WATERVILLE — University of New England forwards Ted Fabian and Matt DelGiudice returned “home” Tuesday to play a non-conference men’s hockey game against Colby.
While the result was drastically better than their previous trip to Alfond Rink, the end result was an all-too-familiar one for the former Messalonskee High School standout teammates: A loss.
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Mike Doherty scored two goals and Colby raced out to a 5-0 lead through two periods and held on to beat UNE 5-2.
“Honestly, (Colby) probably slowed down a little bit in the third,” UNE coach Brad Holt said. “We’re just young and inconsistent. When push comes to shove, we’re a good team. We did make some progress. We put a couple in the net.
UNE, which dropped an 11-1 decision to Colby last season, falls to 3-13-2.
John Tuell and Fred Hein scored for UNE while Fabian had an assist.
Ben Chwick, Nils Martin and Cory McGrath also scored for Colby (4-13-0).
“We played two great periods and one underachieving period,” Colby coach Stan Moore said. “You have to have a high flatline level, and we didn’t do that (Tuesday).”
In many ways, the game was a microcosm of UNE’s transition from a club status to Division III: It had a few ups along the way but plenty of downs.
Indeed, it’s been a difficult season for the Nor’easters, as well as a trying one for Fabian, who missed eight games with a torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury that required surgery in December.
Fabian, who won the Travis Roy award — given to the top senior in Class A — in 2006 at Messalonskee, has played just 10 games this season. He has three assists.
“It was (bad),” he said. “Luckily, it wasn’t at the end of the season. It could’ve been worse. I definitely had bigger goals this season. It’s tough.”
Like Fabian, DelGiudice also shined at Messalonskee. He graduated in 2008, when he was a finalist for the Travis Roy.
DelGiudice, who played at Bridgton Academy and junior hockey with the Laconia Leafs before coming to UNE, played primarily on the fourth line Tuesday.
“It’s fun watching him mature,” Holt said. “His best hockey is in front of him but he’s adapted to college hockey. He’s one of our top defensive forwards. He sets the example for the others. He does a relentless job. Somebody has to play that role. It’s like a defensive lineman in football: Somebody has to do it but it’s such a crucial role.”
DelGiudice said Fabian had a big influence on his career.
“He’s a big influence of why I came here,” said DelGiudice, who has a goal and two assists this season. “We tore it up in high school and we used to joke that we should play college hockey together.”
UNE is in its third season playing in the Division III ECAC East.
It’s been, as Holt said he expected, a rough transition from club status.
The Nor’easters are 12-54-1 since making the leap.
“We’re a start-up program,” Holt said. “That change to being a club team to the ECAC East it’s not easy. It’s really a years-long process. It could be three, four, five years until you actually get that high-end recruit. In two to three years we’ll start to get the nationally sought-after players.”
Fabian and DelGiudice acknowledged it’s been tough being on the short end of so many games. They also know it could well after they graduate when their impact at UNE is felt.
“I knew coming in we were the builders of the program,” Fabian said. “You have to have pride in that. We’re part of something year. Time has really flown by, though, especially this year. Looking back, it’s crazy to think that I got here four years ago.”
Added Holt, whose program will play in the new on-campus Alfond Forum next season: “These guys are building the program. They’ve built it. It’s tough, but we have to look for victories in different places, not necessarily in the win column.”
Bill Stewart — 621-5640
bstewart@centralmaine.com
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