University of Maine 2024–2025: Freel-ing good

[ticapnews]

boy oh boy.. did I jinx Denver or what?

That has to be why the third goal went in ...

 

[tony potter]

The Manchester and Toledo regionals are easy

1 Boston College vs Bentley
Providence vs Denver

2 Michigan State vs Cornell
Boston University vs Ohio State

The easiest way to do Allentown and Fargo is

3 Maine vs Penn State
UConn vs Quinnipac

4 Western Michigan vs Minnesota State
Minnesota vs UMass

Hopefully the NCAA does that even though it slightly disturbs the serpentine bracket. I'm afraid the committee will get cute and do something like this

3 Maine vs Minnesota State
Minnesota vs UMass

4 WMU vs PSU
UConn vs Quinnipac

Even though that also disturbs (in a major way) the serpentine bracket, it does preserve the 4-13 and 3-14 matchups in the first round.

so im curious what did penn st do to deserve playing host school..dont think its fair that a team like #3 maine has to play in front of there home crowd although maine may have more fans there!LOL

 

[Sparkee]

so im curious what did penn st do to deserve playing host school..dont think its fair that a team like #3 maine has to play in front of there home crowd although maine may have more fans there!LOL

The school puts in a bid for it as a host school years in advance. Maine never seems to put in a bid for being a host. Wish they would and try to host in Portland. But maybe they wouldn’t win because of alternative bids which have larger capacity arenas.

 

[BlackBearFan19]

A Maine, UConn, quinnipiac and Penn state region sounds like a lot of fun. Would be great geographically and would draw really well for the Friday games. Probably would have a good showing Sunday even if it is Maine vs one of the Connecticut schools.

 

[DLG]

The school puts in a bid for it as a host school years in advance. Maine never seems to put in a bid for being a host. Wish they would and try to host in Portland. But maybe they wouldn’t win because of alternative bids which have larger capacity arenas.

I was told at hockey east by an athletic director at one of schools that very few places bid to have the tourney
Allentown took a gamble that Penn State would make it. Otherwise that site would have been a disaster
Portland would be a logical site

 

[NorthMike]

Im hoping uconn isnt in our bracket. Its kind of rediculous potentially playing 5 times in a season!!

 

[ticapnews]

I was told at hockey east by an athletic director at one of schools that very few places bid to have the tourney
Allentown took a gamble that Penn State would make it. Otherwise that site would have been a disaster
Portland would be a logical site

The Icebreaker tournament Portland hosted was the trial to see if the site could work. The organizers were pleased with how it went and bid for a regional but it was rejected. Looking over the contract the NCAA makes you sign and the guaranteed money that you have to put forward makes it prohibitively expensive and a huge risk. Based on the pricing at the time, Maine would have had to sell ~5000 tickets each day just to break even. Since neither Maine nor UNH qualified for the tournament it would have been a huge financial failure. Now that Maine is good again it might be time to try again, but you never know if this run of form will be maintained. Plus I'm sure the NCAA has made hosting even more expensive than it was before.

 

[Puckthomas]

Who is the tournament selection committee? Are they just employees of the NCAA? Or are they Athletic Directors? Or some conglomeration of various entities?

 

[amkirby10]

Who is the tournament selection committee? Are they just employees of the NCAA? Or are they Athletic Directors? Or some conglomeration of various entities?

I remember I saw the committee list at one point, but I can't find it again right now. Ones I remember being on there were Blake James, BC AD, and Bob Daniels, Ferris HC.

EDIT: Found the full list.

"NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey committee

• Tim Troville, Harvard senior associate athletic director (chair)
• Bob Daniels, Ferris State coach
• Rick Gotkin, Mercyhurst coach
• Blake James, Boston College athletic director
• Josh Richelew, Michigan sport administrator
• Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth coach"

 

[ticapnews]

I remember I saw the committee list at one point, but I can't find it again right now. Ones I remember being on there were Blake James, BC AD, and Bob Daniels, Ferris HC.

EDIT: Found the full list.

"NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey committee

• Blake James, Boston College athletic director

So...Maine can look forward to playing in the Siberia regional...

 

[tylerzx2002]

I remember I saw the committee list at one point, but I can't find it again right now. Ones I remember being on there were Blake James, BC AD, and Bob Daniels, Ferris HC.

EDIT: Found the full list.

"NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey committee

• Tim Troville, Harvard senior associate athletic director (chair)
• Bob Daniels, Ferris State coach
• Rick Gotkin, Mercyhurst coach
• Blake James, Boston College athletic director
• Josh Richelew, Michigan sport administrator
• Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth coach"

Blake James is getting ready to screw Maine once more lol

 

[tylerzx2002]

The Icebreaker tournament Portland hosted was the trial to see if the site could work. The organizers were pleased with how it went and bid for a regional but it was rejected. Looking over the contract the NCAA makes you sign and the guaranteed money that you have to put forward makes it prohibitively expensive and a huge risk. Based on the pricing at the time, Maine would have had to sell ~5000 tickets each day just to break even. Since neither Maine nor UNH qualified for the tournament it would have been a huge financial failure. Now that Maine is good again it might be time to try again, but you never know if this run of form will be maintained. Plus I'm sure the NCAA has made hosting even more expensive than it was before.

I looked briefly to see if I could find an updated Regional Bid Spec sheet but could only find the one from 20-22 (link).

This one has the minimum financial guarantee set at $150K to host, but I'd guess that's probably risen since then.

I'm sure it's been updated but the qualifications in 20-22 version required at least a 5K minimum capacity listed. Since they hosted a regional at Centene last season that must no longer be the case.

 

[HockeyRef]

Thought it was quite touching after the game when one of your players was interviewed and mentioned when they were a freshman that the late Red Gendron told him he could win a NC...he said he wanted to win it for Red....

Assuming that was the Captain? I had left at the end of the second / watched the rest.from my hotel. Those of you who were at the game might have missed it.

Good luck going forward!

 

[walrus]

Thought it was quite touching after the game when one of your players was interviewed and mentioned when they were a freshman that the late Red Gendron told him he could win a NC...he said he wanted to win it for Red....

Assuming that was the Captain? I had left at the end of the second / watched the rest.from my hotel. Those of you who were at the game might have missed it.

Good luck going forward!

Lynden Breen, I've been watching Maine hockey for a long time and he is one the best captains I've seen in Orono.

 

[paulfb]

Im hoping uconn isnt in our bracket. Its kind of rediculous potentially playing 5 times in a season!!

Michigan State encountered that problem last season, winning four of five against Michigan including the Big Ten title game, only to lose to the Wolverines in a sixth matchup, the NCAA regional final. Same thing happened with BC-BU in 2006. Terriers won four of five, then the Eagles beat them 5-0 in the Worcester regional.

 

[Mac910]

Lynden Breen, I've been watching Maine hockey for a long time and he is one the best captains I've seen in Orono.

100% - he has already become a hero and there's still this tournament run to potentially further develop his legend. That post game interview showed just how much he relishes wearing that jersey and he is the heart of this program, bar none. I'll still never forget those two SHGs he scored against Merrimack in the same kill a couple years back.

 

[umhockey91]

Regarding a regional in Portland.....while $$$ might still be an issue.....arena capacity, available hotels and transportation are definitely not. People need to stop gnashing their teeth over this. If UMaine can get LL Bean, BIW, Alfonds, Morse, etc, etc to get behind this....they can definitely do this.

The other thing I was thinking....why not outbid UNH for Manchester!

 

[paulfb]

A Maine, UConn, quinnipiac and Penn state region sounds like a lot of fun. Would be great geographically and would draw really well for the Friday games. Probably would have a good showing Sunday even if it is Maine vs one of the Connecticut schools.

BC fan here, living on Staten Island. I've been to the Allentown regionals when BC missed out because it's such a short hop for me and we have friends there. I wish BC were in Allentown. The long drive will surely be a hassle for you folks, but you'll like the arena and the to-do options on the off day.

PPL Center on Hamilton Street has a Chickie's and Pete's restaurant and a Tim Horton's baked inside the arena -- no pun intended. Chickie's and Pete's is worth trying for a reservation. Service is good despite the big crowds and they have hockey on 12 or so TVs (no basketball!!). Up the street is a brewpub called Fegley's, although their hours are sometimes arbitrary.

On the day off you can take in an antique auto museum at the foot of the bridge that leads to Hamilton Street downtown. In nearby Bethlehem there is a neat museum about the history of the steel industry, and close by is a "skywalk" that gives you an up-close look at the since-shuttered steel mills.

Re lodging, there are some good moderately priced options off Rte 22 near Lehigh Valley Airport in Bethlehem, about 15-20 minutes from the arena. Downtown has a nice Marriott adjacent to the arena, but the motorcycle noise can be a bit much.

Linden Street behind the arena has inexpensive parking options. The street looks decrepit, but I've always felt safe there.

 

[HockeyRef]

Regarding a regional in Portland.....while $$$ might still be an issue.....arena capacity, available hotels and transportation are definitely not. People need to stop gnashing their teeth over this. If UMaine can get LL Bean, BIW, Alfonds, Morse, etc, etc to get behind this....they can definitely do this.

The other thing I was thinking....why not outbid UNH for Manchester!

Knock yourself out! Heardthis Regional in Manchester is the last?

 

[BassAle]

The school puts in a bid for it as a host school years in advance. Maine never seems to put in a bid for being a host. Wish they would and try to host in Portland. But maybe they wouldn’t win because of alternative bids which have larger capacity arenas.

Maine put in at least one bid to host in Portland during the Whitehead era and was not selected.