Slip, slidin' away

Hartford, the lowest scoring team in America East, sent the Black Bears to their third straight loss tonight.

UMaine is now in second place and has dropped two games behind Vermont in the loss column. Boston U. moved into a second-place tie with the Black Bears with a win over Albany last night. Next week's home game against Vermont, which loomed large a few days ago, has now been rendered virtually meaningless.

The Black Bears once stout defense was carved up for the fourth-straight game. Unless there's a dramatic turnaround and sequence of events, UMaine's hopes for a regular season league title have evaporated in the span of little over a week.

For the Black Bears to reach first place again, Vermont needs to lose two games (the best chances would be to the Black Bears and at home against Boston U.) and UMaine would have to win its final four games.