The fourth line on a hockey team is the one that usually gets the least amount of ice time.
It is composed of three players who probably don’t have the skill of the players on the other three lines but it can serve a useful purpose as either a checking line or a physical line that wears down the opponent.
The University of Maine’s fourth line comprised of sophomores Oskar Komarov and Thomas Pichette and freshman Will Gerrior has been one of the real bright spots in the early going for the 12th-ranked 3-2-1 Black Bears, who will open their Hockey East campaign by hosting fifth-ranked Boston University (3-3-1) on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30.
In addition to its physicality and tenacity, it has been a high-energy line that has produced four goals in six games.
Center Komarov, who had two goals and five assists in 37 games last season, already has two goals this season. Right wing Pichette has a goal and three assists after a freshman campaign in which he had two goals and three assists in 19 games.
Left wing Gerrior has a goal.
Komarov and Pichette played together on the fourth line a year ago.
“They have an identity,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr. “They go out and work. That work ethic pulls them through. It gets them offensive chances, it gets them more ice time. It [gave] us momentum and juice in the game when things are a little stale.”
That includes throwing hits and having good offensive zone shifts, which Barr said are very important for the team.
“They’ve been the one line that has consistently done that this year,” Barr added about the fourth line’s effort and identity.
He said they may have been listed as a fourth line on the line chart “but they played second line minutes last weekend” against Colgate.
“They end up playing in more situations than a lot of our other guys because of how hard they work,” said Barr.
Junior defenseman and assistant captain Frank Djurasevic said the fourth line trio is always moving their feet, and that makes them difficult to defend.
“They really play to our culture and our standard every time they’re on the ice,” Djurasevic said. “They get the puck into the offensive zone, they forecheck, they create turnovers below the other team’s [faceoff] dots and they attack the net well.”
UMaine senior defenseman and co-captain Brandon Holt said the fourth line epitomizes the way the team should play.
“Their success comes back to their willingness to work and do simple things,” Holt said. “Doing simple things right opens up more space for them to do other things.”
Komarov acknowledged the simplicity of their game and its dividends.
“We’re not trying to be fancy,” Komarov said. “Just getting the puck in, getting in on the forecheck and getting scoring chances.”
“And when it’s time to make a play, we make the play,” said Pichette. “We’ve showed we can also produce offensively and it’s a good thing for the team.”
Pichette, a 5-foot-11, 187-pound native of Maskinonge, Quebec, noted that the three players have very similar playing styles.
“It makes it easier to find each other on the ice and know where each other is,” Pichette said. “It makes us better as a trio.”
Komarov and Pichette said Gerrior has been a nice fit on their line.
“He’s been great,” Komarov said about Gerrior. “He’s a skilled player who works hard. He’s been perfect.”
Gerrior said he “loves” being on a line with Komarov and Pichette.
“They bring a ton of energy to the game. They’re great players and great playmakers,” said Gerrior, who added that his linemates have made his transition to college college “very easy for me.”
He said they try to get the puck deep into the offensive zone and wear teams down.
“A big strength for us is our conditioning and our physical ability,” said the 5-10, 179-pound Gerrior, who is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He had 30 goals and 15 assists in 63 games for the Ottawa 67s in the Ontario Hockey League a year ago.
Komarov said the three of them “stay positive” and communicate very well with each other.
Komarov and Pichette said having a year under belts has been beneficial and led to their improvement.
“I’ve gotten bigger and stronger and more ready to play at this level,” said the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Komarov, who is from Uusikaarlepyy, Finland.
He and his teammates are looking forward to this weekend’s series against BU, which was picked to win Hockey East in the preseason coaches poll.
“It’s a great rivalry. They’re obviously a good team,” Pichette said. “We’re going to have to be very detailed.”
