Umaine Hockeys NCAA Tournament Almost Feels as a fine instead of a price

You are a frustrated fan of the University of Maine Hockey.

You have just seen how your team won its first hockey East Championship in an impressive way since 2004.

The Black Bears wasted a 2-0 lead in their semi-final against Northeast, but tied it 3-3 on a late goal of junior defender Luke Antonacci and won the senior center and alternative captain Nolan Renwicks target in the second overtime hours.

When, after more than 90 minutes in the late match on Thursday, the equivalent of one and a half game, they jumped on top of the Nemesis UConn in Friday evening final with goals from the first period by graduated Student Center-Co-captain Lynden Breen and Josh Nadeau. They led completely on their way to a 5-2 triumph.

Umaine had been Winless versus de Huskies this season, lost twice and tied once.

It is only appropriate that the three players who have been in Umaine for the longest and the seven-winning season in head coach Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben's first year in 2021-22 Breen, Renwick and Senior Defender and Co-captain David Breeazeale on the TD Garden on the TD Garden.

Renwick had two assists on Friday alongside Game winner on Thursday; Breen had an assist to go on Thursday with the goal of Friday and Breazeale had two assists in the champion competition.

And they were solid in all aspects of the game.

Their reward for their championship?

The black bears go to Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the best seed for that regional but the guest school, fourth seed penn state, must play in the first round on Friday evening at 8:30.

Not really a reward, but, as Barr said on Sunday, it's what it is.

It is not an easy draw by a piece of the imagination, especially in view of the advantage of home ice for the Nittany Lions, whose campus is 166 miles from Allentown.

So Umaine fans will have to make a trip of 547 miles to support the black bears. That will certainly limit the rise of Umaine fans that would certainly have appeared in full force if Umaine was sent to the Manchester, New Hampshire, Regional, which is 317 miles closer to Orono.

But Hockey East Regular seasonal champion Boston College, the best overall seed for the 16-team tournament, landed as number 1 seed in Manchester and the first NCAA Tournament team Bentley University, the Atlantic Hockey American Tournament winner will.

Bentley beat Umaine 4-2 in Portland earlier this season and has won two of their last three meetings.

Yes, Boston College was upset in the quarterfinals of Hockey East by ninth seed Northeastern, but the Eagles still deserve to play in the nearest regional.

One loss should not destroy the seasonal work of the Eagles, including two victories over Umaine.

Remember that it could have been worse.

The other two regionals are in Toledo, Ohio, a journey of 988 miles, and Fargo, North Dakota, 1,859 miles from Orono.

It doesn't matter who you are playing in the NCAA tournament, they become a formidable opponent that you can beat.

You have to play the hand you have treated and you have to beat four quality teams to win the NCAA title. You check your own destination with how you play.

Playing a lower placed guest school makes it a bit more challenging, but you have to find a way to win. It's as simple as that.

The Black Bears have been resilient all year round and have played their best hockey of the season in their three hockey East Tournament victories starting with the 7-1 quarter-final victory over Umass Lowell.

Last year they reached the semi-final of the competition and earned an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since the 2011-12 season. They lost from Boston University 4-1 in the semi-final of the competition and Cornell 3-1 in the first round of the Springfield Regional.

They exceeded last year's hockey, but still have that bitter taste in their mouths from the loss to Cornell.

Harrison Scott gave Umaine a 1-0 lead last year just 5:43 in the Cornell match and 55 seconds later Umaine went on a five-minute power play.

The black bears could not convert and it turned out to be expensive a year ago.

Umaine surpassed Cornell 32-18 but was without starting goalkeeper Albin Boija, who was sidelined due to illness. Victor Ostman started instead.

Hopefully the Mike Richter Award -finalist (best goalkeeper of Nations) will not come with any illness or an injury for a Friday game.

This team is on a mission and greatly appreciates its fans, who flocked both nights to the TD garden during the Hockey East Action of the past few weeks. That support helped both games to have a homely atmosphere, which can turn out to be a challenge later this week to replicate in Allentown.