It was a memorable night on Friday for Valleyfield, Quebec native and Maine men’s hockey freshman forward Justin Poirier. In his first collegiate game, Poirier notched a hat trick as the #6 Black Bears began their 2025-26 season with a 5-2 win over Holy Cross in front of a sellout crowd at the newly renovated Alfond Arena in Orono. It is the fourth straight year Maine has won their home opener.
Thomas Pichette put the Black Bears up 1-0 by banging home a loose puck at the net front after a Brandon Chabrier shot hit the post just over three minutes into the first period for his third career goal. Maine exploded in the middle frame by putting three more on the board in a span of 1:44 to extend to a 4-0 lead. Poirier scored two of them (5:56, 7:40), sandwiched around a first career tally by freshman Jaden Lipinski (6:13). The second by Poirier was on the powerplay. Poirier finished off his hat trick 3:43 into the third, blasting home a one-timer from the high slot off a feed from Max Scott.
Along with the three goals from Poirier, Lipinski finished with a goal and an assist and Thomas Freel added two assists. Chabrier, Scott, Simon Motew, Will Gerrior, Bodie Nobes, and Miguel Marques chipped in one assist a piece. Albin Boija made 18 saves. The Black Bears went 1-6 on the powerplay. Connor Welsh and Brody Gagno scored for the Crusaders (0-2). The defending regular season champions out of Atlantic Hockey America got a combined 30 saves in net from Connor MacKenzie and Louden Hogg and would go 0-3 on the powerplay. Maine and Holy Cross finish off the two game series on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
Photos top to bottom- Justin Poirier, Thomas Pichette, and Oskar Komarov- courtesy of Anthony DelMonaco
