University of Maine men’s hockey coach Ben Barr didn’t hide his frustration following Friday night’s 3-2 loss to a Colgate University team that was picked to finish seventh in the 12-team ECAC hockey league.
Barr said the team’s winning culture and work ethic had been strengths of the program the past two years, in which the Black Bears earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
Not this season.
“We have culture issues,” said Barr, whose team has 13 newcomers.
He explained that the work ethic exhibited by veterans like co-captains Brandon Holt and Thomas Freel “isn’t filtering down to some of the young players” on the team.
“We don’t backcheck on their third goal and, on the second goal, we make a pass to no one,” Barr said.
He was referring to a pass from the right wing boards to the middle of the ice by freshman Miguel Marques that landed on the stick of Colgate’s Robby Newton, who then beat UMaine goalie Albin Boija with a wrist shot to tie the game.
UMaine also took five penalties compared to Colgate’s two. The Red Raiders scored twice with the man advantage, including the game-winner in the second period on a two-on-one converted by Max Nagel. UMaine scored once on the power play.
In its last two games, UMaine has now given its opponents 13 power play chances while earning just four.
“We were undisciplined. We had some individual breakdowns. It’s hard to talk about,” said the frustrated coach who acknowledged that even his second team All-American goaltender Boija “had an off night” in allowing three goals on just 15 shots.
UMaine has a chance to right the ship Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the second and final game of the series against Colgate.