The University of Maine’s men’s hockey team will be rooting for the University of Massachusetts and Providence College this weekend.
Maine is in a battle with Merrimack College and UMass Lowell for the two remaining home-ice berths for the Hockey East quarterfinals.
Merrimack will play a home-and-home series with Merrimack while Providence will face UMass Lowell in a home-and-home set.
League leader Boston College and second-place Boston University have already clinched home-ice berths for the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Maine can finish anywhere from third to fifth.
Maine is currently in fourth place with 30 points, one point behind third-place UMass Lowell and one ahead of Merrimack.
Maine has just one game remaining, a 4 p.m. Saturday game against archrival New Hampshire.
Maine would lose tie-breakers to UMass Lowell and Merrimack, so it has to finish with more points.
UMass Lowell went 2-1 against the Black Bears and Merrimack went 2-0-1 against them.
The Black Bears could go into the New Hampshire game knowing a win would give them a home-ice slot if UMass beats Merrimack in Amherst, Mass., on Friday night.
Merrimack has won the last six meetings including a 4-3 decision in Amherst on Feb. 4 when Jeff Velleca scored with two seconds left in regulation.
Maine would earn home ice without having to beat New Hampshire if UMass sweeps Merrimack.
UMass will have plenty of incentive since the Minutemen are tied with Northeastern for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Northeastern has a home-and-home series with Boston University.
To pass UMass Lowell, Maine would have to beat New Hampshire and have Providence sweep the River Hawks.
UMass Lowell is 3-1-2 in its last six meetings with the Friars.
New Hampshire is in a battle with Providence for sixth place, holding a one-point lead over the Friars.
Maine finished fifth a year ago and was swept in the quarterfinals by Merrimack 5-4 and 6-2.
“We know, for sure, there is going to be an exciting finish,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “We’re just going to focus on ourselves. It will be Seniors Night, and any time you play an arch rival, it’s a tough challenge. It will be a close, hard-fought hockey game.”
Whitehead likes the 4 p.m. start, which represents a change from the original 7 p.m. starting time to accommodate a telecast by the New England Sports Network.
“There’s no school [in session] here so the earlier time can help us attract more families,” said Whitehead.
“Merrimack will play a home-and-home series with Merrimack while Providence will face UMass Lowell in a home-and-home set”
Can the BDN please hire an editor? How do they win awards with the same old crap happening over & over again for years now? C’mon McHomey!
This would not had happen had they been focused the last 3 weekends…instead they Coasted one night and played Playoff Hockey the next…inconsistant and needing help…spells QF’s on the Road.
You are exactly right. That is unacceptable for this time of year.
I am sure Micky Hart can tell you where you are wrong… that 5th place is absolutely phenominal and most US colleg ehockey teams would LOVE to have the opportunity to play a couple (few) games AT Merrimack in the Playoffs.
Whoda thunk that Maine would be LUCKY to get to play, year after year AT MERRIMACK i the HE playoffs?
you’re probably right….but I would like to use my QF tickets this year.
hhah ther that mickey-hert where ya been hidin funny little man..,.,. you no love maine hockey just hatin on them fans why o why little micky-hart haha
hey buddy…I have been spending most of my time trying to decipher your posts.
think he doubts your team loyalty so do i.
21 paragraphs and only one paragraph has more than ONE sentence and that contains a direct quote from someone. AGAIN, who the heck writes like that? I don’t think many 3rd graders write that way. Nobody switches paragraphs EVERY time they hit the period button. Nobody except Larry.
Too bad after a full season to be relying on other teams to secure one’s home ice for the playoffs….anyhow, a must win for the Bears and hopefully they can muster a little effort to do well and make it to the finals..
Thank you Captain Obvious, err, Larry McHomey, I mean Larry Loves Timmay, no wait, it’s Larry Mahoney. Phew!
Thank you. You can always be counted on to say nothing about content and knock the messenger. You are consistent, if not tiresome.
You’re quite welcome Bob Woodbury. I always enjoy reading your brilliant analysis of the Orono Situation. Oh wait, your analysis is not brilliant at all. Good grief what a homer…
Gee and whoda thunk that a Matthew Deschamps shot that caromed off Ben Murphy would be the highlight of Tim Whitehead’s Hockey East coaching career?
anyone else remember the days when Maine used to reach the HE finals almost every year?