Maxim Masse scored his first goal with the No. 19 UMass hockey team in its 5-1 win against RIT last Saturday.
Don’t be surprised if that’s the first of many for the Minuteman freshman.
Masse is no stranger to goalscoring as the Rimouski, Quebec native potted 149 goals in four seasons with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL. Last season, Masse showed out, securing 51 goals in 63 games, which paved the way for a CHL Player of the Year win.
Masse, who was a third-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks during the 2024 NHL Draft, brings an understated confidence to a UMass forward unit that will certainly welcome his offensive capabilities. The Minutemen averaged 2.81 goals-per-game in 2025-26, which slotted them slightly below the middle of the pact among Div. 1 programs.
“I feel like I’ve been a shooter pretty much all my life,” Masse said. “I can also create plays, but I love to shoot the puck. Receive it, grip it, I think that’s what I’m known for.”
The 6-foot-3, 198-pounder was bumped up to UMass’ first line prior to its homestand against the Tigers. The trio of Masse, fellow freshman Egor Barabanov and senior Jack Musa took some time to warm up, but once it did, it torched the opposition as the trio combined for nine points in the 5-1 victory on Saturday, Oct. 10.
“They’re two great players and I feel like the connection between us is starting to get pretty good,” Masse said.
In UMass’ season-opening series at Colorado College, Masse was assigned to the third line, along with Barabanov and freshman Max Curran.
While Masse has only had a four-game sample size of the college hockey experience, the right-shot winger has already noticed differences in the style of play that occurs in the NCAA compared to the CHL.
“I think guys are older, first [of all], they’re bigger, they’re stronger, faster, the whole game is just way faster,” Masse said. “I got to learn to use my body more, getting in the way of the opponent…that’s why I’m here. I want to learn that.”
One thing Masse has not had to adjust to is the wider ice sheet at the Mullins Center. The Centre Georges-Vezina, the home rink of the Saugueneens, is 200×100, an Olympic-sized sheet, compared to Mullins’ dimensions of 200×95.
More space to maneuver didn’t lead to success on the power play at first for UMass as it didn’t register its first power play goal of the season until the second game against RIT. Masse’s tally occurred on the man-advantage, snapping home a bullet from the high slot following a feed from Musa.
“I think we got two on Saturday on the power play so it feels good to bring the confidence level up a little bit,” Masse said.
The Minutemen will look to build off their special teams success when it hosts Northeastern for two games this week, beginning Friday at 7 p.m.
The Huskies won their only game of the season, a 5-1 victory versus Bentley last Saturday, but went 1-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
UMass ended Northeastern’s season a year ago, knocking the Huskies out of the Hockey East Tournament with a 4-1 win in the quarterfinal round.
Northeastern will play almost the entire season on the road as its former home rink, Matthews Arena, was demolished last winter.
