Maine coaches are hoping either Chris Hahn (broken jaw) or Keenan Hopson (shoulder) will be cleared to play by next weekend's series with New Hampshire.
Maine is off today. Both will practice in non-contact jersey's Wednesday and be re-evaluated.
Hahn has had some serious bad luck this year. He originally broke his finger back in December, returned to practice and took a puck in the jaw. He did not have to have his jaw wired shut, but it is broken.
"It wasn’t even hard. It was kind of a dump in scenario," said Maine Coach Tim Whitehead. "It was kind of a freaky accident. Unfortunately he’s had some tough luck."
Former Maine defenseman Mike Lundin - a rookie with the Tampa Bay Lightning - will play in the NHL's YoungStars game tonight at 7 p.m. in Atlanta as part of NHL All-Star weekend festivities.
Lundin finished up his career at Maine last spring with the team's trip to the Frozen Four in St. Louis. A stay-at-home defenseman, Lundin quietly put together a very strong career at Maine.
For some historical perspective here's a little info. I got from the folks at USA Hockey this week.
Maine (8-10-2, 4-7-2 Hockey East) was not in the USA Today/USA Hockey Men's College Hockey poll for the ninth straight week this season on Monday. It is the longest absence since a 17-week absence in 1997-98 that stretched from Nov. 24 to March 23.
Since that 1997-98 season Maine has only been absent from the poll for a maximum of two consecutive weeks. That was in the 2000-2001 season, from Dec. 11 to Dec. 18.
Alfond Arena rink staff re-painted the fading trapezoids behind the goals this week. It was originally put down for a Portland Pirates game held at the rink in December.
Part of the motivation to repaint the lines was as a guide for goalie Ben Bishop (a St. Louis Blues draft pick) who likes to wander from the net to play the puck.
"I told him he's going to have to get used to it eventually in his career," said Maine Coach Tim Whitehead. "Hopefully it will help him play within himself...Anyway we can help him focus on being a puck-stopper."
The trapezoid is used in the American Hockey League and NHL but not in college hockey.
In both the AHL and NHL a goalie cannot play the puck outside of the area without being nabbed for a delay of game penalty. The area begins six feet from either goal post and extends diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the endboards.
Bishop said after Wednesday's practice that he doesn't mind it.
"It's good. I'm going to have to deal with it sooner or later," said Bishop. "It's not like I get a penalty or something if I go outside of it."
Former Maine standout Teddy Purcell earned the first NHL call-up of his career last night by the L.A. Kings.
The struggling Kings (17-27-2) play the Edmonton Oilers on the road tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Purcell had scored 53 points in 40 games for the King's American Hockey League affiliate Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs, good for third in the AHL, first among rookies.
He was also named a starter for the Canadian team at the upcoming AHL All-Star Classic.
David de Kastrozza underwent ACL surgery earlier this week and is done for the season according to Maine Coach Tim Whitehead.
The sophomore forward tore his ACL during preseason training and had been playing with a knee brace earlier this season.
de Kastrozza has some six months of rehab in front of him, which is partly why he decided to undergo the surgery now, rather than wait until the offseason which would push recovery into next season.
Maine picked up a 4-2 win over RPI in its annual Portland game at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Sunday.
The win followed a tough 7-3 loss to Northeastern on Friday night.
Maine got goals from Lem Randall, Wes Clark, Jeff Marshall and Billy Ryan.
Defensively, the Black Bears kept the Engineers at bay well, allowing almost no odd man rushes and just 20 shots.
Jenn covers Maine college sports for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday
Telegram.
A former Portland Pirates beat writer who has covered two winter Olympics
for the paper, Jenn will expand her beat this year to include the University
of Southern Maine, St. Joseph's College, Bowdoin College, the University of
New England, and Southern Maine Community College.
She will continue to cover the University of Maine Black Bears, the
state's only division one program.
Ross
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