ORONO – Like a lot of young Maine hockey players, Greg Moore said he admired the University of Maine men’s hockey program and its accomplishments and daydreamed about possibly playing for the Black Bears some day.

That admiration was enhanced on April 3, 1993, when Jim Montgomery, Paul Kariya, and Garth Snow led a three-goal third-period rally that supplied the school with the first of two NCAA championships by virtue of a 5-4 win over Lake Superior State.

“I definitely became a big fan of Maine hockey after that,” said the Lisbon native.

When he was at St. Dominic High School in Lewiston, he attended a Maine game and talked to then-head coach Shawn Walsh and recruiting coordinator-assistant coach Grant Standbrook.

“They showed an interest in me and from that point on, my goal was to get an opportunity to play here. That gave me the realization that I could play here,” said Moore.

He left St. Dom’s after two seasons and two state Class A championships to try out for the United States National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Moore had 32 goals and 40 assists in 31 games his sophomore year at St. Dom’s and was ready for a new challenge.

He earned a spot on the roster and spent two years playing for the Under-17 and Under-18 teams.

That eventually brought him to Orono where the junior right wing has become one of the team’s top scorers and two-way players.

“To me, he’s kind of a prototype pro player,” said Northeastern University coach Bruce Crowder. “He’s big, he moves extremely well, and he has a good shot.”

UMass Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald called him a terrific player.

“He has a real nose for making the right play at the right time. He’s powerful. He has a good release and a good shot,” said MacDonald.

“He does it all,” offered UNH coach Dick Umile.

Moore, a fifth-round draft pick of Calgary whose rights have been traded to the New York Rangers, packs 220 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame and he has improved every year.

After collecting nine goals and seven assists in 33 games as a freshman, he racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 39 games a year ago. His seven power-play goals tied him for the team lead.

He is off to his best start with seven goals and three assists in 13 games. He has five power-play goals and two game-winners.

“He’s one of the snipers in the league. He’s a really good player,” said Boston College junior defenseman Peter Harrold.

Perhaps nobody on the Maine team knows him better than his former St. Dom’s linemate and current Black Bear linemate Derek Damon of Bangor.

Moore’s development comes as no surprise to Damon.

“When I first met Greg, he was a freshman in high school, but he still had the build, the body that he was going to grow into one day and become an enormous person,” said Damon, who was a senior at the time. “He played on my line all year and he was like a man playing against boys out there. He proved himself in two years of high school before moving on to the national program.

“It seems like everywhere he has gone, he has proven himself and shown he’s one of the top players out there every time.”

Damon worked out with Moore this past summer and said he was like a machine.

“He’s always working out. He’s always the first guy on the ice and the last one to leave. He’s a leader on and off the ice, and that’s why he’s doing so well right now,” said Damon.

Moore said the two years he spent in Ann Arbor were invaluable.

“They were so hard on us. They taught us so well how to develop and what we needed to do to make it to the next level. They instilled that work ethic in everybody and it has stayed with me. Each summer, I add on to my workouts,” said Moore.

That fact was why Moore has played for the U.S. in two World Junior Championships, including last winter on the first U.S. team to ever win the gold medal.

“That was a big point in my career. Being in that type of situation, to be out there in the third period of the last two games against Finland and Canada, and being on the ice in the last couple of minutes of the championship game [4-3 over Canada] gives you confidence and experience in close games,” said Moore. “It isn’t nerve-wracking any more. It’s just another game for you.”

New Hampshire senior Sean Collins called Moore a complete player.

“He doesn’t do much wrong, but he does a lot of things right,” said Collins. “When he gets down low, he’s pretty hard to move. He can finesse you, too. He can score a lot of goals.”

BC coach Jerry York said, “He’s really a powerful kid. He’s hard to handle. He’s really become quite a player.”

Moore has worked hard on his skating and said he has “improved my explosiveness. Once I take my first three strides going down the ice, I usually feel comfortable with my speed. But now my mobility and lateral explosiveness have improved.”

He also feels he has developed more patience with the puck.

“I take more time to make plays and I keep my head up to maybe score a goal. I don’t panic with the puck as much. The experience I’ve received playing here for two years has helped with that. I feel more confident,” said Moore.

Moore plays in every situation. In addition to his regular shift and his power-play duty, he also kills penalties.

He will be on the ice in the last minute of a one-goal game either trying to tie it up or preserve the lead.

“He’s so versatile,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “He has earned everything he has received. He’s a very good athlete who trains real hard. He does everything well and leads by example.”

The 20-year-old Moore credits his parents, Maurice and Janis, for their support throughout his career.

“My mom hasn’t missed a game since the Blue-White game my freshman year,” said Moore.

Former U.S. National Development Team coach Mike Eaves, now coaching at the University of Wisconsin, has had the “biggest impact on my life,” according to Moore. He said the Maine coaching staff has also been important in his development.

He has had no regrets about his decision to attend Maine.

“I absolutely love it here,” said Moore. “I never want to be anywhere else. The guys on the team are unbelievable and the coaching staff is superior. I love the atmosphere. Our home games have the best atmosphere in college hockey. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Maine Men’s Hockey Schedule

November

19 – UMass, 7 p.m.

21 – Providence, 2 p.m.

27 – at Dartmouth, 7 p.m.

December

3 – Merrimack, 7 p.m.

4 – Merrimack, 7 p.m.

11 – at Harvard, 7 p.m.

28 – vs. St. Cloud State at Everblades Classic, 4 p.m.

29 – vs. Boston College/Cornell at Everblades Classic, TBA

January

7 – USA 18-under team, at Portland, 7 p.m.

9 – Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

14 – at UMass, 7 p.m.

15 – at UMass, 7 p.m.

21 – Boston University, 7 p.m.

22 – Boston University, 7 p.m.

28 – Northeastern, 7 p.m.

29 – Northeastern, 7 p.m.

February

4 – at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

5 – at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

18 – at Providence, 7 p.m.

19 – at Providence, 7 p.m.

25 – UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.

26 – UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.

March

4 – at Boston College, 7 p.m.

5 – at Boston College, 7 p.m.