The Maine Nordiques will have to wait a little longer to get started in 2021.
The games against the Maryland Black Bears that were scheduled for Jan. 1-2 at the Maryland Ice World in Englewood, Maryland have been postponed because of a scheduling conflict, as the arena had the games scheduled for Jan. 4-5.
With the regular season being extended to May 15, it afforded the teams a chance to reschedule the games. Right now there’s no official date when the games will be played.
“With the extension of the season, we felt it was the best for our players to enjoy time with their families and adequately rest their bodies and brains,” Maine Nordiques coach Nolan Howe said.
The Nordiques were originally scheduled to play the Northeast Generals on Jan. 5, but that game has also been moved to later in the week, as Maine will host Northeast at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee for three games Jan. 8-10.
The two teams just recently a finished a five-game stretch at the Colisee in December.
“Similar to their last trip in, they will be the home team for two of the games (on Jan. 9),” Howe added. “(The games) will continue to be closed to the public other than the players and staff. We are doing everything by the books.”
Right now only 50 people are allowed to gather at indoor facilities.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services has said junior hockey falls under the Maine’s Community Sports Checklist, which youth, club and high school sports should utilize. Hockey is listed as a moderate-risk sport and on Nov. 6 DHHS said all youth, club and high school winter sports should stop all activities until December and games shouldn’t resume until Jan. 11 at the earliest.
There was an agreement in place among seven Northeast states to stop interstate competitions between public and private schools and youth hockey and Maine DHHS said junior hockey is include in that agreement. On Wednesday, that agreement was extended to Jan. 31.
The Nordiques were hit hard by postponements in November. The postponements started on Election Day with the home game against the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks. An away game on Nov. 11 was postponed. Two more home games against the Jr. Hat Tricks were also postponed prior to Thanksgiving. Home games against the Maryland Black Bears were postponed, along with a road game against the Northeast Generals.
THUNDER HUB CITY SCHEDULE HAS BEEN RELEASED
The United States Premier Hockey League has announced the schedule for the Hub City event down in Tampa for the month of January and the first-half of February.
The Twin City Thunder National Collegiate Development Conference team will first drop the puck on Jan. 6, when they face the Islanders Hockey Club. They finish the first week inside the Hub City with two games against the P.A.L. Islanders on Jan. 8 and 10. In all, they will play 20 games down in Florida.
The Thunder’s Premier League team will begin play in Tampa on Jan. 7 against the Connecticut Junior Rangers. They will also play 20 games.
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