Shepheard battles adversity Maine junior focused on Frozen Four after early problems

ORONO – Junior left wing Brent Shepheard said if he could sum up this season in one word, that word would be “frustrating.”

He started the season with a nine-game point-less streak. He has been benched for sub-par play and for taking ill-advised penalties and he was one of six players suspended for their roles in an off-campus fight.

But Shepheard has put that all behind him and has emerged as a valuable role player on Maine’s punishing checking line that also includes Jon Jankus and Rob Bellamy.

“Like our team, he has gone through some adversity and is playing his best hockey right now,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “It’s a very important part of our team once again this year. He brings a lot of grit and heart out onto the ice and his line has been a fabulous combination for us.

“They lift the tempo and intensity of our game when they’re on the ice. They contribute defensively, offensively and physically. They’re crucial to our success,” Whitehead added.

The line will be challenged again in Thursday’s 8 p.m. national semifinal against Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Shepheard, who has five goals and three assists in 34 games, said “at the start of the year, I hoped to score a little bit more than I have.

“But now that I’ve been put into a role, I’m fine. I’m happy with my role. I accept it. I take honor and pride in being on a quote-unquote ‘checking line,'” he added. “We have a good chemistry going right now. It’s nice to stay on the same line for a couple of months and have some success.”

They keep things simple but, by doing so, they can make it very difficult for opponents to break out of the defensive zone against them.

“We’ve been talking about our forecheck a lot. We like to keep the puck down low [in the offensive zone] and, if we don’t have a play, we’ll cycle it behind the net,” he added. “We make sure we always have one guy forcing the puck with another guy right behind him. And we finish our checks at all times.”

Shepheard was on the Frozen Four team two years ago but didn’t get to play in the semifinal or championship game.

“This is exciting. Any time you get to play this time of year, it’s obviously an honor. There are only four teams left so I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can. Once its over, it’s something I’ll cherish the rest of my life,” said Shepheard, a native of Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia.

Johnson playing through injury

Several Maine players, like on any team at this time of year, are playing despite nagging injuries.

One of them is junior right wing Keith Johnson, who is playing despite a left groin pull that sidelined him in the last regular-season game, a 5-3 win over UMass on March 4.

He returned to score the overtime game-winner in a 4-3 victory over UMass Lowell in the first game of their Hockey East quarterfinal sweep of the River Hawks.

He has benefited from the time off the Bears have received between their 5-4 win over Michigan State in the East Regional final and Thursday’s Frozen Four meeting with Wisconsin.

“It’s always good to have some time off. The groin is fine. It’s nothing major. Nothing is going to stop me from playing. Some days, it feels better than other days. As the week has gone on, it’s gotten better,” Johnson said. “[Trainer] Mark Badurak has done a great job. You’ve got to play through pain down the stretch.”

Johnson played in the Frozen Four as a freshman two years ago but admits that “I was thrown into the mix and didn’t really know what to think. This year, I’ve taken a step back and I’m going to cherish it. It’s so hard to get back there. Hopefully, we can finish it off this year.”

Maine lost to Denver 1-0 in the final two years ago in Boston.

“We always thought we were going to pull it out. When it ended, it was the weirdest feeling. We’ve carried it with us and we realize you have to come out and play your best to win a championship,” said Johnson, who has five goals and eight assists in 37 games.

Whitehead said Johnson has done a “great job.

“He brings speed and tempo to that line [with Derek Damon and Billy Ryan], he wins loose pucks and he’s good defensively. He’s a great penalty-killer. He wears a lot of hats for us. He has contributed some big goals at timely moments. He has been very consistent.”

Bear fans buy all their tickets

The University of Maine was allotted 600 tickets for the Frozen Four and, according to a spokeswoman at the Alfond Arena ticket office, all of them have been sold.