The combination of junior goaltender Albin Boija’s slow start and freshman Mathis Rousseau’s 21-save gem in a 3-0 win at Boston College last Saturday has created a competition between the two for the number one job.
Last season, Boija was a second team All-American and second team All-Hockey East selection and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, which goes to the nation’s top goalie.
But his 2.55 goals-against average is only 34th best among goalies at the 63 Division I schools and is a far cry from last season’s 1.82 GAA, which was seventh best.
His .899 save percentage doesn’t even crack the top 50. His .927 save percentage in 2024-25 was seventh.
Boija has a 6-4-1 record that includes a pair of shutouts.
Rousseau has started three games and has a 2-1 record, a 3.00 GAA and an .894 save percentage.
But he stymied a BC team that had gone 54 games without being shut out at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and earned Hockey East Goaltender of the Week honors for it.
UMaine head coach Ben Barr said “whoever is playing better” will get to play.
“Hopefully, one of those guys will emerge (as the No. 1). We know Albin can do it and now we’re watching Mathis to see what he can do at this level,” Barr said.
“His last one was really good so, hopefully, his confidence will continue to build. And we will see the old Albin at some point,” Barr added, noting that Boija gave the Black Bears consistently solid goaltending for a year and a half coming into this season.
Boija has allowed three or more goals in five of his 11 starts this season after giving up three or more 10 times in 37 starts last year.
But the Black Bears were hit hard by graduation and are playing at least eight newcomers every night.
UMaine is giving up 2.79 goals per game this season after allowing 1.91 a year ago.
Boija got an opportunity to earn the No. 1 job when veteran Victor Ostman struggled at the outset of the 2023-24 campaign after being chosen to the All-Hockey East second team the previous season.
Boija made his first career start against archrival New Hampshire at UMaine’s Alfond Arena on Dec. 1, 2023, and the freshman made 18 saves in a 5-2 victory.
He went on to lead the 23-12-2 Black Bears to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2011-12 season, posting a 10-6-1 record, a 2.01 GAA and a .916 save percentage.
Boija and Rousseau’s Black Bear teammates have confidence in both of them.
“I’ve played in front of Albin the last couple of years and I have all the trust in the world in him,” said senior defenseman and co-captain Brandon Holt, who added that Rousseau is a “supremely talented goalie.”
“I don’t envy the decision of who to play. At the end of the day, I think it’s a really good problem to have. It’s healthy for both of them to have that level of competition and push each other to be their best every single day,” Holt said.
It’s an “exciting” prospect to have two No. 1 goalies, senior left wing and co-captain Thomas Freel said.
“Albin has won how many games for us over the last few years? It’s only a matter of time before he’s back to being a Richter [Award] contender,” Freel said.
Boija has a career record of 39-18-6, a 1.99 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
Rousseau brought an impressive resume to Orono, including five starts for Canada in the 2023-24 World Junior (Under-20) Championships and producing a 2.00 GAA and a .912 save percentage to go with a 3-2 record.
“Albin is an unbelievable goalie. We’re always going to stick by him. He’s working hard every day,” said junior defenseman and assistant captain Frank Djurasevic. “[Rousseau] played a great game against BC.”
That presents a good challenge for both players.
“Nobody is going to be promised a game so they’re always going to have to work for it,” Djurasevic said.
Sophomore Gage Stewart is the No. 3 goalie and has yet to play.
UMaine will resume play against visiting New Hampshire for a two-game set on Dec. 5-6. Puck drop each night will be at 7 p.m.
