Deron wrote, in part..
>What a dominating performance from Maine.  Merrimack showed some life in
>the third, but for two periods Maine dominated the Warriors completely, but
>give Cris Classen credit, he played well when he had to and even the MC
>defense came up with some big clears, but there was no question after this
>one that Maine was head and shoulders above Merrimack.
 
I didn't get that impression.  Maine outplayed MC and led 2-0, but I
would not call it domination.  Maine had a lot of shots, but relatively
few of what I'd call Grade A chances.  Perhaps someone that saw or wrote
the shot charts could comment.
 
This was an interesting, yet defensive game.  Had Maine someone
gotten down a goal or two, it *may* have looked more like the 2nd BU
game a couple of weeks ago, than the 1st.
 
I'm very happy that this was the game coach seemed to want to play ...
down to defensive basics, in their jersey.  If we're to be successful
against UNH and, later, MSU, that's got to be a big part of the game
plan, imho.
 
>With MC trailing 2-0, a long shot rang off the crossbar that Merrimack
>thought was a goal.  I was looking at the goal straight on, but from the
>other end of the ice.  It clearly hit the crossbar/post, but neither the
>goal judge or the referee called it a goal despite MC raising their sticks
>in celebration.  In fact MC stopped playing for a few moments, while Maine
>brought the puck up ice.
 
Deron must be right, because that's what the referees called, but it
wasn't the way I saw it.  I thought the puck hit the (padded) center
brace, inside the net.  But then I was 200' away :-) It also looked to
me as Alphie's body language was as if "Ah xxxx, that one sneaked past
me".
 
That's extremely hard for the goal judge to see, but I would have
expected one of the referees to have seen it.  Maine stopped for a
second, then kept playing ...  while MC started to celebrate.  Maine had
a great chance with a 3-2 or 3-1, but didn't score.  Let down, MC did
allow a Maine score moments later ...  and at 3-0 instead of 2-1, that
was just about that.
 
Oh yea.  I'm hearing impaired, but I'd swear that the sound was a
"thunk!", not a "ping!" off the goal.  If so, either the puck went in
the net and hit the padded back support, or we need a new goal as that
crossbar must be rusted nearly through!  :-)
 
From what I've heard, our radio crew agreed with this view.  The MC
staff and players seemed to have an opinion also :-)
 
best wishes for all Maine fans in Durham this coming weekend,
wayne
 
Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing