BU men’s hockey is usually known as a team that can bounce back in their second game.

Instead they played catch up on Saturday, falling 8-5 to the No. 12 Maine Black Bears.

As the calendar sinks into Nov. 2025, so did BU’s record — the Terriers are now 3-5-1 on their season and 1-3-0 in Hockey East.

Here are the takeaways from the loss and how it happened.

Big Mike pulled in the first period

Mikhail Yegorov was excited for the infamous UMaine crowd and what they had to offer for an opposing goaltender. However, the Devils second-round-pick wasn’t able to experience that to a full extent. 

Following up his 30 save performance on Friday night — which ended in an overtime loss, he was pulled after allowing three straight goals in the opening frame.

Max Lacroix finished the game with 4 goals against and a .892 save percentage.

An abundance of offense, not much defense.

Both teams found the back of the net — a lot. 13 total goals between these sides gave this game a ton of highlights.

As a result of Maine’s relentless forecheck and ease in transition, they controlled the majority of the game itself. The Black Bears kept their foot on the pedal with a game-high 45 attempted shots in the second — 90 overall for Maine.

Although BU found some chances to finish, they couldn’t catch Maine. The Black Bears continued to find opportunities in high-danger chances — it cost the Terriers on a follow up.

How it happened

Just 34 seconds in, Ben Merrill opened the scoring for the Terriers. Thanks to Cole Hutson weaving his way inside Maine’s defense and the Terriers getting bodies in front — a loose puck trickled out for Merrill to fire on a wide open net.

Twenty three seconds later, Maine’s Charlie Russell was all alone in front to tap two shots on an unbalanced Yegorov — the second — crossed the goal line.

Maine followed up after killing BU’s first power-play. Jeremy Langois received a centering pass off the rush in the slot. His goal Yegorov didn’t stop all of Langois’s shot as it trickled by him for a 2-1 lead — the Black Bears first of the weekend.

Taking advantage of possession and bodies in front, Owen Fowler finished a loose rebound backhanded from a point shot by Sully Scholle to make it a two goal lead.

After Yegorov was pulled, Max Lacroix took to the crease for the Terriers.

Cole Huston opened the scoring in the second. He registered from the point to inch the Terriers back within one early in the second period, going five-hole on Maine goaltender Mathis Rousseau.

Justin Poirier answered right back with a do-it-yourself goal. He stuck with the play, almost got knocked down and still managed to tap the puck up and over Max Lacroix to extend Maine’s lead at 4-2. 

On Maine’s power-play, Brandon Holt fell at the blue line and Jonathan Morello pounced on the play. He waited for linemate Kamil Bednarik to join him on the break and Bednarik easily buried a shorthanded goal.

On that same power-play, Maine regained their two goal lead. With five seconds to go, a bumper goal from Max Scott slid under Max Lacroix’s glove.

Brandon Holt’s point shot was redirected in front by Charlie Russell to extend Maine’s lead to three with five minutes to go in the second.

BU answered back shortly before the end of the second period. Conrad Fondrk circled and ripped a low shot to get the Terriers back within two, again.

Not much changed in BU’s direction. Maine’s Anthony Calafiore received a backwards pass from Jack Murtagh and quickly got it to his linemate Max Scott who scored shorthanded.

BU answered shorthanded, Brandon Svoboda scored on a 2-on-1 from an initial Cole Hutson shot.

The Terriers committed six total penalties and blocked 27 total shots.

Maine’s Oskar Komarov put the cherry on top, scoring an empty netter to make it 8-5.