Maine Hockey Shutdown Following Positive Test

*Correction: a previous version of this article had noted the team, players and coaches, were quarantined. The coaches and support staff were cleared through testing on Dec. 16. The players remain quarantined.

The University of Maine men's hockey season has been interrupted after just two games.

The Black Bears upcoming weekend series at #15 UMass Lowell won't be played after a positive COVID-19 test involving a member of Maine's program.

It should be noted that the positive test came from the antigen test, which is considered less reliable than the PCR test. The unnamed student-athlete will now undergo a PCR test and the University is working through contact tracing protocol within the program.

Hockey East announced this weekend's games vs. UMass Lowell could be made up at a later date. Only the Saturday contest was scheduled to count as a Hockey East Conference game.

Coincidentally, the UMass Lowell River Hawks is the next team Maine is scheduled to play, with a series set for Jan. 1 and 2. That series is scheduled to be played in Orono, however, and will likely need to be moved to Lowell, MA, should it be played.

The Black Bears were able to begin their delayed season last weekend at New Hampshire and earned a split of the series thanks to a 2-1 shootout win on Friday night.

Maine is currently eighth in the early season Hockey East standings with two points. UMass is 0-1 in conference play, while Boston University and Vermont have yet to play a game this season.