Black Bears’ Leveille will miss at least four games

The University of Maine’s men’s hockey team will be without senior center and assistant captain Michel Leveille for at least the next four games due to a knee injury that accompanied a deep calf bruise sustained in Friday night’s 3-2 loss at Boston University.

It was originally thought he might be a game time decision this weekend when Maine hosts Providence College for a two-game series.

Leveille was injured by a hip check thrown by BU defenseman Jekabs Redlihs. His left leg violently hit the glass separating the end of the BU bench and the crowd.

And sophomore Bret Tyler, Maine’s top scoring defenseman, will miss four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain also sustained in Friday night’s game. Tyler said he was “picked” by a BU player in the Maine defensive zone and caught his skate at the base of the boards.

After this weekend’s series, Maine visits Northeastern for a pair the following weekend.

Leveille has begun rehabilitating his knee and is hoping to return when Maine hosts New Hampshire on Feb. 3-4.

“It’s definitely getting better every day but not to the point where I can skate yet,” said Leveille. “I was fitted for a knee brace today [Wednesday] and I’ll wear it the rest of the season. It won’t be a big adjustment. I played with a brace in juniors. I’ll try to get back on the ice next week.”

“It’s real tough to watch right now,” added Leveille, who is tied with the team scoring lead with linemates Greg Moore and Josh Soares.

Leveille has 10 goals and 10 assists in 21 games including 5 & 6 in his last six games.

Tyler has three goals and 10 assists and is the only Black Bear defenseman with more than one goal.

Leveille and Tyler also man the point on the power play, which is ranked fifth best in the nation with a 22.4 percent success rate.

In addition, freshman defenseman Bryan Plaszcz will also miss at least four games with a shoulder injury.

Sophomore left wing Billy Ryan will return after missing four games with a shoulder injury.

Leveille said he feels his teammates can “definitely” compensate for their loss.

“We’re going to need guys to step up and believe they can score,” said Leveille.

Maine coach Tim Whitehead said his Bears will have to become a “very tight [checking] team that executes our game plan to a ‘T.’ Special teams have allowed us to win games and that’s also going to have to be a key.”

Maine has the nation’s best penalty killing percentage at 93.7 percent.