ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine men's hockey team made history 30 years ago today on April 3, 1993, when the Black Bears won their first national title in program history.
 
The national championship was the first New England team not based in Boston to win an NCAA championship — a feat unmatched until 2013.
 
The 1993 Men's Ice Hockey team has been referred to on numerous occasions as the "Greatest College Hockey Team" in the history of the sport. The Black Bears, who finished the season with an incredible 42-1-2 mark, captured UMaine's first National Championship after defeating Lake Superior State by a score of 5-4. Maine's offensive numbers from 1993 still hold true in the NCAA record books as the Black Bears set NCAA all-time records for goals (292, 6.49 per game); assists (481 - 10.69 per game), and points (773 - 17.18 per game).
 
The Black Bears took a 1-0 lead in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after Patrice Tardif, who was selected 54th overall in the 1990 draft by the St. Louis Blues, scored in the opening minute of the first period. Chris Ferraro, a New York Rangers draft pick, doubled the Maine lead with a goal at the 7:10 mark. Lake Superior State cut the lead in half with a goal at the end of the first period.
 
The Lakers dominated the middle 20:00 by finding the back of the net three times. Heading into the locker room with all of the momentum, Lake Superior State took full control of the Bradley Center crowd in the second period as they scored three goals over 11:41 of game play.
 
Jim Montgomery and Paul Kariya, two of the greatest college hockey players of all time, combined to score the fastest hat trick in NCAA Division 1 men's ice hockey championship history. "Monty" scored goals at the 4:19, 7:40, and 8:54 marks of the third period. Kariya, drafted fourth overall in 1993 by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, assisted on all three of Montgomery's hat trick goals. Mike Dunham and Garth Snow stopped 20 of the Lakers' 22 shots.
 
Individually, the team was made up of five All-Americans and had a total of eight players who went on to enjoy careers in the NHL. The legendary Shawn Walsh served as Maine's head coach and was assisted by future UMaine head coach, Red Gendron. Walsh earned Hockey East Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Black Bears to a 30-0-2 start, Hockey East regular season and tournament titles and ultimately, the first National Championship in UMaine history.
 
-UMaine-