Allison, Cardinal to play extra season> NCAA amendment changes eligibility

University of Maine All-American goalie Blair Allison and left winger Reg Cardinal said they both plan to return to Maine next season now that an amendment to Proposal 59 has been passed at the NCAA convention, giving them another year of eligibility.

Injured Bear backup goalie Blair Marsh has indicated that he probably won’t return since he will graduate in May.

“It’s something I never expected,” Allison said. “It’s nice to get a chance to finish off school and, since we only lose two guys, hopefully we’ll get another shot at the NCAA Tournament.”

Maine can’t play in this year’s NCAA tourney because of sanctions imposed by the school on the hockey program for a variety of NCAA violations.

Allison, 23, is currently sporting a 2.83 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage to go with his 11-3-3 record. He has a career record of 54-17-12, a 2.90 GAA and an .886 save percentage.

Allison, a business administration major with one year left to complete his degree, is a free agent and could decide to turn pro after this season if he receives a significant offer.

“You never know what’ll happen but I plan on coming back,” he said.

Cardinal said he definitely will return because his primary reason for attending Maine was to obtain his degree. He is a business administration major.

Cardinal has one semester left to complete his degree.

“Now I’ll be able to spread my courses around. That’ll be good for me,” said Cardinal.

Marsh said he wouldn’t rule out returning “but I couldn’t come back unless I’m on scholarship.

“I’ll have my degree in human development in May and I’m older. So if I have intentions of moving on in hockey, I’ve got to leave [after this seson],” said Marsh, who will turn 25 in July. “I also have a family so it’s time to move on.”

Marsh and wife Janel are the parents of daughter Cassidy, who will turn 1 on Jan. 19.

Proposal 59 states that student-athletes who turned 21 during the year of their college enrollment are allowed four years of eligibility. They had previously been allowed only three years of eligibility. The amendment passed this year makes that one-year-old rule retroactive to Aug. 1, 1992.

Maine compliance director Tammy Light said the paddle vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the amendment and she was pleased.

“I think it’s great. It creates equality among students,” said Light. “This sets one standard for the whole group.”

If Allison and Cardinal do return, next year’s Maine team will have an experienced goalie; all eight of its defensemen and 10 of the 12 forwards who played in Maine’s 7-1 win over UMass on Tuesday night.

Center Brad Purdie and left winger Tony Frenette will be the only players to leave. Four other players quit earlier this season due to lack of playing time but only one was a regular.

Maine has lost two scholarships for next year in the university’s self-imposed sanctions so interim head coach Greg Cronin will have to figure out just how much scholarship money he will have available.

In other news regarding the hockey program, the league’s athletics directors have allowed this year’s team to participate in the Hockey East Tournament.

Maine Athletic Director Suzanne Tyler said there was considerable discussion about Maine’s plight but it never came to a vote.

She said one area of concern revolved around the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament allotted to the tourney champion and what would happen if Maine wins it. But the ADs felt Maine belonged in it and it was pointed out that when UMass-Lowell was banned from the NCAA Tournament by the NCAA in 1992, the league’s ADs still allowed Lowell to play in the Hockey East tourney.

Cardinal said the team will treat the Hockey East Tournament as their NCAA Tournament.