Members of the University of Maine men’s hockey team keep saying that the Black Bear faithful are the best fans in hockey.
And the fans keep proving their point.
Last weekend, UMaine started its Hockey East playoff campaign with a home game at the Alfond Arena in Orono, and the fans showed up with a sold-out crowd. The team responded with a 7-1 offensive outpouring to skate past UMass-Lowell.
This week, UMaine fans swarmed the TD Garden in Boston for the Hockey East semifinals and championship game. So much so that it almost felt like they brought a home advantage with them.
“It feels like a home game,” UMaine fan Megan Arsenault said from the stadium on Friday night, noting that the majority of people at the Garden appeared to be UMaine fans. “I know people have called it Alfond South — it definitely is.”
The Black Bears rewarded their fans with two wins in two nights, and the school’s first Hockey East Conference championship since 2004.
Players and TV announcers alike were marveling at the showing from UMaine fans for the championship game.
“These are the best fans in college hockey. It’s incredible,” UMaine co-caption Lynden Breen told NESN after the win. “It feels like every time that we’re on the road, we have home ice advantage. There’s nothing like playing for the University of Maine. I’m a Black Bear forever. I will never take that for granted. I love being a Black Bear.”
The same goes for the Black Bears in the stands.
Reached by phone during the second intermission on Friday night, Arsenault estimated that roughly 60 to 70 percent of the fans in the arena were UMaine supporters.
“Everybody’s pumped, the crowd is loud, and it’s unbelievable here,” said the UMaine alum from Sanford.
Samantha Potvin of Lewiston similarly explained by phone mid-game how the championship atmosphere was exhilarating for her and her whole family, especially her kids.
“We’ve been super excited to see Maine represent, and then even coming down to Boston and seeing all of the UMaine jerseys everywhere, we’ve just been so excited,” Potvin said. “I mean, Maine is such a small community and to see it represented on such a big stage has been so exciting.”
Potvin said her family had been seeing fellow UMaine fans “all over Boston today” which only added to the fun experience. Arsenault saw the same on the streets of Boston.
“It’s so great to be down here. The fans have referred to it as ‘Alfond South,’” Arsenault continued. “Between walking around the streets, going to restaurants, hotels, there’s so many Maine fans down here. Everybody’s so dedicated to the Black Bears, and it’s just a really special environment.”
UMaine head coach Ben Barr noticed the turnout, too.
“It’s crazy how much blue there is here.” Barr said during a postgame TV interview, crediting the Maine fans who traveled to support the team.
“It’s awesome for the community, for the state. It’s not the last one that we want to get this year, obviously,” Barr added about the win, with a nod to the upcoming NCAA tournament. “But there’s a lot of people up there who give us everything they possibly have as far as support is concerned.”
UMaine goaltender and Hockey East tournament MVP Albin Boija called it “so cool” to have that kind of fan support in Boston.
“Even walking into the arena today, it was just a sea of blue and white,” Boija said. “There’s nothing that beats it, for sure.”
