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Saturday, April 10, 2004
Newcomers jump right in
By KEVIN THOMAS, Portland Press Herald Writer
Copyright 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Black Bear Hockey
Black Bear Hockey
BLACK BEAR HOCKEY
The UMaine Black Bears face Denver for the NCAA Division I hockey championship at 7 p.m. Saturday. MaineToday.com's UMaine Black Bears section includes the latest Black Bear news, brackets, message board and more.
BOSTON -- Look at some of the Maine players who have stood out so far in the NCAA playoffs. Forwards Jon Jankus, Dustin Penner, Mike Hamilton and Michel Leveille have all scored. The defensemen pair of Mike Lundin and Jeff Mushaluk had an outstanding game against Boston College. Keith Johnson is contributing.
Of these seven, not one was in a Maine uniform last year.
"We have a young team, but we're not playing young," junior defenseman Troy Barnes said.
Barnes is one of the six Maine players who were on the ice in the 2002 NCAA title game, which Maine lost to Minnesota 4-3 in overtime.
"I was a freshman and I didn't really take it all in," Barnes said. "Now I just want to go out there and relax."
His advice to the new players: "You got to stay calm, act like it's another game and play your heart out."
The others in that 2002 final were defenseman Prestin Ryan, and forwards Todd Jackson, Colin Shields, John Ronan and Ben Murphy.
MUCH HAS been made about that 2002 game inspiring this year's Maine team. Include Coach Tim Whitehead in that group.
"It can be a motivating force, especially at a time when you can either go to sleep or watch some more video," said Whitehead, who did not get a full night's sleep Thursday.
BE READY for a long game. Four of the last six title games have gone into overtime, including Maine's win in 1999 and Maine's loss in 2002.
THE NCAA announced a new title-game record for geography. This Maine-Denver game marks the greatest distance between opponents (2,207 miles), breaking the 54-year-old record of 2,021 (Colorado College vs. Boston University).
IN THE PAST six finals between teams from the Hockey East and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, only once has the Hockey East team won (Boston College over North Dakota in 2001).
MINNESOTA-DULUTH forward Junior Lessard won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, honoring him as college hockey's top player.
Lessard led the nation with 30 goals and 61 points this season, and helped the Bulldogs advance to the Frozen Four for the first time in 11 years. Minnesota-Duluth lost to Denver 5-3 in a semifinal Thursday.
"I look at the Hobey Baker Award as both an individual and a team award," said Lessard, who was also the WCHA player of the year. "I couldn't have done this by myself. It's a great honor."
And one he nearly missed.
Last August, Lessard was swimming in Lake Superior with teammate Evan Schwabe and their girlfriends when the group got caught in a riptide. A fellow beach-goer rescued the others before coming back for Lessard, who nearly drowned.
"I was fortunate just to be able to play this season," Lessard said.
The other Hobey Baker finalists were Brown goalie Yann Danis and forward Zach Parise of North Dakota.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:
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READER COMMENTS
The UMaine Black Bears will face Denver in the NCAA Division I title game Saturday night. Give them some words of encouragement as they attempt a national title here....
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