ORONO, Maine — It is always nice to go into the hockey playoffs with a prolific top line.
For the University of Maine, its No. 1 line of junior Sully Scholle between senior left wing Owen Fowler and junior right wing Josh Nadeau has been on a tear of late heading into Friday night’s Hockey East quarterfinal at Boston College.
It is, by far, UMaine’s most experienced line, with each having played in more than 100 career games.
In the five games they have been together, Nadeau, Fowler and Scholle have combined for 14 of UMaine’s 20 goals and added 12 assists.
Nadeau has seven goals and six assists; Fowler has five goals and two assists; and Scholle has two goals and four assists.
In addition, they are a combined plus-22 in plus-minus with Nadeau at plus-nine, Fowler at plus-seven and Scholle at plus-six.
Players receive a plus-one if they are on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus-one if the opponent scores one.
“They’re playing the game the right way. They’re working hard,” said UMaine coach Ben Barr. “They’re three veteran guys, and we’re relying a lot on them. It’s really good to have those guys going.
“We probably need to find a way to get a little more out of some of our other lines,” added Barr.
Fowler said each of them brings “something different” to the line.
He is the hard-nosed winger who finishes his checks and gets to the opponents’ net. Scholle is a dependable three-zone player who can distribute and shoot the puck. Nadeau is a highly skilled and shifty sniper who can also find the open man with a pass.
“We’re jelling pretty well together. Josh and Sully have been playing well, and it’s easy for me to feed off those guys when they’re rolling,” said Fowler. “And we’re looking to continue it.”
Scholle said the three of them “talk a lot on the bench.
“We want to make sure we’re all on the same page and we’re all bringing it every night, mentally. We’re dialed in out there,” said Scholle.
He added that it’s fun being on a line with them.
“They’re great players with good hockey IQs,” he said.
Nadeau called Fowler and Scholle “great players.”
“They work real hard on and off the ice, and that makes it really easy for me. We have good chemistry on the ice,” Nadeau said. “Working hard makes good things happen, and we have to keep it going in the playoffs.”
Fowler and Scholle are having the best seasons of their college careers.
Fowler, who transferred to UMaine from UMass Lowell, has 12 goals and 10 assists in 33 games and leads the team with a plus-19 rating.
He was chosen Hockey East’s co-best defensive forward.
He is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with three and shorthanded goals with two. He also has two power play tallies.
The Tewksbury, Massachusetts, native had 10 goals and 10 assists in 38 games for UMaine a year ago and now has 27 goals and 27 assists in 104 career games between UMass Lowell and UMaine.
Chaska, Minnesota, native Scholle has seven goals and 11 assists in 34 games after having three goals and 13 assists in 38 games a year ago. He is a plus-13.
He has two game-winners and a power play goal and has registered 17 goals and 28 assists in 105 career games.
Nadeau, a third team All-Hockey East selection two years ago as a freshmen, has 17 goals and 13 assists in 29 games and is one goal shy of tying his previous best set that freshman season when he was on a line with his younger brother, Bradly, a first round draft choice of Carolina.
Bradly Nadeau signed with the Hurricanes after his freshman year.
Nadeau is a plus-seven and is tied for the team lead in shorthanded goals with two. He is second on the team in scoring with 30 points, in goals with his 17 and in power play goals with five.
The St. Francois-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick, native has 104 career points on 45 goals and 59 assists in 103 career games.
He has become the 58th player in school history dating back to the 1977-78 season to reach the 100-point plateau.
Nadeau finished the regular season as Hockey East’s second-leading point-getter in conference games with 25 on 15 goals and 10 assists in 21 of the team’s 24 games. He was sidelilned by illness and missed three Hockey East games.
Boston College’s James Hagens, a first round draft pick of the Boston Bruins, was the scoring champion with 28 points on 13 goals and 15 assists in 24 games.
But Nadeau was tops in points per game with 1.19. Hagens had 1.17.
“That line is getting it done for us right now. They’re clicking on all cylinders,” said UMaine senior captain and defenseman Brandon Holt, who was picked as the league’s top defensive defenseman.
“They have scored pretty goals … dirty goals … they have scored every which way,” said Holt. “When you’re doing that, it’s a recipe for success.”
