UMaine still seeking improvement on offense

The offensive woes of the University of Maine men’s hockey team continue and they have carried over to the power play.

Maine has only three power-play goals in its last 31 opportunities (9.7 percent) and that is being addressed in practice this week as the Bears prepare for this weekend’s Hockey East series with archrival Boston University at Alfond Arena.

“When you’re not scoring, you’re not scoring on the power play,” said Maine coach Shawn Walsh. “We’ve got to get back to basics.”

Maine junior right wing Niko Dimitrakos said, “We’ve got to get the puck back to the point, let them shoot and go to the net looking for rebounds.”

Maine’s power-play efficiency rate has dipped to 17.4 percent overall, 17.3 percent in league play.

In overall team offense, the Bears have fallen to eighth place in Hockey East for all games (2.71 goals per game) but Walsh said it is important not to dwell on it.

“When you aren’t scoring, you can’t let that affect the rest of your game,” said Walsh. “We played extremely well at New Hampshire [0-0 overtime tie, 4-1 loss]. We generated a lot of chances.

“That’s why I’m not going to get negative. We’ve just got to piece ways together to keep getting better,” he added.

Their lack of scoring punch, he said, can be traced to a talent deficiency combined with his team’s youthfulness.

“Nine of our [top] 12 forwards are first- or second-year players who are going to be more productive as juniors and seniors,” said Walsh.

Maine junior defenseman Eric Turgeon said he is living proof of the importance of a defense-first philosophy as opposed to an offensive emphasis.

“Late in the third period Saturday, we were down 3-1 and all I was thinking about was offense. I was trying to get the puck behind the net and I left my man [Matt Swain] all alone in front. He scored,” said Turgeon.

He added that talking about their offensive tribulations all the time isn’t going to improve matters.

“But we can all work on [offensive] things in practice,” said Turgeon.

Walsh will change two of his lines but has been pleased with the top two lines comprised of Martin Kariya between Tom Reimann and Matthias Trattnig and Robert Liscak between Dan Kerluke and Dimitrakos.

Maine has outshot its opponents in 16 of its 21 games and is 9-4-3 in those games. It is 0-2-1 when it is outshot and 0-1-1 when the shots are even.

Opposing goalies have a .921 save percentage against Maine.

The Bears will be bolstered by the return of freshman defenseman Francis Nault, who spent the weekend with his ailing father in Quebec. Sophomore center Chris Heisten may also return after suffering a sprained knee ligament in their 3-2 loss at Boston University on Dec. 8.

Coach’s Foundation gets donation

Walsh, who is battling kidney cancer, received a $2,284 check made out to the Coach’s Foundation from Bruce Hardenbrook of the Friends of UNH boosters group between the first and second periods of Saturday’s game.

The foundation has been set up to help defray medical costs incurred by college hockey coaches with serious illnesses.

“It was awesome. It added to the humanity of an intense rivalry,” said Walsh. “To do that for a heated rival really showed a lot of class. I was touched by that.”