Bears ready to face archrival BU

The University of Maine men’s hockey team has not had its entire roster available for a game this season due to injuries, sickness, and the World Junior Championships.

But the Bears have just kept rolling along, replacing the unavailable players with other ones who have been able to help the team to its 22-2-4 record entering this weekend’s home series with archrival Boston University.

“Our depth has been a real key. We have a lot of role players,” said Maine coach Shawn Walsh. “Some teams keep 23 or 24 players, but I like 30-31. I create practices with that number in mind.”

Walsh likes generating competition for jobs.

“It puts pressure on the players, and pressure is healthy,” said Walsh.

Maine junior center Cory Larose agreed, “It forces everyone to work hard and that’s how you improve.”

Walsh has used 25 players and 22 have registered at least a point. Nineteen have scored goals.

Eighteen players have collected either a game-winning goal or assist.

“This is definitely the deepest Maine team I’ve played on,” said senior right wing and captain Bobby Stewart. “We’re kind of like the New Jersey Devils in that, other than Stevie (leading scorer Steve Kariya), we have a bunch of guys who can score the same amount of points.”

Stewart added that Maine’s scoring balance has made the Bears a “good five-on-five team. We haven’t had to rely on our power play like we have in the past.”

That has been especially important this season because Maine’s 20.3 power-play percentage is down considerably from the average of 27 percent the three previous seasons.

Senior captains Jason Vitorino and David Cullen said a lot of different players have stepped in and contributed.

Junior defenseman Robert Ek said, “That’s the sign of a good team.”

Ek also said the high pace and intense, game-like practices have enabled players to make immediate contributions.

Boston University coach Jack Parker said Maine has always had a lot of players and has been able to use different lineups to suit the opponent.

He also called Maine “one of the hardest-working teams around.”