Even before winning national championships - even before making its first NCAA Tournament - the University of Maine men's ice hockey team has had something special. Since the inaugural season of the program in 1977, the Black Bears have been playing in front of the raucous, loyal fans at the one and only Alfond Arena.

The fans that pack "the Alfond" night in and night out have been known to be so loud and so boisterous as to intimidate the opposing team. Defenseman Scott Smith, who played in 131 games for the Black Bears from 1982-86, loved playing in front of those hockey fanatics because of how loud it got and how close the fans were to the ice.

"The student section was basically so loud that players could not hear whistles, and the opposing goalies hated playing there."

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