ORONO, Maine — Archrivals that are stuck in reverse will attempt to put their seasons in drive during a unique neutral-site series this weekend.
The men’s hockey teams from the University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire begin a series during which the two teams will play two nonconference games every season, one at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and the other at the Cross Insurance Arena (formerly the Cumberland County Civic Center) in Portland.
Both are American Hockey League rinks, used by the Manchester Monarchs, an affiliate of the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, and the Portland Pirates, the top minor-league team of the Phoenix Coyotes.
Maine (3-12-1), a loser of eight straight, and UNH (4-9-1), winless in its last five (0-4-1), play on Friday night in Manchester and on Saturday in Portland. Game time is 7 p.m.
The teams also will play their two Hockey East games back-to-back, Jan. 23, 2015, in Orono and the next night in Durham, New Hampshire.
Both teams have been goal-starved, particularly of late. UNH has managed just six goals in its last five games, while Maine has mustered only 14 in its eight-game skid.
“They haven’t had the kind of start they wanted, just like us,” said Maine coach Red Gendron. “It’s an important weekend for both teams for exactly the same reason.”
Maine has won the only two meetings at the Verizon Wireless Arena, 1-0 in 2009 and 4-2 in 2007.
UNH is the last team to beat Maine in Portland, 3-2 in 1995. Maine has gone 11-0-3 in Maine’s largest city since then.
“Maine-UNH is the best rivalry in college hockey,” said Maine senior alternate captain Stu Higgins. “It will be very cool to play in two AHL rinks. There is always a good crowd in Portland, and it should be sold out.”
“It’s going to be neat. You don’t usually see two neutral-ice games [involving the same opponents] on the same weekend,” said Maine senior alternate captain Jake Rutt.
“It seems that regardless of the way our seasons are going, when Maine and New Hampshire play each other it’s always fun hockey,” said Maine captain Devin Shore.
Maine senior captain Devin Shore also said sweeping the two games could be the elixir the Black Bears need.
“I can’t think of a better way to go into a break or, hopefully, end the year in a high note,” said Shore.
Freshman wingers and linemates Nolan Vesey and Liam Pecararo are excited about facing UNH for the first time in AHL rinks.
“Whenever you get to play your rivals four times in a season, it’s doesn’t get much better than that,” said Vesey. “We know whenever we play UNH, it’s a big game, and playing in those rinks will be pretty cool.”
The Black Bears are looking to build off their effort in Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime loss at No. 7 UMass Lowell.
“That was one of our best performances of the year and we need to take that with us and build upon it,” said Higgins. “If we can bring the same work ethic, we’ll start to see results.”
Rutt said they will have to communicate well as “on big rinks, it’s easier to lose focus.”