7 on the man advantage while Maine was 1-for-8.
Morris’ night came to an end after letting in the fifth goal. He made 24 saves on 29 shots. Freshman Stephen Mundinger came into replace him and made three saves in relief. Woll made 22 saves for the Eagles.
Fitzgerald stretched the lead to 6-1 with Scott Savage and Matthew Gaudreau setting the goal up 7:07 into the third.
The same two teams will battle Saturday night in Orono.
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