- BC, Maine and UML will be playing this Friday along with tomorrow
  night's winner of BU at PC.  If BU wins, we will play UML;  if PC
  wins, we will play PC.  Who plays the early and late games Friday will
  be announced after the BU/PC game.  I'll guess it's a toss-up right
  now, with a slight edge to game 2 if we play PC.

- With UML's victory tonight, UNH is all but eliminated from the NCAA
  tournament, despite a 20-win season.

- HEA has announced "over 20,000" tickets sold for next weekend.  With
  elimination of UNH, I would expect good game-day tickets to be
  available.  Perhaps Maine will sell tickets also?

- As Coach Walsh has suggested, a Maine bid to the NCAAs is *not*
  certain.  My guess is a win over PC will do it;  maybe a win over UML
  will do it.  An HEA Tournament Championship is guaranteed to do it.
  :-)

- Maine's recent success has had 3 major factors, IMHO: the team is
  healthy, the team has learned how to win close games, and many players
  have "stepped it up a notch" from earlier performances.  When Coach
  Walsh came out with (a prediction of) Marty Kariya as best player a
  week or three ago, I thought he was nuts.  We all know I'm nuts and
  Walsh knows what's what.  Walsh was right.  Several other players are
  playing their best hockey right now.  I'd name my favorites, but we
  really do have a *TEAM* to be proud of!

- Thursday Coach Walsh probably spent more time chewing out Niko than
  referee Bunyan.  After Friday's game, Niko acknowledged playoff hockey
  has begun and he is back.

- NU Coach Bruce Crowder had a few choice words for the referee on
  occasion.  I'm afraid the little tykes on the East side of the
  rink learned a few 4-letter words.  :-(

- Niko's first goal Friday featured a spin-o-rama move that caused an
  immediate "Ohhhh" from the crowd and put everyone on the edge of their
  seats ...  and 2 or 3 seconds later, all hell broke loose as he
  deposited into an open net from a difficult angle.  Hopefully that
  play was caught by a camera and will be replayed at the end of season
  banquet!

- Since I complained earlier this season about National Anthem
  performances, I should comment that the last 4 have really been good.
  My favorite was the gentleman than sang a week ago, 2nd the Maine Pep
  band, followed by the 2 women that did well.  The latter 2 were just
  too slow for me, but otherwise good.  I'd mention 3/4 time, but I know
  less about music than hockey.  :-)

How 'bout dem Bears?

cheers, wayne

Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
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