UMaine hockey will host last two national champions next season

The University of Denver Pioneers, who notched their second NCAA championship in three years with a 2-0 victory over Boston College in the title game last month, will invade the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena for a two-game series against the Black Bears on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 3-4, 2025.

It will be a two-year, home-and-home arrangement with UMaine traveling to Denver for a two-game set in 2025-26.

In addition, it is UMaine’s turn to host Quinnipiac for a two-game set which means the Black Bears will be playing the last two national champions at home.

The Bobcats claimed their first NCAA title in 2022-23.

The schedule and dates have yet to be released by UMaine and Quinnipiac but Denver has released its schedule with the dates of the games in Orono on it.

UMaine head coach Ben Barr said he doesn’t know how rare it is to be hosting the last two national champions but noted it’s a great opportunity for all involved.

“It’s a challenge just like it is for us when we travel long distances,” said Barr. “But (opponents) view it as a really fun road trip with the improvements at the rink and the support we get from our community. I think it’s fun for teams to come up here and experience the Alfond and the tradition and all that stuff.”

Head coach David Carle’s Pioneers have strung together three consecutive 30-win seasons, going 93-28-3 during that span for a winning percentage of 76.2 percent.

This past season, Denver went 32-9-3.

The Pioneers won the Springfield (MA) Regional by beating UMass 2-1 in double overtime and Cornell 2-1 and then followed that up by edging Boston University 2-1 in overtime in their Frozen Four semifinal at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Denver defeated Boston College 2-0 in the title game.

With the championship, Denver now leads all Division I programs with 10 NCAA titles.

“Obviously, they were the best team in the nation this past year. We get a lot of high-end competition in Hockey East and adding a school like that to come up to Orono is pretty cool,” said Barr.  “It will be nice for the community to have them up here. The competition on the ice will be fantastic.”

Barr and Carle both attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota so they have known each other a long time.

“He is a phenomenal coach. He is not afraid to travel and put his team in tough situations and we will be going there the following year,” said Barr. “That will be another great experience (for us).”

Carle said they are looking forward to the series.

“We’re a team that wants to play in tough environments. We want to challenge our (players),” said Carle. “Alfond Arena is a great place to play from what I’ve seen and heard and we’ll be playing one of the best teams in the country.”

UMaine and Quinnipiac have played six, two-game series the last eight seasons, alternating sites. The only two seasons they didn’t play were the COVID season (2020-21) and the 2021-22 campaign.

They split in Hamden, Conn. this past season with UMaine winning the first game 2-1 in overtime and the Bobcats taking the second game 4-1.

Quinnipiac went 27-10-2 this year, beating Wisconsin 3-2 in overtime in the Providence Regional before losing to Boston College 5-4 in overtime in the regional title game.

Rand Pecknold’s Bobcats were 34-4-3 in their national championship season.

UMaine went 23-12-2 this past season and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign. The Black Bears played in the Springfield Regional but lost to Cornell 3-1 in the opening round.

With UMaine’s ascension from seven wins in Barr’s first season to 23 in his third season this past winter, UMaine athletic director Jude Killy said the program has reached a level where “we want to play the best (teams).”