For the first time in the 18-year history of the University of Maine women’s ice hockey program, the Black Bears have clinched a home playoff berth.
They will host a best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series on Feb. 27-28, March 1.
The opener will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, with a 4 p.m. faceoff for the Saturday and Sunday games.
The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinals and final at the Joseph P. Kennedy Rink in Hyannis, Massachusetts, on March 6-8.
Maine is currently 9-7-1 in conference play and in third place with 19 points, two ahead of Northeastern, with four games remaining.
New Hampshire and Providence are tied for fifth with 11 points and even though they could tie Maine in points if they win out and Maine loses all four, Maine owns the tiebreaker by going 2-1 against each of them. Maine also owns the tiebreaker vs. Northeastern in the battle for third place.
Maine is seven points behind second-place Boston University.
The Black Bears, 10-14-3 overall, will travel to take on the nation’s No. 1-ranked Boston College Eagles on Friday and Saturday before hosting the University of Connecticut to conclude the regular season on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21-22. All four games will start at 2 p.m.
Boston College will take a 27-0-1 record and 25-game winning streak into Tuesday night’s Beanpot Championship game against Harvard.
Richard Reichenbach is in his first full season as the head coach after sharing the job with his wife, Sara, last season. His wife and Kendall Newell are his assistants.