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University of Maine 2024–2025: Freel-ing good
- Thread starter UMO Better Blues
- Start date
tylerzx2002
Well-known member
That one leaves no doubt right? Still incredible that without some significant changes to the college game that 93 team holds a bunch of records that won't ever be sniffed.
McGoverners
Member
To be fair, BC tried to replicate that model and it didn't work for them. (It also didn't work for us if you ask certain LSSU fans)
They were delusional
Sparkee
Blackbear
On coaches show, Holt said he was back on the ice in practice.
Also Barr gave Niemo and Pichette compliments and mentioned Komarov was banged up so that is why he didn’t play last game.
The players were surprised at how many people did the skate with the bears on Sunday. Talked about how thankful they are for the fan base Maine has.
Also Barr gave Niemo and Pichette compliments and mentioned Komarov was banged up so that is why he didn’t play last game.
The players were surprised at how many people did the skate with the bears on Sunday. Talked about how thankful they are for the fan base Maine has.
I stand corrected
i looked over their entire roster, looking for 17-18 year olds, saw none and when I wrote, i thought I had looked for under 20
and lucky for Maine, Zeev will be overseas this coming January 3-4
ticapnews
Never Forget!
I have an extra pair of tickets in section BB for the January 3 (Friday) game against Denver and I've decided to give them away. To enter, just post your favorite memory from the program's history. On the day of the Bentley game I'll assign everyone who enters a random number and have the RNG on Google pick a winner. I'll post the winner here, just reply with your email address and I'll transfer the tickets through the ticket office. (I'd recommend deleting the post with your email afterwards so bots don't pick it up). If you want to share a memory but aren't interested in the tickets, just specify that in your post. Good luck!
Sparkee
Blackbear
I am just posting one of my favorite memories even though I can’t use the tickets. One of my all time favorite Blackbears is Niko Dimitrakos, a fantastic stick handler that could pull off magic tricks in traffic. My favorite moment watching live in person was the 2000 hockey East final against BC. Well with seconds left in regulation off a face off in the BC end as a fan you are thinking hope we win it and get a shot off at least. Likely we are headed to OT. Nope. Niko collects the face off won by Larose and heads down below the goal line, pops back up in front of the net, and gets BC goalie Clemmensen having to defend while moving laterally, fakes then sticks it 5 hole with 3 seconds left. The roof lifted off the Garden and BC fans were so mad. At the same time Maine fans were going bananas.
Here is the moment: https://youtu.be/-d5wFlrUSiU?si=2sHaSLTDTV6nbHZb
I was there....yep, lots of pizzed off BC fans.
I too am only choosing to share some memories, as I have my ticket for that game already purchased. I'm also a newer Black Bear than most in this thread, as I enrolled at Orono in the fall of 2016 for my freshman year, so I missed out on all the glory years. With that in mind, though I have a lot of great memories of the team in the last 8 1/2 years, two stand out above the rest, both from my senior season 2019-20.
The first is from just before Thanksgiving 2019, Maine playing UNH at Alfond. About one minute left in the third, and Maine trails 1-0. They pulled Swayman for the extra skater and set up shop in the UNH zone. Adam Dawe cross-ice feeds the puck to Tim Dohrety near the top of the circle, and he rips one off the post and in to tie it at 1-1. Patrick Shea got the OT winner, but the Dohrety equalizer was always much more exciting for me. Also, fun fact, that game was the last between Maine-UNH in the decade of the 2010s, and winning it gave Maine the advantage for the decade by one game.
The second was from the final game before the covid pause, and my final game as a student, March 2020 at Alfond against Providence. The Jeremy Swayman legacy game, a 48 save shutout (!!) while Maine only had 24 shots of their own. The crown jewel of course being a glove save on an open shot from the slot that is currently a part of Swayman's commercial that plays on ESPN+ during games. As for Maine's offense, one of those 24 shots found the net, courtesy of Mitchell Fossier, whom I would still consider my personal favorite Black Bear of all time. Might not stack up to what others share, but those were great times and stand out as my favorite Maine moments.
AMC
Registered User
No need for the tickets, but I am going to share a couple of funny being in Alfond Arena memories:
1. This was probably the very late 80's or early 90's, when the between period entertainment was the "Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Slap Shot Shootout." They'd drive a new car or truck onto the ice, put a board up that covered the entire goal except for one tiny puck sized hole in the middle bottom, and have someone take a shot from the far goal line. If it went in, you won the car or truck. If you hit the board, you got like $50 or something. No one ever won, and I don't really remember anyone coming particularly close, until one fateful night when a student put a puck dead center. And it got stuck in the hole. Which, it turns out, was not actually big enough for a puck to enter. The crowd, assuming this meant that he won, went nuts. The student went nuts. Unfortunately, the clarification came over the PA system that the rule for the game was the same as hockey- the puck had to completely cross the line. Boos rained down. Marketing staff and everyone on the ice quickly vacated. Boos continued through the intermission. Boos continued throughout the start of the 3rd period. Chants of "GIVE HIM THE TRUCK!" cascaded around during game play (my memory is that the game was well in hand). I distinctly remember Walshy on the bench looking around and asking an assistant "What the fuck is going on?" In an attempt to make some PR chicken salad out of chicken shit, the student was brought back out the next night. The PA announcer dutifully reported that no, they couldn't give him the truck. But, if he took another shot and hit the board, Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge would generously pay for his textbooks next semester. The crowd... the crowd did not like this. The student stepped up as the boos started, he hit the board, he raised his arms in triumph, and the boos continued. The "GIVE HIM THE TRUCK!" chants continued. The Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Slap Shot Shootout did not return the next season.
2. My second favorite memory was when Jacque Rodrigue, who had about the hardest shot I've seen at UMaine, was coming back from a hand or wrist injury. He hadn't really tested his shot, and Maine got a late game power play. Walshy sent him out to man the point and take a few shots to see how it went. Maine got set up, the puck worked its way to Jacque, he wound up and shanked one that flew directly over the glass and pinged off the railing at the front of the overhanging bleachers. He shook his head and looked back at the bench. Walshy signaled to stay out there. Maine won the faceoff, got back into the zone, the puck worked it's way to Rodrigue at the point and as he started to bring his stick back to take another slapper every single person in the balcony simultaneously screamed "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
1. This was probably the very late 80's or early 90's, when the between period entertainment was the "Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Slap Shot Shootout." They'd drive a new car or truck onto the ice, put a board up that covered the entire goal except for one tiny puck sized hole in the middle bottom, and have someone take a shot from the far goal line. If it went in, you won the car or truck. If you hit the board, you got like $50 or something. No one ever won, and I don't really remember anyone coming particularly close, until one fateful night when a student put a puck dead center. And it got stuck in the hole. Which, it turns out, was not actually big enough for a puck to enter. The crowd, assuming this meant that he won, went nuts. The student went nuts. Unfortunately, the clarification came over the PA system that the rule for the game was the same as hockey- the puck had to completely cross the line. Boos rained down. Marketing staff and everyone on the ice quickly vacated. Boos continued through the intermission. Boos continued throughout the start of the 3rd period. Chants of "GIVE HIM THE TRUCK!" cascaded around during game play (my memory is that the game was well in hand). I distinctly remember Walshy on the bench looking around and asking an assistant "What the fuck is going on?" In an attempt to make some PR chicken salad out of chicken shit, the student was brought back out the next night. The PA announcer dutifully reported that no, they couldn't give him the truck. But, if he took another shot and hit the board, Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge would generously pay for his textbooks next semester. The crowd... the crowd did not like this. The student stepped up as the boos started, he hit the board, he raised his arms in triumph, and the boos continued. The "GIVE HIM THE TRUCK!" chants continued. The Bangor Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Slap Shot Shootout did not return the next season.
2. My second favorite memory was when Jacque Rodrigue, who had about the hardest shot I've seen at UMaine, was coming back from a hand or wrist injury. He hadn't really tested his shot, and Maine got a late game power play. Walshy sent him out to man the point and take a few shots to see how it went. Maine got set up, the puck worked its way to Jacque, he wound up and shanked one that flew directly over the glass and pinged off the railing at the front of the overhanging bleachers. He shook his head and looked back at the bench. Walshy signaled to stay out there. Maine won the faceoff, got back into the zone, the puck worked it's way to Rodrigue at the point and as he started to bring his stick back to take another slapper every single person in the balcony simultaneously screamed "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
ticapnews
Never Forget!
I was watching that game with Matt Greason, now the head coach at Trinity College. We were in a straight line behind Bobby Allen to the corner of the Maine net. We both recognized that if the puck got to Allen on the faceoff he had a clean shot. And that's exactly what happened. I was bummed because OT meant either staying an extra night in Boston or missing the OT and catching the last train to Maine. Then Niko saved me the trouble of making a decision...
One of my favorite memories was during a BC breakaway on a very cold night
the power went out and the lights went off
the whole crowd started chanting Schneider broke it…clap clap clap-clap-clap…Schneider broke it
then people started a wave that went around the Alfond as the lights slowly came back on…And Simon Danis-Pepin was the only player to join the wave
the power went out and the lights went off
the whole crowd started chanting Schneider broke it…clap clap clap-clap-clap…Schneider broke it
then people started a wave that went around the Alfond as the lights slowly came back on…And Simon Danis-Pepin was the only player to join the wave
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walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Rodrique made a MC goalie duck out of the way.
I remember a BU goalie skating to the blue line, I believe during a BU PP to try to catch Maine changing and the puck popped up over his stick and went into the goal. Freakin awesome.
Also, the BU asst coaches trying to climb over the glass behind the bench trying to get to the fans heckling them. Had to be some nasty things being said.
Steve Widmayer, throwing down, a real hockey fight in Alfond.
Prestin Ryan hitting a BC player celebrating in the corner after a goal, it was way after the whistle and somehow no penalty was called. BC player named escapes me(looked it up Tony Voce) but he was a stud and he always stayed away from Prestin after that. RIP Tony. Getting old sucks
Sister and little brother of a BU player after the Friday loss had a sign with Maines record , the 0 in loss column crossed out and a 1 put in its place. Standing over tunnel into BUs locker room waving that sign. At that point the Band was right there, some guy came out of that section in 2nd period and ripped the sign up, little brother was shocked that someone would do that. Everyone around was clapping.
A well known Bangor Attorney going toe to toe with a BU fan in the Garden, HE finals, both got kicked out. Maine ended up losing late, 92 I think? Was that Prendergast with the late goal? He killed Maine .
No tickets I wouldn't sit in the seats anyway
NorthMike
Well-known member
Been alot of memories good and bad, and many Ive forgotten.
Cant use the ticks but whats always stuck with me is a few Grant memories. During the early Whitehead years when my kids were playing youth hockey at the alfond, Grant used to occasionally wander out of the office and stand behind the bench area and watch the kids practice. He was very friendly, not particularly talkative during these visits but came across as a very nice man, he mostly stood there and watched the kids intently for a while with a smile.
The other is one time I stopped into the alfond in the late afternoon and Grant was on the ice with 10 or 8 of the players, he was showing them a skating move, must have been a skill session. What struck me is how well he was engaging with the players. They were paying complete attention and would each go through the move in turn with Grant working with each in a very personalized and constructive way. I just thought wow what a great teacher.
Cant use the ticks but whats always stuck with me is a few Grant memories. During the early Whitehead years when my kids were playing youth hockey at the alfond, Grant used to occasionally wander out of the office and stand behind the bench area and watch the kids practice. He was very friendly, not particularly talkative during these visits but came across as a very nice man, he mostly stood there and watched the kids intently for a while with a smile.
The other is one time I stopped into the alfond in the late afternoon and Grant was on the ice with 10 or 8 of the players, he was showing them a skating move, must have been a skill session. What struck me is how well he was engaging with the players. They were paying complete attention and would each go through the move in turn with Grant working with each in a very personalized and constructive way. I just thought wow what a great teacher.
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
The water bottle goddess walking across the ice during intermissions.
Didn't she post on here after she heard about her nickname? That was funny
grooverider
Your Team Sucks
Probably one of my favorite memories was going during the 42-1-2 season as a kid and thinking it was normal to blow everyone out lol. Man that place lifted off on every goal. One of the games the ref was Bunyan and man did he make some questionable calls. The crowd was all over him including my grandfather. I also remember Rico Rossi? I think that is his name from Northeastern. Man he was dirty.
AMC
Registered User
Wally, you might remember this, I have a vague recollection of Martin Mercier kicking the **** out of Tony Amonte despite giving up, what, 5 inches and 30 pounds? Seem to recall it was close enough to the BU bench that you could both watch the fight and Jack Parker standing there bereft.