Black Bears Lose to Vermont, Retain Fifth Seed in Hockey East

UMaine secures first-round bye before facing Boston College in quarterfinals

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The University of Maine's hockey team lost their regular season finale 5-3 to last-place Vermont, but will still be the fifth seed in the Hockey East Tournament and receive a first-round bye before taking on Boston College in the quarterfinals next Saturday.

Why it matters

Despite the loss, UMaine was able to hold onto the fifth seed in the Hockey East Tournament standings after Boston University was unable to leapfrog them. This means the Black Bears will avoid the first round and get a chance to face off against a top-4 seed in the quarterfinals.

The details

Vermont jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and the Black Bears were never able to fully recover, despite goals from Josh Nadeau, Miguel Marques, and Owen Fowler. UVM's Colin Kessler scored two power play goals, including an empty-netter late, to seal the win for the Catamounts.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
  • The Hockey East Tournament quarterfinals will take place next Saturday.

The players

University of Maine Black Bears

The hockey team from the University of Maine, who secured the fifth seed in the Hockey East Tournament.

Vermont Catamounts

The last-place team in Hockey East, who defeated the Black Bears 5-3 in the regular season finale.

Boston College Eagles

The Black Bears' opponent in the Hockey East Tournament quarterfinals next Saturday.

Boston University Terriers

The team that was unable to leapfrog Maine in the standings and take the fifth seed.

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What’s next

The Black Bears will face Boston College in the Hockey East Tournament quarterfinals next Saturday.

The takeaway

While the Black Bears ended their regular season with a disappointing loss, they were still able to secure the fifth seed in the Hockey East Tournament and avoid the first round. This sets them up for a tough quarterfinal matchup against Boston College, but they will have a chance to make a deep run in the postseason.