I didn't attend the OSU game, but was there for the consolation and
pre-game rally against Notre Dame. To paraphrase Coach Whitehead, if the
team played the first two periods with the same level of intensity as
the third, they would have had an "opportunity to win." Several costly
Maine penalties (obstruction holding/hooking)were attributable to
players not moving their feet, not officials calls. He said the game was
called tight. He dispelled any notion that travel had any effect on the
outcome. In the Notre Dame game they came up against a red hot
goaltending effort by Cey, who made 32 saves. Frank Doyle was equally
stellar in allowing only one goal on 22 shots. The one that made it past
him was a tip in front on a power play that made it up over the net
minders right shoulder.

-----Original Message-----
From: The Maine Hockey Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wayne T Smith
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2003 4:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: I seriously hope this isn't used as an excuse....


[log in to unmask] wrote:
> In a message dated 12/29/2003 2:06:37 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>> "Maine, which had nine players miss Friday's only practice after
>> being stranded by weather in Philadelphia, will face Vermont Sunday
>> at 2 p.m. in Portland."
>>
>> Granted, it was in the final paragraph of the story, but I seriously
>> hope the team is NOT using this circumstance as some sort of excuse
>> (even
>> partially) for the caliber of play which led to two weekend losses.
>
>
>
> Not only was the comment in the final paragraph in the story, it was
> NOT attributed to anyone.  To the best of my knowledge, neither Tim
> nor any of the players have said that travel difficulties contributed
> to the two losses.

I didn't hear the whole interview, but I thought Jeff Mushaluk, with Dan
Hannigan during the 1st intermission of the second game, clearly stated
travel arrangements (and lack of whole-team ice time for several days)
were a problem that should be corrected another year.

Perhaps someone that saw the games in FL could comment, but from the
radio it sounded like either Maine was up against a more talented OSU
team, or the Christmas turkey wasn't sitting well with most of the
players.  Were the multitude of penalties because Maine was beaten many
times, or players were "trying too hard" or something else?

I also find it interesting that in the past 6 weeks (6 games), we've not
scored 4 goals in a game. As the remainder of the season has games
coming at a faster clip, can the offense get better?

just trying to fuel the holiday hot stove league, wayne

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