The first half of the hockey season for the University of Maine men’s team was a series of streaks.
The Black Bears began the campaign with three ties, then lost eight in a row and rebounded to put together a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1) before ending the semester on a sour note with a 5-2 loss to a mediocre University of New Hampshire team.
The major culprit in Maine’s disappointing 4-9-4 season (2-5-1 in Hockey East) has been a lack of goal production. The Black Bears are dead last among the nation’s 60 teams in goals per game at 1.82, and the power play is 56th at 10.6 percent efficiency.
However, there have been some signs of life lately that could boost the Black Bears out of 11th place in 12-team Hockey East.
After averaging one goal per game through its first 11 games, Maine has averaged 3.33 over its last six.
So even though this team has too many grinders and not enough snipers, the team has been doing the little things necessary to compensate lately such as attacking the net with more urgency and screening the goalie more effectively.
The Black Bears still miss the net too much and make poor decisions at the point of completion such as passing when they should shoot and shooting when they should pass.
Remember, there isn’t a player on this team that has received any kind of yearly Hockey East Award (first team, second team, honorable mention, all-rookie team). This is definitely a lunchpail outfit.
The play of the defense corps has been respectable, especially considering three freshmen (Rob Michel, Sam Becker and Keith Muehlbauer) have been regulars as has sophomore Mark Hamilton. It is one of the youngest sets of defensemen in the country.
The blue line corps will be bolstered by the return of junior Eric Schurhamer, who has missed the last 10 games with an undisclosed injury. He had three assists in his seven games and was a fixture on the point on the power play. He should give the offense a little boost.
Maine’s goaltending has been a pleasant surprise. Both freshman Rob McGovern and junior Matt Morris have strung together impressive stretches.
McGovern made 72 saves on 74 shots in back-to-back ties with North Dakota and Union and, after suffering a minor injury, returned to hold opponents to two goals or less in four consecutive starts.
After McGovern suffered another minor injury, Morris took over and backstopped the 4-0-1 stretch, allowing 11 goals and making 168 saves.
McGovern surrendered four goals on 28 shots in the 5-2 loss at UNH.
Sophomore Sean Romeo, who had some memorable performances a year ago, also is available, although he has played just one period so far.
The Maine goalies have combined for a 2.55 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage, and those stats are even more impressive considering they have played eight games against teams ranked in the top 20 in the country in scoring: Boston College (fourth), UNH (seventh), Quinnipiac (eighth), North Dakota (ninth) and UMass Lowell (20th).
The Black Bears will have to continue to receive quality goaltending while playing good team defense in the second half if they are to climb the Hockey East standings.
Maine has had one of the nation’s most demanding schedules to date. Quinnipiac, Boston College, North Dakota and UMass Lowell are a combined 54-8-9, and Maine went 0-5-1 in its six games with those four teams.
The second-half schedule, especially the early stages, is much more favorable. Maine’s next six games are against 6-6-4 New Hampshire, 5-11-1 Colgate from the ECAC and 5-10-1 UConn. Maine plays UNH at Portland and Manchester, New Hampshire, while the other four games are in Orono.
It may seem like a lofty goal, but Maine is capable of winning 10 of its last 19 games. In order to do so, the veteran forwards have to continue to put the puck in the net like they have over the last six games.
Junior Blaine Byron is the team’s most creative forward and leads the team in scoring with five goals and five assists. Four of those goals have come in the last six games. If he can keep his feet moving and free himself from checkers, he could have a very productive second half.
Nobody has had more puck possession and generated more scoring chances for himself and his teammates than tenacious dynamo Cam Brown (two goals, seven assists). The 5-foot-7 junior uses his quick feet and low center of gravity to spin away from checkers.
The only weakness in his game is his finishing. He could have at least eight goals. If he can start putting the puck in the net, that could be a key to a good second half for the Black Bears.
Senior power forward Will Merchant (6 & 3) has already broken his single-season high for goals and senior captain Steven Swavely (3 & 3), one of the nation’s top face-off men, finally snapped out of a nightmarish scoring drought to notch his first three goals of the season over the last five games.
Swavely leads the team in shots on goal with 75, and his recent scoring success will supply him with an important dose of confidence.
The gritty fourth line of sophomore Cedric Lacroix (3 & 1) between freshman Daniel Perez (1 & 2) and senior Andrew Tegeler (1 & 5) has been a real plus over the last six games, combining for three goals and five assists while providing a physical presence.
But Maine will need more consistent supplemental scoring from the likes of juniors Brian Morgan (3 & 1) and Brady Campbell (1 & 1) and sophomore Nolan Vesey (2 & 1). Vesey scored 10 goals last season and finally came to life in the last five games before the break (2 & 1).
Swift-skating Brendan Robbins (0 & 1) has played much better than his statistics reveal and fellow freshman Dane Gibson (1 & 0) has shown glimpses of offensive flair. Both are capable of scoring five or six goals in the second half.
On defense, junior Dan Renouf (3 & 6) has continued his impressive offensive progression. He has 3 & 3 in his last six games. His freshman partner Rob Michel (0 & 5, four assists in his last four games) could become an elite defenseman down the road; senior Conor Riley (0 & 1) is solid and quietly efficient; Hamilton (0 & 3) provides a hard-nosed presence, although he needs to cut down on his ill-advised penalties; Becker (0 & 2) has exhibited good offensive skills, but he needs to reduce his turnovers and Muehlbauer (no points) is a work in progress with a definite upside.
Maine will return to action against New Hampshire at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, in Portland.