A pair of freshmen help carry on Maine’s winning tradition.
BOSTON – The two may not go hand-in-hand, but fantastic freshmen and championships have had a way of popping up together in University of Maine hockey history.

The 1993 championship squad featured a baby-faced Paul Kariya and twin fresh faces in Chris and Peter Ferraro. The 1999 titleists counted on Niko Dimitrakos and Peter Metcalf for points in their OT win over New Hampshire.

Mike Hamilton and Michel Leveille could join that select company with one more win tonight over the University of Denver. The two Canadian freshman forwards will line up on the FleetCenter ice with the usual freshman battle scars, though both earned many of those scars before even putting on a blue and white jersey.

“Maine has a great tradition of freshmen and freshmen who contribute to the program’s tradition,” said Leveille, who had to sit out last season for academic reasons before the NCAA cleared his scholarship to Maine. “When you come in you want to be a big part of it, and everybody’s trying to step it up from the beginning of the season.”

Hearing about that tradition while growing up in Levis, Quebec drew Leveille to Maine. The possibility of someday contributing to it, plus some timely encouragement from his friends on the team, helped keep him from going home during his year of NCAA-enforced exile.

Leveille is paying his friends and teammates back better than any other newcomer in the nation, and he’s picked up some hardware for himself. His 34 assists rank him first on the team and second in the nation. His play-making ability immediately endeared him to linemates Greg Moore and Colin Shields, not coincidentally Maine’s two top goal scorers, and earned him Hockey East Rookie of the Year honors.

“Michel hasn’t played like a freshman this year. His ability to stick-handle and see the ice and create opportunities and pass the puck is just unbelievable,” Moore said. “I honestly don’t think I’ve played with anybody in my life that has the playmaking ability he does. It’s just been a pleasure playing with him.”

“You can’t ask for a better sniper than Colin on your line, and Greg brings a physical presence and works hard in the corner,” Leveille said. ” I’ve always been a passer. Sometimes it’s gotten me in a little trouble because I don’t like to shoot the puck too much.”

Hamilton pleads guilty to playing the part of a timid freshman as well earlier this season. Maine coaches have been riding the British Columbia native to be more assertive on the ice with his wiry 6-1, 193-pound frame. He’s broken out of his shell in postseason, scoring three of his seven goals on the season, including the game-winner in OT against Wisconsin to send Maine to the Frozen Four.

“Strength definitely been an advantage of mine and it’s helped me a lot lately for winning loose pucks and that kind of stuff,” Hamilton said. “All of the hard work has definitely been paying off.”

Unlike Leveille, Hamilton didn’t have any homesick blues to overcome in Orono. His hometown junior team in Salsa, B.C. took care of that nearly three years ago by trading him during the season.

“It was definitely tough at first, being 17 or 18 and being away from home for the first time. And it all happened in one day. You’ve got to pack up and leave your friends and family,” he said.

The experience turned out to be a blessing for Hamilton in the long run.

He adjusted quickly to Division I college life and seems to be settling into Maine and its tradition quite well.

“School’s been good,” Hamilton said, “and the hockey’s been even better so far.”