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This story can be found online at:
http://www.portland.com/sports/college/hockey/020407afghan.shtml

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                     Sunday, April 7, 2002

                                            Maine, Minnesota struggle for NCAA title


                        By STEVE SOLLOWAY, Portland Press Herald Writer

                      Copyright  2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.









ST. PAUL, Minn. --  They had silenced the huge partisan crowd. The University of Maine hockey team was 53 seconds from winning its third NCAA title and end a season rocked by emotions.

 Then Matt Koalska of the University of Minnesota shot the puck past goalie Matt Yeats and sent the final college hockey game of the season into overtime tied at 3-3.

 Hours earlier, Maine's hockey fans, outnumbered but not undaunted marched and walked, by the dozens or in pairs, through the streets of this hockey-crazed city early Saturday evening, hoping that their team could win.

 No one believed it would be easy. Maine had to beat Minnesota, a tradition-rich program hungry for its first title since 1979.

 The Xcel Energy Center seemed to shake from the echoes of cheers when Minnesota team first appeared on the ice, just before introductions. The NCAA doesn't intend for one team to have the home-town advantage; the Frozen Four tournament was awarded to the city of St. Paul years ago.

 But the Golden Gophers powered their way through the Western Regional tournament to earn a tournament spot. For Minnesota fans, who live in place that calls itself the "state of hockey", Saturday night was a dream come true.

 These same Minnesota fans left downtown St. Paul to the out-of-staters, who congregated in hotel lobbies and brew pub for much of the daytime hours, waiting.

 That changed as game-time approached. Confident Minnesota fans, who outnumbered Maine fans by perhaps as much as 10-1, were good-natured when they made their point. The Golden Gophers were expected to win.

 Maine was plaing to honor the memory of Coach Shawn Walsh, who lost his fight with cancer just before the season began. It had hoped to silence the huge crowd of more than 19,000 early by scoring first. Instead, Minnesota scored on Keith Ballard's power-play goal in the first period to go up, 1-0.  Maine tied the game in the second period when undefended Michael Schutte took a pass from senior captain Peter Metcalf and stuffed the puck past the Minnesota goalie.

 As Schutte skated away, he put a finger to this lips. Shhhhhhh.

 Minnesota fans reacted to the gesture while Minnesota responded with its second goal. The Golden Gophers took a 2-1 lead into the final 20 minutes.

 Maine rallied for two goals in the third. Schutte scored his second and then it was Robert Liscak with the apparent game-winner with less than five minutes left, giving Maine the 3-2 lead.

 Black Bear fans ached to start the countdown to the win. They would have to wait.