With its non-conference schedule completed, the University of Maine’s seventh-ranked hockey team begins the stretch run with the first of its 16 remaining Hockey East games.
The 13-3-2 Black Bears, who went 8-1-1 in their non-conference games, will play eight games at home and eight on the road, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford against the University of Connecticut.
Following the UConn series, they will host UMass Lowell for 7 p.m. games on Jan. 19-20 and will have the following weekend off before playing every weekend after that.
UMaine is 5-2-1 in Hockey East play. UConn is 8-9-2 overall and 4-6-1 in league play.
“In our world, every game is going to be like a playoff game,” said UMaine third-year head coach Ben Barr. “It’s going to be a battle every single night against really good teams. Our league is so good this year, it’s going to be a great challenge.”
Two questions linger for the team as it enters the stretch: how will it improve its power play, which enters the weekend without a goal in the last six games, and what will the goalie rotation look like given the recent success of Albin Boija.
Barr hasn’t decided about the goaltending rotation for this weekend.
Freshman Boija turned in an impressive 30-save performance in Friday night’s 3-1 win over Colgate and stopped 23 of 24 in relief of senior Victor Ostman on Saturday, enabling the Black Bears to claw their way back into the game.
Reigning All-Hockey East second teamer Ostman allowed three goals on six shots over 11:21 before being pulled.
Ostman is 11-3-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .901 save percentage while starting 16 games, and Boija is 2-0-1, 1.31, .949 in four games, two of which were starts.
“Those guys are capable of playing. It might be a day-by-day thing,” Barr said.
Ostman turned in an outstanding performance in a 7-3 win over UConn in Orono on Dec. 3, finishing with 38 saves and UConn outshot UMaine 41-38.
And while the power play will enter the weekend 0-for-19 in the last six games, Barr feels that it will get back on track.
He said one of the issues is too many passes and not enough shots.
“They just need to simplify. Sometimes you get into trouble on the power play because you’re trying to pass the puck into the back of the net,” he said. “That usually makes things worse. As long as the work ethic is there and you are generating chances, which they have been, those things will usually turn around.”
Offensively, one line that has been particularly effective of late has been that of junior Bentley College transfer Harrison Scott between sophomore left wing Thomas Freel and senior right wing Donovan Houle.
During the team’s eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1), they have combined for nine goals and 11 assists. Scott has 4 & 3, Houle has 2 & 5 and Freel has 3 & 3. Freel and Houle are both plus-7 in plus-minus and Scott is plus-six.
Players receive a plus-one if their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus-one if the other team scores one.
“No matter who [we play against], they just play the game. They know who they are, they play the game the right way. They play physical, fast and simple and that is really effective in our world,” Barr said.
The high-powered and top producing line of senior co-captain Lynden Breen and standout freshman brothers Josh and Bradly Nadeau were held to just one goal and three assists in the two-game set with Colgate but Barr isn’t concerned.
“You can’t expect them to score four goals every single night. That’s not realistic,” said Barr, noting that the Nadeau brothers are playing college hockey for the first time and simply need to gain more experience. “They’ve already improved greatly in that regard. They still have some more improving to do, just as far as trying not to do too much. That’s when they get into trouble.”
One player who may have earned more playing time was freshman right wing Anthony Caliafore, who made his debut in the tie against Colgate. He was on a line with Cole Hanson and Ben Poisson. He had three shots on goal, made a pinpoint pass to Poisson for a point-blank scoring attempt and blocked a shot.
“He was pretty good. He’s a gamer. He made a good impression. I probably should have played him earlier, to be honest with you,” Barr said.
On the injury front, junior center Nolan Renwick will miss his fifth and sixth straight games but sophomore defenseman Grayson Arnott, who missed the last six games, could be back, as could freshman defenseman Liam Lesakowski, who missed the Colgate series.
