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The 11 new faces wearing University of Maine hockey uniforms this season represent one of the largest groups of newcomers since the late Shawn Walsh began rebuilding the Maine program in the mid-1980s.
They will help fill the void left by eight departing players who combined for 60.7 percent of the goals a year ago. But the Bears slumped at the end of last season and scored only six goals in three playoff games, concluding with the 2-1 setback to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. So perhaps an infusion of new blood could jumpstart the offense.
The newcomers get their first taste of game conditions at Alfond Arena in tonight’s Blue-White intrasquad game at 7.
The one definite is the Bears probably have the best goaltending tandem in the country in senior Frank Doyle, who had a 10-4-5 record, a 2.14 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage) and Hockey East Rookie of the Year Jimmy Howard (14-6, 2.45, .916).
Doyle’s 2.14 GAA was second-best in the nation.
Their goaltending, alone, should earn them another NCAA Tournament berth.
“If you’re going to be strong in one position, that’s the one you want to be strong in,” said third-year Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “They’ll keep us in every game and give us an opportunity to win.”
Howard, a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, struggled in the second half but had a good camp for the U.S. National Junior team this summer and should bounce back.
Whitehead intends to alternate them.
Both second-year goalies should do a better handling the puck this season, which will help their inexperienced defense. Randolph’s Ray Jean is a capable third-string goalie.
Senior assistant captain Prestin Ryan and juniors Troy Barnes and Mat Deschamps are the only defensemen with more than one year of college experience.
Maine lost its best defensive defenseman in Cliff Loya and its top offensive defenseman in first team All-Hockey East selection Francis Nault.
Ryan (1 goal, 8 assists), Barnes (2 & 12) and sophomore Travis Wight (0 & 4) were regulars a year ago while Deschamps (0 & 3) appeared in 27 games. Wight had a productive freshman season but Barnes must recover from an inconsistent sophomore year after a promising freshman season.
Sophomore assistant captain Jeff Mushaluk practiced with the team as a redshirt last year after transferring from Lake Superior State where he had 2 & 6 in 35 games two years ago.
Sophomore Steve Mullin (1 & 0 in 12 games) and freshmen Tom Zabkowicz and Mike Lundin will also be very much in the picture. Junior Paul Lynch transferred to Massachusetts.
“The two new guys don’t look out of place at all,” said Ryan.
Zabkowicz had 27 goals and 40 assists at Culver Military Academy while Lundin was a Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist and the AP’s Minnesota Hockey Player of the Year.
Ryan will have to reduce his 120 penalty minutes from a year ago and look for him to get more involved in the offense.
Maine doesn’t have much speed on defense so the forwards will need to be tenacious on the backcheck.
Senior right wing Colin Shields (14 & 13) slowed by a broken rib last year; senior left wing and captain Todd Jackson (13 & 13), sophomore center Derek Damon of Bangor (9 & 9) and sophomore winger Greg Moore (9 & 7) are the top returning scorers.
Shields scored 29 goals his freshman year and must play with more grit and keep his feet moving to fight through checks.
Jackson has to work on his shot and capitalize more on the numerous chances he creates with his speed.
Damon and Moore should be even more productive this season. Damon has good offensive instincts and Moore is a power forward who should bury more pucks this season.
Junior wingers Ben Murphy and John Ronan followed encouraging freshman seasons with sub-par sophomore years. They need to bounce back.
Murphy dropped off from 16 to 11 points and Ronan fell from 9 to 4 points.
Junior Matt Greyeyes, who appeared in 12 games, is the other returning veteran forward.
The first-year forwards include four players who notched at least 93 points in their last Junior hockey seasons: Josh Soares, Michel Leveille, Luciano Aquino and Mike Hamilton.
“We have a very strong freshman class and we’re counting on them to contribute right away,” said Whitehead. “We should have a balanced attack up front. Nobody looks out of place out there.”
Ryan said one of the positive intangibles will be the attitude.
“Every team I’ve played on, starting with Peewees, had three guys on their own programs. For the first time in my career, we don’t have that this year. We’ve got a lot of guys who are really excited to play,” said Ryan.
“We have a bunch of guys all on the same page together,” said Damon. “It’s so exciting to come to the rink every day. We have a skilled team, a fast team. And, like Prestin said, everyone loves to play.”
Whitehead said he anticipates good seasons from redshirts Dustin Penner, Jon Jankus, Leveille and Mushaluk and expects them to have important special teams roles.
Whitehead pointed that Ryan and Shields practiced with the team for a year as redshirts and provided an “immediate impact” when they became eligible two seasons ago. So did Doyle and Damon last season.
Leveille was at Maine last year but wasn’t able to practice with the team.
“I think you’ll see us play like an old Maine team. We’ll be hardworking and we’ll never quit,” said Damon.
Maine opens next Friday against two-time defending national champion Minnesota at the Nebraska-Omaha tournament.
Whitehead will get just one peek at his new-look team in game conditions at tonight’s Blue-White game, so it will take on added importance.
“Since we don’t have an exhibition game against a Canadian school before the opener, this becomes a valuable evaluating tool,” said Whitehead. “Secondly, it provides a game condition for our guys. It will be the first opportunity for our first-year players to get a taste of the Alfond. They’ll get the whole game-day routine at the Alfond under their belts.”
2003 UMaine Schedule
October
4 ? Blue-White Game, 7 p.m.
10 ? vs. Minnesota, at Nebraska-Omaha tournament, 6 p.m.
11 ? vs. Wisconsin/Nebraska-Omaha, 6 or 9 p.m.
17 ? U.S. Development team, 7 p.m.
18 ? vs. Sacred Heart/Holy Cross, 7 p.m.
24 ? at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
25 ? at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
30 ? Merrimack, 7 p.m.
November
1 ? Boston University, 7 p.m.
7 ? at Boston College, 7 p.m.
8 ? at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
14 ? Northeastern, 7 p.m.
16 ? UMass-Lowell, 2:30
21 ? at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
22 ? at Providence, 7 p.m.
December
5 ? at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
6 ? at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
13 ? Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
27 ? Ohio State, at Everblades Classic (Fla.), 4 p.m.
28 ? vs. Cornell/Notre Dame, at Everblades Classic, 1 or 4 p.m.
January
4 ? Vermont, at Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, 2 p.m.
10 ? Sacred Heart, 7 p.m.
16 ? Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
17 ? Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
23 ? at Boston University, 7 p.m.
24 ? at Boston University, 7 p.m.
30 ? New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
31 ? New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
February
6 ? Alabama-Huntsville, 7 p.m.
7 ? Alabama-Huntsville, 7 p.m.
13 ? at Northeastern, 7 p.m.
14 ? at Northeastern, 7 p.m.
20 ? Providence, 7 p.m.
21 ? Providence, 7 p.m.
27 ? at UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.
28 ? at UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.
March
5 ? Boston College, 7 p.m.
6 ? Boston College, 7 p.m.
11-14 ? Hockey East quarterfinals at campus sites
19-20 ? Hockey East semifinals, final, at FleetCenter, Boston
26-28 ? NCAA Regionals at Manchester, N.H., Albany, N.Y., Grand Rapids, Mich., Colorado Springs, Col.)
April
8-10 ? NCAA Frozen Four, at FleetCenter, Boston
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