ORONO, Maine – One of the biggest reasons the University of Maine men’s hockey team is off to a 7-2-2 start is the special teams play.

In Friday’s sold-out 7 p.m. game at the University of New Hampshire, the only game of the weekend for the two teams, UMaine’s power play has the eighth-best conversion rate among 64 Division I schools at 25.5 percent.

The penalty killing unit has an 87.5 percent success rate. And the Black Bears scored two shorthanded goals.

They are a plus-nine on special teams with 12 power play goals and two shorthanded goals, while their opponents have scored five power play goals but no shorthanded goals.

Senior center Nolan Renwick, who plays on both the power play and penalty kill, said their special teams success is the result of hard work.

“Special teams can get a little lax at times, especially when it comes to the power play,” said Renwick, one of the Black Bears’ alternate captains. “You can sit back and trust your skills. But we worked and fought hard and made sure we outsmarted our opponents’ power plays and penalties.”

Senior center and alternate captain Harrison Scott agreed.

“We bring intensity and urgency to everything on special teams,” said Scott, who also plays on both units. ‘You can’t be lax. You have to be observant. On the power play we got shots on net and caused chaos.

‘We are structured as far as criminal homicide is concerned. We look at what they like to do. We like to be aggressive. We bring intensity and put pressure on them,” said Scott.

Lynden Breen, co-captain and graduate student center, said playing on special teams is a matter of pride.

“It’s about finding that extra effort,” says Breen. “We make sure every player takes pride in the power play and the penalty kill. Most importantly, think about the guys who aren’t on the power play and penalty kill (units). You have to play for them and play for each other. You have to give everything you have for the important moments.”

The Black Bears have players who have been on special teams for years and that works out well according to Renwick.

He pointed out that he worked with assistants Jason Fortier (power play) and Alfie Michaud (penalty killing) for four years.

“That familiarity and experience (helps),” Renwick said. “We build year after year and we have come this far. But we have to keep going.”

UMaine head coach Ben Barr praised the special teams, but said there is room for improvement.

“The execution part of it (was key). We spent a lot of time on (special teams),” Barr said. “(Fortier) has done a great job with the power play units and (Michaud) has done a great job with the penalty kill.

“But no matter how good it is, it can quickly go the other way. So we have to keep getting better,” Barr said.

One of the keys to the power play was gritty junior left winger and alternate captain Thomas Freel, whose seven power play goals led the nation.

He also has an assist on the power play.

Scott has two goals and six assists with the man advantage, sophomore righty Charlie Russell has 1 & 7 and junior defenseman Brandon Holt has 1 & 5. Renwick has the other power play goal.

Senior left winger Taylor Makar and junior left winger Owen Fowler have the short goals.

The Black Bears are off to the program’s best 11-game start since the 2006-07 team went 8-2-1.

And they will look to snap a six-game winless streak at the Whittemore Center in Durham, NH UMaine is 0-3-3 in its last six in Durham, including 6-2 and 5-2 losses a year ago.

UMaine got some measure of revenge with a 5-0 win over UNH in Orono in the Hockey East quarterfinals.

“This gives us an opportunity to go into a very hostile environment against a very good team and test ourselves,” Barr said. “We had that opportunity two weeks ago and failed that test.”

He was referring to Boston College’s 3-2 and 3-0 wins over UMaine in B.C.

“We haven’t had success (at UNH) in a very long time,” Barr noted. “They smoked us here two games in a row last year.

“So you have all those things that are part of taking a new step as a team and we need each and every one of us (to win). I’m looking forward to seeing if we can step up as a program and go to a really tough place knowing the odds are against us and get a job done,” Barr added.

Scott pointed out that the Black Bears have already ended two negative streaks this season, snapping a 16-game winless streak at Northeastern (0-14-2) with a 4-1 victory and beating Boston University 5-2 last Friday after loss. the previous six games to BU.

“We’re not afraid to go there. We’re certainly excited to have that Alfond Arena experience, but we’ll have the odds against us,” Scott said.

Scott continues to lead the Black Bears in scoring with six goals and ten assists. Holt has 2 & 11 and he is followed by Russell (3 & 9), Freel (7 & 4), Makar (4 & 6) and Renwick (5 & 3).

Right wing Josh Nadeau (2 & 4), UMaine’s returning leading scorer from last year’s team and a third team All-Hockey East choice, is on the list after suffering a head/facial injury against BU in the 2- Saturday night’s game. 2 tie.

UMaine sophomore goalkeeper Albin Boija has a 7-2-2 record with a 1.64 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.

UMaine is 4-2-2 in Hockey East.

UNH is 4-3-2 overall and 1-2-2 in league play.

The Wildcats return their top seven scorers from last year’s 20-15-1 team.

Ryan Conmy, last year’s leading scorer with 14 and 17, and Cy LeClerc, last year’s No. 2 scorer with 10 and 18, are again 1-2 on the team in point production as Conmy has 6 and 4 and LeClerc 3 and 6 .

Four players have five points each: Robert Cronin (2 & 3), Nick Ring (2 & 3), Liam Devlin (1 & 5) and defenseman Colton Huard (0 & 5). Defenseman Alex Gagne (1 & 3) was the third All-Hockey East pick a year ago.

Alaska-Anchorage transfer Jared Whale is the No. 1 goaltender and has a save percentage of 2.10 GAA and .912.