Ryder Ritchie lifts BU men’s hockey past Maine, 3-2 in overtime

When it was waved away for interference against Gavin McCarthy, he angrily hit the bench with his stick.

The freshman forward got another chance Friday and made sure it stuck by firing a game-winning wrister past goalie Albin Boija, lifting BU to a 3-2 overtime victory over Maine at Agganis Arena. Ritchie celebrated the winning result with a ‘wave-off’ party.

The Terriers have won eight straight games against Maine at Agganis Arena and avoided a season sweep, a would-be first against the Black Bears since the 2013-14 season.

There was little action in the first period, with only 10 shots on target in total. Maine recorded seven, while BU had just three. Sophomore forward Cole Eiserman had the best opportunity of the period. He was released from the penalty area after taking a cutting penalty at the perfect moment, with a stretch pass sending him free into the net. However, his 1-on-0 fight against Boija went wide of the net.

Maine junior defenseman Frank Djurasevic opened the scoring at 1:22 of the second period, skating to the goal line and lifting a shot from a tight angle over the left shoulder of netminder Mikhail Yegorov.

Freshman forward Jack Murtagh answered back for the Terriers less than two minutes later at 3:07 of the period, firing a one-timer from the right circle just under the crossbar and past Boija. Cole Hutson and Gavin McCarthy had assists during the game.

Maine regained the lead at 11:33 of the second period. After BU failed to clear the puck, junior forward Max Scott fired a wrister from the low crease through a crowd of bodies and past Yegorov.

Opening the third period with the penalty kick after Kamil Bednarik was sent into the box for a heel move, Ben Merrill generated one of BU’s best chances. The freshman forward won the puck at the blue line and skated alone on goal, but his bid was gloved by Boija.

Eiserman capitalized on his missed breakaway opportunity at 4:27 of the third period, scoring on the Terriers’ only power play opportunity of the night. Eiserman collected a pass from Jack Harvey in the slot and fired a wrister past Boija’s low blocker.

Mikhail Yegorov, who stopped 29 of 31 shots, made several big saves in the third period, including a breakaway chance on Josh Nadeau with less than four minutes left in regulation after a Merrill blue line turnover.

The Terriers had their own chances late in the game, controlling much of the ball possession in the final minutes of regulation. Boija stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced.