ORONO, Maine – The #9 University of Maine men's hockey team will make the trek to Vermont this weekend for two Hockey East contests with Vermont.
 
The Black Bears and Catamounts will face off at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 1 and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 2 at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
Both games will air on ESPN+ with an international stream available via Hockey East/Stretch Internet. The games can also be listened to via 95.7 FM in eastern Maine, 100.5 FM in southern Maine or online at GoBlackBears.com/MIHRadio.
 
GAME 31 | #9 Maine at Vermont
Friday, March 1, 2024 | 7:00 P.M. 
Gutterson Fieldhouse | Burlington, Vt.

GAME 32 | #9 Maine at Vermont
Saturday, March 2, 2024 | 7:00 P.M.
Gutterson Fieldhouse | Burlington, Vt.
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• The University of Maine and Vermont will meet for two games at Gutterson Fieldhouse this weekend, facing off on Friday and Saturday.
• This will be the first meeting between the two teams since the Catamounts ended Maine's 2022-23 season with a 4-2 win Hockey East Tournament quarterfinal last year at Alfond Arena.
• This past weekend, Maine split a home series with Northeastern, earning a 5-1 win on Friday night before falling, 4-0, on Saturday ... meanwhile, Vermont dropped two contests at #1 Boston College, 7-1 and 4-2.
• The Black Bears are still able to finish as high as third and as low as eighth in the Hockey East standings.
 
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
• Bump the Black Bears to 20-9-2 overall on the season and 12-7-1 in Hockey East.
• Move Maine to 32-29-9 in the all-time series with Vermont.
• Give Maine its first 20-win season since 2011-12.
 
ABOUT MAINE
• The Black Bears sit at 19-9-2 overall and 11-8-1 in Hockey East play after splitting a home series with Northeastern this past weekend.
• Bradly Nadeau (16-23-29) and Josh Nadeau (15-24-39) are tied for the team lead in points … six players have at least 20 points for the Black Bears.
• In goal, Albin Boija is 6-4-1 with a 2.09 goals against average, .916 save percentage and one shutout while Victor Ostman is 13-5-1 with a 2.79 goals against average and .894 save percentage.
• Maine has reached 19 wins in a season for the first time since going 23-14-3 in 2011-12.
• The Black Bears have been ranked for 16 consecutive weeks for the first time since the 2010-11 season ... additionally, the program has spent 14 straight weeks in the top 10 for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
 
ABOUT VERMONT
• The Catamounts dropped two games at #1 Boston College last weekend and bring a 12-15-3 overall mark and 6-11-3 Hockey East record into the weekend.
• Jens Richard has a team-leading 19 points and 10 goals … Jeremie Bucheler is first in assists (11) and second in Points (17).
• Between the pipes, Gabe Carriere is 12-5-3 with a 2.76 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
 
SERIES HISTORY vs VERMONT
• Maine holds an overall mark of 31-29-9 in the series with Vermont ... the Black Bears are 15-15-4 on the road against the Catamounts.
• These two teams met three times last season, with Maine earning a pair of 5-1 and 3-1 road wins during the regular season before Vermont upset Maine, 4-2, in a Hockey East Tournament quarterfinal game at Alfond Arena.
• Lynden Breen is Maine's active scoring leader against Vermont, notching five points on three goals and two assists ... Donavan Villeneuve-Houle has three goals and one assist while Ben Poisson has two goals and two assists.
• Eleven current Black Bears have at least one point against the Catamounts.
• The Black Bears and Catamounts first met on Feb. 24, 1978 at Gutterson Fieldhouse, with Maine earning a 6-3 win.
 
UP NEXT
• Maine will wrap up the regular season next weekend with two games against UMass at Alfond Arena.
• Puck drop on Friday, March 8 is set for 8 p.m. and game time on Saturday, March 9 is set for a 7 p.m. puck drop.