University of Maine freshman left winger Paul Kariya had a good head of steam as he skated up the right wing. There was a Boston University defenseman waiting for him at the blue line. All of a sudden, Kariya shifted into overdrive, forcing the defenseman to fade further toward his net.

Kariya cut swiftly across the slot from right to left and BU goalie Derek Herlofsky moved over with him. Kariya wasted little time releasing a quick snap shot that whistled cleanly into the back-side corner.

One night later, Kariya made a pinpoint pass from his knees to defenseman Chris Imes for an open-net goal.

The assist on Imes’ goal gave him 21 on the season to go with his eight goals.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Kariya, a North Vancouver, British Columbia native, is the leading scorer in Hockey East, both in overall points (29) and league points (6 goals, 14 assists in 7 HE games). He has at least one point in every game for the 8-0-1 Bears and eight multiple-point games.

“He is already one of the best players in this league, by far,” said BU senior defenseman and co-captain Kevin O’Sullivan.

“He’s a great player,” agreed Herlofsky.

At his current pace, Kariya would finish the season with 103 points in 32 games. He will miss six games while playing for the Canadian National Junior Team in the World Championships in Sweden.

Kariya has been surprised by his output.

“I didn’t expect to have 29 points in nine games,” said the humble and articulate Kariya, who turned 18 last month. “I never thought about points or anything like that. I just wanted to contribute to the team. The team has done really well. Hockey is a team game and so goes the team, so goes the individuals.”

He is pleased with his defensive progress.

“Coach (Shawn Walsh) has spent a lot of time with me on the defensive part of my game and my defensive game has really picked up,” said Kariya.

But it is his offense and work ethic that excite the scouts.

“He has great wheels, great hands, a tremendous imagination on the ice and he plays with determination,” said San Jose Sharks scout Ben Hays.

Kariya is expected to be one of the first six players selected in June’s NHL draft.

Kariya has been compared to a mini-Wayne Gretzky.

“I used to try to pattern myself after Gretzky but I’ve tried to move away from that the last couple of years,” said Kariya. “He’s the greatest passer and thinker in the game but there are a lot of things he doesn’t do the best. “Brett Hull is the best shooter in the league. Then there’s Mario Lemieux,” added Kariya. “I try to pick up things from a wide range of players. I want to be a complete player. It’s an honor to be compared to Gretzky but I just want to be Paul Kariya.”

Kariya is a student of the game and he said he constantly tries to learn things from players and coaches at all levels of hockey.

“You can learn so much,” said Kariya. “I pick up stuff every day from my coaches and teammates and I can pick things up from watching a peewee game. I’m constantly trying to find ways to improve. There isn’t a part of my game that I can’t improve on.”

Linemate Jim Montgomery, Maine’s senior captain, said, “I’ve never played with anyone of his ability. He’s so intelligent about the game. He’s a great competitor who is so mentally tough. He’s the first player I’ve ever noticed who is faster with the puck than without it.”

Kariya credits a lot of his success to his father, Tetsuhiko, a high school math and computer science teacher who played for the Canadian National rugby team.

“He’s a natural at everything,” said Paul, the second oldest of Tetsuhiko and Sharon Kariya’s five children. “He has great hands. He’s a 5- or 6-handicap in golf and he could be a scratch golfer if he played more. I owe a lot to him.”

Kariya is an excellent student who turned down lucrative Major Junior A offers to come to Maine.

“I’ve always wanted to play U.S. college hockey,” said Kariya, who is a business administration major. “You get the chance to go to school at the university level and play a great level of hockey. And as soon as I visited Maine, I was ready to commit. I love the place, everything from the surroundings to the school to the coaching staff to the facilities to the players. It’s a complete package. School is going really well and I’m having a blast.”

Kariya has a well-rounded athletic background that includes lacrosse, golf, soccer and boxing.

“The more sports you do as a kid, the better off you are as an adult,” said Kariya, the Canadian Junior A Player of the Year last season with 46 goals and 86 assists for Penticton in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

One might assume that this will be his only year at Maine because he will be wearing either Canadian Olympic Team colors or the colors of an NHL team next season.

“I have no thoughts on that subject right now,” said Kariya. “I’d be perfectly happy to play at Maine for four years. I love it here and I’d love to win national championships every year I’m here. All I’m thinking about now is winning a national title this season.”