The new look University of Maine men’s ice hockey team unveils the updated and renovated Alfond Arena this weekend when they open their 2025-26 season against Holy Cross on Friday and Saturday night.
The Black Bears begin the new year ranked as the #6 team in the latest USCHO poll. Their opponent, Holy Cross, is coming off a solid season in 2024-25 where they went 24-14-5 and 19-5-2 in the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) and lost in the conference title game to Bentley. The Crusaders dropped their season opener on the road 6-4 to Northeastern last Saturday. Maine, who went 24-8-6 (13-5-6 in Hockey East) and won the conference championship for the first time in 21 years before bowing out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, returns 48% of their goal scoring, 63% of their assists, and 57% of their point getters for 2025-26. They welcome back three of their double-digit goal scorers in Thomas Freel (11), Josh Nadeau (10), and Owen Fowler (10). Seven returners had at least 10 assists in 2024-25, including Frank Djurasevic who had a team-leading 21. The Black Bears also have back forwards Charlie Russell, Sully Scholle, Oskar Komarov, Anthony Calafiore, and Thomas Pichette to go along with a solid defense corps led by Brandon Holt, Brandon Chabrier, Grayson Arnott, and Bodie Nobes.
Gone are the names of Lynden Breen, Taylor Makar, Harrison Scott, Nolan Renwick, David Breazeale, and Ross Mitton who were all lost due to graduation. Luke Antonacci, Liam Lesakowski, Brian Morse, Aidan Carney, Nicholas Niemo, and Patriks Berzins all transferred. Now enter the names of the incoming freshmen class of Lukas Peterson, Jeremy Langlois, Luke Coughlin, Loic Usereau, Nick Peluso, Will Gerrior, Brock James (Falmouth, Maine), Mathis Rousseau, Jaden Lipinski, Miguel Marques, and Justin Poirier. Also add transfers Max Scott (Brown University) and Simon Motew (St. Francis Xavier- USports). Maine returns one of the top goaltenders in the country in junior Albin Boija. Last season, Boija started 37 of 38 games and posted a record of 23-8-6 with a 1.82 goals against along with a .928 save percentage and four shutouts. Boija will be backed up by Rousseau in the cage. The freshman from Quebec played for Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship, starting all five games and finished third in the tournament in goals against average and fourth in save percentage. During the 2024-25 season, he played for the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) and Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL). He went 11-4-0 for Moncton during the 2024-25 regular season and 6-1 in the playoffs. He played parts of four seasons for Halifax, and appeared in 170 games overall in the QMJHL going 104-47-11. Sophomore Gage Stewart will serve as the third string netminder.
Maine was picked to finish fourth in Hockey East in 2025-26 in the preseason coaches poll. Boston University, Providence, and UConn were selected as the top three. The first league games for the Black Bears are scheduled as part of a two game home series vs BU on October 31 and November 1. Faceoff times for Maine-Holy Cross on Friday and Saturday is 7 p.m. and as usual Eastern Maine Sports will have postgame video interviews and in game videos during home games, and full recaps of every game all year long home and away.
Goaltender Albin Boija seen here in a game at UMass-Lowell on January 11, 2025 is a key returner as Maine men’s hockey opens the 2025-26 season on Friday and Saturday night vs Holy Cross at Alfond Arena in Orono. Photo courtesy of Chris Lessner.
Some of the information gathered for this preview is courtesy of UMaine Athletics. Featured photo of the Black Bears with the Lamoriello Trophy after winning the Hockey East Championship over UConn on March 21, 2025 at TD Garden is courtesy of Simon French.
