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Monday, March 10, 2003
Umaine Hockey: Kevin Thomas
Playoff path still uncertain
Copyright 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Yes, University of Maine hockey fans, there is consolation as your Black Bears sit out the Hockey East championship this coming weekend.
Your team is still primed to peak, and could be ready to roll when the NCAA tournament starts in less than three weeks.
Naysayers may argue that Maine peaked in December when it was 15-1-2, and has been tumbling since, with a 9-8-3 mark.
But there is hope in history.
One Maine team entered the NCAAs with a 4-4 record over its last eight games, including two lopsided losses to New Hampshire. That team then tore through the NCAAs with four victories and the national championship, in 1999.
And, in 1998, Maine was seeded sixth in the Hockey East tournament and upset third-seeded New Hampshire, sweeping two games in Durham. That UNH team was in quite a tumble, going 1-6 in its last seven games. The Wildcats rebounded for two wins in the NCAA regional to reach the Frozen Four.
Since 1998, a No. 3 seed has not been beaten in the Hockey East quarterfinals until Massachusetts defeated Maine last weekend.
WHERE TO? Had Maine reached the Hockey East title game, it probably would be assured a No. 1 seed in the regionals. Now, a No. 2 or 3 seed is more likely. But where will Maine go?
Hockey East looks like it will get four teams in the NCAAs - Providence could be the fifth team, but the Friars' two losses to Boston University in the quarterfinals will likely knock them out.
With two regionals in the east, in Providence, and Worcester, Mass., the NCAA could send two Hockey East teams to each regional. But it would have to do some creative seeding to avoid two Hockey East teams facing each other in the first round. The NCAA has already dictated that intra-conference matchups won't occur in the first round.
It looks like one league team - BU, Boston College or New Hampshire - will get a No. 1 seed, as will Cornell from the ECAC. That would leave three Hockey East teams seeded No. 2 or 3. And since the second and third seeds face each other in the first round, one of the Hockey East schools would have to be shipped to a western regional, in Minnesota or Michigan.
But NCAA officials will want to keep as many "local" teams in the regionals as possible. The tournament expanded from two six-team regionals to four four-team regionals, and there is concern about attendance.
It's possible that one of the Hockey East teams (Maine?) could get a No. 4 seed, stay in one of the eastern regionals and face Cornell in the first round.
RECORD BOOK: Maine will have reached the NCAAs for a fifth straight year, dating back to 1999. Only Michigan and Michigan State have longer active streaks, having reached every NCAA tournament since 1991. However, Michigan State will likely need to win its conference tournament to keep its string alive.
Maine forward Martin Kariya recorded his 50th career goal last Thursday and became the ninth Maine player to register 50 goals and 100 assists in a career. He currently has 104 assists.
Maine defenseman Prestin Ryan had not received a penalty for four straight games until a marginal hooking call sent him to the box on Friday. The combustible Ryan argued and received a 10-minute misconduct penalty. That gave Ryan the Maine single-season penalty-minute record, with 114 minutes, breaking the mark of 106, held by Peter Ferraro and Brendan Walsh.
WOMEN IN SEMIFINALS: There is still a Maine team vying for a Hockey East title. The Maine women reached the first-ever Hockey East women's tournament, scheduled for this coming Saturday and Sunday at Matthews Arena in Boston. Four of the league's six teams make the tournament.
Going into the final weekend of play, Maine was in fifth place. But the Black Bears swept Connecticut to earn the No. 3 seed with a 5-8-2 conference record (12-14-4 overall).
The league has been dominated this year by No. 1 Providence (13-1-1) and No. 2 New Hampshire (13-2). Maine will play UNH on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the Providence-Connecticut game. The championship is Sunday at 2 p.m.
Maine is 0-3 vs. UNH this season.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:
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