Finally, real ice time is on the near horizon. After spending the first few days of official practices by going intrasquad, the Black Bears will play two exhibition games at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, N.B., Friday and Saturday night at 6 p.m. EST (the Maritime provinces are an hour ahead of Maine). It'll be a three-and-a half-hour bus trip, complete with a stop at customs.

Maine will be the third American college team New Brunswick will face this fall. The Reds lost exhibition games to the University of Massachusetts (6-0) and Boston University (4-1). The New York Islanders' rookie team also defeated New Brunswick 4-1.

The Black Bears have a UNB connection. David Alexander, a volunteer assistant coach, works primarily with the goalies and graduated from UNB in 2006 with a degree in arts and education.

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Now here's some imagery. The Black Bears spent time working on special teams this afternoon at the Alfond but there was a lot of spinning and twirling and jumping in the opening minutes of practice.

It looks like a bad figure skating audition - even the goalies in all their equipped glory are involved - but quickness, reaction time, endurance and agility are all at play as each of the players jumped and spun over the red and blue lines at the Alfond.

I didn't envy the goalies while watching that.

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