UMaine gets another goalie> Senior Gorriti returns to team following Masotta suspension

Senior goalie Javier Gorriti said he wished his return to the University of Maine’s hockey team came under “different circumstances.” Maine’s hockey team came under “different circumstances.”

But, nevertheless, he said he is excited about being back in uniform on Friday when the team resumes practice.

The 24-year-old Gorriti was asked to return by Maine coach Shawn Walsh after Walsh suspended goalie Bryan Masotta, left wing Matt Oliver and defenseman Shawn Mansoff indefinitely.

Masotta, Oliver and Mansoff have been charged with criminal threatening for sending a telephone message to Dwayne Wilmot, a black wide receiver on the football team, in which they made racial slurs and threatened to kill him.

Maine Attorney General Andrew Ketterer filed a complaint against Masotta under the Maine Civil Rights Act.

Gorriti was 7-2 with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage in 15 games last year but Walsh decided to go with sophomore Alfie Michaud and junior Masotta this season. However, he left the door open for Gorriti’s return if something happened to Michaud or Masotta.

“I’ve always really cared about this team and I want to help out any way I can,” said Gorriti. “This will be my last semester of eligibility and I’m glad I have a chance to play it out.

“I’m confident. I thought I played real well last year,” added Gorriti. “I had good numbers, I won a lot of games and I beat some good teams. Coach knows that and that’s why he asked me back. Hopefully, we can turn it around and have a great end of the season like we did last year. In the second half, we were as good as anybody in the country.”

Walsh said Gorriti is a “good guy. He’s mature. He knows his role and he’s happy to help out. He was a winning Hockey East goalie last year and there are a lot of goalies in this league who can’t say the same thing.”

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Gorriti expects it to take “a week or two of practice” to get into respectable game shape.

“You don’t lose that much by not playing, just your timing more than anything. It’s like riding a bike. I might be a little shaky at first but once I get going, I’ll be fine,” said Gorriti. “I’ve been a goalie for 10, 12, 15 years so I’m not going to forget how to play in six months. Last September , I came back after being out an entire year.”

Gorriti has kept in shape by playing in an intramural fall roller hockey league and by skating near his family’s home in Stamford, Conn.

Walsh said he hasn’t decided a “set pecking order” for his goalies and with the long extended break, this will give his players a fresh start.

Michaud is 6-5-2 with a 3.89 GAA and a .862 save percentage and Masotta was 2-2, 4.15, .821. Both were inconsistent.

Freshman Ed Washuk hasn’t played.