The #6 nationally ranked University of Maine Black Bears are returning to the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament this week after a 12 year hiatus. Maine was placed in the Springfield, Massachusetts regional and is set to face #12 Cornell in a first round game on Thursday evening at the Mass Mutual Center at 5:30 p.m.
The Black Bears will be the #2 seed in the regional, taking on the ECAC Champion Big Red who will be the #3 seed. Cornell has only lost two games since December 2, one of those in overtime. The Denver Pioneers (#1 seed, #3 nationally) will square off with another Hockey East opponent the University of Massachusetts Minutemen (#4 seed, #13) in the opening regional semifinal game on Thursday afternoon in Springfield. Maine got the #5 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, while Cornell is 12, Denver is 3, and UMass is 14.
Thursday, March 28 @ 2 p.m.
Denver (28-9-3) vs UMass (20-13-3)
Denver
Goals per game- 4.9
Goals allowed- 2.9
Powerplay- 38/166- 22.9%
PPG allowed- 30/131- 22.9%
Shorthanded goals- 7, allowed 2
Team penalties per game average in minutes- 10.3
Faceoffs won/lost- Won 50.1%
Win streak- 4, last game won 4-1 over #11 Omaha in the NCHC Championship game
Last Frozen Four appearance- 2022, Last National Championship- 2022
Key players to watch
Junior forward Jack Devine- 27 goals, 28 assists
Freshman defenseman Zeev Buium- 11 goals, 37 assists
Junior forward Massimo Rizzo- 10 goals, 34 assists
Junior forward Tristan Broz- 14 goals, 24 assists
Junior forward Carter King- 15 goals, 19 assists
Junior defenseman Shai Buium- 7 goals, 27 assists
Freshman forward Miko Matikka- 19 goals, 12 assists
Senior forward McKade Webster- 14 goals, 17 assists
Sophomore forward Aidan Thompson- 11 goals, 19 assists
Junior goaltender Matt Davis- (27 games played, 27 games started)- 19-5-3, 2.64 goals against average, .905 save percentage, two shutouts
Head Coach- David Carle (6th season)
UMass
Goals per game- 3.0
Goals allowed- 2.9
Powerplay- 24/122, 19.7%
PPG allowed- 28/120, 23.3%
Shorthanded goals- 4, allowed 2
Team penalties per game average in minutes- 3.8
Faceoffs won/lost- Won 51.2%
Win streak- 0, last game lost to #1 Boston College 8-1 in Hockey East semifinals
Last Frozen Four appearance- 2021, Last National Championship- 2021
Key players to watch
Junior defenseman Scott Morrow- six goals, 24 assists
Freshman forward Jack Musa- 12 goals, 17 assists
Junior defenseman Ryan Ufko- 10 goals, 16 assists
Freshman forward Aydar Suniev- 12 goals, 12 assists
Junior forward Ryan Lautenbach- 10 goals, 14 assists
Junior forward Lucas Mercuri- eight goals, 16 assists
Sophomore forward Kenny Connors- seven goals, 15 assists
Freshman goaltender Michael Hrabal (28 games played, 28 games started)- 16-10-1, 2.61 goals against average, .912 save percentage, two shutouts
Head Coach- Greg Carvel (8th season)
Thursday, March 28 @ 5:30 p.m.
Maine (23-11-2) vs Cornell (21-6-6)
Maine
Goals per game- 3.3
Goals allowed- 2.5
Powerplay- 28/128, 21.9%
PPG allowed- 26/133, 19.5%
Shorthanded goals- 6, allowed 2
Team penalties per game average in minutes- 8.9
Faceoffs won/lost- Won 52.1%
Win streak- 0, last game lost 4-1 to #2 Boston University in the Hockey East semifinals
Last Frozen Four appearance- 2007, Last National Championship- 1999
Key players to watch
Freshman forward Bradly Nadeau- 19 goals, 27 assists
Freshman forward Josh Nadeau- 18 goals, 27 assists
Senior forward Lynden Breen- nine goals, 21 assists
Junior forward Harrison Scott- 14 goals, 12 assists
Senior forward Donovan Villeneuve-Houle- nine goals, 14 assists
Sophomore defenseman Brandon Chabrier- six goals, 16 assists
Sophomore forward Thomas Freel- six goals, 16 assists
Freshman goaltender Albin Boija (18 games played, 16 games started)- 10-6-1, 2.01 goals against average, .916 save percentage, two shutouts
Head Coach- Ben Barr (3rd season)
Cornell
Goals per game- 3.4
Goals allowed- 1.9
Powerplay- 22/119, 18.5%
PPG allowed- 21/102, 20.6%
Shorthanded goals- 1, allowed 1
Team penalties per game average in minutes- 9.0
Faceoffs won/lost- Won 54%
Win streak- 5, last game defeated St. Lawrence 3-1 in ECAC Championship
Last Frozen Four appearance- 2003, Last National Championship- 1970
Key players to watch
Senior forward Gabriel Seger- 14 goals, 28 assists
Sophomore forward Dalton Bancroft- 12 goals, 19 assists
Junior forward Kyle Penney- nine goals, 17 assists
Freshman forward Jonathan Castagna- 11 goals, 14 assists
Freshman defenseman Ben Robertson- five goals, 18 assists
Freshman forward Ryan Walsh- 12 goals, 10 assists
Junior forward Ondrej Psenicka- nine goals, 12 assists
Junior goaltender Ian Shane (32 games played, 32 games started)- 21-4-6, 1.70 goals against average, .922 save percentage, three shutouts
Head Coach- Mike Schafer (29th season)
The regional championship game in Springfield is set for Saturday, March 30 @ 4 p.m. The regional title winner will advance to the Frozen Four at the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The national semifinals are on Thursday, April 11 and the national championship is on Saturday, April 13.
Written by Chris Lessner/Video courtesy of YouTube
