Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Solloway: His time, his postseason

By Steve Solloway ssolloway@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

Dave Wilson had the answer ready before the question was asked. The University of Maine's surprise advancement to the semifinals of the Hockey East tournament in Boston this weekend isn't about him.

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Dave Wilson

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Dave Wilson

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Oh no?

"Every one of my teammates has stepped up," said Wilson. "We've had all these injuries and other reasons why people can't play. It's about more than just one player."

Yeah, kid, that's the correct response. Here's the real response: With No. 1 goalie Scott Darling on the shelf for breaking team rules and backup freshman Shawn Sirman still adjusting to the pace and pressure of Division I hockey, you got the call last weekend and delivered two of the better performances of your four-year college career.

Better performances? Maybe two of your best with Maine's season on the line. Maine needed to win two of the three games in its Hockey East quarterfinals series with UMass-Lowell. The Black Bears lost the first game, 2-1. One more loss and the curtain would have come down on a so-so Maine season.

Instead, said Wilson, he and his teammates had nothing to lose. Wilson held UMass-Lowell scoreless to win Game 2. He allowed two goals in Maine's 3-2 overtime win in Game 3.

"No one was nervous going into overtime. We were joking around in the locker room. When it came time to go back out on the ice, Tanner (House) said, 'All right boys, we know what we have to do.' We were so focused, we didn't have any worries."

The senior goalie who waited so long to come in from the cold didn't personalize the overtime, he said. Spend a few seconds in front of the net thinking about reshaping a legacy and things can go sour very quickly.

"My confidence was back," said Wilson. "It kept growing. I wanted to make sure I kept my head in the game."

He came to Maine from Ontario, a Canadian goaltender who would stand in the big shadow cast by Ben Bishop. When Bishop strained a groin muscle, Wilson got his opportunity in his freshman season. He was 2-6-0 with flashes of very solid goaltending. He also gave up seven goals in two losses to Massachusetts in the 2006-07 Hockey East quarterfinals.

Wilson played in four games his sophomore season with no record. The next year he went 3-8-1, missed time with an injury and was arrested in April of last year for domestic assault involving a former girlfriend. He was suspended from the team.

If ever there was a time for Wilson to reconsider his options and walk away, it was a year ago. "I came to Maine to get my education and play hockey. I was staying."

The Penobscot County District Attorney dropped the criminal charge for insufficient evidence. Wilson rejoined the team but this season was third on the depth chart, behind Darling and Sirman.

Wilson has persevered and only he knows how difficult that has been. Only he knows how much satisfaction came with last weekend's two victories. "It was unbelievably exciting, I will say that. I just wanted to support my team the best way I could."

There's that correct-speak again. Funny, but Wilson can march to a different drummer. Tattoos cover a large portion of his body, making him stand out in a hockey crowd. "It's just self-expression. Each one means something to me."

He'll face, rather than ignore, a taunting crowd. And now, more than ever, he believes in himself.

He turns 25 tonight when Maine takes the ice at TD Garden for its semifinal against Boston University. Darling is still not available. This is Wilson's time. He has never played this deep into the postseason. When Maine made the trip to St. Louis for the 2006-07 Frozen Four, it was on the broad back of Bishop in goal.

Wilson is a journalism major. He should know about story lines.

Today, and on this hockey team, his story is the best one going. He's got nothing to lose.

Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:

ssolloway@pressherald.com