ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine’s struggling men’s hockey team could be without one of its best players this weekend when the Black Bears visit UMass-Lowell for a two-game series.
Sophomore center Stu Higgins missed most of the third period of Sunday’s 4-0 loss to New Hampshire due to a leg injury he sustained while blocking a shot.
“He suffered a severe bruise and had to have stitches,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “It doesn’t look good for the weekend but he’s a tough kid [and might be able to play].”
Whitehead said if he can’t play, it will be a significant loss.
“He plays in all situations, he’s one of our most consistent faceoff men and he’s a great shot blocker,” said Whitehead.
Higgins is tied for second on the team in scoring with a goal and two assists for the 1-8 Black Bears. He is also tied for second on the team in plus-minus at zero. A player receives a plus-one if he is on the ice when his team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus-one if the opponent scores one.
He is tied for third in shots on goal with 20.
Freshman Kyle Williams would take Higgins’ place in the lineup if he can’t play.
The Black Bears already have four players sidelined by injury: forwards John Parker (broken foot), Jon Swavely (torn quadriceps) and Kyle Beattie (concussion) along with forward-defenseman Billy Norman (sprained ankle).
Parker and Swavely are out until at least January; Norman will miss the UML series and Beattie is doubtful for the weekend.
Bears playing from behind
One of the major problems for the Black Bears has been their penchant for falling behind.
Opponents have scored the game’s first goal in seven of Maine’s nine games.
Maine has led for only 53 minutes and 16 seconds in 540 total minutes and have trailed for 288:39.
“If we can score the first goal, it will give the team some confidence and we can stick to our defensive system,” said Whitehead. “We’ll be able to protect our goalies [better].”
Maine is currently 58th among 59 teams in goal production at 1.11 per game and has the 57th-ranked power play (2.3 percent).
The Black Bears are tied for 48th in scoring defense (3.33 gpg allowed) and 34th in penalty killing (81.2 percent). They are the 10th most penalized team (15.9 penalty minutes per game).
3 points in 9 games is tied for second in scoring on the team that really shows how ugly it is.
Hats off to Stu for sacrificing his body and blocking shots for a coach who could care les about him and his efforts. The only thing Stu is good for in Timmays eyes is the fact he can use him as an excuse for the teams awful start with the typical Whitehead excuse of injuries and he is part of the roster loaded with youth. Heres to hoping for a speady recovery for Mr Higgins you have to admire the effort of the young chap blocking shots and giving his all for a 1-8 hockey team. He deserves a better coach just as the fans of Maine Hockey Do!
MAINE HOCKEY
SHAWN AND GRANT BUILT IT
TIM WHITEHEAD RUINED IT!
HIRE JIMMY FIRE TIMMY!
This is all Purcell’s fault for leaving early.
:) :) :)
I’m surprised MaHomey didn’t write that in this article. Is MaHomey delusional or something? This guy must be in bed w/ someone up at “THE u” to write these excuse articles again, and again, and again….
I sure wish I knew as much about journalism as you do. I had 40 years of it and I sure can’t measure up to your “killing the messenger” ability.
oh i see nostadinimu get you too ole woody woody way,.,.,hehe you so easy to rant you liek that mickeyhart hatin on them tru mainer fans,.,.,ha ha you too like twins me htinks..,.hehe
I know what they want – they want Whitehead out. So do I. How they want that done is what I don’t understand. I guess, instead of taking the initiative themselves to git er done, they want someone else to do the heavy lifting. They want a sportswriter for a newspaper to help them get him fired. Instead of letting people who really could do something about it know how they feel, they rail on a little guy. He probably has less influence in that direction than you or I. If enough of us let our feelings known to the AD, the president or the chancellor, then maybe something will be done. Blaming a newspaper writer because an unpopular coach continues in his job is stupid.
We may not agree on a lot of stuff but I will agree with you that Larry is doing his job and his job isn’t necessarily to rail on Tim (the people commenting can do that). His job is to report the game – it should have minimal opinion typically other than that of any normal beat writer.
I want Tim gone too and have voiced that over and over but I do think some (not all or even the majority for that matter) take it too far when they call for Larry’s head on a platter as well…
actually, what I would like is to send you back to school to learn how to spell/write. my lord, that is pathetic.
He spells like Whitehead coaches.
oh theer that mikkeyhartman trickynmiky haeh,.,.,so angri he is why or not just be tru maine fan hehahha little mikcey hrat
Stu Higgins has just 4 goals in 48 career games at Maine. Not sure that translates into being one of Maine’s “best players” Larry. It seems that you’re really desperately looking for answers to this terrible program (and not just this year’s team).
Go over to The Alfond, into the hockey offices, into the Head Coach’s office. There you will find the problem. Write about that Larry!
I sure wish I knew as much about journalism as you do. I had 40 years of it and I sure can’t measure up to your “killing the messenger” ability.
hook line sinker bbear got you woodyman hahaha
Don’t you have a zumba class to get to?
See – there you go again. Soooooo clever.
if stew higins our best playawe in real deep trouble.,.,.he no score goals so what dat mean
give Jack Capuano a call….he’s available right now.
Pretty sure the Islanders would have something to say about that.
Whitehead will not get the boot while Mr. March is the head MBB coach, because Mr. March heads up one of the most underachieving basketball teams in one of the worst conf in the country.
How can you fire Tim when you have this trainwreck leading MBB? Anybody want to answer that????? No?????? Didn’t think so…
I don’t see what one has to do with the other. Maybe you can explain it to me.