ORONO, Maine — Charlie Russell played seven games at Clarkson University last season before deciding to leave and return to the United States (Junior) Hockey League.
“[Clarkson] wasn’t the right fit,” said Russell, a sophomore right winger, who entered the NCAA Division I transfer portal and wound up at the University of Maine, where he has flourished so far.
Russell is currently tied for second on the team in scoring with 11 points on three goals and eight assists.
He will take a six-game points streak into this weekend’s series at Boston College in a battle of top-five teams.
The second-ranked Eagles are 5-1 while the fifth-ranked Black Bears are 6-0-1.
They will square off at 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Sunday at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill.
Russell had previously been recruited by UMaine head coach Ben Barr so when he entered the portal he wasn’t surprised to hear from him.
“Maine called me the day the portal opened. I called Coach Barr back the next morning and said I wanted to come and be a part of this,” he said.
“It was an easy choice. I knew I wanted to be here especially with the success they had last year,” said the Skaneateles, New York, native.
UMaine went 23-12-2 a year ago and reached the Hockey East semifinals and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
“I’m so happy I ended up at Maine. My teammates here are unbelievable and the coaching staff is one of the best I’ve ever played for. It is awesome here. I love it,” Russell added.
He already had a connection to Barr because his father, Jamie, and Barr were assistant coaches together at Providence College.
“My family trusts him. They know each other really well. It was really important to me to find a coach I trusted and he was at the top of the list,” said Russell, who had 13 goals and 12 assists in 45 games for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL last season.
He has been happy with his start and said it hasn’t been a surprise to him.
“I’ve always believed in myself. I knew it’s something I could do. There are obviously things I can do better,” Russell said. “Offensively, I’ve been pretty good. But on the defensive side of the puck, I have to make sure my habits and details continue to get better.”
Barr’s play so far has impressed Barr.
“He has a really good skill level and his habits and details have gotten a lot better in a short period of time which is why he has been really effective,” said Barr. “He had been a complicated player when he had the puck. But he has simplified things which allows him to get more pucks to the net and to be in the right places rather than skating a million miles an hour and be all over the place.”
Barr said Russell is a good skater and competitor who can really shoot the puck.
“And he’s one of those guys who wants to be on the ice all the time. He does a lot of work with (assistant coach Jason Fortier). He has gotten a lot better because of the work he’s put into it and he will keep improving, too,” said Barr.
Russell’s teammates have been impressed as well.
“He has been fantastic,” said UMaine senior defenseman and co-captain David Breazeale. “He is extremely skilled. He has great hands and hockey sense. He has a nose for the net. He is a natural player who finds a way to be part of the play every time.”
Russell plays in every situation. He is on the power play and the penalty kill in addition to his regular shift.
“It’s nice to play for a coaching staff that believes in me,” said the 5-foot-11, 173-pound Russell.
Black Bear graduate student center and co-captain Lynden Breen said Russell has “stepped up big for us in big moments. He has been unbelievable. He has adjusted his game to Black Bear hockey and has been rewarded for it. And we’ve been rewarded for it.”
Russell thoroughly enjoys playing in the energized Alfond Arena.
“The fan support is incredible. And the community is awesome,” said Russell, who had two goals and four assists in last weekend’s 5-0 and 6-0 sweep of Merrimack.
He is from a hockey family. His father was the head coach at Michigan Tech in addition to stints as an assistant coach at Ferris State, Cornell and Providence. He is currently the director of hockey operations and head coach of the 18-under team at the South Kent School (Conn.).
His brother, Ben, is an assistant at Northern Michigan.
He is looking forward to the series at BC.
“It’s so exciting. Being from a college hockey family, I’ve been around college hockey my whole life. So I dreamed of playing in moments like this when I was little,” said Russell.
Harrison Scott continues to lead the Black Bears in scoring with 15 points on five goals and 10 assists. His 2.14 points per game leads the country.
Russell and defenseman Brandon Holt are next with 11 points. Holt has two goals and nine assists.
Taylor Makar has 4 & 6 and Thomas Freel has 6 & 3 and is tops in the country in power play goals with six. Goalie Albin Boija has a 1.28 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.
Gabe Perreault is BC’s leading point-getter with 4 & 5 followed by freshman James Hagens (1 & 7).
Hagens is one of 10 BC players who has come from the United States Development Program’s Under-18 team.
Ryan Leonard (3 & 2), Teddy Stiga (2 & 3) and Will Vote (4 & 0) follow Perreault and Hagens and goalie Jacob Fowler has a 1.41 GAA and .939 save percentage.
