BlackBearHockeyFan
Active member
Great weekend sweep needed that
USCHO Fan Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.
UMaine 25-26: Marques My Word: Back to the Big Time
- Thread starter UncleRay
- Start date
umhockey91
Well-known member
I'll be the first to admit that I've dissed Nadeau more than once over the past couple of seasons but man did he come to play this weekend! Congrats to him and the team for the big sweep. My question now is....what changed? No Poirier in the line-up....is that the reason for his improved play?
Wasnt home during the game, but watched it when I got home on ESPN+.
To start with the negatives and get them out of the way, I think Rousseau, like Boija, has a glaring weakness in his game; instead of being his glove hand as in Boija's case, I think Rousseau is very weak five-hole. I feel as though a huge number of the goals he's allowed this year have been in that spot. The second goal was pretty soft against, but in all I thought he played a satisfactory game. Userau also kind of reverted back to having a few bone headed plays, specifically the one leading to the second goal, but he did make a good play near the offensive blue line in the third.
Aside from that, I think there were a whole lot of positives to take away. Nadeau was obviously a menace the entire weekend, and was clearly the primary reason Maine got the six points. I have noticed Marques and Lipinski both a lot more recently, and in a good way for both of them, and they continued to show up tonight. I forget which goal it was, the third I think, where Lipinski carried it in across the blue line and fought thru traffic to make the play happen. Power play also finally seemed to wake up, and the kill was great, against a formidable PP on the other side. They also showed some more fortitude this weekend; they allowed the tying goal early in the third last night only to pull it together and find the win, and tonight they fell down both 1-0 and 2-1, relatively early on, and still came back to really drop the hammer on MC. The Maine we saw earlier in the season would have lost at least one of those games, maybe both.
I gotta be honest, I feel the best about Maine right now as I have probably all season. I said out loud to myself while watching the game back, "this feels like a team that might have turned the corner". I think they've really come together recently, and aside from a horrible weekend in Rhode Island, they've played mostly really well in 2026, even if the results weren't exactly showing in the W/L column until now. Obviously an at-large bid is out of reach at this point, but I think they are starting to heat up at the right time, and could absolutely be a dangerous opponent in the Hockey East tournament. Even if they dont defend their title and make it back to the national tournament, I'm feeling much more confident about the team's progression and the potential outlook for next season.
To start with the negatives and get them out of the way, I think Rousseau, like Boija, has a glaring weakness in his game; instead of being his glove hand as in Boija's case, I think Rousseau is very weak five-hole. I feel as though a huge number of the goals he's allowed this year have been in that spot. The second goal was pretty soft against, but in all I thought he played a satisfactory game. Userau also kind of reverted back to having a few bone headed plays, specifically the one leading to the second goal, but he did make a good play near the offensive blue line in the third.
Aside from that, I think there were a whole lot of positives to take away. Nadeau was obviously a menace the entire weekend, and was clearly the primary reason Maine got the six points. I have noticed Marques and Lipinski both a lot more recently, and in a good way for both of them, and they continued to show up tonight. I forget which goal it was, the third I think, where Lipinski carried it in across the blue line and fought thru traffic to make the play happen. Power play also finally seemed to wake up, and the kill was great, against a formidable PP on the other side. They also showed some more fortitude this weekend; they allowed the tying goal early in the third last night only to pull it together and find the win, and tonight they fell down both 1-0 and 2-1, relatively early on, and still came back to really drop the hammer on MC. The Maine we saw earlier in the season would have lost at least one of those games, maybe both.
I gotta be honest, I feel the best about Maine right now as I have probably all season. I said out loud to myself while watching the game back, "this feels like a team that might have turned the corner". I think they've really come together recently, and aside from a horrible weekend in Rhode Island, they've played mostly really well in 2026, even if the results weren't exactly showing in the W/L column until now. Obviously an at-large bid is out of reach at this point, but I think they are starting to heat up at the right time, and could absolutely be a dangerous opponent in the Hockey East tournament. Even if they dont defend their title and make it back to the national tournament, I'm feeling much more confident about the team's progression and the potential outlook for next season.
Sparkee
Blackbear
Very good and accurate take. I share many of the same views, though I am less optimistic because I don’t feel Merrimack had much fight in them. They didn’t seem interested in putting in the necessary work to try to win. Lots of clutching and grabbing due to getting out of position and Maine’s work ethic earned lots of power plays. There were a tremendous amount not called, admittedly even on Maine when they should have been called. But because Maine was dominating puck possession and territory Maine had more potential power plays that should have been called. The hook on Nadeau in the slot when he couldn’t get a shot off as he was hooked in the hands was a glaring example.
So why am I saying this? Well, we swept a weak opponent. Certainly better than tying or losing. But it shouldn’t move the needle much. Not until we beat good teams again. The weekend out in Denver was the high point for me this season. That is/was a superb opponent and Maine took it to them on their ice which is high elevation and a tough place from visitors from away from the elevation in Denver. That gave me optimism. Only to watch it erode after the road trip to Providence. And the sweep at home by UNH on our ice showed how low this team can go.
Maine is the definition of an up and down team with high highs and low lows. The net average is just that - average.
I don’t see the goaltending miraculously improving unless one gets on a hot streak.
I don’t see Maine defense capable of sweeping pucks away front their own net to safety outside. I don’t see a concerted effort to tie up, battle, and clear the campers in front of our own net. I don’t see the defense making simple clears out of our zone instead of forcing fancy no look passes which about 25% of the time are turnovers. On offense I think some upperclassmen need to respond. Josh did, and I was very happy to see this. Fowler did this weekend as well. Need to see more out of Freel, Russell, and Scholle.
Given these weaknesses have been there since the start of the season and keep rearing their ugly heads… I am not optimistic this will suddenly improve now. I think it can appear that way with substandard competition. But once we get to playoff time the competition gets tougher progressively. I think these areas will get exposed.
So until we get to see the effort this weekend show up against top half of hockey east competition I am bearish on Maine’s post season chances. Doesn’t mean I’m not cheering for them and don’t want them to succeed. But offering a realistic opinion of what I am expecting now.
I will say this that I am bullish on Maine’s future though. As far as freshman go I think Poirier, Marques, Peterson, Rousseau, Lipinski, Gerrior, Langlois, Usereau, and James have been very solid as a whole. I didn’t include Motew, Coughlin, and Peluso as much because while I like what I’ve seen when they were out there… they just haven’t been out there as much to form conclusive opinions in my mind. Probably we will see them as regulars next season due to graduation and other attrition of upperclassmen that likely need to move on.
Add to that another solid recruiting class it seems next season and I think next year’s team will be much better off this time in 2027. So long term bullish for me.
Sparkee
Blackbear
Sparkee
Blackbear
Postgame interviews: https://youtu.be/4P_zULiJG7Y?si=xOhsatgHgfimNZWq
When I first researched Fowler after his transfer announcement I said he will remind people of Brendan Walsh.
Watch this interview when they asked him about the jawing between the benches. He is a bit of a devil and is similar to how Brendan used to try to get the other team distracted.
When I first researched Fowler after his transfer announcement I said he will remind people of Brendan Walsh.
Watch this interview when they asked him about the jawing between the benches. He is a bit of a devil and is similar to how Brendan used to try to get the other team distracted.
grooverider
Your Team Sucks
As I said before this team could be this years Penn State. Sneak in as a 4 seed and make some noise. The effort is there. Huge series coming up this weekend against NU. The tough part is the tight standings and unfortunate blown home games makes it possible we are a 6 seed at home or in the no man's land 4 to 5 matchup hopefully avoiding the 5 seed
I can see what you mean, but in my opinion while you can say it was "just Merrimack", a) Merrimack had been playing well coming into the weekend, and b) this team lost to Colgate, UVM, and UNH x2, so it was no given that they would even win the games at all. And going just by the eye test, they played a much more complete game this weekend. I dont know, I guess I just really liked what I was seeing. And I definitely agree with you that there is reason to be bullish going forward into the future.
Fishman'81
Black Bear since D-2
Conn Man was the is the best Maine player nobody mentions anymore (along with Aubut).
Semlar recruited very well and put Maine on the map overnight.
He kind of looks like him too.
tylerzx2002
Well-known member
I've been working on a more in-depth tracker for some stats that I don't think are adequately covered in the media guide and little fun side projects (like Maine hockey scorigami). The goalie history in the guide is pretty woeful in comparison to what I've put together. There are still a few old media guides from the 80s I need to track down that aren't in the Fogler archives to confirm my estimates for guys like Pete Smith, Mike Silengo, and Al Loring but I've tracked down a lot over the last couple years.
A hat trick tracker is definitely on my list to get to in the future, but wasn't sure if anyone knew any cases B2B's had happened.
This sounds awesome, would love to see it once you deem it ready to release.