Printer-friendly version Reader Comments

UMaine freshman Scott Darling and junior Dave Wilson will start the season sharing the job.

By RACHEL LENZI, Staff Writer October 15, 2008

ORONO — Who will be the No. 1 man behind the mask this season? With the opener three days away in Alaska, that's the question for the University of Maine hockey team.

There's no incumbent after Ben Bishop signed with the St. Louis Blues, forgoing his senior season.

Freshman Scott Darling and junior Dave Wilson are competing for the job after splitting starts over the weekend in two exhibition games at the University of New Brunswick.

Maine opens the regular season at 8:30 p.m. Friday against Alaska-Anchorage at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament in Fairbanks, Alaska. No one has revealed Friday's starter.

"We'll find out probably later on in the week, right near game time," Wilson said Monday.

"We don't know how it's going to work with the goalies," Darling said. "Me and Dave are battling, but it's good battling. We're getting along and when I get the opportunity to play, (I'll) just take it. That's all I can really do."

Coach Tim Whitehead's long-term vision is for Darling and Wilson to split play.

"I'm not going to say who's going to start yet but at the same time, we're going to continue to stick with our plan and make sure that both our goalies get plenty of ice time this year and have the opportunity to help our team," Whitehead said.

Wilson and Darling believe the more ice time, the better. But when Bishop departed, the position was up for grabs with some uncertainty surrounding it.

"Basically, we were just going to be competing for the position and that's all I knew going into the season and all I know right now," Wilson said.

When Bishop left, Wilson saw an opportunity.

"I was kind of excited because I'd get a chance to play a little bit more, which is what I've wanted since I came to Maine," Wilson said. "I'm looking forward to competing more and playing more."

Wilson appeared in 18 games the past two seasons, starting eight. He was 2-6 as a freshman, but had no record last season in four games; the past two seasons he has a 3.62 goals-against average and .878 save percentage.

Darling, who at 6-foot-5 is almost as tall as Bishop, looked at both sides of the equation. If Bishop had stayed, Darling would have gotten a chance to learn from him. With Bishop leaving, Darling is learning as he goes.

"I would have been happy either way," Darling said. "If (Bishop) would have stayed, I would have had a year to study him and to see why he is so successful. I wouldn't have played that much but I would have been OK with that. It would be starting over again. But I was excited, because I'd get an opportunity to play right off the bat when I got here. I really don't like sitting around."

Wilson started Friday's exhibition against New Brunswick and made 34 saves in a 5-4 win, then made 8 of 11 saves in relieving Darling less than six minutes into the third period on Saturday. Darling had stopped 26 of 29 shots before leaving with stomach and leg cramps in a 7-6 shootout loss.

"After the first game I felt pretty confident and after that second game there, things just were pretty much the same," Wilson said. "It's the start of the season right now, so I'm just looking forward to this season and hopefully we'll build on some stuff from this weekend."

NOTES: The Black Bears departed for Boston immediately after Tuesday's practice. The Black Bears fly to Seattle this morning then to Fairbanks. Alaska-Fairbanks won the Kendall Classic championship this past weekend in Anchorage with a 2-2 tie against Northeastern and a 5-0 win over Connecticut.

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be contacted at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald.com