ORONO, Maine - The #9 University of Maine men's hockey team topped #12/11 UMass, 2-1, on Friday night at Alfond Arena. With the victory, the Black Bears clinched third place and a home ice in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East Tournament.
The Minutemen took a 1-0 lead just under three minutes into the contest but Bradly Nadeau evened things up before the first intermission.
Thomas Freel finally broke the deadlock with 4:17 to play in the third period with a power-play goal. Albin Boija's save at the left post in the final minute locked up the 2-1 win.
#9 Maine 2, #12/11 UMass 1
March 8, 2024 | Orono, Maine
Alfond Arena
NOTABLES
- Maine had the 29-26 lead in shots on goal.
- The Black Bears were 1-for-3 on the power play while UMass was 0-for-3.
- Albin Boija made 26 saves in moving to 8-5-1 on the year.
- Maine now has an overall record of 60-28-10 in the all-time series with UMass ... the Black Bears are 36-9-2 at Alfond Arena.
- With the win, Maine clinched a home-ice quarterfinal game in the Hockey East Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
- Maine is now 13-9-1 in Hockey East play, reaching 13 conference wins for the first time since going 15-10-2 in 2011-12.
- With third place in the Hockey East standings now locked up, Maine has earned its best conference finish since tying for third place in 2009-10.
- Bradly Nadeau recorded his 17th goal of the season ... he now has 40 points on the year.
- Josh Nadeau recorded his 25th assist of the season ... he now has 40 points on the year.
- This is the first time Maine has had a pair of 40-point getters since 2011-12 (three players) ... Bradly Nadeau and Josh Nadeau are the first Maine rookies to reach 40 points in a season since Teddy Purcell in 2006-07.
- Thomas Freel scored his sixth goal of the season and now has 20 points on the year ... it was his first game-winning goal of the season.
RECORDS
Maine: 21-10-2, 13-9-1 Hockey East
UMass: 19-11-3, 12-9-2 Hockey East
UP NEXT
- The Black Bears will wrap up the regular tomorrow night with a 7 p.m. puck drop with the Minutemen.
- Ben Poisson, Lynden Breen, Victor Ostman, Connor Androlewicz and Donavan Villeneuve-Houle will be honored in a post-game ceremony.
