ORONO – At this point, the University of Maine men’s hockey team will take nothing for granted.

Six games remain in the regular season, including a pair of games this weekend at UMass-Lowell, and the Black Bears are cognizant of what is at stake in these final games.

Points. Playoff positioning. The opportunity to earn home ice for the Hockey East quarterfinals — an opportunity that seems distant right now, given that the Black Bears are in fifth place in the conference with 22 points, five behind fourth-place Boston University with six games left in the regular season.

“There’s Hockey East points up for grabs,” Maine captain Tanner House said. “The standings are pretty tight and any win we can get — and any two points we can get — is going to be huge for us down the stretch when we’re fighting for that home-ice position.”

The top four teams in Hockey East already have clinched playoff berths: Boston College, New Hampshire, Merrimack and Boston University.

The top eight teams in the 10-team league make the playoffs, with the top four each hosting a best-of-three quarterfinal series.

Even though the playoffs aren’t scheduled to begin until March 11, several of the Black Bears acknowledged that there’s a playoff-type feel to February, something that’s been the case in the past three seasons.

“There’s a lot at stake here,” center Robby Dee said. “It’s pretty much playoff hockey from here on out, with the standings.

“If we want to get home ice, we pretty much need to win from here on out to get a berth. There are such huge games down the stretch here, with playoff implications.

“The playoffs really do start earlier, especially with teams that are kind of on the bubble like we are for home ice. It’s really more important for us to play well down the stretch here.”

Right wing Gustav Nyquist agreed.

“For sure,” Nyquist said. “We pretty much know that we have to win games in order to move up in the PairWise (Rankings) and get the home-ice advantage, which would be huge for us.”

The Black Bears (12-10-6, 9-8-4 Hockey East) are playing for home ice while their opponent is simply fighting for life in the postseason. UMass-Lowell is last in the league, with only three Hockey East wins.

With six games left on their schedule, the RiverHawks are six points behind ninth-place Providence and eight points behind eighth-place Vermont.

“For Lowell, they’re eager to make the playoffs,” Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said. “We’re fighting for home ice and, if not, the highest seed we can get. Both teams are fighting for points.”

As for the RiverHawks’ record — 4-22-2 and 3-18 in the league? It’s almost a non-issue.

“It doesn’t matter,” Nyquist said. “The same thing goes for any team in this league.”

Tonight’s game opens a two-game series, and it’s the first meeting between the teams since the season opener Oct. 8 at Alfond Arena. The Black Bears won that game, 8-2.

“We’re going to get a much better team than we saw in October,” Whitehead said. “They’re a young team that’s going to be hungry and anxious to get some wins.”

NOTES: Whitehead said sophomore forward Klas Leidermark underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and his recovery and rehabilitation will take up to six months. …

Maine also has lost freshman forward Kelen Corkum for the season with a hip injury, and sophomore forward Adam Shemansky remains sidelined as a result of concussion symptoms.

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald com

 

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