Leveille, Bears will try to snap 3-game slide UM to change lines vs. Friars

The University of Maine will have senior center and captain Michel Leveille in the lineup tonight when the Black Bears try to snap a three-game losing streak against the visiting Providence College Friars.

Maine is 8-3-1 overall and ranked third in the country while Providence is 4-9-1.

Leveille injured his back early in the second period of Saturday’s 3-2 men’s hockey loss at Vermont when he was checked from behind into the boards.

“It feels fine,” said Leveille, Maine’s leading scorer with 11 goals and 8 assists. “I skated [Wednesday] and it felt great. I took a couple of hits to see how it would feel and it felt good. I’ve been getting treatments twice a day.”

Leveille said X-rays were negative. His back turned out to be “hyper-extended.”

“The only movement that still bothers me is if I curve my back and that’s not a position you’d be in unless you get checked from behind,” said Leveille, who is 31st in career points at Maine with 123, one behind Nashville Predators left wing and former Hobey Baker Award winner Paul Kariya.

Friars coach Tim Army knows Leveille is somebody they’ll have to contain.

“He’s a great player. He’s very smart, he has great skill and he’s persistent. He doesn’t mind going into traffic. I have a great appreciation for him as a player. I really enjoy watching him play, like when their games are on TV on NESN [New England Sports Network],” said Army.

“I just don’t like seeing him on the opposing bench,” quipped the Friars coach.

Maine coach Tim Whitehead said his team needs to elevate its work ethic, particularly in the offensive zone.

Maine has scored just seven goals in its three losses.

He feels his team showed some defensive progress in the loss to Vermont and some skill offensively “but we didn’t play hard enough to get to their net. We didn’t win enough loose pucks. We’ve got to be willing to take hits to make a play.”

Whitehead has juggled all four lines including the top-scoring line of Leveille between Josh Soares and Teddy Purcell.

Left wing Brent Shepheard joins Leveille and Purcell while Soares will be with Keenan Hopson and Keith Johnson.

“It’s a good time to change up the lines. Get a new jump to our step playing with different players,” said Johnson. “Hopefully, with the new combinations, we’ll find better ways to put the puck in the net.”

Senior center Mike Hamilton said the Bears have to play with more “desperation.”

“We’ve got to show what we can do and prove what kind of team we are. We need to be more physical. That’s something we’ve gotten away from, especially in the last game,” said Hamilton, who will be flanked by Billy Ryan and Rob Bellamy.

Leveille said Maine must continue to maintain a defense-first focus “but we can’t forget about driving to their net, drawing penalties and making sure we’re taking the goalie’s eyes away.”

The Bears have great respect for the Friars.

“They’re a real good club and they’ll be hungry, too,” said Whitehead.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” said Hamilton.