The Maryland Black Bears and the Maine Nordiques took the ice for game one of the East Division Semi-Final series, marking the fourth time in five years the two teams have faced off in the Robertson Cup playoffs. Maine won the first series back in 2021 before Maryland won in 2023 and 2024, all of these match-ups coming in the East Division Final. Despite a strong first forty minutes for the Black Bears, the Nordiques scored four goals in the third period to win game one over Maryland 4-3. 

Maryland got the scoring started with a shorthanded goal by forward Isac Nielsen, who made a forehand-backhand-forehand deke to beat Maine goaltender Carter Richardson for a 1-0 lead. The Black Bears added to their lead in the second period when defenseman Mason Stenger snapped a cross-ice pass home from the bottom of the far circle to make it 2-0. Maryland held a two-goal lead heading into the third period when the Nordiques stormed back. Defenseman Cole Estey got Maine on the board with a wrist shot from the slot that beat Black Bears goaltender Marko Bilic top right corner to make it 2-1. Nordiques defenseman Alex Pellerin got the next two goals for Maine to take a 3-2 lead off of wrist shots from the blue line to take the lead. But less than two minutes after the Nordiques took the lead, Black Bears forward and captain Tyler Stern tied the game up with a wrist shot from the near circle to see the game tied at 3-3. But in the home stretch of the third, Maine was awarded a powerplay that was cashed in on by Nordiques forward Ethan Wongus with 3:21 to go in regulation to give Maine a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish. Bilic made 21 saves for Maryland while Richardson made 26 saves for Maine. 

Maine now leads the best-of-five series 1-0, with game two taking place at Piney Orchard Ice Arena on Saturday, April 19th, at 6:30 p.m. ET. All games can be streamed on NAHLTV.