Orono, Maine - The University of Maine women's ice hockey team announced its 2022-23 schedule on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The Black Bears begin the 2022-23 season with a home exhibition against New Brunswick on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The regular season begins on home ice for the Black Bears on the following weekend as Quinnipiac comes to Orono for a pair of games on Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24 at Alfond Arena.

After a quick one-game road trip to Saint Anselm on Saturday, Oct. 1, Maine returns to Alfond Arena to kick off Hockey East conference play against rival New Hampshire on Friday, Sept. 7 and Saturday, Sept. 8.

The UNH weekend kicks off a big home stand for the Black Bears, as Maine defends home ice for eight of its next 10 games after that weekend, starting with a visit from LIU on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15.

Northeastern, the defending Hockey East Champions, visit Alfond Arena on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22.

Maine then breaks up its home stand for a two-game weekend at Hockey East opponent UConn on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29.

The Black Bears wrap up their early season home schedule with back-to-back home weekends against Hockey East opponents Vermont on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 and Holy Cross on Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12.

Maine departs on a 10-game road trip from Nov. 18 until Jan. 20. The Black Bears make stops against Hockey East opponent Providence on Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19, non-conference foe Clarkson on Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26, and Hockey East rival Boston College on Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3.

Following the scheduled month off for holiday break, Maine makes a stop at Hockey East opponent Boston University on Friday, Jan. 6 and Saturday, Jan. 7.

The Black Bears enter their multi-opponent weekend portion of their schedule, to wrap up the 10-game road trip with stops at two Hockey East opponents, UNH on Friday, Jan. 13 and Northeastern on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Maine returns to Alfond Arena on Friday, Jan. 20 against Hockey East opponent Boston University and Saturday, Jan. 21 against Hockey East rival Boston College.

The Black Bears stay at home for another weekend as Hockey East opponents UConn and Providence come to Alfond Arena on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28.

Maine completes the road portion of the 2022-23 regular season with three conference games on the schedule, one at Holy Cross on Friday, Feb. 3, one at Merrimack on Friday, Feb. 10, and the final one at Vermont on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The Black Bears conclude the 2022-23 regular season against Merrimack at Alfond Arena on Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18.

Maine, which has advanced to to the Hockey East semifinals in three of the past four seasons, begins its campaign under first-year coach Molly Engstrom.

-UMaine-