ORONO – The jerseys may have been different colors, but all the players on the ice Saturday night at Alfond Arena were playing for the same team.

In an exhibition game that was as much for fun as it was for practice, the Maine Black Bears showcased their team to a large crowd at the annual Blue/White game during Homecoming weekend.

For the fans, it provided the first glimpse at what will be Maine’s newest ensemble of potential national champions, and for coaches it is an opportunity to see how players respond to different line combinations and game situations.

“The first thing that struck me was the size of the crowd tonight,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “There were a lot of positives on display tonight, and this will be a big help for us as coaches.”

To no one’s surprise, at least those behind the bench on Saturday, the top returning scorers from last season also had a banner day on Saturday.

The Blue team’s first two goals came off the stick of Lisbon native and former St. Dom’s standout Greg Moore. Moore returned to the team this year a bit trimmer and much more relaxed.

Even at the team’s photo shoot and media day last week, with some of the chairs still laying on the ice, Moore pushed fellow returning Mainer Derek Damon of Bangor across the ice while both players laughed. The mood among the players who bore the burden of being rookies last season, Damon and Moore included, is decidedly different.

Gone is the pressure of making a first impression. Now the pressure lies in the example they will set for the next group of incoming freshmen.

“The goal this year is to improve on the last one,” said Damon. “It’s a lot more laid back for us now. We had our learning experiences, and now we get to share those with the freshmen.”

Damon says a few freshmen have already asked a few questions about the game at the collegiate level, and both he and Moore are more than happy to respond.

“Last year, it was hard at first,” said Moore. “You didn’t want to do anything too out of the way because you didn’t know how anyone would react. This year, it’s a lot more loose. You know how the players and the coaches are going to react to things.”

On the ice, Damon and Moore had solid initial campaigns, combining for 18 goals and 16 assists. This year, the two return as the third- and fourth-leading scorers on the team, respectively.

Also returning for Maine this season are all three goaltenders. Jimmy Howard, Frank Doyle and Gardiner’s Ray Jean all had solid workouts during captains’ practices, and according to Whitehead, all three will be considered for playing time this season.

“We’re extremely happy to have them all back here,” said Whitehead. “I think it’s pretty safe to say we’ll rotate (Howard and Doyle) like we did last year, but don’t overlook Ray Jean, either. He’s in great shape and he’s looked good.”

At the Blue/White game, Howard was impressive, especially on the breakaways used to introduce the players. Doyle let several shots go in low to his blocker side.

For Howard, this season will be partly about proving that he wasn’t a one-hit wonder. Last season, Howard, selected in the second round of this year’s NHL entry draft by the Detroit Red Wings, set records for shutouts and consecutive shutout minutes at Maine, and was instrumental in leading the team to the NCAA tournament.

“I want to be able to show people this year that I can do again what I did last year,” said Howard. “My goal for the season is to be more consistent. I want to be strong the whole season.”

For Howard and Moore, the only true freshmen on the team last season, and Damon, who was a pleasant surprise for the team in 2002-03, the new campaign, which starts with a visit to the Maverick Stampede on Oct. 10, should be exciting.

“We’re young for sure,” said Howard, “but we have a lot of talent everywhere. If teams take us lightly, we’re going to win those games.”

On Saturday, several young or new players used the Blue/White game as an opportunity to state their case for inclusion. Michel Leveille, Mike Hamilton, Jon Jankus, Josh Soares, Luciano Aquino, Jeff Mushaluk and Tom Zabkowicz all had points on Saturday night to help their cause.

“All four of the redshirt players really showed how well they can play tonight,” said Whitehead. “All of the first-year guys were really strong, actually. We’ll look at the tape and make some evaluations, but (that) is an OK problem to have.”

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