Maine Roller Hockey Kicks-Off Preseason
Slippery Rock, Drexel, Albany, and Cornell Await
ECRHA October 4th, 2007 at 5:02PM October 4th, 2007 5:29PM
After an unfortunate ending to last season where the University of Maine Roller Hockey team missed out on Regionals due to a statewide snowstorm in Maine, the players are ready to get back at it again. The team will feature plenty of fresh faces this weekend. Joining returnees Chris Pendagast, Nick Merrill, Sean McLaughlin, Sean O'Connor, Kevin Lauze, and Carey Gustanski are rookies Charlie Cook, Mike Peters, Steve Ventresca, Sean Brady, Kyle Roberts, Chris Nichols, Reid McLaughlin, Brendon Esquibel, and Pat Brady. With so many new players, they will look to come together and play some solid hockey.
The Black Bears will start the preseason against league new-comer Slippery Rock University. As an unknown commodity, SRU will be troublesome for Maine because of the lack of familiarity. Maine finishes off its Saturday against league powerhouse Drexel. The Dragons handily beat the Black Bears early last season 7-2, and Maine was denied a shot at revenge when they were stuck at home during Regionals. This game could prove to be Maine's chance to exact some revenge, and the returning players would love to do just that. Next up for Maine will be Albany, and the Black Bears haven't fared well against the Great Danes in the past few seasons, losing their last three games against them. Maine will end its weekend against an ever-improving Cornell team. The Big Red, who made the playoffs in only their second season back in the league, gave the Black Bears a run for their money last year, but came up just short, losing 3-2.
All in all, the weekend should prove to be a solid test for the young Black Bears team, but the players will be up to the challenge.