ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine men’s hockey team added an element to its game over the weekend and it helped produce its first two-game winning streak of the season and its second straight Florida College Classic championship.
The Black Bears played with an edge and became a physical team.
And the Black Bears feel that’s the way they’ll have to play in the second half of the season to begin climbing the Hockey East standings.
They are currently in last place.
“We set the tone physically against the two teams we played,” said Cornell, referring to Minnesota-Duluth (1-0) and Cornell University (6-4). “I think it’s a good idea to play that way. It’s the way we have to play to be successful.
“We have to walk that line between playing clean and playing mean. That’s my opinion. I’m not sure where the coaches stand on that.”
Cornell, one of the team’s most physical players, said its important to be “hard to play against” and combining physicality and a strong defensive presence will make them that way on a consistent basis.
“We were playing the body way more than we ever had,” said freshman center Steven Swavely. “It takes its toll on the other team.”
One of the most physical players was senior center Kyle Beattie, who was chosen the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He had a goal and a two assists in the title game and landed some bone-rattling checks.
“Kyle was very impressive. He was really physical,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead.
Beattie had been having a frustrating senior season entering the tournament.
He missed six games in two different stretches due to two concussions and had just one assist in seven games before the Cornell game. He was the team’s second-leading returning scorer after notching six goals and 21 assists a year ago.
Beattie said he gave considerable thought to bringing more of a physical nature to his game during the Christmas break.
“If you can go out and have three, four, five or six hits, you feel so much more involved in the game and you feel better. If I can make sure I set the tone physically along with the other team leaders, the whole team follows,” said Beattie.
The six goals were a season-high as the Bears entered the tournament as the lowest-scoring team in college hockey, averaging 1.33 goals per game.
Beattie pointed out that their physical play and defensive positioning can give them a chance to also win low-scoring games.
It can also lead to more scoring chances because opponents will be more likely to turn the puck over if they know they’re going to get hit every time they touch the puck.
“You don’t have to crush somebody every time. You just have to let them know you’re there,” explained Beattie. “They’ll have to keep their heads up and they may be looking for you before they look for the puck. It’s the same for our defensemen. If they always finish their checks, the opposing forwards won’t be able to make plays they want to make.”
“We were able to get in on the forecheck a lot better,” said sophomore center Stu Higgins. “And all of the lines were getting in there.”
In addition to discovering the benefits of physical play, the 4-11-2 Black Bears also received a big boost of confidence.
“We found out we can play with the big boys,” said Higgins.
“We can beat anybody on a given night,” added Swavely. “And we showed we can produce offense and win games like that, too.”
Swavely’s older brother, Jon, returned to the lineup after having surgery on his quadriceps, and he was put on a checking line with Higgins and Anthoine.
They were a combined plus-four in plus-minus during the weekend.
Players are given a plus-one if they’re on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus one if the other team scores one.
“They were very steady,” said Whitehead.
“Cornell had a great first line, but playing against them helped us raise over level of play. And we got plenty of scoring chances,” said Higgins. “Our mindset is that we aren’t just going to sit back and let them dictate the play to us, we can dictate the play to them.”
Higgins noted that high-powered lines usually don’t like to play physically and aren’t as strong defensively as other lines because they’re focused on offense.
Bears’ injuries mounting
Whitehead isn’t sure what his lineup will be for the Friday-Saturday series against 8-6-1 Mercyhurst College from Atlantic Hockey.
Maine and Mercyhurst will play Friday in Portland and Saturday at the Alfond Arena. Both game times are 7 p.m.
Freshman left wing Conor Riley and senior center Klas Leidermark sustained concussions over the weekend and junior defenseman Brice O’Connor suffered a shoulder injury. Riley and Leidermark won’t play and O’Connor is doubtful.
Senior right wing and tri-captain Joey Diamond missed the tournament due to a neck-back ailment and is also questionable.
Senior defenseman Nick Pryor (flu) and senior left wing Adam Shemansky (mononucleosis) also missed the tournament and are questionable for the weekend, as well.
Whitehead said junior goalie Martin Ouellette, who shut out UMD on Friday but was lifted after allowing three goals in 10:33 against Cornell and replaced by freshman Matt Morris (22 saves on 23 shots), will probably start on Friday with Morris likely to get Saturday’s start.
Ouellette had been exceptional during a seven-game stretch before the Cornell game, posting a 1.69 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage.
Has Leidermark ever not been hurt? Swedish kids don’t get enough calcium I guess.
Leidermark when in the lineup isn’t noticeable so who knows? He is good for taking a weak wrist shot from just inside the blue line that a little leaguer could save. No offensive instinct in that kid at all, real strong effort tho always and plays more a defensive game like most of the swedes with exception of Goose.
Diamond out and they start winning.
Haha…I would credit it more to Pryor not turning the puck over in the defensive zone three times a game.
Are they really just figuring this out that if they play physical and dictate the play they can win? The Boston College was clear evidence of that wasn’t it! They were flying all over the ice against BC and at long stretches of that game outplayed them! When the D are finishing checks and taking a guy completely out of the play they are successful. Just running into him and letting skate past you and get back in the play is when you run into trouble! And is it just me but they are 0-6-2 home, does anyone notice how far back the D get before they decided to make a move on the puck carrier? I watch other teams, especially the strong ones, and the D are stepping up at or just inside the blue line eliminating any gimmie shots and forcing turnovers. Maine backs up to top of circle and sometimes further, and giving up the middle of the ice for lots of easy shots for opponents. STEP UP….but then again if you dont have the talent to put the body on someone and get smoked, well that dont help either! I didn’t get to watch the games this weekend but it has to be optimistic doesn’t it. They have lost to worse teams! Since the UNH thrashing, Maine has been in every game and something like 6 one goal games. Mercyhurst is 8-6-1 and play in Atlantic Hockey, not exactly a powerhouse so get a couple wins and all of a sudden 4 game win streak going back into conference play!
Really. It takes two seniors 15 games into their senior season to figure out that physical play helps win games? Or has TIMMAY finally decided to let them hit people, since his job’s on the line?
Once he gets that new contract extension, it’ll be right back to whiffing and poking at the puck as the opponent skates by.
Right! How many times have we seen Maine come out hitting in a first period just to find that when they come out for the second after Timmay’s “pep talk” they stop hitting all together! Especially when you play BC’s, BU’s , UNH’s when clearly more talented and speedier, you have to play physical. Put a body on someone and make em feel it to slow em down. Make these razzle dazzyle getting cute with the puck type guys pay and think twice before trying cinderella crap again. Even last year when Abbott or Flynn were off, or year before when Goose was off, it was because guys were pounding them and getting them off their game and frustrating them! Im not a D-1 coach nor are the rest of us but we can see the most basic hockey fundamentals that for whatever reason just don’t seem to be present more times than not!
This could be the start of the biggest turnaround in hockey history, culminating in a National Championship. Whitehead has a slight lead in “the who is going to get fired” sweepstakes over Mr. March Ted Woodward. Go Timmay!!!!!!!
Haha, BC isnt walking through the door, putting Maine jerseys on and running the table for two months to a national championship.
23-11-2 ! That is the record Maine would have if they won out! 19-0. That would make them 18-7-2 in conference and still would more than likely not even get them top spot since BC and UNH only need 9 and 10 wins respectively to get to that mark. That puts the season in prospective!