The University of Maine’s nationally-ranked hockey team will begin its quest for postseason titles on Saturday night at 6 p.m. when the Black Bears entertain UMass Lowell for a Hockey East quarterfinal at Alfond Arena.
The Black Bears are 21-7-6 overall and the second seed while the River Hawks are 16-15-4 and the seventh seed.
“UMass Lowell is a big, strong, heavy team,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr, whose team is coming off a 5-1 loss and 2-2 tie at UMass last weekend. “They’re really good at both net fronts and they are very physical.
UMaine is fourth in one national poll (USCHO) and fifth in the other (USA Hockey/the Rink Live).
UMass Lowell is 19th in each poll.
The Black Bears are fourth in the Pairwise Rankings which mimic the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s process while UMass Lowell is 17th.
Hockey East teams occupy five of the top eight spots in the Pairwise Rankings. In addition to UMaine, Boston College is first, Boston University is sixth, UConn is seventh and Providence is eighth. Another Hockey East team, UMass, is tied for 10th.
UMaine has already sewn up a spot in the 16-team NCAA Tournament but the River Hawks will have to win the Hockey East tournament to get in as the automatic qualifier.
UMaine needs to win to avoid being sidelined for nearly two weeks before the NCAA regionals on March 28-30. UMaine would earn a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament if it wins the Hockey East tournament and could also do so by getting to the final depending on how the other conference tournaments play out.
The Hockey East semifinals are next Thursday at TD Garden in Boston and the championship game is next Friday.
UMass Lowell earned a spot in the quarterfinals with a 3-2 overtime win over No. 10 New Hampshire on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell.
Lowell snapped a five-game winless streak (0-4-1) with the win.
Junior left wing Scout Truman scored the game-winner 3:38 into the overtime.
The River Hawks, who had lost back-to-back games to UNH in their regular season finales last weekend, outshot UNH 42-24 including a 33-13 edge over the final two periods and overtime.
“The big question is can we play an up-tempo pace which might lend itself to our favor or are we going to turn the puck over and chase it so it turns into an on-the-walls type of game,” said Barr. “[UMass Lowell coach] Norm Bazin has been one of the best coaches in our league since he has been there. He always gets the most out of his team. They’re very structured and detailed.”
Barr said it’s “going to be a great challenge and a really good game.”
The River Hawks have had a roller-coaster season.
They were 12-4-2 entering a home series against UMaine on Jan. 10-11 but got swept by the Black Bears 3-1 and 2-1 and that triggered a 3-11-2 tailspin until Wednesday’s victory.
The Black Bears have had their struggles since that sweep.
They were 15-4-2 after that series but have gone just 6-3-4 since.
Barr and his players said they have been playing back on their heels in recent games rather than attacking and dictating the tempo and that has been the focus this week.
“We’re a much better team when we’re aggressive and playing with no fear,” said junior defenseman Brandon Holt.
UMaine is 5-0-1 in the last six meetings with the River Hawks but the teams have a history of playing close games with 14 of the last 16 games being decided by two goals or less.
UMaine continues to be led in scoring by senior center Harrison Scott (16 goals, 15 assists), senior left wing Taylor Makar (16 & 11), sophomore right wing Josh Nadeau (8 & 17), sophomore defenseman Frank Djurasevic (6 & 19) and sophomore right wing Charlie Russell (7 & 16). Senior center Nolan Renwick (8 & 13) and junior defenseman and third team All-Hockey East choice Brandon Holt (4 & 16) are the other Black Bears with at least 20 points.
All-Hockey East second team goalie Albin Boija is 20-7-6 with a 1.77 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. He has four shutouts.
He has allowed four goals and made 69 saves in three games vs. UMass Lowell, all wins.
Scott has six goals and two assists in four games against UMass Lowell in his two seasons at UMaine. Senior defenseman and co-captain David Breazeale has scored four of his eight career goals against the River Hawks. Holt has 2 & 5 vs. UMass Lowell.
The River Hawks have been led by senior center Owen Cole (8 & 12) followed by freshman left wing Mirko Buttazzoni (5 & 14), Truman (8 & 18), freshman right wing Chris Delaney (9 & 9), graduate student defenseman Ben Meehan (3 & 14), sophomore center Jak Vaarwerk (5 & 11), junior right wing Dillan Bentley (9 & 6) and freshman right wing Lee Parks (8 & 6).
Cole has three goals and an assist against UMaine and Meehan has a goal and three assists. They are the leading scorers vs. the Black Bears.
Graduate student Henry Welsch (11-7-1, 2.48, .901) and junior Beni Halasz (5-8-3, 2.57, .909, 3 shutouts) have shared the goaltending.
