The Black Bears are chosen to finish in the middle of the pack by conference coaches.
BOSTON – The Maine hockey team hasn’t fooled anyone in Hockey East this season.
Despite losing eight player from last season’s NCAA tournament team, league coaches on Tuesday picked Maine to finish fourth in the nine-team conference thanks to a few red-shirt players and a solid crop of freshmen.
As expected, Boston College was the first team in the poll, garnering eight of the nine first-place votes for 72 points. New Hampshire snagged the other No. 1 vote and was picked second with 63 points. Boston University had 58 points to claim third.
“Boston College is definitely a valid choice at the top,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “They’ve proven they can win with the team they have and they have a lot of talent back from last year.”
In 2002-03, the Eagles went deep into the playoffs with a very young team, and all but two key players are back for another run at their second NCAA championship in four years.
“We have a pretty good club back, and I feel good about our chances,” said BC coach Jerry York. “I’d much rather be picked near the top because it validates the fact that I think we have some good players here”
Leading the Eagles are brothers Ben and Patrick Eaves, both NHL draft choices and both extremely talented on the offensive side of the ice. In net, the Eagles return Matti Kaltiainen, a junior with two full years of experience, and names like Ty Hennes, J.D. Forrest, Brett Peterson, Tony Voce and Justin Dziama scatter the lineup card.
At New Hampshire, coach Dick Umile is also optimistic, having lost only two key players in Lanny Gare and Colin Hemingway. Goaltending sensation Michael Ayers returns for his senior season after capturing USA Hockey’s College Player of the Year award in 2002-03, and the blue line is solid thanks to seniors Tim Horst and Mike Lubesnick.
“The leadership we lost is something that’s hard to replace,” said Umile,” but we have talent and a very solid goaltender.”
Boston University returns a goaltending stalwart of its own in Sean Fields, also a senior. In front of Fields are 16 other returning lettermen, including 11 forwards and four defensemen.
Maine will bring four freshmen to the fold this year, along with four new players that sat last season out as redshirts. Among them are defensemen Dustin Penner and Jeff Mushaluk, who add size and strength to the defense, and Michel Léveillé, a speedy forward with soft hands and a deft scoring touch.
“I like the team we have,” said Whitehead. “The new guys we have can step right in, and that helps.”
Also, Maine will have a full-strength version of Colin Shields, who missed much of last season with an injury, Greg Moore and Derek Damon, two of the top four returning scorers from last season, and captain Todd Jackson.
The No. 5 team in the poll is Massachusetts, which could prove to be the surprise team of the year. Last spring, the Minutemen swept Maine at Alfond Arena in Orono, and this year they return all but two key skaters.
Rounding out the poll are Providence, UMass-Lowell, Northeastern and Merrimack.
“There’s no doubt that this year is going to be like the last few,” said Whitehead. “Inevitably there will be a team that isn’t one of the traditional top four in the top four at the end of the year. The league is so strong as it has been for a while, it’s going to be an interesting season.”
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