ORONO — The University of Maine says the school mascot missed a men’s hockey game because he was a passenger in a car whose driver was arrested en route to the arena on a drunken driving charge.

University spokeswoman Margaret Nagle says the student playing the role of Bananas T Bear was asked not to perform Saturday night after the driver was charged. The driver was a fellow student.

The arrest took place at around the time the game started. Nagle says both students have been referred to the UMaine Student Conduct Office.

The mascot skates during hockey games and mingles with the crowd.

UMaine beat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 4-2 without the mascot’s services.