Maine's Liscak, Janik will be ready for opener
By Larry Mahoney, Of the NEWS Staff

ORONO - Two University of Maine hockey players who underwent knee surgery
are going through their paces during dry-land training.

Center Robert Liscak and defenseman Doug Janik haven't been able to do all
the drills but both expect to be in the lineup when Maine hosts defending
national champion North Dakota on Oct. 13. Liscak tore the anterior cruciate
ligament in his right knee in the last regular season game and Janik had to
have his kneecap repaired.

Dr. John West of Orthopaedic Associates of Bangor performed both surgeries.

"It felt pretty good on the ice the other day,'' said Liscak, who has also
been able to participate in many of the off-ice drills. "It bothers me a
little bit if I pound it too much.''

Liscak's injury was particularly frustrating for him because he had suffered
an early-season knee injury that had sidelined him for several weeks.

"At the end of the season, I was playing on a line with [brothers] Chris and
Barrett Heisten and we were playing very well,'' said Liscak, who spent the
summer rehabbing the knee under the auspices of trainer Paul Culina.

Liscak, who is a sophomore, had six goals and seven assists in limited duty
a year ago.

Janik, who was hampered by a pair of groin pulls during the playoffs, said
he had eight holes drilled in his kneecap to enhance the blood flow.

"As I lost the blood supply to the knee, the knee was degenerating. But the
knee is fine now and I'm just waiting for it to harden up,'' said Janik. "I'
m at about 80 percent right now but it should be fine for North Dakota.''

He said the groin pulls have healed well because he had to rest over the
summer due to his May 26 knee surgery.

Janik had six goals and 14 assists last season.

Jim St. Pierre, the strength and conditioning coach at Maine, is leading
Janik, Liscak and the rest of the Bears during dry-land training and he said
the veterans returned to camp in good shape.

"Our key indicator of aerobic and anaerobic fitness is the mile and a half
run,'' said St. Pierre. "It's like a mile and a half sprint. The veterans
have to equal or better their personal best or they have to run it over
again. They ran it last Friday and 26 of the 30 passed. Just four had to run
it over again.''

He said they were also tested in several other categories and the numbers
were "real good.''

Maine will take the ice for its first official practice on Sept. 24.