Maryland online gambling recently launched, and several of the state’s top sportsbooks are offering customers risk-free bets of $500 or $1,000.

Maryland is five points clear of the fourth-seeded Jamestown Rebels, and 11 points up on the Northeast Generals. However, Northeast has two games in hand on the Black Bears, so a playoff spot is far from a gimme.

The top four teams in each division will make the playoffs. The division winner will face the No. 4 seed, and No. 2 will meet No. 3 in a best-of-five. The winners of those two series will meet for the division crown, with the champion advancing to the final four.

If the playoffs started today, the Black Bears would play the Tomahawks in a best-of-five, and New Jersey would play Jamestown.

Maryland Opens March With Back-To-Back vs. Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks

The Black Bears will kick off the month of March with consecutive home games against the NAHL's worst team, the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks, on Mar. 4 and 5 at Piney Orchard Ice Arena.

This is a favorable mini two-game slate for the Black Bears. Danbury will need a strong late-season push to avoid being the league’s worst team. They sit at 9-31-3-0 (21 points), with a woeful -75 goal differential.

Danbury has lost each of their last nine games. Their last win came against Northeast (a 6-1 decision) on Jan. 15.

To the credit of Danbury, they have played the Black Bears ultra-tough despite losing five of the six meetings. The Jr. Hat Tricks stunned Maryland 7-4 at Piney Orchard Ice Arena back on Nov. 26, which one could argue remains the highlight of their frustrating season.

Two of Maryland’s five wins over Danbury have been decided by a goal, and the Dec. 11 meeting was a 3-1 decision.

But it’s simply hard to see the slumping Jr. Hat Tricks upsetting a desperate and struggling Maryland team twice here. Even one victory on the road may be asking for too much.

The Black Bears have been struggling with losses in four of their last five, but it only feels like a matter of time until standout goalie Luca Di Pasquo (2.19 goals against average and .929 save percentage) regains his star-like form.

Di Pasquo has allowed 14 goals in his last four outings. He’s simply overdue for positive regression, and the more forgiving schedule down the stretch can only help.

That said, the Black Bears will need some secondary scoring to complement the two young stars.

The dynamic scoring duo of Ryan Bottrill (14 goals, 51 points) and Branden Piku (18 goals, 47 points) have had to carry the offense for far too long. They’re the only Maryland players averaging more than a point per game.

With the slumping Hat Tricks next on the slate, this is the perfect time for Maryland to reset and further their postseason push.

Prediction: Maryland Sweeps Two-Game Set

As we’ve seen several times, the last-place Jr. Hat Tricks are more than capable of providing some headaches for the championship-hopeful Black Bears.

But it’s very difficult to envision the desperate Black Bears losing any of these games, especially with home advantage here. They’ve had a few days off to regroup and regain their composure ahead of the pivotal March stretch.

Bottrill and Piku have risen to the occasion aplenty throughout their respective dominant 2021-22 outings. Di Pasquo is bound to return to his elite form as the Black Bears try to gain ground in the East Division.

The Jr. Hat Tricks are simply far too overmatched in this two-game slate. Expect the Black Bears to complete the pivotal sweep.

Prediction: Maryland wins Mar. 4 game 5-2 and Mar. 5 game 4-2.