BOSTON COLLEGE UPENDS MAINE, 5-2
Sophomore Brock Bradford registers goal and three assists for Eagles

Chestnut Hill, Mass. – Sophomore left wing Nathan Gerbe recorded two goals and one assist and classmate Brock Bradford registered one goal and three assists to lead 13th-ranked Boston College to a 5-2 Hockey East victory over fifth-ranked Maine before 4,334 fans in Conte Forum.

Senior captain Brian Boyle finished with one goal and two assists – his 34th career multiple-point effort – and freshman center Ben Smith netted his sixth goal of the season for the victors.

BC (17-11-1, 13-8-1 Hockey East) scored twice in each of the first two periods and Gerbe scored into an empty-net in the third stanza for the 5-2 final.

After Maine forward Josh Soares recorded his 100th career point on short-handed goal at 13:22 of the first period, BC scored two times in less than 90 seconds to take a 2-1 advantage.

Boyle evened the score with a power-play tally at 14:17, tipping a Brett Motherwell shot from the point past Maine goalie Dave Wilson. Bradford notched his 10th goal of the season at 15:46.

Smith increased the Eagles lead to two goals – at 3-1 – with a man-advantage goal five minutes into the middle period.

Junior Keenan Hopson cut the visiting Black Bears deficit to one goal at 7:30, but Gerbe beat Wilson at 10:40 to regain the two-goal edge.

Wilson, who was replaced by sophomore Ben Bishop, finished with 15 saves. He allowed four goals in 30:56. Bishop stopped all nine shots he faced in the final period and one-half.

Gerbe added his second goal of the game – and team-high 16th of the season – into an empty-net at 18:24.

The Eagles outshot the Black Bears, 29-21.

BC junior goaltender Cory Schneider recorded 19 saves to earn the victory, his 54th career win.

BC and Maine (19-9-2, 12-9-1 HE) will conclude the regular-season series on Friday at Conte Forum. Game time is 8 p.m.