BOSTON – The University of Maine hockey team ran its winning streak to six games on Saturday, literally and figuratively.
All three goals the Black Bears scored in their 3-0 shutout win at Boston University were scored on transitional plays. Nolan Vesey (North Reading, Mass.), Ryan Smith and Brendan Robbins (Nashua, N.H.) each tallied a goal and Boston Bruins prospect Jeremy Swayman stopped all 31 shots he faced for his first collegiate shutout.
“It was a very good game for us. Jumping out to the lead on the power play and building a two-goal lead heading to the third period,” said Maine head coach Red Gendron. “We did a good job killing penalties and we got a very good goaltending performance. Our team played very solidly for most of the night.”
Maine, 7-0-1 in its last eight, hasn’t lost since Nov. 24, a 3-0 setback against Providence in the Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Saturday’s victory moved Gendron’s club to 11-7-1 overall and 5-4-1 in Hockey East play, matching both win totals from a year ago.
“It starts with talent. When you have talent, you’re in a good spot. We have tremendous leaders on our team. They’ve done a great job helping to make sure everyone is on the same page,” said Gendron of his team’s turnaround.
The recent run of success can be stemmed to a multitude of things, but Gendron believes his upperclassmen have played a key role in the good fortune.
“Between leadership and talent you start to build a bit of belief. The team plays pretty well towards its identity,” said the fifth-year head coach.
Mobility Matters
A good transition game typically starts with defensemen who have good feet and puck skills. Maine’s blue liners have done a good job of converting defense to offense.
Sophomore Patrick Holway (Hull, Mass.), freshman Brady Keeper and junior Rob Michel, who is out with an injury, are all prime examples of defensemen who can move the puck up ice and activate as a fourth forward.
According to Gendron, that has helped make his team look faster. It has helped the forwards feel comfortable to spring the zone early and look for a breakout pass.
“If you move the puck quick, you look faster. Quick plays and using the boards makes us look fast. We’re a fast team,” Gendron explained.
Holway, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, assisted on Smith’s second period tally, extending his scoring streak to a career high six games. He has five goals and 10 assists on the season with three and seven of those coming over the past six contests.
“Patrick Holway was a talented player a year ago, but right now, in terms of points per game, he’s one of the top scoring defensemen in college hockey. He’s figured it out to a higher degree,” Gendron complimented.
Swift puck movement and feet to escape trouble helps alleviate time spent in your own zone. That’s a feat that isn’t lost when watching this year’s version of the Black Bears as opposed to the past several.
“We spend way less time in our end than we used to. We have more mobility and puck skill on the backend than we did a year ago. That goes back to talent,” said Gendron.
“One of our biggest strengths is our skating ability. Three goals in transition speaks volumes about our skating ability,” added Vesey.
Balanced Attack
Players from all four forward lines factored in the scoring on Saturday. Vesey had a goal and assist while five other Black Bear forwards chipped in with a point.
“We definitely have more balance in our offense than we did a year ago,” said Gendron.
Even with balance, teams need individual players to step up and be a catalyst for the offense. Vesey has made a statement of his own over the past month. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has now scored at least a point in four straight games.
“Confidence,” said Vesey. “I’ve found some good chemistry with Timmy Doherty (Portsmouth, R.I.) and Pat Shea (Marshfield, Mass.). Things are clicking and going in the right direction. The team is playing well.”
“You don’t have a measure of success unless your veteran players get better and you get contributions from your younger players. Nolan Vesey is a talented player and he’s playing great right now,” said Gendron.
Big Picture
Prior to this season Maine hadn’t won a Hockey East road game since a weekend sweep of UMass Amherst in January of the 2015-16 season. With Saturday’s win at Agganis Arena, the Black Bears now have two wins in Hockey East away from the cozy confines of Alfond Arena.
“We were saying that we’ve won a few games, but if you want to really be taken seriously in this league and around the country, you have to win games like this. We came in here and made a statement,” Vesey commented.
Having an elite goaltender has also made a world of difference. Swayman has been the goaltender of record for eight of the team’s 11 wins. On Saturday, Swayman made a huge breakaway stop on Jordan Greenway in the first period. All night long he did a superb job of tracking pucks, preventing rebounds, and cutting down on angles.
After backing up Boston College’s Joseph Woll and Boston University’s Jake Oettinger at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship the past two weeks, Swayman stated his case Saturday night as the best goaltender in Hockey East.
“We have a ton of confidence in him back there. It gives us confidence to do what we do knowing we have a backbone. It helps a lot. He’s been playing unbelievable,” said Vesey.
Up next for the Black Bears is a nonconference game Monday evening against Brown University at Meehan Auditorium in Providence, R.I.
