Bears battling with teammates for playing time
By Larry Mahoney, Of the NEWS Staff
BREWER - It can be a daunting way to begin your college hockey career: lacing
up the skates for the defending NCAA champions.
But there are also advantages, according to some of the 11 newcomers to the
University of Maine men's hockey team, which had its first official on-ice
practices at Brewer's Bouchard Arena on Saturday and Sunday mornings before
trying out the new boards and glass at their Alfond Arena in Orono Sunday
night.
"There's pressure to perform. They've got three solid lines coming back and I'm
just hoping to make an impression on the coaches to earn a spot on the team,"
said forward Lucas Lawson of Braeside, Ontario. "But when you're practicing
with the best players in the country, you're going to pick up so much. It's
incredible.
"I'm just happy to be here," added Lawson, who also said the winning tradition
established at Maine helps create a good atmosphere.
Goalie Trapper Clark of Waterville called it a "fun challenge.
"These guys are really good. It's tough competition, but it makes you work
hard," he said.
Defenseman Cliff Loya of Pittsburgh agreed, saying even though there might be a
little more pressure, "It helps in the transition to Division I hockey because
you're playing against the best right now. You've got to be going 100 percent
all the time."
Forward Robert Liscak of Skalica, Slovakia, said the national championship was
last year, so he doesn't dwell on it. This is a new season.
"But it would be real nice to win it again, that's for sure," said Liscak, who
has found dry-land training and the early practices to be intense.
"But that's what hockey's about," he said. "You've got to go out there and give
it your best shot if you want to play."
Freshman forward Martin Kariya of North Vancover, British Columbia, is working
hard to earn a spot in the lineup.
"There are a lot of good players that the freshmen will have to get past in
order to get into the lineup," said Kariya, the younger brother of former
UMaine standouts Paul and Steve Kariya. That will be the hardest part by far."
Kariya is adapting to a new position. He has been a center for his entire
career and has been moved to right wing.
"It'll be an adjustment. If I can make the adjustment as quickly as possible,
it'll be to my advantage," he said.
Maine coach Shawn Walsh and some of his upperclassmen said their initial
impressions of the freshman class have been positive.
"The scholarship freshmen Grant [assistant coach Grant Standbrook] brought in
can all play. I can see that right away. They look at home," said Walsh.
Co-captain Cory Larose said the team has a lot of talent.
"Coach will have the pleasant task of putting together lines," Larose said.
"There are tons of guys I'd love to be on a line with. It's exciting for me. As
a senior, I really want to have a big year."
Co-captain Brendan Walsh said the Bears will have the capability of putting
four scoring lines on the ice.
"That's exciting from a team standpoint," he said.
In addition to the 11 freshmen, there are six players who practiced with the
team a year ago and didn't play. They were redshirted.
"But it was good being around the team and around the seniors. You had a chance
to experience what they were like, how they practiced, how hard they worked,
and how they prepared. It was good," said junior defenseman Kevin Clauson, who
transferred to Maine from Western Michigan.
Maine's current 33-man roster has players from seven states, five Canadian
provinces, Sweden, Austria, and Slovakia.