The University of Maine’s embarrassing 6-2 loss to the United States National Team Development Program’s Under-18 team in an exhibition game last Friday night will be a defining moment for this men’s hockey team one way or the other.
The following night, the Under-18 squad lost 5-2 to Division III University of New England. The Biddeford-based school entered the game with a 5-5-1 record.
The Black Bears turned in a dreadful performance in which they were outplayed and outworked in every aspect of the game by a group of 17- and 18-year-olds, albeit a talented pool of players who will be making their marks in college hockey circles next season.
Yes, it was an exhibition game, and it doesn’t count in the standings.
But it was still a game and, as UMaine head coach Red Gendron has said on several occasions, if they keep score, you want to win.
UMaine did use an inexperienced goalie in freshman Stephen Mundinger, and Gendron experimented with his lines.
But the Black Bears produced just one even-strength goal.
UMaine had won the previous nine meetings with the Under-18 team, and most were by sizeable margins. Team USA had gone 1-8 in its nine previous games against Division I teams, and the average margin of defeat was 3.9 goals per game.
A crowd listed at 4,116 — many fewer attended — paid good money to watch the game at Alfond Arena.
To put in an honest, hardworking effort and come up short is one thing. To get outworked and be undisciplined is another.
Team captain Cam Brown and assistant captain Eric Schurhamer said after the game that the performance was unacceptable.
They were spot on.
One of two things will happen over the final 14 games of the regular season, all of which are Hockey East games.
The Black Bears either use it as motivation and go on an impressive run down the stretch or they will go in the tank, finish last in Hockey East and get swept in their best-of-three, first-round Hockey East playoff series.
It is all up to them.
UMaine isn’t one of the most talented teams in Hockey East, but it has enough talent to compete with most teams in the league.
The Black Bears aren’t going to beat anyone with the work ethic and compete level they exhibited last Friday night.