ORONO – There is plenty of optimism surrounding the University of Maine women’s hockey team.

The Bears return their top two scorers; six defensemen and goalie Lara Smart and they will be complemented by a promising 12-member freshman class.

“This is, by far, the best team that I’ve played on talent-wise, dedication-wise and motivation-wise,” said senior right wing Karen Droog, who has scored 40 goals over the past two seasons.

“We definitely have more depth than ever,” added Droog.

Maine will open against nationally ranked Wisconsin (6th) on Sunday and Monday at 2 p.m. at Alfond Arena.

Droog and senior linemate Meagan Aarts are the only Bears to have scored 10 or more goals in each of the last two seasons but Droog doesn’t feel goal scoring will be a problem this year.

Maine averaged just 2.26 goals per game a year ago and was a dismal 8-for-102 on the power play (7.8 percent).

“We’ll have three lines that can definitely put the puck in the net,” said Droog.

“You’ll see us be better on the power play and on the penalty kill because we have more choices this year,” said seventh-year coach Rick Filighera.

“We won’t have to dress only 16 players and just 10 forwards this season. We’ll dress 12 forwards and six defensemen and we’ll have other players in the stands who won’t dress. So you’ll see a little more passion [created by the competition for positions],” said Filighera.

Aarts and Droog will look to rebound from frustrating seasons after scoring 25 goals each two years ago.

Aarts had a team-leading 26 points on 12 goals and 14 assists last year while Droog had 15 & 7.

Junior Cheryl White played in just five games due to an arm injury but she is back and will center Droog and Aarts.

“Having Cheryl back is huge. That gives us a lot of energy on the first line,” said Filighera.

There are two freshmen on each of the next three lines.

Left wing Sonia Corriveau and center Brigitte Laflamme, will be on the second line along with junior Tristan Desmet (9 & 2).

Center Katie Sunstrum and right wing Kim MacElhaney are on a line with converted senior defenseman Naomi Smethurst (2 & 8) and first-year wings Ksena Tatomir and Kendall Junta will flank Andrea Steranko (3 & 11).

Filighera feels he has “five very good Division I defensemen” in junior Laura Maddin (1 & 5), sophomores Vicky Johnstone (2 & 3) and Morgan Janusc (0 & 5) and freshmen Kelly Law and Julie Poulin.

Senior Emily Stevens, a redshirt last season due to knee surgery, will join the team after soccer season while sophomores Kate Hartley (0 & 5), Alanna Pfeffer and freshman Karine Senecal will provide depth on defense.

“Our defense corps is the strength of our team,” said Filighera.

Smart was 4-11-3 a year ago with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

She will be backed up by sophomore Amy Rodgers and freshman Rachel Gettings.

2003-04 Schedule

October

19 ? Wisconsin, 2 p.m.

20 ? Wisconsin, 2 p.m.

25 ? Colgate, 7 p.m.

26 ? Colgate, 3 p.m.

November

1 ? at Yale, 2 p.m.

2 ? at Yale, 2 p.m.

7 ? at Brown, 7 p.m.

8 ? at Princeton, 4 p.m.

14 ? at Boston College, 7 p.m.

15 ? at Boston College, 3 p.m.

22 ? Providence, 1 p.m.

23 ? Providence, 1 p.m.

29 ? at Harvard, 2 p.m.

December

6 ? Northeastern, 1 p.m.

7 ? Northeastern, 1 p.m.

12 ? at Union, 7 p.m.

13 ? at Union, 3 p.m.

January

16 ? at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

17 ? at New Hampshire, 3 p.m.

23 ? Connecticut, 4 p.m.

24 ? Connecticut, noon

February

7 ? at Providence, 2 p.m.

8 ? at Providence, 2 p.m.

13 ? New Hampshire, 4 p.m.

14 ? New Hampshire, noon

20 ? at Northeastern, 7 p.m.

21 ? at Northeastern, 3 p.m.

27 ? Boston College, 4 p.m.

28 ? Boston College, noon

March

6 ? Connecticut, 2 p.m.

7 ? Connecticut, 2 p.m.