In addition to my regular work with our Media Relations Office,
the Massachusetts Daily Collegian is letting me run a weekly coulmn
focusing on the national scene of college hockey. Here's this week's
first installment (which I suppose is slightly out of date as i includes
a Maine/Michigan preview). If anyone out there has pieces on national
information that might make for an exciting story, I'm all ears. As
evidenced by my Michigan slant in the preview, I'm more intersted in
looking at teams that UMass fans see little of, but will still talk about HE
and ECAC.
        If anyone out there actually saw this on Wednesday, it as been slightly
altered to include something Minnesota sent me yesterday on Jason Godbout
(two days after I requested it). If any of you could get a copy of the
story on him in the Sept. 25 Star-Tribune, it is a career clip for John
Gilbert, especially the section about the Jet Ski.
 
 
Banner night tragedy;
Michigan-Maine II
 
        Friday night was literally supposed to be a banner night in
Boston University's hockey history, as the Terriers rose Beanpot, Hockey
East and NCAA Championship banners in a pregame ceremony. Ironically,
what would set this night apart occurred just 1:56 into the game,
directly beneath the newly-raised national championship banner.
        The tragic tale of Travis Roy is not your standard paralysis
story. What sets Roy apart is what an exceptional and likeable person he
is. At his alma mater, Tabor Academy, he is remembered as being a strong
student, nice guy and a perfect role model for an aspiring hockey player.
It is Roy's incredible charisma and affable persona which makes this
unfortunate incident even more so.
        While he might not fulfill his lifelong dream of winning a
Beanpot championship, Roy will still have the opportunity to be a champion
though, a champion of the human spirit.
                                * * *
        Searching for inspirational stories to come out of severe college
hockey injuries, Minnesota's appropriately named sopomore forward Jason
Godbout comes to mind.
        March 24, as the Gophers prepared to take the ice to face RPI in
an NCAA West Regional semifinal Godbout suffered a minor stroke in the
locker room of Wisconsin's Dane County Coliseum.
        After being rushed to University Hospital in Madison, doctors
also discovered a small hole in the right atrium of his heart requiring
open heart surgery, which Godbout underwent on May 4 at United Hospital
in St. Paul.
        "My initial hope for Jason was that he could come back to live a
healthy, happy and productive life," Minnesota trainer Bob Broxterman
told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "Whether he ever played hockey again
was irrelivant."
        It took three weeks for Godbout to get back on his feet again,
three more until he could lace up a pair of skates, and three months
until receiving medical clearance to resume his regular athletic
training, but when the puck dropped on No. 7 Minnesota's 1995-96 campaign,
he was ready.
        Not only did physical obstacles exist in making a comeback to the
fast and brutal play of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, but
Godbout would be forced to do so at forward, adapting from his customary
defensive spot, where the Gophers are loaded with young talent.
        On Friday the 13th, Godbout once again donned the fabled maroon
and gold sweater and took to the ice at Michigan Tech's MacInnes Student
Ice Arena, completing a miraculous comeback.
        The icing on the cake came five minutes into the second period as
he made a move to the net and collected a Dan Woog pass at Huskies' blue
line. Godbout then fired a 40 foot wrist shot past goaltender Luciano
Caravaggio.
        "When I scored the goal it made everything worthwhile," Godbout
told the Minnesota Daily. "After I scored, I went to the bench and all the
guys told me, `You're really back now.' Now there's no doubt in my mind
that I can play in this league and be a contributor to the team."
        We can only hope and pray at this point that Travis Roy can
someday provide a story as incredibly inspirational.
                                * * *
        The game of the week is clearly the Maine-Michigan tilt tomorrow
night at the Palace of Auburn Hils. College hockey fans have salivated
over the matchup between No. 2 Maine (2-0) and No. 5 Michigan (1-1) since
the game was announced months ago.
        Last season the Black Bears and Wolverines hooked up in one of
the most thrilling games n collegaite hockey history. Maine took a 4-3
decision as Dan Shermerhorn scored early in the third overtime of an NCAA
semifianl in Providence. At 100:28 it is the second longest game in
college hockey history, and the longest in an NCAA Championship.
        Michigan will be withou All-American forward Brendan Morrison,
the team's leading scorer last year, who strained his left knee in
preseason practice. Sophomore forward Matt Herr, out of Hotchkiss, will
also miss the game after receiving a game disqualification Saturday night
in a 3-2 win at Western Michigan.
        Former Junior Bruin Blake Sloan has picked up some of Morrison's
scoring slack. The junior had three goals against the Broncos this
weekend. Sloan entered the season with just four goals in 77 career games.
        After scoring on just five of 78 shots taken on Bronco freshman
goalie Marc Magliarditi over the weekend, Wolverine forwards will face
another tough challenge. Black Bear netminder and Hobey Baker candidate
Blair Allison was an All-America selection last year.
        Allison and Michigan's Marty Turco stole the show on March 30 as
the game dissolved into a contest to see which goalie would fold first.
Each keeper had career days, but it was Maine coming out on top.
        Michigan will look to extract revenge tomorrow night in waht's
destined to be both a thriller and an NCAA preview.
        Leigh Torbin is a Collegian columnist.
 
Leigh
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