Bears to face Sioux
By Larry Mahoney, Of the NEWS Staff
The last two NCAA Division I hockey champions will open the season at the
University of Maine's Alfond Arena on the weekend of Oct. 13-14 when
defending champ the University of North Dakota and 1999 titlist Maine square
off.
North Dakota's Fighting Sioux and Maine's Black Bears have won three of the
last four NCAA titles and four of the last eight.
That series highlights the Black Bears' 35-game schedule, which includes its
first foray into Florida for a tournament at the Teco Arena in Naples on
Dec. 27-28. ECAC teams Clarkson and Cornell and CCHA club Ohio State are the
other teams with Maine facing Clarkson in the opening round.
The Black Bear Hockey Classic on Oct. 20-21 will see NCAA Frozen Four
semifinalist St. Lawrence squaring off against Holy Cross of the Metro
Atlantic Athletic Conference and Maine facing the USA Development Program
team in the semis.
In addition to its 24-game Hockey East schedule, the North Dakota series,
and the tournaments, Maine will play a two-game home set with Ohio State and
road games at Cornell (N.Y.), Brown University (R.I.), and Dartmouth (N.H.).
"It's a daunting schedule, but it's a fun schedule,'' said Maine coach Shawn
Walsh.
Maine winger Niko Dimitrakos, who will be a junior, said the North Dakota
series "will be a good test to see where we are. We're going to have a young
team. It'll be a big series and will set the tone for the season.''
He added that the Black Bear Hockey Classic match-up with the USA
Development team will be interesting "because we'll get to see how our
country is coming along when it comes to the development of players.''
He termed the Florida trip "exciting'' but said they will have to put the
sun and relaxation in the background in order to focus on their tournament
foes.
In other news, Maine winger Barrett Heisten, the Bears second-leading scorer
last season, has informed Walsh that he won't return for his junior year
this fall.
Heisten, a first round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres in 1999, had 13
goals and 24 assists in 37 games. His 86 penalty minutes were second most on
the team. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Heisten, a member of the Hockey East
All-Rookie team two years ago, concluded his 71-game Maine career with 25
goals, 40 assists and 158 penalty minutes.
"He will either sign with the Sabres or play Major Junior A,'' said Walsh.
"There is a new rule that directly applies to his situation. If he doesn't
sign with Buffalo and plays Major Junior, he will become a free agent (after
the season) and can sign with anybody.''
Heisten was one of the premier power forwards in the country and a top-notch
defensive forward as well.
"It's obviously a tough loss,'' said Dimitrakos. "He has been one of our top
players over the last two years. Hopefully, someone will step up and take
over.''
THE SCHEDULE
September
7 Blue/White, 7 p.m.
October
13 North Dakota, 7 p.m.
14 North Dakota, 7 p.m.
Black Bear Hockey Classic
20 St. Lawrence vs. Holy Cross, 4 p.m.
20 Maine vs. USA development team, 7 p.m.
21 Consolation Game, 4 p.m.
21 Championship Game, 7 p.m.
27 Ohio State, 8 p.m.
28 Ohio State, 7 p.m.
November
3 at Providence, TBA
4 at Northeasten, TBA
10 Merrimack, 7 p.m.
17 at UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.
21 at Cornell, TBA
24 at Brown, TBA
25 at Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
December
1 Northeastern, 7 p.m.
3 Northeastern, 2 p.m.
8 at Boston University, 7 p.m.
10 Boston College, 7 p.m.
14 UMass-Amherst, 7 p.m.
Florida Tournament
27 Maine vs. Clarkson, TBA
27 Cornell vs. Ohio State, TBA
28 Consolation, TBA
28 Championship, TBA
January
5 at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
6 at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
12 Boston University, 7 p.m.
13 Boston University, 7 p.m.
26 at Boston College, 7 p.m.
27 at Boston College, 7 p.m.
February
4 New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
9 at UMass-Amherst, 7 p.m.
10 at UMass-Amherst, 7 p.m.
16 UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.
17 UMass-Lowell, 7 p.m.
23 at Merrimack, TBA
24 at Merrimack, TBA
March
2 Providence, 7 p.m.
3 Providence, 7 p.m.
8-10 Hockey East quarterfinals, TBA
16 Hockey East semifinals, TBA
17 Hockey East Championships, TBA
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