There’s only so much to be reaped from opening night, but the raring-to-improve Maine Black Bears all but hauled in everything they could Friday. You decide which aspect carries greater weight going forward.
Since the 2004-05 season, one or two annihilations of Sacred Heart have constituted an annual ritual for Maine. It has been an occurrence metaphorically reminiscent of the fictitious “Whacking Day” practice depicted on a classic episode of The Simpsons, and, furthermore, the long-plebeian program’s jovial observance of Opposite Day.
Heading into Friday’s season opener in Orono, the Bears –lately characterized by their habit of swallowing brimful bushels of opposing shots, and consequently stark margins of defeat- have claimed eight of their last nine decisions from the Pioneers by an aggregate count of 74-13. They have cracked double digits on four occasions and stamped at least a five-goal difference seven times in that span.
But, generally speaking, once they have parted from the independent Pioneers, the Mainers have routinely bid a melancholy adieu to their brief shining holiday on ice and reverted to their usual campaign of pain.
So, is there anything different about Friday’s icebreaker –a sound 9-0 triumph that saw a 7-0 difference already wrapped up before the second intermission, 12 individual skaters on the scoresheet, including six multi-point performers, all but three skaters record at least one shot, and sophomore stopper Candice Currier charge up her first career shutout?
Well, there is this much: Friday marked Maine’s most statistically assertive tone-setter in recent memory, one that dwarfed that of the 6-1 infliction of Sacred Heart to commence the 2007-08 campaign, Dan Lichterman’s first year as head coach.
And with precisely one pair of offensive skates to fill from last season in Vanessa Vani, the third-year skipper Lichterman is openly and predictably banking on a blanket boom in maturity.
As best as one night can verify, he saw a sprinkling of encouraging evidence in that he dressed eight holdovers from the 2007-08 season, now juniors and seniors, who combined for six goals and six assists on the night. Another three goals and six helpers were collected by members of his first two recruiting classes.
Junior Jennie Gallo and senior Jenna Ouellette –the presumptive leaders in the push to upgrade the offense- partnered with Dawn Sullivan to constitute the starting line and Gallo slugged home a hat trick while Ouellette charged up a 1-2-3 transcript. Then again, they’ve pulled off those exact same feats at the Pioneers’ expense in the past.
Then again still, the 9-0 upshot, along with an equally encouraging 49-16 imbalance in the shooting gallery, kicked layers of ice chips over a slight disciplinary glitch. Maine was allotted five power plays, but granted Sacred Heart a grand total of nine.
The Pioneers only afforded themselves four power play shots, and most of those extra-body segments were shortened by their own infractions. But from a long-term thinking standpoint, that just means Maine’s PK brigade has yet to be more rigorously tested.
On a similar note, during Tuesday’s league-wide preseason teleconference, Lichterman declared his intent to split the crease load between Currier and freshman Brittany Ott until further notice. This naturally means letting the box-fresh Ott break in her college pads in Part II of this weekend series Saturday. Additionally, two other key frosh in forwards Brittany Dougherty and Darcia Leimgruber still have yet to be integrated into the game time depth chart.
No time like the present to be initiated, though. Maine will eye a sweep on Saturday, and not be taking anything for granted given that the Pioneers did reverse the roles for one night in a 3-2 decision last year. Afterwards, they must make a hasty five-day transition in preparation for their Hockey East opener versus Providence, a team currently running a five-game win streak and 13-0-5 hot streak at their expense.
And lately, the Friar futility has been more egregious than before. Regular one- or two-goal decisions and trips to overtime have rapidly given way to five consecutive losses of a three-goal gap or worse.
Presumably, Lichterman was referring to the current matchup at hand when he said on Tuesday, “As far as our series with them last year, you know what? It doesn’t matter. This is a new year and a new team and we’re focused on what our task is on Friday night first and whatever happens from there, happens from there.” But he need not modify that mantra even as his team inevitably turns its persona inside-out next week, going from the no-duh favorite against the Pioneers to historical underdogs against Providence.
Venturing beyond Alfond Arena for the PC series should also draw a little more scrutiny to the Black Bears. Since Lichterman arrived, they have been a cold 1-31-3 on the road, including a 0-16-2 run last year.
Besides a little better balance on the scoreboard, that spike in maturity the skipper seeks can show up in few better forms than a little more comfort on uncharted ponds.
But at least, for the moment, Maine has a little something rich and tangible to build on in a 1-0 record and a 9-0 GF-GA count. And like their man of the ice house said, “Whatever happens from there, happens from there.”
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