Layoff may benefit UM women’s hockey squad

Even with the Christmas break, for some coaches a month and three days between games is a concern.

Mom’s home cooking and hanging out with hometown friends can take an enjoyable toll.

But University of Maine women’s hockey coach Rick Filighera isn’t concerned about his team’s layoff.

“First of all, we need it. It was a tough semester for us. We need the time off emotionally,” said Filighera, whose Bears will return to campus Jan. 5 with a 7-7-3 record and a Hockey East-leading nine points courtesy of a 4-1-1 league mark.

“We had a lot of tight one-goal losses early and, other than the four blowouts, all of our games have been tight,” added the seventh-year Maine coach. “We need to get away from it, but at the same time we’ll have [just] two weeks to get ready for two of our biggest games of the season.”

Maine got off to a 1-5-2 start with four one-goal losses. They since have gone 6-2-1 and one of those two losses was by a goal.

The Bears capped their current stretch with 8-1 and 8-0 triumphs over undermanned Colgate on Dec. 12-13.

Maine will visit archrival New Hampshire on Jan. 16-17. UNH is second in Hockey East with seven points and a 3-0-1 league record.

“When they return, it will be like training camp all over,” said Filighera. “The first two to three practices will be very tough. We’ve got to get them ready to go physically.”

He expects his players to stick to their training regimen during the holidays so they will be in good shape when they return. He also intends to have an intrasquad scrimmage to reacquaint them with game conditions.

UNH will have played three games in the new year before the Maine series and Filighera said there are pros and cons to their situation.

He prefers to focus on the positive.

“Mentally we’ll be a lot sharper. We’ll be more ready to play because we’ll be hungry to play a game,” said Filighera.

He likes the progression of his youthful team and blamed some of the early season losses on “young mistakes.”

“I’m really looking forward to the second half,” said Filighera.

In assessing the first half, the Maine coach said senior goalie Lara Smart (5-7-3 record, 2.35 goals-against average, .923 save percentage) has been “our best player.”

Freshman left wing Sonia Corriveau, two-time Hockey East Player of the Week, has a team-leading eight goals to go with one assist.

“She was our best player over the last few weeks,” said Filighera.

Her freshman linemate, right wing Brigitte Laflamme (1 goal, 7 assists), has played an important role in creating chances for Corriveau, according to Filighera.

He also praised senior right wing Meagan Aarts (5 goals, 8 assists), freshman defenseman Kelly Law (2 & 2), and sophomore defenseman Vicky Johnstone (0 & 6).

Senior left wing Karen Droog (5 & 7) is second on the team in points, freshman center Katie Sunstrum (6 & 2) is second in goals, and sophomore Morgan Janusc is the top point-getter among defensemen (1 & 7).

Junior centers Tristan Desmet (3 & 3), Andrea Steranko (2 & 4), and Cheryl White (2 & 3) also have been productive.

Maine has allowed just 2.2 goals per game but has scored only 2.5 goals per contest.

“Our goaltending and defensive zone coverage have been great. Our penalty-killing has been really good (82.8 percent success rate),” said Filighera. “But we need to score more goals. We have to improve our power play (7.9 percent success rate).”