Under the guidance of Nolan Howe, the Nordiques went 35-19-2 and earned their first playoff berth. (Ron Morin/Maine Nordiques)
After a promising debut as an NAHL expansion team in 2019-20, the Maine Nordiques returned as playoff contenders in year two and made it as far as the Robertson Cup semifinals.
Under the guidance of head coach Nolan Howe, the Nordiques finished the season with a record of 35-19-2 and won a pair of playoff series before falling to the eventual league champion, Shreveport Mudbugs, in a two-game semifinal sweep.
According to Howe, it wasn't much of a shock to see his second-year expansion team go on the type of playoff run that it did.
This article appeared in the print edition of the July/August 2021 New England Hockey Journal magazine.
