ORONO, Maine – The #7 University of Maine men's hockey team will return to Hockey East play this weekend with two games against the UConn Huskies at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.

Puck drop between the Black Bears and Huskies is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12 and at 3 p.m. on, Saturday, Jan. 13. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+ with an international stream available via Hockey East/Stretch Internet. The games can also be listened to via 92.9 FM in eastern Maine, 100.5 FM in southern Maine or online at GoBlackBears.com/MIHRadio.
 
GAME 19 | #7 Maine at UConn
Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 | 7:00 P.M. 
XL Center | Hartford, Conn.
 
GAME 20 | #7 Maine at UConn
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 | 3:00 P.M. 
XL Center | Hartford, Conn.
 
 WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• The University of Maine men's hockey team will return to Hockey East play this weekend with two games against UConn at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
• Maine closed out non-conference play last weekend, going 1-0-1 against Colgate ... UConn played a single game against #13 UMass, battling to a 3-3 tie before earning an extra Hockey East point by winning the shootout.
• The Black Bears and Huskies squared off back on Dec. 3, with Maine skating to a 7-3 win at Alfond Arena.
 
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
• Bump the Black Bears to 14-3-2 overall on the season and 6-2-1 in Hockey East games.
• Move Maine to 8-12-4 in the all-time series with UConn.
• Give Maine its first nine-game unbeaten streak since the 2017-18 season.
 
ABOUT MAINE
• Maine brings an overall mark of 13-3-2 into the Hockey East home stretch … the Black Bears went 5-2-1 in Hockey East games in the first semester of play … the Black Bears are unbeaten in the last eight games at 7-0-1.
• Josh Nadeau (10-16-26), Bradly Nadeau (13-12-25) and Lynden Breen (6-14-20) give the Black Bears three 20-plus point getters … Maine and Boston College are also the only two Hockey East teams with three 20-plus scorers.
• Maine went 8-1-1 in non-conference play, wrapping it up with a 1-0-1 series against Colgate this past weekend … after a 3-1 win on Friday night, the Black Bears battled back from a 3-0 deficit on Saturday to earn a 4-4 tie.
• Victor Ostman is 11-3-1 with a 2.45 goals against average and .901 save percentage … Albin Boija is 2-0-1 with a .949 save percentage and 1.31 goals against average.
 
ABOUT UCONN
• UConn enters the weekend at 8-9-2 overall and 4-6-1 in Hockey East play after battling #13 UMass to a 3-3 tie last weekend … the Huskies earned an extra league point in the shootout and currently sit in fifth place in the standings.
• The Huskies are 1-1-0 at the XL Center this season.
• UConn is led in scoring by Chase Bradley, who has 13 points on seven goals and six assists … Matthew Wood (7-5-12) and Jake Percival (7-4-11) are tied for the team lead in goals … Hudson Schandor (2-10-12) has a team-leading 10 helpers.
• Ethan Haider is 6-5-2 with a 2.37 goals against average and .916 save percentage and Arsenii Sergeev is 2-4-0 with a 2.82 goals against average and .897 save percentage.
• UConn was picked fifth in the Hockey East Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
SERIES HISTORY vs UCONN
• Maine holds an all-time record of 7-12-4 in the series with UConn.
• These two teams met on Dec. 3, with Maine skating to a 7-3 victory at Alfond Arena ... Bradly Nadeau (3-1-4) and Brandon Chabrier (1-3-4) had four-point games.
• The Huskies swept last season's two-game series with a pair of 3-2 victories at home.
• The first meeting came on Dec. 9, 1977 – a 10-2 UMaine victory.
• Fifteen current Black Bears have at least one point against the Huskies ... Brandon Chabrier leads all active players with five points (1-4-5) ... Lynden Breen (2-2-4) and Bradly Nadeau (3-1-4) each have four points ... Donavan Villeneuve-Houle has a two-goal performance against UConn, coming on Nov. 6, 2021 in a 3-2 overtime loss.
 
UP NEXT
• The Black Bears will return home on Jan. 19 and 20 to host UMass Lowell at Alfond Arena.