ORONO – There have been occasions this season when you thought University of Maine freshman center Ben Murphy would need a priest rather than a trainer after absorbing a bone-rattling body check.

But Murphy would just jump up and continue skating like nothing happened.

“You don’t want to show any weakness. You don’t want to let anybody get to you at this level. If they know how to get to you, everyone else will know and they’ll keep coming at you. So you just get up and keep playing,” said Murphy, who has evolved into a solid regular and will be between Paul Falco and John Ronan on an all-freshman line against visiting Merrimack College this weekend.

Friday night’s game will be Murphy’s 14th in a row after he was in and out of the lineup early in the year.

Murphy, who has played wing as well as center, has three goals and three assists in 17 games.

Maine interim head coach Tim Whitehead said he has been a valuable addition to the lineup.

“He’s a good two-way player who has a great attitude,” said Whitehead. “He’s tough and he’s versatile. He will do anything you ask and will do it to a ‘T’.”

Murphy had been on a checking line with Robert Liscak and Gray Shaneberger but he has also been effective on scoring lines and the freshman line was one of Maine’s best in the Bears’ 2-2 overtime tie at Northeastern Saturday.

“I’m happy with the way things are going. I just hope to keep getting better and better,” said the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Murphy.

Murphy had been a prolific scorer at Cushing Academy (Mass.) but doesn’t mind being a checker.

“[Scoring] isn’t my role this year. We have plenty of scorers on this team. I’ve got to make sure I don’t give up anything [opponents’ scoring chances] and play hard. That’s fine with me. I just love to play,” said the North Andover, Mass., native.

University of Massachusetts-Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald labeled Murphy “a very solid, trustworthy player with potential to contribute more in the future with more skill development.”

Murphy said it was a major adjustment at the beginning of the year.

“But it has become easier and easier,” said Murphy. “The speed of the game requires you to make quick decisions with the puck. It’s tougher to play center than wing because you have so much to learn. You have to make sure you don’t make any mistakes down low in the defensive zone because if you do, the puck winds up in your net.”

He enjoys being on the all-freshman line.

“It’s fun. We’re all freshmen and we’re all from Mass.,” said Murphy. “We work hard every shift and try not to make too many mistakes. We try to outwork everyone else.”

He is looking forward to the series against his hometown college.

“They’ve got some good players and they’ll be coming in pumped up. We’ll have a battle against them,” said Murphy.