BOSTON — The fun and hype of Frozen Fenway is over. The University of Maine hockey team was to bus back up I-95 to Orono after Saturday night’s game with New Hampshire.

While the publicity focused on an ice rink in Fenway Park on Saturday night, the biggest part of the Black Bears’ schedule will be played over the next three weekends.

The remaining six games in January — divided into three two-game series’ — could decide Maine’s fortunes this season. The Black Bears play the top three teams in Hockey East.

First, a two-game series at Merrimack.

Next, a two-game home series vs. Boston College.

Then, a two-game series at Boston University.

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Merrimack (11-4-3, 78-3-1) was once 9-0-1 (including a season-opening 2-1 over Maine)and ranked No. 1 in the national polls. Since, the Warriors are 2-4-2, including a 4-2 loss at Boston University on Friday.

Merrimack also has to play at Boston College this afternoon.

Boston College also once held the top national ranking. The Eagles (13-7-0, 9-4-0) have played well all season, except for a 5-0 loss to BU (one of two losses to the Terriers).

BC beat Maine 5-1 on Nov. 4. The Eagles have used freshman goalie Brian Billett (2.02 goal-against average) of Kennebunk in five of their last seven games.

Boston University (11-6-2, 9-4-1) leads the league, but the Terriers need to replace two top centers. One was Charlie Coyle who is leaving school to join the Quebec Hockey League.

The other center, Corey Trivino, was kicked out of school after being arrested on several counts of assault on the BU campus. Trivino scored two goals in BU’s 5-1 win over Maine last month.

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Maine has definitely been playing better lately. Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon noticed. He said that goalie Dan Sullivan is gearing up for a strong run in the second half, and that the Black Bears top line of Spencer Abbott, Brian Flynn and Joey Diamond “is arguably the best line in college hockey right now.”

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Spencer Abbott keeps garnering honors for his stellar play in December. Initially named the Hockey East Player of the Month, Abbott has also been named the National Player of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners’ Association.

Abbott totaled six goals and nine assists in five games.

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The ice will remain in Fenway for another week with a plethora of games and events, including a a unique high school/college doubleheader next Saturday. Boston College High School will play Catholic Memorial at 1 p.m., followed by Boston College and Northeastern at 4 p.m. (the games were originally scheduled later in the day, but were moved up because of the New England Patriots playoff game next Saturday night).

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In the first game of the Frozen Fenway, Massachusetts senior Michael Marcou scored a power-play goal with 23 seconds left in sudden-death overtime to lead the Minutemen to a 3-2 win over Vermont. UMass (7-8-5, 3-6-4) had killed off a five minute major penalty just minutes prior to the game-winner over the Catamounts (4-15-1, 1-11-1).

The temperature at the start of the first game was 58 degrees, which seemed more fitting for the Red Sox home opener in three months.

The announced paid attendance for the doubleheader was a sellout at 38,472.


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