It is officially that time of the year. Both the Bruins and the Celtics have lived up to, and in some cases, exceeded expectations, setting the stage for an eventful start to the summer for Boston sports fans. As playoffs get started this weekend, let’s take a look at what stands in front of each respective squad.

The Bruins are entering the playoffs on a two game losing streak. The kicker in that losing streak, is that it actually helped them. Falling in their final regular season games allowed the Florida Panthers to jump them in the standings and win the Atlantic Division. As a result, the Bruins will now face the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Panthers will play the most dangerous and ascending team in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning. This is one of those rare cases where playing the team with the better record is okay based on experience, past history and the recent hot play of the Lightning.

How does it make it easier on the Bruins? Why would losing the final regular season games help them?

Tampa Bay’s years of playoff experience and success against the Bruins provide enough sample size for the Bruins to be fearful of them. On the other hand, the Maple Leafs have had nationally documented failure after failure in the first round, and have not defeated the Bruins in the playoffs since 1959. While no matchup is easy in the playoffs, there is no question that the Bruins match up better against the Maple Leafs. In most series with the Bruins, I expect this to come down to seven games. I think the two teams are evenly matched, and as a bounce back from last year, I think the Bruins get the job done at home before moving on to face the winner of the Lightning and Panthers series. After a fast start this past Saturday night in game one and getting the win 4-1, the Bruins will look to expand their series leads on Monday night in Boston at 7pm.

Pick: Bruins in seven games

As for the Celtics, they are experiencing their best season since the 2007-2008 calendar year. For most Celtics fans, that year resonates well as it was the year that they won their last title. After the NBA Play-In Tournament concluded, to no one’s surprise, the Celtics matched up with a very familiar foe, the Miami Heat. For the fourth year in a row, these two teams will meet in the playoffs. For at least game one, the Heat will be without star forward, Jimmy Butler. After suffering an MCL injury in the play-in tournament, the Heat will be forced to depend on young talent like Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. The expectations for the Celtics are the highest possible. Winning 64 games in the regular season means anything short of a championship is a failure. Should the Celtics happen to slip up against the Heat for the third time in four years, with as much talent as they currently possess, coach Joe Mazzulla will undoubtedly be under the microscope of the front office. 

This is not going to be an easy series by any means. When it comes to the Celtics and Heat, regular season games, records, playoff seeding all gets thrown out the window. To win their 18th banner, the Celtics will need to exorcize their demons from last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. With the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the offseason, I believe the Celtics are much more equipped to take down the Heat and move on to the second round. They’ll kick things off Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Boston.

Pick: Celtics in six games

In just one month’s time, several students of the Maine Business School (MBS), along with Dr. Nick Swim, professor of sports management, will host the inaugural MBS golf tournament. The event will take place on Thursday, May 2 at the Penobscot Valley Country Club at 9 a.m.

Students of Swim’s class have worked on obtaining sponsorships and players for the event in the hopes that these students will allow future community members to have the same opportunities that they currently possess. 

Not only is this event about creating opportunities, it’s also about making a profit. The money collected from sponsorships and golfers will go back to the students of the Maine Business School and open up potential trips to seminars and events for future career and job opportunities. Multiple students have worked with faculty at the Maine Business School to create flyers, websites and promotional graphics with the hopes of spreading the word to current students, business school alumni, and potential sponsors. 

Students have already acquired a number of sponsorships along with items that will be available at the silent auction taking place on the day of the event. These items range from signed University of Maine men’s hockey jerseys and goalie sticks, golf clubs and wedges and even a grill. The largest can be earned at Hole 16, a par 3. Any golfer that is able to hit a hole-in-one at this hole will earn themselves a Darling’s Auto Group car to drive home in. Students are encouraged to come out and celebrate the end of finals week along with graduating seniors, who can kick off a very memorable weekend. 

Registration for the event is $100 for students and $125 for non-students. Registering for the event provides you with a round of golf with a cart, lunch, gift bags and the opportunity to bid on silent auction items. Associate Dean of the Maine Business School, Dr. Jason Harkins will also be present at the conclusion of the event to speak to everyone in attendance. 

This event is a great opportunity for students to create memories with friends, connect with organizations, and present and contribute towards an event that will open up opportunities for not just the students in the spring of 2024, but future students in the years to come.

The University of Maine baseball team had their home opener this past Wednesday against Husson University. After a long start on the road, including games in Florida, Rhode Island and South Carolina, the Black Bears were delighted to get back in front of the fans that saw them win the America East conference title just a year ago. The 3-19 record can be a bit deceiving, as the Black Bears have played much tougher opponents including the University of Pittsburgh, Boston College and Florida Atlantic University. Combine that with the lack of practice time outdoors so early in the year due to northeast weather, one may expect a slow start. After a 3-12 start last year, the last thing we should be doing is counting the Black Bears out.

Maine’s ace, fourth-year pitcher Noah Lewis, got the start on the mound for the Black Bears on the chilly Wednesday afternoon. Lewis worked around a leadoff single in the first inning before handing things over to the strength of the Black Bears, their lineup. Reigning America East player of the year, third-year infielder Jerry Jenkins is the heart of the lineup with fifth-year infielder/DH Connor Goodman right behind him. After fourth-year infielder Jake Marquez reached with a one-out walk and took second on a stolen base, Goodman singled Marquez home for the game’s first run, putting Maine on top 1-0. Second-year catcher Dean O’Neil worked a walk with the bases loaded later in the inning to add another run for Maine, making it 2-0 and the end of the first inning.

In the top half of the second inning, Husson garnered a leadoff walk but was unable to capitalize as Lewis sent the next three batters down. After the Black Bears went away quietly in the second, second-year utility man for Husson, Cam Rendall doubled off Lewis to cut the lead in half 2-1. Scoring remained quiet until the bottom half of the fourth inning when Marquez singled in third-year infielder Myles Sargent. The inning was beneficial for Maine, as third-year outfielder Zach Martin singled in two more runs to put the Black Bears up 5-1. Lewis finished the day after three innings allowing just one run. 

The floodgates opened up for the Black Bears in the bottom half of the fifth inning. 

O’Neil opened up the inning with a solo home run adding to the lead, making it 6-1. Nearly 30 minutes later, after numerous long at-bats, Jenkins walked to the plate with the bases loaded. The fireworks began as Jenkins launched a baseball over the right-field trees at Mahaney Diamond. The grand slam put the Black Bears up 10-1, essentially putting the game away. Fourth-year outfielder Colin Plante demolished a ball in the bottom half of the seventh inning to earn Maine’s 11th run of the game. Husson scored a couple runs at the end of the game, but Maine closed out the 11-4 win. 

The Black Bears go on the road this weekend to take on the University of Albany in a three-game set. Let’s see if the win against Husson University  kickstarts the season into high gear for the Maine Black Bears.

Roaring crowds filled the stands on Saturday at the Alfond Arena, marking a night that will be remembered in the history books of college hockey. In a quarterfinal matchup of the Hockey East playoffs, the University of Maine Black Bears hosted their arch-rival, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. During the regular season, the Wildcats took two out of the three matchups. With a trip to TD Garden on the line, the rivals were ready to leave everything they had on the ice. 

The second the puck dropped, the teams got physical. Bodies were flying around the ice without a penalty being called, setting the tone for the remainder of the game. Halfway through the first period, Wildcats’ first-year forward Ryan Conmy hit the post of the Black Bear net, but Maine’s goaltender, first-year player Albin Boija, corralled a rebound, eliminating the scoring chance. Both teams did well protecting their nets, leaving a goalless first period. New Hampshire had a slight advantage in puck control in the first period, but it was a far different story in the second.

Just under a minute into the second period, on passes from first-year forward Bradly Nadeau and third-year forward Nolan Renwick, first-year forward Josh Nadeau scored Maine’s first goal, sending the Alfond Arena into a frenzy. Second-year defenseman for New Hampshire Kristaps Skrastins took a slashing penalty less than four minutes later. The Black Bears capitalized on the opportunity, as fifth-year forward Ben Possion found a loose puck in the middle of a skirmish, burying it in the back of the net and gaining Maine a 2-0 lead. Things then steadily declined for New Hampshire. Bradley Nadeau joined the goal scorer sheet when he finished a goal on a gorgeous tic-tac-toe setup from Renwick and his brother, Josh Nadeau. Maine quickly captured a 3-0 lead heading into the intermission. Momentum was clearly increasing, and fans were ecstatic. 

Playoff hockey can be crazy. One moment, everything is going great, and the next moment, it’s not. There is no such thing as a safe lead. This was not a problem for the Black Bears going into the third period, who did not withhold the pressure they built up in the first two periods. The Black Bears controlled the puck, dominated the physical aspect of the game, and put the Wildcats under constant force. In the first half of the third period, Maine shut down every potential opportunity UNH found. Third-year defenseman David Breazeale led the Black Bear defensive unit and blocked numerous shots on opportunities for the Wildcats. With 11 minutes left in the game, Bradly Nadeau scored his second goal of the game, once again assisted by Renwick and his brother Josh Nadeau. 

With TD Garden looming in the distance, the Black Bears refused to stop. Black Bear fans went wild with two minutes left in the game, as Josh Nadeau netted his second goal of the day, giving the Nadeau brothers a total of four goals for the evening. Boija stopped all 18 shots that came his way. 

Maine will travel to TD Garden in Boston next Friday, March 22, to take on Boston University. The winner against BU will face the winner of the University of Massachusetts vs. Boston College game on Saturday, March 23. Go, Black Bears!

The University of Maine women’s basketball team clinched a spot in the America East championship game this past Monday when they hosted and defeated Binghamton University. The playoffs have been a familiar sight for the Lady Black Bears as this will be their third consecutive trip to the America East championship game. While they have been unable to get over the hump in the previous two affairs against the University of Albany, a new opponent awaits them. The University of Vermont knocked off Albany in the semifinals to guarantee a new America East champion would be crowned. Let’s take a look at how we got here.

Just as much as the quarterfinal matchup against UMass Lowell, this game was tight down to the very end. Binghamton grabbed the first two buckets of the game, jumping out to an early lead. Maine would follow with a 6-0 run of their own including buckets from fourth year guard Olivia Rockwood, fifth year guard Anne Simon, and third year forward Adrianna Smith. The two teams would trade buckets for the rest of the quarter and Maine closed the first frame with a 15-13 lead. What was to follow, is something Maine will avoid in the next game.

The Black Bears stretched their lead to four on the opening possession of the quarter on a bucket by Smith. The Bearcats would take over the second quarter from this point on as Maine only tallied just four points in the entire second quarter. Maine’s lack of offense was accounted for on the defensive end by holding Binghamton to just 8 second quarter points. While it may have been a tough quarter for Maine, their effort on the defensive end kept them in striking distance of the lead.

The third quarter was in the favor of the Bearcats, and the top seeded Black Bears could feel the game slipping away. With just four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Maine faced a double digit deficit. Simon and Smith would combine for 9 points in the following four minutes to cut the lead in half as Maine trailed heading into the fourth quarter 45-40. 

To open the fourth quarter, Binghamton extended their lead to 8 with an old fashioned three point play by fifth year guard Denai Bowman. Rockwood knocked down two 3 pointers within a minute and Binghamton’s lead had quickly evaporated to two. Simon wasted no time tying the game for her team and a steal by Smith led to a transition layup putting the Black Bears in front 53-51! 

Maine took the lead in the final five minutes and were not going to give it back. The following three minutes were all Black Bears as Smith began to dominate for Maine. Consecutive buckets for Smith were countered by a Bearcats three pointer to keep the lead at 3. Late free throws by Simon put off any last minute attempt for Bighamton and sent the Black Bears into the conference championship!

The Black Bears will attempt to defeat the third ranked Vermont Catamounts this Friday at The Pit at 5:00pm. This would be the Black Bears first women’s basketball conference championship since their back to back titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Grab limited tickets while they are still available!

Tickets: https://um-tickets.evenue.net/events/womens-basketball

It was a weekend to celebrate for the UMaine men’s hockey as the Black Bears took all six points up for grabs in the final weekend series at Alfond Arena. It wasn’t a dominant performance as the Minutemen from the University of Massachusetts battled the Black Bears to the very end with both of the games being tied with under five minutes to go. Friday night’s win clinched the Black Bears the number three seed in the Hockey East Conference (HEC), arguably the toughest conference in college hockey. They currently await their opponent for next Saturday night’s game at Alfond Arena with three first round matchups on Wednesday. 

On Friday night, the Minutemen jumped out to an early lead just three minutes in on a goal from second year forward Michael Cameron. The Black Bears intensity would pick and tilt the ice in their favor. Late in the first period, that momentum resulted in a game tying goal by first year forward, and first round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, Bradly Nadeau. The scoring would come to a halt for a while and with the Black Bears forced to kill off five power plays across the final two periods, first-year goalie Albin Bouya did an amazing job keeping the game knotted at one. A late power play opportunity for Maine would prove to be pivotal as second year forward Thomas Freel pushed the Black Bears ahead 2-1 with just under five minutes remaining. With the Minutemen’s net empty, a 6-5 offensive attack forced Bouya to make a crucial save with just 30 seconds remaining to keep the Black Bears in front and close out the victory. 

Saturday night’s game featured a lot more scoring action. With the Minutemen playing for home ice, and the Black Bears playing for momentum, both teams wanted to close out the regular season well. In the first two periods, six goals were scored, three a side. Fourth-year forward Harrison Scott, first year forward Sully Scholle and first-year forward Josh Nadeau were the goal scorers for the Black Bears who took the game into the second intermission 3-3. The third period was tightly contested as the defense became stronger on both ends. With 77 seconds left in the game, fourth year forward Lynden Breen scored the game winning goal securing the sweep of the Minutemen. After all of the other scores from Hockey East play, let’s take a look at the potential opponents for the Black Bears and how we get there.

For those not familiar, “#1” is referred to as the best team in the regular season by record and  “#11” is the worst regular season record.

Seeds #1 through #5 earned a first round bye from strong regular season records. 

First Round: Wednesday, March 13

#11 University of Massachusetts Lowell @ #6 University of New Hampshire

#10 Merrimack College @ #7 Northeastern University

#9 Vermont University @ #8 University of Connecticut

Second Round: Saturday, March 16

#5 University of Massachusetts @ #4 Providence College

#6/#7/#8/#9 @ #3 University of Maine 

#7/#8/#9/#10 @ #2 Boston University 

#8/#9/#10/#11 @ #1 Boston College

What are all the possibilities and results that impact Maine?

Scenario 1: If the University of New Hampshire defeats UMass Lowell, the Black Bears will host the Wildcats next Saturday. 

Scenario 2: What happens if UNH loses? Then our attention towards Northeastern. If Northeastern is able to defeat Merrimack, the Black Bears will host Northeastern. But remember, this is only if UNH loses.

Scenario 3: Now let’s say chaos ensues and both UNH and Northeastern fall in the first round. The Black Bears would end up hosting the winner of the Vermont – UConn game. While this situation is highly unlikely, anything can happen in the playoffs.

Once the Black Bears opponent is settled, they can firmly lock in on the one team that stands between them and a trip to the Hockey East final four at TD Garden and for the first time since 2012. 

We are five weeks away from one of the most highly anticipated Wrestlemanias in WWE history. Wrestlemania 40 will occur on April 6 and 7 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Despite the controversy surrounding former Executive Chairman of the Board, Vince McMahon, and allegations toward decorated combat athlete Brock Lesnar, the hype for the event is real. 

Just a few weeks ago, a major storyline surfaced over national news. Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble, earning himself a championship match at Wrestlemania. Many fans speculated he would challenge Roman Reigns in a rematch from last year’s Wrestlemania. Still, with injuries to superstars like C.M. Punk and the unavailability of Brock Lesnar, WWE was forced to change directions. As Rhodes was about to pick Reigns, he announced a change of heart that would have him taking on World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freaking” Rollins. As a result, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would return to WWE, setting up a dream match against real-life cousin Roman Reigns that fans had wanted to see for years. The decision was met with much backlash as the fans had gained such a deep connection with Rhodes since his return to the company in 2022. With “#WeWantCody” being the number one trend on “X” for 72 hours, WWE was forced to change directions again. Days later, in a stunning turn of events at the Wrestlemania XL kickoff press conference, Rhodes announced that he would indeed be challenging Reigns in the main event of the company’s biggest show of the year. The Rock would then side with Roman Reigns by slapping Rhodes before Rollins could come to his aid to even the odds. While The Rock is currently not confirmed for a match, all signs point to a return for “The Great One” at this year’s Wrestlemania. Whether that be a singles match against Rhodes or a tag match with Reigns against Rollins and Rhodes, the match would surely be the main event of night one.  Below are the currently confirmed matches.

Bayley vs. Iyo Sky (c) for the WWE Women’s Championship: This contest will be a full-circle moment for these two superstars. Bayley returned to WWE from an injury in 2022 and debuted Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai with her. Over the course of two years, Sky had begun to feel as though Bayley was holding her back and turned on Bayley after she won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, setting up the inevitable face off.

Current Prediction: Bayley wins the WWE Women’s Title.

Seth “Freaking” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship: Will the third time be the charm for McIntyre? With Rollins pulling double duty and focusing on the Bloodline, along with the injury to C.M. Punk, a golden opportunity lies in front of McIntyre. After his win at the Elimination Chamber, McIntyre earned another date with Rollins on the grandest stage of them all. With the potential involvement of C.M. Punk, this match has the potential to steal either night of the show.

Current Prediction: Drew McIntyre wins the World Heavyweight Championship.

Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley (c) for the Women’s World Championship:  Lynch dominated the Elimination Chamber and earned a match at Wrestlemania against current champion Rhea Ripley. Lynch, one of the most decorated female wrestlers of all time, will have her hands full with Ripley, who has hit her stride as the most popular female in the company today. With two amazing in-ring performers, this match has the potential to be the greatest women’s wrestling match of all time.

Current Prediction: Rhea Ripley retains the Women’s World Championship.

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (c) for the Undisputed WWE Championship: For the second year in a row, Rhodes will try to “finish the story.” Rhodes will take on Roman Reigns in the main event of night two. Reigns, the current face of the company, has held the WWE Undisputed Title for nearly 1300 days, a reign that started back in August 2020. In a rematch from last year’s Wrestlemania, Rhodes will be tasked to dethrone Reigns. With Reigns’ bloodline always present, Rhodes will have to fend us off the likes of Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and potentially even The Rock.

Current Prediction: Cody Rhodes wins the WWE Universal Championship.

Just this past Friday on Smackdown, The Rock challenged Rollins and Rhodes for a tag match on the first night of Wrestlemania alongside his cousin Reigns. Fans eagerly await the response this coming Monday, even though all signs point to The Rock returning to the squared circle for the first time since 2013. Wrestling and sports entertainment are currently at their peaks, and it’s certainly going to be an extravagant two-night show you don’t want to miss. 

The first round of the Hockey East playoffs descended upon Alfond Arena on Wednesday evening as the eighth-seeded Black Bears hosted the nine-seeded Merrimack Warriors. Fourth-year goalie Jorden Mattison got the start for the Black Bears, and she opposed second-year goalie Calli Hogarth. 

The game started quickly, with both teams getting chances early. A tripping penalty committed by Merrimack’s fourth-year forward Emily Oosterveld just a few minutes into the game put the Black Bears on the power play. The power play was filled with chances, including two from fifth-year forward Ida Kuoppala, but could not capitalize. While there was no score after one, the highly entertaining affair had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Both of the teams opened the second period, flying around the ice. With both teams committing penalties in the first minutes of the period, it was only a matter of time before the game’s first goal was found. The crowd anxiously awaited a goal as the puck rang the post of each side just three minutes apart. Not too long after, Merrimack’s fifth-year forward Celine Tedenby committed a cross-checking penalty, sending the Black Bears to the power play. Just twenty seconds into the power play, the Alfond exploded. Kuoppala, on a feed from first-year forward Sam Morrison, put the Black Bears in front with seven minutes to play in the second. It gave all the momentum to the Black Bears, who were now playing with the crowd fully behind them. As the Black Bears got ready to enter the second intermission with their lead, a penalty committed by Morrison as the clock was expiring would allow the Warriors to tie the game when the third period opened. This mistake would prove to be very costly. 

In the opening minutes of the third period, the Warriors brought the game even. A goal by Tedenby and an assist from third-year defenseman Hayley Chang tied the playoff game with 18 minutes to go. The intensity only increased, and the tension could’ve been cut with a knife. Both teams did an excellent job in the third period, valuing puck control and staying out of the penalty box. As the game dwindled into the final minutes, tensions grew. All players on both sides had a hyper-focus on returning to the defensive end, as a goal from either side would end the other’s season. The two squads would have to wait at least another 15 minutes as the third period expired, signaling this one was headed to overtime. One way or another, someone’s season was ending in heartbreak. 

Unfortunately, the Black Bears found themselves on the wrong side of that heartbreak. It was not even two minutes into the overtime period when fifth-year Merrimack forward Allison Reeb put the finishing touches on the Black Bear season. Fourth-year defenseman Raice Szott of the Warriors set up Reeb nicely, making the potential save for Mattison near impossible. 

After an unfortunate end to the season, the Black Bears have nothing to be ashamed of, fighting down to the final buzzer.

The final weekend set for the Black Bears women’s ice hockey team kicked off on Friday, Feb. 23, as they took on College of the Holy Cross. The pivotal end of the regular season matchup was set to determine the location of next week’s Hockey East playoffs. The contest began with both teams feeling each other out, as neither side was looking to make a mistake. 

The Black Bears committed the first mistake of the game with an interference penalty eight minutes into the first period. The Crusaders capitalized on the opportunity when second-year forward Charlotte Sonntag scored the game’s first goal past fourth-year goalie Jorden Mattison. It didn’t take long for the Black Bears to respond, as just six minutes later, first-year forward Sam Morrison brought the game back to even on a power play goal assisted by third-year forward Mira Seregely and fourth-year defenseman Elise Morphy. The two teams remained 1-1 heading to the intermission.

The second period had a very similar story to the first. Six minutes in, Holy Cross second-year forward Lane Lewis and fourth-year forward Bryn Saarela assisted on a goal scored by second-year forward Alexia Moreau, giving the Crusaders a 2-1 lead. The Black Bears would have to kill off three penalties in the second period to keep the game at 2-1. Third-year forward for the Black Bears, Alyssa Wruble, took matters into her own hands, scoring an unassisted goal to bring the game back to even with just over a minute remaining in the second period. Neither team showed any real threat of scoring in the third period, with both teams staying penalty-free, sending the game into overtime. 

The Black Bears were looking to go home quickly, as it only took 36 seconds for Sam Morrison to score her second goal of the game to cap off a 3-2 overtime win, giving the Black Bears momentum heading into the rematch the following night.

Less than 24 hours later, the two teams met on Saturday afternoon. Both teams showed signs of early fatigue, with puck possession being a struggle for both sides. Just as the previous night, the Crusaders jumped out in front. Third-year forward Madison Michals put Holy Cross in the lead 11 minutes into the first period on assists from Lane and Moreau. With the momentum shifting in favor of the Crusaders, it was just three minutes later when first-year forward Emily Crovo fed sophomore defenseman Taylor Cantelon and added to the lead, making it 2-0. Unfortunately for Holy Cross, their fun was over. Ninety seconds later, fifth-year forward Ida Kuoppala cut the lead in half, flicking a wrister by fourth-year Crusader goalie Madison Beck. After an unpredictable first period, the Black Bears entered the intermission down a goal.

The Black Bears dominated the second period. Kuopalla added another goal seven minutes into the period, and the two teams were locked at two for the second time in two nights. It didn’t take overtime on Saturday for the Black Bears to go in front when, three minutes later, Sam Morrison scored her first goal of the game and third of the weekend, giving the Black Bears a 3-2 lead. The pressure remained strong for the Black Bears, resulting in third-year defenseman Adrianna van de Leest scoring the Black Bears’ third goal of the period, propelling them to a 4-2 lead entering the second intermission.

Maine secured the lead and never looked back. Halfway through the third period, third-year forward Mira Seregely put the finishing touches on the weekend sweep, scoring a goal to give the Black Bears a 5-2 lead and eventual win. The weekend sweep for the Black Bears earned them a playoff contest this Wednesday, Feb. 28, hosting Merrimack University at Alfond Sports Arena.

On Friday night, the University of Maine Black Bears Hockey team faced a tough battle against their conference and border rivals, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, in a ranked contest, ultimately falling 6-2. Fourth-year forward Liam Devlin scored a hat trick, and third-year goalie Jakob Hellsten made 18 saves, leading UNH to victory. 

UMaine’s overall record now stands at 18-7-2, with a 10-6-1 standing in Hockey East. Despite this respectable standing, they have struggled recently, losing three of their last five games after an impressive 10-1-1 run in their previous 12 contests

UNH now has a 15-11-1 overall record and an 8-8-1 standing in Hockey East. They moved to 10-3-1 at home. The Wildcats had been floundering, losing three of their last four games and five of their last seven before this win. 

Fourth-year forward Harrison Blaisdell put New Hampshire on the board first with just over five minutes remaining in the period. Maine tied the game two minutes into the second period with a goal by third-year forward Cole Hanson off a great pass from fifth-year forward Ben Poisson.

The Wildcats responded quickly with back-to-back goals. Devlin found himself in a one-on-one situation with the Maine goalie and slotted it to retake the lead. Shortly after, first-year forward Ryan Conmy scored to further extend UNH’s lead to 3-1.

UMaine had a chance to get back in the game with a five-minute power play but couldn’t capitalize on it. Midway through the third period, first-year wing Anthony Calafiore scored his second goal of his young career to narrow the New Hampshire lead to one.

Unfortunately for the Black Bears, Devlin continued to shine. The second-year forward scored his second goal of the game with just over three minutes remaining, securing a comfortable lead for UNH. Devlin then completed his hat trick by scoring an empty-net goal, sealing the deal for the Wildcats. 

Second-year forward Stiven Sardarian added the final goal of the game with just seconds remaining, solidifying UNH’s victory and leaving UMaine with a disappointing loss.

The following night presented similar problems for the Black Bears. After a goal in the early minutes of the first period by fourth-year forward Donovan Villenuve-Houle, the Black Bears took control. After an overall strong first period, the mistakes for Maine started to add up.

Villenuve-Houle began the second period by committing a contact to the head penalty that sent the Wildcats on a five-minute power play and Villenuve-Houle packing for the evening. Blaisdell knotted up the game at one when he got the Wildcats on the board as the major penalty was expiring. New Hampshire would add to their lead at the end of the second period when second-year forward Morgan Winters gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, the third period was the same story. Another major penalty was committed by the Black Bears to start the third period and tilted the ice towards the Wildcats. They would capitalize immediately and jump out to a two-goal lead when third-year defenseman Colton Huard buried the power play goal. 

Third-year forward Harrison Scott brought the Black Bears within one after a mad scrum in front of the net. Scott gave the momentum back to the Black Bears before it was instantly taken away just 23 seconds later by second-year forward Cy Leclerc to push the Wildcats lead back to two. The two teams would trade physical play and scoring chances before Devlin left no doubt, scoring New Hampshire’s fifth goal of the night and solidifying their sweep of the weekend, 5-2. 

Maine will turn to their home crowd to rebound next week against the red-hot Northeastern Huskies with six crucial Hockey East points up for grabs.