The University of Maine men’s hockey team finished the first half of the season on a strong note, sweeping American International College at Alfond Arena on the strength of seven power-play goals.
Coach Red Gendron’s Black Bears will be looking to keep that offensive prowess going on Friday in a non-conference matchup with Hockey East rival University of New Hampshire at Manchester, New Hampshire.
The puck drops at 7 p.m.
UMaine will be out for some payback in its final non-league game of the season, as the Wildcats swept the Black Bears 5-1 in Durham and 4-3 at Alfond Arena in December.
The Black Bears are winless in their last six matchups with their border rivals (0-5-1) and last beat UNH on Jan. 24, 2015, in Orono.
If UMaine is going to snap its skid against the Wildcats, it will have to contain UNH forward Tyler Kelleher, who had six points (4 goals, 2 assists) in the ’Cats’ sweep of UMaine earlier this month.
Kelleher is second in the nation in points with 31 (12 & 19).
“He’s a very good college hockey player,” Gendron said. “He cooked us pretty good, mostly on the power play.”
The Black Bears’ own power play has been on fire as of late, and UMaine did a much better job of discipline against AIC, surrendering just four power plays. Gendron hopes that trend, in addition to the recent power-play success, carries over.
“We’ve got to stay out of the penalty box,” Gendron said. “All of these things will make a difference in the second half.”
Special teams were a major factor in UNH’s December sweep of UMaine as the Wildcats compiled five power-play goals over the weekend.
Even though no Hockey East points are at stake on Friday, Gendron’s Bears want to end their woes against their archrivals.
“It’s a rivalry game,” Gendron said. “It’s always a big deal when both schools tee it up.”
Gendron added he’s been pleased with the way his freshman class has performed. And while he’s expecting more big things from them over the second half, he praised the improvement of players such as junior Nolan Vesey, sophomore Dane Gibson, junior Mark Hamilton, senior captain Cam Brown, senior Blaine Byron, UMaine’s leading point-man with 20 (9 & 11), and senior Eric Schurhamer.
Gendron also said UMaine must be aggressive in the offensive zone and take away UNH goalie Danny Tirone’s eyes.
“We have to get to the net because he’s a very good goalie,” he said. “He was outstanding in the [previous] series, particularly up in Orono.”
Follow Ryan McLaughlin on Twitter at @rmclaughlin23.
