Senior attackman Cole Bailey, the 2014 winner of the Lt. Col. J.I. (Jack) Turnbull Award winner for outstanding attackman in Division III and the lone Division III player on the Tewaaraton Award watch list, has missed Tufts' last two games because of an undisclosed injury.
But Stevenson coach Paul Cantabene said he wouldn't be surprised if Bailey, a Severn graduate, returned for Tuesday game between the No. 1 Jumbos (4-0) and the No. 3 Mustangs (3-1) at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills at 7 p.m.
"We're going to prepare is if he's going to play," Cantabene said Monday. "We think he's going to play, and we think he's going to be there ready to go, and we're going to prepare as if he's going to play. If he doesn't, we'll make that adjustment. We know who they've been playing in his place, and we've watched their film a couple times. So we have a really good idea on what they're doing and who their players are, and we have an idea of what Bailey can do. So if he plays, we'll be ready."
The absence of Bailey, who has 262 points on 112 goals and 150 assists in 65 career games, has opened the door for junior attackman John Uppgren. The 2014 Division III leader in points (124 on 65 goals and 59 assists), Uppgren has 17 goals and 10 assists so far this season.
"I think he's playing with a little more confidence this year," Cantabene said. "He played with a lot of confidence last year, but this year, I think he's playing with a little bit more because he knows he has to be the leader of the offense when Bailey's out, and I think he's done a good job of that. He's moving the ball pretty well, and he's shooting the ball at a very high rate. He's very creative around the goal, scoring some good goals."
Cantabene said the task of marking Bailey (if he returns) or Uppgren (if Bailey doesn't) will fall on senior defenseman Callum Robinson, who has 28 ground balls and has caused 14 turnovers. At 6 feet 4 and 245 pounds, Robinson is five inches taller and 55 pounds heavier than Uppgren, and Cantabene chuckled when asked if he would urge Robinson to use his size to his advantage.
"I don't think we ever have to tell Callum to do that," Cantabene said. "He just kind of does that. Callum's a very physical guy. He's going to play him, and Callum's playing at a very high level right now. And so is [junior defenseman] Chad Williams. Both of those guys are playing at an extremely high level at the defensive end of the field. So I really think that they're going to play well."