This past weekend’s series against the University of Massachusetts at Alfond Arena is a microcosm of what was expected from the University of Maine men’s hockey team this season.
UMass won the opener, 2-1, and UMaine took the second game, 2-0.
The expectation entering the year was that UMaine would be in a lot of close, low-scoring games. The weekend series against UMass marked the fourth and fifth times this season that the Black Bears have been involved in games in which the two teams combined for three goals or less.
UMaine outshot UMass 47-22 the first night and 44-16 the second night.
It should have been a Black Bear sweep, but goals aren’t going to come easy for UMaine.
Remember, UMaine has only three players who have scored more than seven goals in a college season in left wingers Owen Fowler and Tanner Klimpke and center Max Scott.
But you also have to give credit where credit is due and UMass freshman goalie Ethan Eskit was absolutely superb and was deservedly named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week.
It was certainly an encouraging weekend for UMaine when considering how the Black Bears dominated puck possession and offensive zone time.
They consistently swarmed the puck, finished their checks and won the vast majority of the puck battles.
UMass did a good job limiting their high-percentage chances the first night which was one of the keys to its win, but UMaine was able to generate a lot more of them the second night.
“We got outcompeted quite significantly [on Saturday night],” said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. “We didn’t have the puck very much and give Maine all the credit for that.”
That’s how UMaine will have to play in order to win.
UMaine is currently averaging 2.5 goals per game, which is tied for 42nd among 62 Division I schools. It has outshot its opponents in nine of its 10 games by an average of 13.4 shots per game.
Last year’s UMaine team averaged 3.3 goals per game.
But UMaine has been much stingier this season, allowing just 2.1 goals per game compared to last year’s 2.7. It is currently ranked 12th in goals-against average. UMaine has held teams to two goals or fewer six times and has three shutouts.
One way UMaine can amp up its scoring is on the power play and that has been in a funk of late with just one goal in its last 15 opportunities.
UMaine can also benefit from more production from its veterans.
UMaine has five forwards who are in either their third or fourth years playing at UMaine in Owen Fowler, Sully Scholle, Charlie Russell, Thomas Pichette and Oskar Komarov and they have combined for only three goals so far.
Fowler has two of them. Scholle has the other.
Fowler showed his value as a leader by scoring just 19 seconds into Saturday’s win and he has been a constant presence in every game. He sets the tireless work standard and the grit that the team follows.
He may not be a natural goal scorer but he will produce goals through his work ethic, net-front drive and toughness.
He is averaging 19 minutes and 38 seconds of playing time per game which is a high among the forwards and second only to sophomore defenseman Lukas Peterson’s 21:11. Peterson is currently sidelined with an injury.
The newcomers have had an immediate impact, with Robert Morris transfer Tanner Klimpke and UMass Lowell transfer Lee Parks sharing the team scoring lead with second-year Black Bear and Brown University transfer Max Scott. All have eight points. Klimpke and Parks each have registered five goals and three assists. Scott has tallied two goals and six assists.
Klimpke and Parks share the team lead in game-winning goals with two each. Bemidji State transfer Isa Parekh leads the defensemen in points with six on two goals and four assists. Albin Boija has looked like the Albin Boija of two years ago when he was second team All-American. He struggled mightily a year ago.
Boija is minimizing his movement, playing his angles well, tracking the puck and doing a better job hanging onto pucks and not spilling rebounds.
The Black Bears will receive a stern test this weekend when they travel to take on the Hockey East-leading Vermont Catamounts, who are a surprise this year after finishing last in the conference ago. UMaine is 5-5 overall and 1-3 in Hockey East, while UVM is 5-3-1 and 4-1-1. The Catamounts are coming off a sweep of New Hampshire, followed by a win and a tie at Boston College last weekend.
UMaine must continue to outwork its opponents and get to the net front to screen the goalie and score those greasy goals in and around the crease.