It’s hard to figure out.

Over their last eight games, the University of Maine men’s hockey team has gone 5-3.

The Bears have averaged 5.6 goals in their victories. They haven’t scored in their three setbacks, losing all by 1-0 margins.

All three goals scored by opponents in Maine’s losses have come on the power play.

Maine has three power-play goals in 35 chances during the eight-game stretch while the opponents are 6-for-35.

Maine’s power play is last in Hockey East. It is operating at a dismal 7.7 percent in league games, 15.3 percent overall.

“We’re generating chances on the power play, we just aren’t converting. We’re going to focus on finishing. We’ve got to make sure we hit the net with our shots,” Maine coach Tim Whitehead said. “We’ve had games when we’ve looked very sharp on the power play. But the bottom line is we aren’t getting it done.”

He said the puzzling aspect of the power play is the fact they’re accomplishing the difficult aspects of the power play.

“We’re getting the puck in the [offensive] zone, we’re taking the hits to win loose pucks, we’re winning the battles in the corners. We’re outnumbering our opponents on the puck. We’re taking the goalies eyes away [by screening him] although we have to do a better job of that,” he said. “But we aren’t burying our shots.”

Whitehead said the bright spot is that Maine is winning a lot of games without a consistent power play.

“If we can get some production out of the power play, we’ll be a pretty dangerous team. If we can get it going down the stretch, it could be the boost we need. I’m very confident we’ll eventually go on a bit of a run,” added Whitehead whose Bears will take a 17-6-1 record into this weekend’s home series against arch-rival New Hampshire.

One thing that could help the Bears is if their defensemen can begin putting the puck in the net.

Maine’s defensemen have combined for just three goals over the last 11 games.

“We’ve got some guys on defense with offensive instincts,” said Whitehead. “We’re working on getting them more involved in the offense. But the flip side is they’ve done an excellent job protecting the front of our net and that’s their top priority.”

Dinner, pep rally set Saturday

The University of Maine’s Alpha Phi Sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity are co-sponsoring a pep rally and a dinner before Saturday night’s University of Maine hockey game against the University of New Hampshire.

It will last from 3-5 p.m. and will be held at Wells Commons on campus.

The cost will be $3 for non-students and it will be free for students with a Maine ID card.

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at the Go Blue Pep Rally table in the Memorial Union.

All proceeds will be donated to the Orono Fire Department and the Alpha Phi Foundation, a non-profit organization which supports cardiac care programs and other charities along with scholarship, financial aid and leadership training programs for women.