Bears face Friars in Hockey East opener

The University of Maine’s 3-3 tie against the United States Olympic hockey team Sunday night provided an emotional boost for the Black Bears.

It won’t mean a thing when Maine opens its Hockey East season Friday night against Providence College. Coach Shawn Walsh’s team begins defense of its NCAA Division I national title against the young Friars of Mike McShane.

Game time is 7 p.m. at Schneider Arena in Providence. The two teams play again Saturday at 7 p.m.

While Maine will have some new faces in the lineup, it will see a Providence team that is dominated by underclassmen. The 1-0 Friars lost nine veterans and have only four seniors, while 18 of the 27 roster members are freshmen and sophomores. Many of those sophomores played regularly last season.

Senior captain Ian Paskowski, who had a goal and four assists last season, heads the Providence defense. From there, it’s six sophomores, including Scott Balboni (3-10) and Erik Sundquist (4-7), and a freshman.

The Friars are noted for their ability to muddy the action on the ice by grabbing, holding and slowing up the opposition. Maine’s challenge will be to avoid getting caught up in the physicality of the action and stick to its game plan.

Providence brawled with Army last Saturday in Providence. The two teams combined for 30 penalties and 140 penalty minutes. Walsh said the Bears need to maintain their poise and avoid that kind of a game.

That will be a challenge for the younger Maine players who haven’t yet had a taste of Division I hockey. The Bears’ freshman goaltenders don’t want to be facing the Friars’ power play.

Providence’s slow-down tactics may come under closer scrutiny because Hockey East officials are expected to call interference more closely. Excess holding and pinching against the boards after the puck has been played and closing the hand on an opponent’s stick won’t be tolerated.

Walsh said he would like to earn at least a split of the season-opening series. His hope is that Maine will play with the same intensity it displayed against Team USA.

Sophomore Bob Bell will start in goal for Providence. He had an 8-8-3 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and an .876 save percentage last season.

The Friars should have plenty of offensive punch, led by junior center Chad Quenneville (18-20), senior right wing Brian Ridolfi (24-25), junior left win Brady Kramer (14-14) and senior left wing Erik Peterson (7-14).

Maine’s lines are likely to resemble those used against the Olympians, with Paul Kariya centering a line between Justin Tomberlin and Brad Purdie, Tim Lovell between Mike Latendresse and Patrice Tardif, and Dan Shermerhorn centering Reg Cardinal and Wayne Conlan.

Kariya actually will play more frequently and will wind up seeing time on different lines. The Bears’ defense will pair Andy Silverman with Jason Weinrich, Dave MacIsaac with Jeff Tory, and Jason Mansoff with Lee Saunders.

Freshman Blair Marsh is expected to get the start in goal, with freshman Blair Allison waiting in the wings.