The University of Maine’s No.-9 ranked hockey team had allowed only three power-play goals through its first eight games this season.
But Boston University cashed its first three power-play opportunities and the eighth-ranked Terriers went on to hold off the Black Bears and post a 3-2 victory at Parker Rink in Agganis Arena in Boston on Friday night.
BU improved to 7-3-1 overall and 4-1-1 in Hockey East while UMaine fell to 6-2-1 and 3-1-1.
The teams will conclude their two-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Terriers are now 6-1-1 over their last eight games and have won four straight against UMaine and eight of the last nine.
UMaine had its four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) snapped.
UMaine also had been 4-0 in Friday night games this season.
Sophomore left wing Thomas Freel scored his first goal of the season just 14 seconds into the game to give the Black Bears a short-lived 1-0 lead.
But freshman phenom Macklin Celebrini answered just 1:41 later with his team-leading ninth of the season.
Sophomore center Ryan Greene broke the tie 5:09 into the second period with his fourth of the year and freshman defenseman and first round National Hockey League draft pick Tom Willander expanded the lead with his second 2:46 later.
Freel scored a power play goal halfway through the third period, but that’s as close as the Black Bears were to get.
Freel opened the scoring when his wraparound attempt deflected past goalie Mathieu Caron off a BU player’s stick.
Celebrini answered with a one-timer from the circle to goalie Victor Ostman’s right off a feed from Lane Hutson.
Greene made it 2-1 after Quinn Hutson skated from left to right across the middle of the slot before firing the puck across to the far post where it deflected off him into the net.
Willander extended the lead with a wrist shot from the middle of the point that slipped past Ostman’s left pad.
Freel pulled UMaine within one when he was parked to the left of Caron and chipped home the rebound off a Josh Nadeau one-timer which was set up by a pass off the stick of his brother Bradly.
The Black Bears were without injured junior center Nolan Renwick and sophomore defenseman Grayson Arnott.