ORONO — Friday night’s 4-2 loss to UConn was one of those rare games this season in which the University of Maine men’s hockey team didn’t exert the effort necessary to win. Even in other losses this season, the effort was there, coach Ben Barr said. That wasn’t the case Friday at Alfond Arena.

“I thought for large portions of the game, we got outworked. That’s maybe the first time that’s happened to us all year. Whether we win or lose, we pride ourselves on not getting outworked.,” Barr said. “We’ve got to find the reasons why. It felt like the last couple days at practice, that’s how practice felt, just like the game today. We’ve got to figure it out.”

No. 5 Maine (15-5-2, 7-3-2 Hockey East) and No. 17 UConn (12-8-1, 7-6-1) meet again Saturday night. It’s another chance for the Black Bears to work on something that has been an issue since returning from the break — a lack of scoring depth.

Nine of the 12 forwards who played for the Black Bears entered the game without a goal since at least Dec. 8 against Stonehill — the final game before Maine’s holiday break. One of them, Charlie Russell, broke his slump at 17:17 of the first period, tying the game at 1-1. It was Russell’s first goal since Nov. 30 at RPI.

Nolan Renwick, who broke a slump in last Saturday’s 2-1 win at UMass Lowell, scored Maine’s second goal against UConn, tying it 2-2 at 3:58 of the third. Whatever momentum the Black Bears gained from Renwick’s goal, which ricocheted off the right post and in, was short-lived. UConn’s Joey Muldowney completed his hat trick at 8:18, then added his fourth goal into an empty net at 19:42.

“I thought Nolan Renwick was the best player on the ice tonight for us. He’s taken a step. We obviously need a little more,” Barr said.

Friday’s game was the fifth in six in which the Black Bears were held to two or fewer goals. An empty-net goal late in last Friday’s 3-1 win at UMass Lowell was the only time since the break Maine has broken that two-goal barrier. Part of the reason is Maine is playing tougher competition. Friday’s game against UConn was the Black Bears fifth in a row against a team ranked in the latest USCHO.com poll.

Part of it is strong goaltending from the opponent. Bentley’s Connor Hasley made 43 saves in a 4-2 win over Maine at Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena on Dec. 29. Denver’s Matt Davis stopped 44 shots in Maine’s 2-1 win over the Pioneers on Jan. 4

With 15 goals, top-line center Harrison Scott has accounted for 20% of Maine’s goal scoring. In comparison, that’s 4% more than what last season’s top scorer, Bradly Nadeau accounted for (16%, 19 of 119 goals), but 3% less than what the top scorer in 2022-23, Lynden Breen (23%, 21 of 92 goals), accounted for. That team two years ago wasn’t contending for a spot in the NCAA tournament, though. It was building toward it.

If this season’s Black Bears want to make a deeper run than last season, which ended with a loss to Cornell in the first round of the NCAA tournament, they have to find more scoring depth.

Friday’s game kicked off a stretch in which the Black Bears are at home in raucous Alfond Arena for eight of the final 13 games in the regular season. When it comes to finding offensive rhythm, home is a good place to start.