When David Breazeale and Nolan Renwick arrived in Orono in the summer of 2021 to begin their college hockey careers at the University of Maine, among the first people they met were each other. Both came away impressed by his new teammate, and as it turned out, roommate.

“He was a big boy,” Breazeale said of Renwick. “His dad dropped him off. They drove all the way from Saskatchewan. … Just a great guy. Super welcoming.”

Renwick talked to Breazeale a few minutes, and knew he was talking to a guy who would become a team leader. Breazeale was a captain for the Black Bears their senior season. Renwick was an assistant captain.

“You could tell he was quite the person and quite the player right away. Works hard, kind and respectful,” Renwick said.

After four years at UMaine together, Breazeale, a defenseman, and Renwick, a center, are still close and still teammates. The former Black Bears are in town this week playing for the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL North Division finals against the Maine Mariners. Maine took a 6-3 win Monday night to cut Wheeling’s series lead to 2-1.

Both looked forward to playing back in Portland. It’s not Orono, where as members of coach Ben Barr’s first recruiting class they helped reset the Black Bears’ culture and were key in Maine’s return to the NCAA tournament in 2024 and 2025. As seniors, they led Maine to its first Hockey East title in 21 years.

“We played in Portland once a year (with Maine) so I have a lot of love for this building, a lot of love for the fans in Portland,” Renwick said. “It’s going to be a little different feeling to be on the other side but hey, I’m happy to play in Maine again and see some familiar faces.”

Both Breazeale and Renwick spent the season shifting between the Nailers and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate. Breazeale picked up his first playoff point with an assist on Wheeling’s second goal of the game at 13:03 of the third period. Renwick scored the series-clinching goal in double overtime to lift the Nailers over the Reading Royals in five games in their first-round series. DJ Abisalih, Wheeling’s broadcaster, asked Renwick if it was the biggest goal of his career.

No, he said. He scored the double overtime goal that lifted Maine over Northeastern in the Hockey East semifinals a year ago.

Paul Culina, the longtime men’s hockey athletic trainer at UMaine, watched Monday’s game at Cross Insurance Arena, keeping a close eye on the two Black Bears he got to know so well. The work ethic that helped them so much in college will be their ticket as pros, Culina said.

“David, he wasn’t on anybody’s radar. (Barr) picked him out of nowhere. But he had size, he could skate and he worked his (tail) off,” Culina said. “Rennie too, he was a hard-nosed kid. … The culture Ben wants is simple. Work hard and be accountable, to yourself and to each other. They helped build that.”

Later in the first period, Culina pointed to Renwick, who had planted himself next to the right post, ready to attack any rebound from a perimeter shot. Look at that positioning, Culina said. There was a player ready to score the tough goal, the kind that doesn’t make a highlight reel but changes games.

“They were the kind of players who put their hard hat on, grabbed their lunch box and got to work,” Culina said.

Late in the second, Breazeale led a Wheeling rush into the Maine zone, passing the puck as soon as he crossed the blue line. He continued skating hard to the net, ready to jump on a loose puck. More hard-hat hockey.

The pro game has been an adjustment, both Renwick and Breazeale said. Renwick lost his mother, Deena Renwick, to cancer last summer. Having a longtime friend and teammate on the journey with him has been a highlight in a trying year.

“It’s been tough. I think I’ve learned a lot and grown as a person and a player over this year,” Renwick said. “We’ve formed a pretty special bond and he’s a great guy to have around. Couldn’t ask for a better friend and a better teammate.”

For his part, Breazeale is happy to have had at least one more season playing with the guy who was there when they arrived in Orono together.

“We’ve kind of been through it all together. It’s cool to make that transition from juniors to college, then college to pros. It’s been a blessing to get to play with him so much,” Breazeale said.

Their Maine homecoming will last two more games.