The #6 University of Maine men’s ice hockey team has started their 2024-25 regular season at 3-0, all in non-conference play at the friendly confines of Alfond Arena in Orono, including a big sweep over Quinnipiac who was then ranked #7 this past weekend. The Black Bears now ready themselves for Hockey East action beginning Friday night when they travel to Boston to battle the Northeastern Huskies in a two game series. They’ll also be trying to break a losing streak at Matthews Arena against NU, as they are 0-14-2 in their last 16 trips into that building having not won a game there since February 25, 2012.
Maine plays their next nine games against Hockey East opponents with the two at Northeastern, a pair of two game series at home vs Merrimack (11/1, 11/2) and Boston University (11/15, 11/16), two on the road at Boston College in between (11/8, 11/10), and a single game at the Whittemore Center in Durham against UNH on 11/22.
The Black Bears have received their scoring punch early on in the season from their third forward line. UMass transfer and senior forward Taylor Makar (three goals, three assists), senior forward Nolan Renwick (three goals, two assists), along with Colgate transfer and graduate forward Ross Mitton (one goal, three assists) have combined for 15 points over the first three contests. Second liners in junior forward Thomas Freel (two goals), senior forward Harrison Scott (one goal, five assists), and sophomore forward Charlie Russell (one goal, one assist) have put in another 10 points. Scott had four assists in the 6-5 overtime win over Quinnipiac on Saturday, including on the game winner by senior defenseman and captain David Breazeale. First line forwards sophomore Josh Nadeau, graduate Lynden Breen, and sophomore Sully Scholle are off to a slow start will need to get going for the team to continue their success. That top forward line has only two points, both assists by Nadeau, as Breen and Scholle have yet to hit the scoresheet. The starts by Makar and Renwick have been extremely encouraging. Makar only had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 36 games at UMass last season, and already has six points so far in 2024-25. Renwick only recorded two goals and nine assists (11 points) in 25 games in 2023-24, and is already up to five total points through three games. Maine has had great looks on the powerplay, but have gone just 2-15 so far with the extra man while also scoring one shorthanded that was netted by Makar for the opening goal on Saturday vs QU. Sophomore goaltender Albin Boija is locked in as the #1 netminder. The native of Sundsvall, Sweden has made 58 stops so far in starting all three games with a 1.97 goals against average and a .906 save percentage with one shutout, which came in the season opening victory over American International (6-0).
Northeastern enters this upcoming weekend with a record of 1-2, falling out of the top 20 after being swept in a pair of 5-2 road decisions at defending national champion #1 Denver. Dylan Hryckowian, Jack Williams, Vinny Borgesi, and Christophe Tellier lead the Huskies with four points a piece. Hryckowian, Williams, and Cam Lund are tied for the team lead in goals with two. Cameron Whitehead has started all three games in goal, and has a 3.34 goals against average and an .894 save percentage thus far. NU doesn’t have a powerplay goal as of yet (0-6).
Faceoff time at Matthews Arena in Boston for Friday and Saturday night is 7 p.m. Chris Lessner will be at the game on Friday and will provide live updates of the league opener on X (formerly known as Twitter) at EasternMESports, and will have a recap either late Friday night or Saturday morning on our Facebook page at Eastern Maine Sports.
All photos by Anthony DelMonaco. Top- Brandon Holt fires a shot from the point that found the back of the net with 28 seconds left in the third period on Saturday, October 19 that sent the game to overtime with Quinnipiac. Bottom- Holt celebrates with Josh Nadeau (#20) after tying it.
Top- Maine defenseman and captain David Breazeale hammers home the game winning shot in overtime for the 6-5 victory for the Black Bears over Quinnipiac on Saturday, October 19. Bottom- Breazeale (#37) about to get mobbed by his teammates after helping Maine improve to 3-0 on the season.
