UM out of playoff race, to take on spoiler role

ORONO – With a Hockey East playoff berth out of the equation, the University of Maine women’s hockey team is looking to the play the role of spoiler as it heads into its final seven regular-season games. Maine hosts Connecticut on Saturday and Sunday at noon.

Only the top four teams qualify for the Hockey East Tournament and sixth-place Maine trails UConn and Providence, who are tied for third, by 13 points. Fifth-place Boston University leads Maine by nine points.

“We’d like to finish the best we can and carry that over into next season,” said sophomore right wing Robyn Law, who has missed the last three games, all losses, with a knee injury.

She is expected to return this weekend.

“We want to make it tough for the other teams,” added freshman right wing Taryn Peacock.

Interim head coach Lauren Steblen said her players “have something to prove.”

Maine has lost eight of its last nine and is now 7-15-2 overall, 2-10-2 in Hockey East.

Steblen said she would like to see her team open up the gap between itself and seventh-place Northeastern, which is one point behind the Bears.

“And fifth place isn’t out of the question,” said Steblen.

Steblen, who would like to become the permanent head coach, said her players haven’t let their dismal record prevent them from playing hard.

She has been particularly impressed with her freshmen and sophomores.

“They are playing so much better in the defensive zone,” said Steblen. “That will make us stronger next year.”

Law said the team is “fortunate that we have a lot of good leaders. We’re still learning from them and we’ll pass on what we learned to the new players next year.”

And there will be plenty of them next fall.

Steblen is looking to bring in 10 players, including recruited walk-ons, to replace the six seniors who will graduate. She has three players already committed.

In addition to talent, she is looking for players “with a great work ethic and heart.”

Four of Maine’s top seven scorers are freshmen or sophomores, and goalie Genevieve Turgeon is a sophomore.

Another freshman, right wing Amy Stech, has been a “huge surprise” in the second half of the season, according to Steblen.

“She has an unmatched work ethic. She never slows down,” said Steblen.