November 16, 2024
COLLEGE REPORT

UMass’ Demianiuk to battle against father’s old team

It is a name that will be familiar to longtime University of Maine hockey fans.

University of Massachusetts freshman defenseman Dusty Demianiuk will make his debut at the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena this weekend, the same arena where his dad, Bill, called home for four years.

Bill Demianiuk was a hard-nosed winger with a blistering slap shot who played on the first four Maine teams and captained the Black Bears his junior and senior years, which were Maine’s first two in Division I (1979-80 and 1980-81) after two seasons in Division II.

Demianiuk is 30th on Maine’s all-time scoring list with 49 goals and 70 assists for 119 points in 127 games.

Dusty Demianiuk has been briefed on what to expect in Orono and is looking forward to the challenge.

“He said he had a lot of fun up there,” said Demianiuk. “He said it’s great. There’s a lot of fan support, the hockey is real good and they take it seriously. There’s no messing around.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” added the oldest of Bill and Karen Demianiuk’s three children.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Demianiuk has played in 12 games for the Minutemen, including the last six, and has a goal and eight penalty minutes.

“I’ve pulled out of my slump. At the beginning of the season, I was a little slow catching up to things. I had come right out of high school. But now I’ve adjusted,” said Demianiuk, who played for perennial Rhode Island powerhouse Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket.

Demianiuk said his father has been, “by far, my biggest influence. He has coached me or been the assistant all the way up until high school. We used to play street hockey in the driveway and stuff.”

Bill Demianiuk is going to pick up another original Black Bear, former defenseman Marc Son, in Kennebunk on his way up to the series on Friday.

“It will be fun coming back. It has been quite a while. I’m looking forward to seeing Dusty on the ice. He’s heard so many stories about Maine. My heart will be in two places. It has always been in Maine but it will be with my kid, too,” said Demianiuk, who lives with his family in Franklin, Mass..

Demianiuk hasn’t been back since he played in a benefit game for former teammate Andre Abut on July 17, 1993.

Aubut was paralyzed at the time and has since died.


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