ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire have been archrivals forever because of their proximity to each other, and that will never change.
They also met in an NCAA championship game in 1999.
But for the seniors on the UMaine and UNH men’s hockey teams, this weekend’s home-and-home series will mark the final time they will face each other with Hockey East points on the line.
The Black Bears and the Wildcats will play 7 p.m. Friday at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire, before motoring up Interstate 95 to Orono for a game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Alfond Arena.
They will play a nonconference game in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Dec. 30.
After that game, the seniors will have played 13 games against each other.
In the 10 games to date, UNH (6-6-1, 3-1-1 HE) holds a 5-4-1 edge, including three wins and a tie last season. In addition to the games in Durham and Orono, the teams also have played each other in Portland and Manchester during their careers.
UMaine (5-7-3, 1-4-1 HE) leads the all-time series 63-55-7, including a 3-2 overtime victory in the 1999 NCAA title game in Anaheim, California.
“I don’t think there’s any question that the national championship game added fuel to [the rivalry],” said UMaine coach Red Gendron.
The Wildcats have a 20-7-2 edge at the Whittemore Center, and the Black Bears have a 36-16-4 record at Alfond Arena vs. UNH.
Players from both teams said the rivalry is special and the games are more memorable than games against any other opponent.
“It’s the best rivalry in college hockey. It’s definitely a weekend you circle on your calendar,” said UNH senior defenseman Matias Cleland.
“I remember playing my first Maine-New Hampshire game at the Alfond Arena and how packed the crowd was,” said UMaine senior center and captain Cam Brown. “And the Whittemore Center [at UNH] is one of the cooler places to play on the road.”
“I love playing at Alfond Arena even as hostile as it is. It’s a special experience,” said Cleland. “And we’ll have a big crowd at ‘the Whit.’ It’s a ‘Whiteout’ game.”
UNH fans are encouraged to wear white for the Friday night game to match UNH’s white home jerseys and show their support.
“We have a love-hate relationship with them,” said UMaine senior right wing Blaine Byron. “We hate them, but we love playing them.”
Brown and Cleland said the fact they have played 10 times during their careers gives them a unique familiarity with each other.
“Since we’ve played them so much, you remember the things they do and the types of players they are,” said Brown.
“You especially know the older guys because you’ve played them for three or four years,” said Cleland.
UMaine fifth-year senior goalie Matt Morris said the games against UNH are definitely ones that will always stick out
“The crowds are crazy. It’s so much fun. It’s a great atmosphere to be a part of,” said Morris.
“At the end of the day, it’s fun to play against them,” said UMaine senior defenseman Eric Schurhamer.
The games will take on added importance because both programs are trying to begin a climb back to national prominence.
UNH has missed the NCAA tournament the last three seasons after a run of 11 consecutive appearances. UMaine has just one NCAA postseason berth in nine years after a string of nine in a row.
“These are big Hockey East points, to say the least,” said Morris.