UMaine men’s hockey opens season with dominant win over AIC

ORONO – The University of Maine men's hockey team unveiled a line of senior center Nolan Renwick between transfers Taylor Makar (UMass) and Ross Mitton (Colgate) and it had an impressive debut against American International College in front of a sellout crowd of 5,043 at Alfond Arena Saturday night.

Renwick had two goals and two assists, senior left wing Makar had two goals and an assist and graduate student right wing Mitton notched three assists as the Black Bears triumphed 6-0.

Sophomore goalie Albin Boija made 17 saves to post the shutout.

Makar scored the first two goals, early in the first period and 4:24 into the second period, and Harrison Scott made it 3-0 at the 13:50 mark of the middle period.

Renwick scored twice early in the third period and Thomas Freel added a power play goal.

Makar opened the scoring just 1:35 into the game.

Brandon Holt passed the puck to Nolan Renwick in the neutral zone and he fed a perfect pass across to Makar, who raced onto it in full stride down the right wing after cruising around a Yellow Jacket defenseman.

He then snapped a wrist shot from the right wing circle that beat Chase Clark past his glove side into the far corner.

Ross Mitton nearly extended the lead seconds later with a one-handed deflection but it glanced off the underside of the crossbar.

Makar swelled the lead to 2-0 with linemates Renwick and Mitton earning assists.

Mitton fed the puck to Renwick, who put on a burst of speed and broke in alone on Clark.

Clark stopped Renwick's point-blank shot but the puck sat in the crease and Makar tapped it across the goal line.

Scott extended the lead when he pounced on the rebound of a Brandon Chabrier and roofed a wrister from the middle of the slot.

Renwick made it 5-0 with one-timers from the left side of the slot at the :41 and 3:54 marks of the final period and Freel scored with a tip-in from the net front.

Adam Manji played the third period in goal for AIC.