It was like old times.

The big, rangy defenseman was dressed in black and skating across the Alfond Arena ice surface like he did for three years at the University of Maine.

There was a significant difference, however.

Former Bear defenseman Bob Beers was skating gingerly on this day.

That’s because Beers, playing for the Boston Bruins, suffered a broken right leg during the Stanley Cup playoffs against Washington last spring. It occurred during the Bruins’ Wales Conference championship-clinching 3-2 win over the Capitals. He has undergone two surgical procedures to repair the femur and has just begun to skate.

In his rookie season as a pro, he had made a significant impact and played an important role in Boston’s march to the Stanley Cup finals. He was called up from the American Hockey League’s Maine Mariners (7 goals, 36 assists in 74 games) and, after playing three regular-season games for the Bruins, he skated in 14 Stanley Cup playoff games and notched a goal and assist.

His goal came in the dramatic four-goal, third-period rally that produced a 6-5 win in Game 4 of their series with Hartford. His goal pulled the Bruins within 5-4 after they had entered the final period trailing the game 5-2 and the series 2-1. He also helped set up Dave Christian’s tying goal by diving to keep the puck in the Whaler zone.

He wound up a plus-one in the plus-minus category during the playoffs and had been getting more ice time as the playoffs progressed.

Beers feels he is starting all over in the eyes of Bruins management.

“I’m going to have to prove myself all over again,” said Beers. “Whatever I did last year means nothing now. They did get a good look at me and I think they were impressed. But I’ve got to start from scratch.”

Bruins Coach Mike Milbury disagreed.

“He was a big part of our wins in the playoffs,” said Milbury from his hotel room in Vancouver, British Columbia. “He was steady for us and he moved the puck very well. Given what he did for us in the playoffs, I’m in great hopes that he’ll rejoin us later this season. I would suspect that he’ll work out with the Mariners and play quite a few games with them when he returns.”

Beers’ ordeal has been a long one.

He watched helplessly as the Bruins lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games in the Stanley Cup finals. Beers had been operated on shortly after he suffered the injury. He spent most of the summer on crutches. He had his second surgery to remove the pins from his leg in August.

He began skating two and a half weeks ago only to experience pain in his hip caused by a calcification that stemmed from his surgery.

Beers explained that in order to insert the pin, the doctors went in through the hip.

He said the whole six-month ordeal has been very difficult.

However, he also said the indications he has received from the doctors who performed the surgery, Drs. Richard Grossman and Stephan Haas, are positive.

“I’ve just got to do all I can to get in the best shape possible,” said Beers. “I hope to start skating hard in the middle of November and start playing again in December.”

There is light at the end of the tunnel for the Cheektowaga, N.Y., native, who transferred to Maine when Northern Arizona dropped its hockey program.

One of the many benefits of being an athlete is learning how to be resilient, being able to battle back from and overcome adversity. It is a lesson that you can carry through life and apply to any setback.

Bob Beers was living a dream when it all came crashing down on him as the result of a Tim Bergland leg check.

But the 23-year-old Beers, a former All-American at Maine, knows how to overcome adversity.

Don’t be surprised if he’s in the Bruins lineup for the playoffs this spring.