The Minutemen took a 2-1 lead in early in the third period but couldn't hold on.
CHESTNUT HILL — It’s a scene all too familiar to University of Massachusetts hockey fans in the young 2012-13 season.
Watch a lead against a ranked opponent turn into a loss.
It happened again Sunday afternoon at No. 1 Boston College when UMass dropped its 13th straight game inside the not-so-friendly confines of Conte Forum 3-2.
Each of the three blown leads has featured a different theme. The first Boston College loss came because of fatigue after the Minutemen lost Joel Hanley 1:35 into the game. The Boston University loss at home came because the team let its foot off the proverbial gas.
Sunday’s culprit was missed opportunities, especially early in the third period, when UMass had multiple prime chances to grow a 2-1 lead.
The teams traded power play goals in the first period, but Troy Power broke the deadlock by rifling a wrist shot past Boston College goalie Parker Milner to give the Minutemen their first lead of the afternoon 1:42 into the third.
Then, UMass had two notable chances go unconverted.
The Minutemen had Milner out of his net and the puck on their sticks, but Eagles defenseman Isaac MacLeod got down on his knees in the crease and made multiple saves to keep UMass off the board. Then, minutes later, Rocco Carzo, Conor Sheary and Steven Guzzo completed a set of tic-tac-toe passes on the rush, culminating in what looked like it would be a Guzzo tip-in for a goal.
Guzzo celebrated as he swooped across the crease, only to realize Milner made the save. Referees Robert Ritchie and Tom Quinn reviewed the replay only to come to the same conclusion they had moments before — no goal.
“We had really good opportunites, we just have to bear down and see that puck into the twine,” UMass coach John Micheletto said.
Then, the tying goal that is starting to feel inevitable inevitably came.
9:13 into the third, Eagles defenseman Michael Matheson was trailing the play and took a pass from Steven Whitney. His wrist shot looked to UMass goalie Kevin Boyle like it was going well wide.
“It was a straightforward play up until the shot,” Boyle said. “The shot was going way wide and it just popped in on an unlucky bounce … It hit off one of their legs I think and popped in.”
It was the biggest misstep of the day for Boyle, who had made a handful of quality saves on the day, finishing the day with 28.
With the game then tied, UMass staved off the Eagles for another 7:10, until the puck popped loose from a scrum in front of Boyle right to Boston College’s Patrick Brown on the left side.
Brown fired a wrist shot past Boyle for the game-winner and UMass’ fate was once again sealed.
“Three is the magic number in this league,” Micheletto said. If you can get to three first, that’s usually going to put you in a pretty good spot. We weren’t able to extend two to three. If we had been able to do that, then tonight might have been a different story.”
Micheletto said he wasn’t worried about what seems to be becoming a pattern for his team.
“Obviously they’re down in the third period and feel like they’ve got to come out and get a big spark, and I thought they had a good first shift or two,” he said. “I think they obviously had a little bit more jump in the step.”
Micheletto said that he looks at the fact that UMass has now had a lead in three of its four losses as a positive.
“I certainly don’t like staring at the 2-4 after our name, but I’m very excited and proud of the way that our guys are playing right now,” he said. “I like to think that people are getting their money’s worth when they come to see the Minutemen play.”
UMass next takes the ice Friday night against Providence at the Mullins Center. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.