Maine Bears taking aim at the Buckeyes Solid field awaits UM in Sunshine State

University of Maine sophomore center Derek Damon and his Black Bear teammates have a tournament championship to defend.

And a climate to adapt to.

The 12-2-1 Black Bears will be one of three teams ranked among the nation’s top 15 at the Florida Everblades Classic today and Sunday at Teco Arena in Estero, Fla.

Maine, ranked third in both major polls, takes on Ohio State’s 11-7 Buckeyes, ranked 11th in both, at 7:05 p.m. today.

Cornell, 14th in one poll and 15th in the other, opens the tourney at 4:05 against Notre Dame, which is just outside the top 15. Cornell is 4-2-5 while Notre Dame is 8-5-2.

It is the nation’s only holiday hockey tournament with more than two nationally-ranked teams.

Maine, Cornell, and Ohio State were NCAA Tournament teams a year ago.

“This tournament gets better every year,” said Damon. “Any time you play teams like Notre Dame and Ohio State, you know you’re going to have a battle [on your hands] and Cornell has been an ECAC power the last couple of years.”

“Whoever comes out on top will have earned two hard-fought victories wins,” added Damon.

Damon said he and his teammates look forward to the tournament.

“We can’t wait to go. It gets us out of here for a week and we get a chance to bond as a team. And it has become a highly recognized tournament. We get some ‘R and R’ [rest and relaxation] and we get to play great hockey. What else could you ask for?” posed Damon.

Damon said players on all four teams will have to adjust to “real soft ice” and the heat.

“It’s a lot different than the ice at the Alfond Arena or other arenas up here. The game totally changes. Up-tempo and fast teams like us have to play more of a systems game down there,” said Damon.

One way to compensate is to not sharpen your skates as often, according to the Bangor native.

“The sharper they are, the more they dig into the ice. That slows you down,” said Damon.

He also mentioned that it will be important to drink lots of fluids “because you can get dehydrated fast. I got dehydrated last year just from walking back and forth in 75-80 degree heat. You have to be smarter in that type of weather.”

The former John Bapst High School and St. Dom’s of Lewiston standout hasn’t scored a goal in his last six games and has only one over his last 10. He will be looking to break out in the tournament.

“I’ve got to try to muck it up. I’ve got to be more physical. That’s how you get out of a slump like that,” said Damon, who has five goals and seven assists in 15 games. “I’ve been waiting for things to happen instead of making things happen.”

Maine will be without one of Damon’s current linemates and former St. Dom’s linemates: Greg Moore, who is playing for Team U.S.A. in the World Junior Championships in Finland.

Senior captain Todd Jackson is the other linemate.

But Damon said whoever steps in will know the systems and “and the way Todd and I play, it’ll be easy to adjust to us. I’m not worried about it at all.”

Maine will also be without sophomore goalie Jimmy Howard, who has a knee injury.

Maine’s power play converted two of its last four opportunities in a 3-2 win over Dartmouth, snapping a 2-for-41 drought.

“That was encouraging. But we’re too predictable. We’ve got to be more creative. We’ve got to start creating more chances down low. That will open up the points and we have guys who can really shoot the puck,” said Damon.