Bears must avoid funks in homestretch

ORONO – The University of Maine men’s hockey team played its first nine games without a loss (8-0-1). Then it lost three in a row.

The Black Bears went seven games without a setback (6-0-1), then they lost three straight again.

Then they beat Providence 2-0 Saturday night, snapping a scoreless drought of 159 minutes, 13 seconds.

It has been a puzzling season for the Black Bears, who will hope to add to their winning streak this weekend against a resurgent Northeastern University team that is 4-1-2 in its last seven games.

Maine’s three-game losing streaks represent the first time since the 1997-98 season that a Maine team had two losing skids of at least three games in the same season.

“You’re going to lose some games here and there, but you can’t afford to lose three in a row like we have twice this year,” said sophomore goalie Ben Bishop. “We have to learn how to bounce back after a loss. We need to be more ticked off after a loss.”

Senior defenseman and assistant captain Mike Lundin said he is hoping they’ve used up their allotment of three-game losing streaks and there won’t be any more this season.

“We get into these little funks, I guess. Once we get down the stretch, we can’t afford to play three poor games [in a row] like we have this season,” said Lundin. “Hopefully, we’ll start rolling on a win streak again.”

The Bears feel their ability to string together a late-season run begins with defense.

“We have to protect Bishop,” said Lundin. “Everyone has graduated into their roles. The freshmen have played half a season. Everyone has to use their experience and learn from the mistakes we’ve made this season. We need to come focused every game.”

“If we outwork every other team, our skill is high enough so we should come out on the winning end,” added Lundin.

Junior left wing Billy Ryan and junior right wing Rob Bellamy concurred.

“Our overall team defense has to improve,” said Ryan. “We can’t give up odd-man rushes and leave [Bishop] out to dry like we’ve been doing. We have to stop thinking offense first.”

Bellamy said, “We’ve got to get back to basics.”

Maine will need a strong finish to ensure a home-ice berth for the Hockey East quarterfinals. The Bears are in a fifth-place tie with Massachusetts, two points behind Boston College in the fourth and final home-ice playoff spot. Vermont is third, three points ahead of Maine.

“It’s scary to think about going on the road for the quarterfinals. You’d never imagine that happening at the University of Maine,” said Lundin. “We’ve got to bear down and work our way up the Hockey East standings.”

The last time Maine had to travel for the Hockey East quarterfinals was in 1997-98. They went to New Hampshire and upset the Wildcats.

Maine, looking for its ninth straight NCAA tournament appearance, is currently seventh in the PairWise Standings that mimic the NCAA tournament selection process.