Sam Studnicka has heard plenty of stories from his father, Todd, about his days as a center for the University of Maine hockey team. He played during the first four years of late head coach Shawn Walsh’s regime.
Sam Studnicka will play against his father’s alma mater when St. Francis Xavier of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, invades Alfond Arena in Orono for Sunday’s 4 p.m. exhibition game.
“When I found out we were playing them, it was pretty exciting. I know my dad’s excited,” said the younger Studnicka, who played five years of Major Junior Hockey in the Ontario Hockey League before enrolling at St. Francis Xavier this year.
“It’s going to be pretty special for me to suit up against his former team,” added the 21-year-old, who had 24 goals and 19 assists in 60 games last season.
Todd Studnicka, girlfriend Jacqui and his daughter Madison are making the trip from Michigan to Orono to watch the game.
“It’s going to bring back a lot of memories,” said Todd Studnicka. “I remember bringing all my kids there during an event to honor Shawn after he died.”
Studnicka was a reliable, hard-nosed center for the Black Bears who had 28 goals and 35 assists in his 133-game career, which included UMaine’s initial NCAA tournament appearance his junior season and its first Frozen Four his senior year.
“What sticks out to me is we had an organization that had a plan beginning in year one. Some days, it was hard to believe in it, but we stuck with it and persevered and things started to change by the third year,” said the 51-year-old.
“Those four years were four of the best years of my life. It was a very rewarding time,” he added.
UMaine lost to eventual national champion Lake Superior State 6-3 in the semifinals at Lake Placid, New York. It was the first 30-win season (34-8-2) in program history.
UMaine went 58-24-4 in Studnicka’s last two seasons after enduring a 23-57-2 mark the first two years.
He knows the struggling Black Bears are in a similar position to that of his first two UMaine teams.
“They’re going to have to stick together. You need to understand your role as a hockey player and be the best you can at it,” said Studnicka.
Sam Studnicka, like his father, is a center. He’s considerably bigger at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds.
“He does a lot of little things right. His greatest attribute is his leadership. And he’s a very, very intelligent player,” Todd said.
“He influenced my game a lot. I try to be a good two-way player and I take pride in my defense,” said Sam.
The X-Men, who will play at Connecticut on Saturday, were the national runners-up last season.
UMaine coach Red Gendron will use the game to evaluate his players, line combinations, defense tandems and special teams.
UMaine opens the season Oct. 7-8, hosting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.