Late-season swoon hurt UM’s NCAA quest Goalies will bolster Bears next year

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A surprising start, an uncharacteristic swoon and a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Michigan in the NCAA Tourney’s first round closed the book on a 24-10-5 season for the University of Maine’s hockey team.

The anticipated early-season dropoff in goal never materialized as Jimmy Howard and Frank Doyle proved to be every bit as good if not better than the departed Mike Morrison and Matt Yeats.

The seven seniors provided quiet but effective leadership and the Bears displayed a resiliency that enabled them to rally late in games.

Maine went 8-0 in one-goal games until the Michigan loss.

But Maine’s trademark stretch run that often ignited a string of impressive postseason performances did not transpire. Instead the Bears finished the regular season at 4-7-1.

In those seven losses, Howard and Doyle weren’t making the crucial game-saving stops they were making earlier and were occasionally victimized by soft goals and Maine’s defensemen finally paid the price for their turnovers, inexperience and lack of physical strength. Maine’s forwards were also not scoring or doing enough defensively to protect the defense and goaltenders.

Prolific forwards like Colin Shields, Marty Kariya and Robert Liscak were mired in extended goal-scoring droughts.

Maine’s defense corps, with the exception of Francis Nault, contributed very little to the offense.

The Bears’ late-season struggles cost them a top seed in an eastern regional where their fans could have provided some added adrenaline.

But a team is remembered by its last performance and the loss to Michigan was one that was a credit to the tradition of one of the nation’s elite hockey program. The Bears played their best hockey against their elite opponents.

Maine went 3-2 against the teams that advanced to the Frozen Four. The two losses were by a total of three goals [4-2 to UNH and the Michigan loss].

The future is intriguing.

Maine’s seniors scored 53.6 percent of the goals; 51.2 percent of the power-play goals and they notched 50.2 percent of Maine’s assists. Seniors also produced seven of Maine’s nine shorthanded goals and 17 of their 24 game-winners.

Kariya (14 goals, 36 assists) and Lucas Lawson (21 & 16), All-Hockey East first- and second-teamers, respectively, were Maine’s leading scorers and Cliff Loya was the league’s Best Old Time Defensive Defensemen.

Liscak (12 & 22) and team captain Chris Heisten (15 & 16) were the team’s fourth- and fifth-leading producers; Tommy Reimann (5 & 13) gave the defense a significant boost after being moved back from forward late in the year and Gray Shaneberger (7 & 6) was Maine’s most physical forward.

But the Bears will return what could be the best goaltending tandem in the country in Hockey East Rookie of the Year Howard (14-6, 2.45 goals-against average, .916 save percentage) and Doyle (10-4-5, 2.14, .915). Doyle has the nation’s second best GAA. Howard will bounce back from his late-season struggles.

All-Hockey East first teamer Nault (10 & 26) will anchor the defense and will need to work on his strength and defensive zone play to go with his terrific offensive skills.

Expect Prestin Ryan (1 & 8) to be much more productive offensively and reduce his penalty minutes.

Travis Wight (0 & 4) had a solid all-around freshman season and could become a very good one.

Troy Barnes (2 & 12) and Steven Mullin (1 & 0) must improve their strength and Matt Deschamps (0 & 3) and Paul Lynch (0 & 3) need to develop better puck composure.

Deschamps and Lynch both exhibited promise as power forwards and could be used there next season.

Jeff Mushaluk, a hard-hitting transfer from Lake Superior State, will be an immediate contributor and recruit Tom Zabkowicz could provide badly-needed offensive help on the blue line.

Left wing Todd Jackson (13 & 13) and RW Shields (14 & 13) will be the top returning point-producers.

Jackson needs to work on his shot to finish the numerous chances he creates with his speed and Shields, a 29-goal scorer two years ago, has to become stronger, grittier and more tenacious.

Freshmen Derek Damon (9 & 9) and Greg Moore (9 & 7) had impressive seasons and the former St. Dominic High School linemates worked well together in the Michigan game. Look for them to be linemates next season.

Ben Murphy (2 & 9) and John Ronan (3 & 1) played much better at the end of the season and should use that as motivation for next season. The much-improved Cam Lyall (1 & 5) emerged as a good role player.

Matt Greyeyes (0 & 1) will vie for third or fourth-line duty.

Talented redshirt Michel Leveille and recruits Luc Aquino, Mike Hamilton, Keith Johnson and Brent Shepheard should make an immediate impact along with gritty Jon Jankus, who has returned to Maine after a one-year absence.

The Bears will probably struggle to score goals early but the goaltending and improved defensive corps should keep them competitive in every game.

Coach Tim Whitehead’s Bears should be a much better team in the second half and should make a run for its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.