University of Maine 2024–2025: Freel-ing good

[NorthMike]

This is the maine team that does not want to take any of those penalties too many people think are foolish
brazeale chose not to touch anyone (or drag them down) twice and Dalton did the same once.

a little physical play would have prevented all three goals. Sure, BC might have scored on power plays, but tackling people out front has its place in hockey and in my opinion, the penalties would be good ones to take.

please think of these goals before complaining about stupid penalties

Yeah you have to be physical against a team like this. You cant let them push you around after the whistle and then play whack a puck and be puck watching.

 

[Sparkee]

It's probably going to be one of the most interesting games of the season. Blowout or we punch them in the mouth. But it seems Barr has a short leash this year for penalties. Did Arnott see the ice again? Gotta let the boys rough them up and not be scared of being benched due to a penalty

To me I don’t think it was much of a penalty to punish. He had his back to the guy he tripped but was playing the puck and it tripped the guy. There wasn’t a lot to blame guys on. Dalton got a little lost on one of the goals. I think Charbrier falling down twice and coughing up the puck leading to rushes was worse. Overall though I think this is a case of Maine playing well and backing off with a two goal lead and that left the door open for a hungry and desperate BC team with a ton of skill and they took it. I question how much of it was coaching, meaning were the guys told systematically to play in a defensive shell and chip pucks out but don’t fore check hard so you can trap neutral zone.

It does seem Maine can play with BC, so let’s hope for a 60 minute game Sunday and not a 50 minute game. Boija played great but was hung out to dry at the end. Not his fault, he could only pull off so many miracle saves.

 

[amkirby10]

Now that Maine shot its wad for the weekend, what do we hope Maine learns after Sunday’s 6-1 loss?

BC hit how many posts tonight? How many times did they get behind the D who got bailed out by Boija in his best performance as a Black Bear?…he has not strung two great games together yet, but maybe the one day rest will prove me wrong

Don't we think proclaiming a 6-1 loss more than 24 hours before the game even is played is a little bit dramatic?

 

[Drew S.]

To me I don’t think it was much of a penalty to punish. He had his back to the guy he tripped but was playing the puck and it tripped the guy. There wasn’t a lot to blame guys on. Dalton got a little lost on one of the goals. I think Charbrier falling down twice and coughing up the puck leading to rushes was worse. Overall though I think this is a case of Maine playing well and backing off with a two goal lead and that left the door open for a hungry and desperate BC team with a ton of skill and they took it. I question how much of it was coaching, meaning were the guys told systematically to play in a defensive shell and chip pucks out but don’t fore check hard so you can trap neutral zone.

It does seem Maine can play with BC, so let’s hope for a 60 minute game Sunday and not a 50 minute game. Boija played great but was hung out to dry at the end. Not his fault, he could only pull off so many miracle saves.

I thought Maine rode their luck defensively the first 50 minutes then it ran out. BC would have put six or seven on Maine if not for Boija playing great and good fortune. Fowler played equally great and Maine was certainly unlucky not to get a few more. I was pretty happy with the performance overall but Maine clearly isn’t a good team defensively.

 

[Runsub5]

I thought Maine rode their luck defensively the first 50 minutes then it ran out. BC would have put six or seven on Maine if not for Boija playing great and good fortune. Fowler played equally great and Maine was certainly unlucky not to get a few more. I was pretty happy with the performance overall but Maine clearly isn’t a good team defensively.

I agree with most of this, but I don't think you can say Maine is a bad team defensively. BC and Maine are the top two teams in the country with the fewest goals allowed. Granted, much of this is goal tending, but still , Maine plays an attacking game and allows very little time and space. They even attack while on the penalty kill. Giving up three unanswered goals with a two goal lead late in the game is not good. I think Maine was getting a little gassed late in the third period and BC capitalized with their skill. Barr is a very good coach going into his fourth year, but I think he deserves some of the blame for this meltdown as well. Hopefully, he and the team will learn from this one.

 

[StillKIA2]

Don't we think proclaiming a 6-1 loss more than 24 hours before the game even is played is a little bit dramatic?

6-0?

I would love to be wrong, but this BC team looked a lot like Gilroy’s BU team playing against Miami in the finals

nothing, nothing, nothing and then right when they boys need to change into men…presto!!!

 

[BlackBearFan19]

What a way to lose, most devastating regular season loss I can remember in a long time. Maine really dominated from the start of the second through the mid point of the third. I don’t blame Arnott for the penalty, but that is where all the momentum swung. Till that point it was a perfect road game against a great team.

Tomorrow we’re going to see what these guys are made of. I don’t think Maine gets blown out, if anything I think they come out pissed and blow the brakes off BC. For all the talk of the fortunate luck Maine had with the posts, Maine had some bad luck with the 4? Legit breakaways they didn’t convert.

They bottled up that top line so well most of the game but they let them hit the zone with too much speed in the third.

 

[grooverider]

Agree with others tough test tomorrow and then you have BU looming at home but likely desperate as they lost last night as well. Going to see what these guys are made of next 3 games.

 

[acs64]

Very entertaining game to watch executed by two very good teams. Not much to pick between those two. Am I frustrated? Not really, Maine was probably a little fortunate to be up two zip and BC a little snake bitten. You expect a one goal difference or tie maybe going deep into the 3rd, not a two goal differential. So BC was due to tie the game and did. Such is hockey. Wish Brezeale would have laid himself out on the ice to prevent the cross ice pass, but he probably did not see the guy behind him. Doesnt matter, really freaking fun game to watch, up and down the ice.

 

[Snively65]

Very entertaining game to watch executed by two very good teams. Not much to pick between those two. Am I frustrated? Not really, Maine was probably a little fortunate to be up two zip and BC a little snake bitten. You expect a one goal difference or tie maybe going deep into the 3rd, not a two goal differential. So BC was due to tie the game and did. Such is hockey. Wish Brezeale would have laid himself out on the ice to prevent the cross ice pass, but he probably did not see the guy behind him. Doesnt matter, really freaking fun game to watch, up and down the ice.

Agreed. I watched on NESN and thought that the Black Bears might pull off a win last night. Good luck on Sunday.

 

[BCeagle]

Amazing how minnettian came back after the oscar worthy performance. I hope the league rethinks calling a major on a legal hit just because someone pretends he’ll never walk again till next season

If you watch the replay up close definitely leg on leg check even if he didn’t mean to. Heck any head contact you’re usually out or ejected

 

[BCeagle]

6-0?

I would love to be wrong, but this BC team looked a lot like Gryzlik’s BU team playing against Miami in the finals

nothing, nothing, nothing and then right when they boys need to change into men…presto!!!

The comparison I would make is 2009 team when BU pulled it out down 2 goals with about 2 minutes left and wins in OT over Miami and begins demise of Blasi at Miami as coach

 

[NorthMike]

If you watch the replay up close definitely leg on leg check even if he didn’t mean to. Heck any head contact you’re usually out or ejected

Yeah but can be a 2 min, or wait the 5 min major with ejection must have been because bc player got so badly injured?

Regarding kneeing:
52.1 Kneeing - A player shall not use the knee in such a manner as to foul an
opponent. Kneeing is the act of a player leading with their knee and in some
cases extending their leg outwards to make contact with their opponent.
PENALTY—Minor, major, game misconduct or disqualification at the
discretion of the referee.

 

[Sparkee]

If you watch the replay up close definitely leg on leg check even if he didn’t mean to. Heck any head contact you’re usually out or ejected

We did, they had the slow motion replay. He hit, lead, and made contact shoulder first. The announcers even said they thought it would be a minor, if anything. They were surprised it was a 5 minute and game misconduct. It was a B.S. call.

Having said that somehow Maine outplayed BC and outshot them 5-0 on that major. And had breakaways.

I said yesterday win or lose I would be happy if Maine competed. They did that. I hope for the same tomorrow. BC is very loaded and will likely reach the frozen four again. What I’m looking for is can Maine compete with that kind of team. Maine gets to play Denver this year as well. Even though it’s a difficult stretch, it will show Maine what they have to work on to hang with the big dogs.

 

[Sparkee]

Yeah but can be a 2 min, or wait the 5 min major with ejection must have been because bc player got so badly injured?

Regarding kneeing:
52.1 Kneeing - A player shall not use the knee in such a manner as to foul an
opponent. Kneeing is the act of a player leading with their knee and in some
cases extending their leg outwards to make contact with their opponent.
PENALTY—Minor, major, game misconduct or disqualification at the
discretion of the referee.

He didn’t lead with the knee, he didn’t extend the knee. He lead and hit shoulder first.

I find it hard to believe we actually have to debate this with others.

If anything later in the game a BC player made no attempt at a check. He extended his leg and tripped Fowler which wasn’t called or reviewed. I would have said that would be a two minute minor for tripping. Yet no call.

 

[grooverider]

Are we expecting Boston Hockey East to suspend Mitton too?

 

[Sparkee]

Are we expecting Boston Hockey East to suspend Mitton too?

No way. If anything they should apologize for their on-ice officials in that game.

 

[StillKIA2]

The comparison I would make is 2009 team when BU pulled it out down 2 goals with about 2 minutes left and wins in OT over Miami and begins demise of Blasi at Miami as coach

Yip
i meant Gilroy’s team. That was the game

 

[walrus]

Looks like Quinnipiac isn't as good as we thought, lost again. Didn't see Fridays game, sounds like a good 50 minute game, too bad they play 60 Hopefully Barr has them ready to play today as I'm sure BC will be ready to go.

 

[Sparkee]

Looks like Quinnipiac isn't as good as we thought, lost again. Didn't see Fridays game, sounds like a good 50 minute game, too bad they play 60 Hopefully Barr has them ready to play today as I'm sure BC will be ready to go.

And Merrimack isn’t as bad as we thought. They swept UConn!

Looking forward to another good battle today. The game the other day felt like it was a TD Garden hockey east tournament game. Except there would be a lot of Maine fans if it were in the TD Garden.

This game today is an opportunity for the team to step up in the wake of adversity. I think this team is resilient, but we shall see it unfold on the ice. Can’t wait!