>peter metcalf said at the press conference that the ref was out to get us...he
> was also the one that threw out walsh...he missed 3 or 4 calls on
> hauser...great season guys....

It's too bad Peter said that.  I chalk it up to him putting every part of
himself into this year's play and that game in particular.

I only saw one "missed" call ...  and Coach Whitehead appeared to point
it out to the ref ("Pi").  Maine was called for goalie interference,
when the Maine player was clearly pushed into the goalie.  I though I
saw Yeats head to the bench on the delayed call ...  glad nothing came
of that!   (Yes, Pi kicked Shawn out of the game last year).

I certainly wished that no penalty was called, but the situation was
different from all the holding and interference that Pi let go during
the last 20 minutes or so of the game.  I don't think he missed anything
(or I did, too).  He simply chose to "let them play" ...  until a
dangerous (high chance of injury), albeit probably unintentionally so
(Schutte had a superb game!), penalty occurred.

   (sorry for all the run-on thoughts)

It would seem to me that defensive zone faceoffs haven't been a
particularly strong part of this teams' game.  Often, it seems we hope
just for everything getting tied up and eventually getting the puck out
of harm's way.  For a couple times late in the final game, the puck
bounced in a most unfortunate way.

I thought we saw a most entertaining game where both teams were ready
and executed as well as they could considering the other team was SO
GOOD.  I was very happy to have the best teams vie for the National
Championship.

Someone mentioned a few days ago that these games are often won by a
bounce more than will.  There was no shortage of will on the ice.
Minnesota fans were, IMHO impatient and unfair ...  with their own team,
until the late 3rd period goal that tied the game at 3. Maine fans were
"wicked outnumbered", but wonderfully supportive during the entire
tournament.

Two more, unrelated items:

I thought Matt Yeats played very well.  UMN had a number of passes
throughout the game go along the goal line to an open forward with an
open net, only to have Yeats slide across to take away the sure goal.  I
suspect he'd like another chance at Pohl's from outside the faceoff
circle, but it was a very hard shot, and looked like, from my vantage
point, to go in off the crossbar on the far side.

I haven't seen mention of all-tournament honors.  I stood, tearful and
unable to speak or move, long enough to catch at least the Maine
players ...

   All-tournament: Schutte, Liscak and Metcalf (UMN took all other honors,
   including MVP, non-Minnesotian, Potulny)

cheers, wayne