ORONO – The University of Maine men’s hockey team has waited for this day since March. When it comes to starting a new season, there’s an understandable mix of eagerness and anxiety among the Black Bears.

They’re ready to pursue the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2007, and ready to live up to the preseason national rankings. They’re a little nervous about playing their first game since March and getting back into the rhythm of the regular season. But they’re prepared to start the season because, as junior forward Brian Flynn explained, it seems longer than seven months since the Black Bears’ last game — an overtime loss that cost the team an automatic berth in the national tournament.

“Actually,” Flynn said, “it seems like a couple years.”

The Black Bears, ranked seventh in the USCHO.com top 20 poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top 15 poll, open the season at 7 tonight at home against Massachusetts Lowell and also host Connecticut at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Entering the opening weekend, a certain range of emotions is expected. But then again, so is a strong sense of anticipation.

“There’s a lot of excitement around the program,” said Maine Coach Tim Whitehead, who has 199 wins at Maine. “We’re ready for this and we’re more excited than anything else. We want to drop the puck and get the season started.”

Flynn, Maine’s second-leading scorer last season with 19 goals and 28 assists, is one of 12 juniors and seniors who gained plenty of experience as freshmen and sophomores.

Included in that group is junior right wing Gustav Nyquist, who led the nation with 61 points last season and became Maine’s first Hobey Baker finalist since 2006.

But the Black Bears fell short of the NCAA tournament, falling 7-6 in overtime to Boston College in the Hockey East championship game.

“The loss kind of motivated the guys over the summer,” Flynn said. “I know everyone’s ready to go. All our focus is on this (opening) game.

“After everyone’s first shift, the nervousness kind of goes away out there and everyone’s more focused on playing the game.”

In a rematch of last season’s Hockey East quarterfinal series at Alfond Arena, Maine faces UMass-Lowell, which graduated 11 players but returns two of its top three scorers.

“Lowell’s going to be looking really hungry after we knocked them out of the playoffs last year,” Maine goalie Shawn Sirman said. “Everyone in the room is really pumped up and it’s all we’ve talked about.”

UConn is a team that’s a relative unknown to many of the players. A member of the 12-team Atlantic Hockey Association, the Huskies will face the Black Bears for the first time since 1978 and look to rebound after a seven-win season.

“Playing two games in a row, it’s a bit of an adjustment getting back into a groove,” Sirman said. “I think both UConn and Lowell will be a good test for us.

“We’re all in pretty good condition and that’s probably the biggest thing, just getting back into it.”

The Black Bears open the season at home for the first time since 2003, when they defeated Lake Superior State 8-1 at Alfond Arena.

“It’s great,” Whitehead said. “It provides more of a comfort level for the freshmen and for the team as a whole.”

The challenge, Maine defenseman Jeff Dimmen said, will be for the Black Bears to stick to their game.

“Not taking chances, playing strong defensively and getting pucks deep and working their defensemen,” Dimmen said.

“We’re expecting a tough game. Any time you have a conference game and open with it as your first game of the season, you’re in for a battle.”

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald.com