UMaine 25-26: Marques My Word: Back to the Big Time

[umhockey91]

Maine moves up to 5th. Finishing higher than that will be difficult. #4 UMass is +2 with a game in hand and will likely hold the tiebreaker advantage. They have to lose at least two of UConn, BC, @ UNH and Maine has to win vs NE, @UVM. A win tomorrow clinches at worst a 6th place finish.

Providence has wrapped up the #1 seed and at least a share of the title. BC and UConn are fighting for second.

One game at a time, but I don't think that Maine beating NU and Vermont.....and UMass losing 2 of 3 to UConn, BC or @ UNH is an impossibility. Either way.....Maine just needs to keep winning.

 

[BlackBearHockeyFan]

Best game Maine played in Portland in a long time

 

[umhockey91]

Really do not want 5th. Missing first round is great but on the road against UMass/UConn/BC..yuck

Of those 3....I would take the game @ BC.

 

[amkirby10]

Another game I had to watch back after the fact. They looked great again, really took it to the Huskies all game. Zacher helped keep the game respectable, without him Maine might have scored several more.

They really seem to be heating up. Special teams have also come alive, which is going to be key to continuing to win.

I'm not willing to write off the possibility of 4th yet. Assuming Maine does what they need to do, which is win tomorrow and then next Saturday, UMass losing two of those last three is easily plausible with that schedule. UConn and BC are two of the best three teams in Hockey East, and UNH is a plucky squad that is capable of pulling an upset and has already beat UMass once this year. Obviously if Maine gets anything less than 6/6 remaining points between NU and UVM, it likely all becomes moot, but its still in the realm of possibility.

 

[walrus]

Good win, NU had won 3 out of last 4 so they had been playing well. Good goaltending, good offense, good PP and good PK generally will lead to a win and it did. I expect NU to be much tougher tonight so another complete game will be needed.

 

[Sparkee]

That is true, usually they stink it up down there against Bentley or some other ACHA team or something.

 

[Sparkee]

One game at a time, but I don't think that Maine beating NU and Vermont.....and UMass losing 2 of 3 to UConn, BC or @ UNH is an impossibility. Either way.....Maine just needs to keep winning.

One thing we need to keep in mind on Rousseau is that he is a freshman. And as such he has had to go through a level up adjustment from QMJHL to NCAA. He would likely get better in game as the season goes on.

Now, last night he looked best he’s looked all season I think. And his goals against average over the 4 games he played in February is 2.0 gaa. He did give up a couple soft 5 hole goals during that stretch, which means he has room to improve.

I think he is playing about as well as could be expected. I also have more confidence right now in him because he can make glove saves. Boija has whiffed glove side a lot this year. I am not sure what happened to his hand eye coordination and reflection timing but it has not been where it was previously. Think back to when he robbed that guy from UMass twice last season. How can that goalie be the one that whiffs on some routine shots made glove side this year?

I really like both goalies and hope that Boija figures it out. Because he was the 2nd best goalie in the country in my eyes last year. But I think the points are so needed now that they should ride Rousseau in hopes of not playing on the road for HE quarters.