It’s the question all Black Bear Nation is asking.
Is he going to play?
He, of course, is injured University of Maine star left wing Spencer Abbott, and the immediate concern is his availability for Saturday’s NCAA tournament tilt with Minnesota-Duluth, the defending national champions.
Abbott, who is the leading point scorer in college hockey, sustained a head injury in Maine’s Hockey East Championship semifinal game with Boston University.
Given the cautious attitude applied to any head injury, such as the one Abbott sustained when BU defenseman Sean Escobedo elbowed him as the two slid into the boards, Maine coach Tim Whitehead said he is assuming he’ll have to go on without the gifted senior.
“He’s doing fine,” Whitehead said Tuesday during a conference call with hockey writers. “As you know, with these types of head injuries you have to be patient. It’s a delicate situation and it should be. That’s the nature of that kind of injury. It was an unfortunate situation. We’re going to assume he’s not playing. The negative is that we’d love to have him. It would be a bonus if he came back. We’re going to assume he’s not.”
Abbott (20-41-61) missed Saturday’s HEA championship game loss to Boston College.
Matt Mangene filled his spot on the Black Bears’ No. 1 line. Mangene stepped up from the second line to skate with center Brian Flynn and right wing Joey Diamond.
“One positive is that we gained some experience playing without him,” Whitehead said. “We’ve learned that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody without our top scorer. I think that was an important lesson for the guys to learn.”
And if Abbott can’t take the DCU Center ice on Saturday, Whitehead said he won’t hesitate to throw that same combo out against Duluth.
“We’re fully prepared to drop the puck without him,” he said. “And I think most importantly, there won’t be any excuses. That’s what we’ve told our team. We’re going to have to bring our ”˜A’ game against Duluth.”
The other Northeast matchup will feature Boston College, the top-ranked team in the nation against No. 16 seed Air Force.
Helping to lead the Eagles in their bid to regain the Frozen Four championship, which they last won in 2010, is junior All-American defenseman Brian Dumoulin, a former Biddeford High School standout.
Dumoulin, who is among 10 finalists for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, drew praise from Eagles’ coach Jerry York during a conference call.
“He was an All-American as a sophomore, which is rare,” York said. “So he figured out kind of early how to become a very, very good player. Growing up in Maine, then playing with the (New Hampshire Jr.) Monarchs, he’s always been a top end player. Each year, he just gets better. He’s an elite player with terrific skills.”
Air Force and BC start in Worcester, Mass. Saturday at 4 p.m., with Maine and Minnesota-Duluth to follow.
The winners will meet Sunday at 8 p.m. for the right to advance to the Frozen Four, being played this year in Tampa Bay, Fla.
— Contact Dan Hickling at 282-1535 or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.
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