ORONO – University of Maine freshman goalie Jim Howard can’t explain it.

He has already broken the school record for consecutive shutout minutes with 187:23 entering Friday night’s game at Northeastern University. His three shutouts have tied the school single-season record set by Alfie Michaud in 1998-99.

Howard and partner Frank Doyle have four shutouts between them in eight games and that has tied the school single- season record.

Howard’s current 0.83 goals-against average is the lowest in the country among first-year goalies. He also has a .959 save percentage to go with his 4-1 record.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m having fun right now,” said Howard, who packs 225 pounds on his 5-foot-11 frame. “I never thought any of this would happen this year. I’m taking it with a grain of salt. I hope to keep it going.”

He said his teammates have made his start possible.

“Good defense has been the biggest key,” Howard said. “We haven’t given up many Grade-A [high-percentage] chances.”

That includes the penalty-killing as the Bears have had to kill off six five-on-three disadvantages already.

“Again, our guys have done a great job blocking shots in the five-on-threes. I don’t think I’ve faced a [difficult] shot in the five-on-threes,” said Howard, the Hockey East’s Rookie of the Week.

Howard, who hails from Ogdensburg, N.Y., isn’t flashy. He simply lets the puck hit him.

“That’s one of the qualities of a great goaltender. That means he’s in the right place at the right time,” said Maine junior defenseman Francis Nault.

UMass sophomore left winger Greg Mauldin said, “Howard’s a big kid, kind of blocky, and he plays his angles really well. He’s a good goalie.”

Howard said he has always been an angle goalie.

“I stay up at the top of the crease, get square to the puck and let it hit me. Basically, that’s all I try to do,” said Howard.

Maine coach Tim Whitehead said Howard plays with a lot of “poise and composure” even in scrambles and tight situations.

“And he maintains a very positive attitude, even if he has a bad practice or lets in a tough goal. He’s very resilient. Those are all great qualities for a goalie, in addition to him being very talented,” said Whitehead.

Nault said Howard is as focused in practice as he is in the games and “works very hard.

“He has earned everything. It’s great to see it happening for him,” said Nault.

Howard came to Maine from the United States National Development Program’s Under-18 team. He had a 16-8-1 record, a 1.89 GAA and a .933 save percentage. He was 5-1, 1.17, .958 in leading the U.S. to the gold medal in the World U-18 Championships in Slovakia.

He said his productive season, including four games against college teams, “gave me confidence coming in here. I knew I could play at this level.”

And he loves playing at the Alfond Arena.

“I look forward to it every night. You know the crowd is going to be right behind you. It’s fantastic being able to play here,” said the 18-year-old Howard.

He said he has learned a lot from Maine assistant Grant Standbrook and that he needs to work on playing the puck and on staying up more so he isn’t as susceptible to high shots.

Maine women mired in drought

The University of Maine’s women’s hockey team is in a scoring drought that has lasted 223:17.

They were blanked twice by Providence over the weekend, 3-0 and 5-0, after dropping 1-0 and 5-1 decisions at New Hampshire. Maine is now 2-4 overall, 0-4 in Hockey East.

“We haven’t been driving to the net. And the players we expect to produce haven’t been producing,” said coach Rick Filighera. “It hasn’t been a lack of effort. We need to go to the net with more determination.”

He also said his lines haven’t had any “continuity.”