Semi-Automatic

This time, coughing up a two-goal lead wasn’t an option. Not with a trip to the Hockey East semifinals on the line.

One night after arguably its worst showing of the season, the No. 1 Boston University men’s hockey team returned to its winning ways Sunday night just in time to avoid a colossal upset.

Backed by six different goal scorers, the top-seeded Terriers trounced the eighth-seeded University of Maine, 6-2, in the decisive Game Three of their Hockey East quarterfinal series at Agganis Arena.

Sophomore forward Nick Bonino and senior forward Brandon Yip each had a goal and an assist for BU (29-6-4), which will meet sixth-seeded Boston College Friday at 8 p.m. in the Hockey East semifinals at TD Banknorth Garden.

‘The hardest thing to do in college hockey is get to the Garden for the Hockey East semifinals,’ BU coach Jack Parker said. ‘It’s nice to be able to do that.’

Freshman forwards Spencer Abbott and Gustav Nyquist scored for the Black Bears (13-22-4), who trailed 3-1 for the second straight night but could not orchestrate the same comeback that produced a stunning 6-3 victory on Saturday.

Following subpar efforts in the first two games of the series, the Terriers came out firing in a first period that saw them convert three of their 12 shot attempts. Abbott answered BU sophomore defenseman Colby Cohen’s goal in the opening minute with a power-play tally at 14:19, but the Terriers responded by scoring twice in a 29-second stretch to take control.

Lurking at the right doorstep of Maine freshman goaltender Scott Darling, Yip snapped a backhanded pass from Bonino inside the left post at 16:05. Sophomore forward Joe Pereira extended the lead to 3-1 shortly after, redirecting a shot from the point between Darling’s pads for the eventual game-winner.’

‘We came out with a lot of energy in the first period and a lot of intensity,’ Parker said. ‘We went after them pretty good. We scored right off the bat, but I think the biggest goal of the game was our second goal. They had scored to make it 1-1 and we scored right after that, answered pretty quickly and answered again.

‘Those two goals really changed it for us. We had a lot of confidence.’

BU lit the lamp three more times in a second period that cemented its place in Friday’s semifinal round. Bonino, junior forward Zach Cohen and freshman forward Corey Trivino each beat Darling (20 saves), who gave way to freshman Josh Seeley for the final 2:40 of regulation.

Despite outplaying the Terriers on Friday and Saturday, the Black Bears came up short in their bid to knock the No. 1 team in the country out of the Hockey East playoffs.

‘It reminded me a bit of a bullfight,’ Maine coach Tim Whitehead said of the series. ‘Everyone kind of knows what’s going to happen at the end, and some people are hoping maybe the bull might get the matador. But not tonight. The bull got a piece of him [Saturday], and I guess that’s why people come back to the games, because you never know what might happen.

‘We got close. They had a near escape the first night [Friday], and we got them Saturday, but tonight I thought the matador was very sharp and finished it off.’

Game notes: The Terriers are the first team in Hockey East history to reach the semifinals of the conference tournament in eight straight seasons. ‘hellip; Parker said he expects junior defenseman Brian Strait to return Friday against the No. 18 Eagles. BU’s assistant captain has missed the last five games with a knee injury sustained Feb. 28. ‘hellip; Freshman goaltender Kieran Millan stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced one night after allowing a career-high six goals. The rookie netminder improved to 23-2-3 between the pipes.