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                        Sunday, March 21, 2004

                                                    Three OTs, and Maine gets a title


                            By  KEVIN THOMAS, Portland Press Herald Writer

                          Copyright  2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.





 BOSTON  --  Ben Murphy redirected a Matthew Deschamps shot at 9:27 of the third overtime to give the University of Maine a 2-1 win over Massachusetts for the Hockey East championship Saturday night before 16,743 fans at the FleetCenter. It was the longest tournament game in Hockey East history. It also was the longest game in Maine history, surpassing the 1995 NCAA semifinal game when Maine beat Michigan 4-3 on a goal 28 seconds into the third overtime.

     The goalies kept this game going. Maine's Jimmy Howard (63 saves) and Gabe Winer (59 saves) of UMass each turned in a performance for the ages.

     "The goaltending was immense on both sides," UMass Coach Don Cahoon said. "This game could have been over 10 times."

     Howard, who shut out Boston University 1-0 in the semifinals Friday, was named the tournament MVP.

     "You know, UMass could have just as easily won this game," said Murphy, sitting with Howard at the postgame press conference. "But we have this kid over here."

     Second-ranked Maine improved to 30-7-3, reaching 30 wins faster than any Black Bear team since the 1992-93 squad that won the national championship.

     Maine also enters the NCAA tournament on a hot streak, having won seven in a row, and 9 of 10.

     UMass (19-12-6), making its first appearance in the Hockey East final, needed a win to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

     The Minutemen sent the game into overtime with a power-play goal by Greg Maulden at 13:47 of the third period. Maine had taken the lead when Dustin Penner scored a power-play goal in the second period.

     The game became a duel between two goalies not expected to start. Saturday marked the first time this season Howard had not shared time with Frank Doyle over a two-game weekend.

     "Frankie is such a great goalie," Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said. "But if you saw Jimmy (against BU Friday), you knew why we started him (Saturday). He has just elevated his game."

     UMass decided to go with Winer, who had missed the last three games with back spasms. Tim Warner had filled in ably for Winer, but the Minutemen went back to their No. 1.

     Howard's effort served as redemption for last year's Hockey East quarterfinals when UMass surprisingly swept the Black Bears and Howard was pulled in each game.

     Maine broke a scoreless tie at 16:24 of the second period. Michel Leveille broke his stick on a weak slap shot from the point after a pass by Penner, but the puck hit a defenseman's skate outside the crease and bounced to Penner. He sent the puck between Winer's pads.

     In the third period, UMass got its fourth power play. Mauldin held the puck in the right circle, waiting for Howard to be screened, and then fired it in to tie the game.

     Earlier, Mauldin appeared to have scored a power-play goal with a blast past a screened Howard in the first period. But after a lengthy review, the goal was disallowed because UMass forward Kevin Jarman had skated across the edge of the crease when Mauldin shot.

     Howard was at his best in that first overtime when he made 19 saves. In one sequence, Thomas Pock, a Hobey Baker finalist, got free for a blast and Howard made a pad save. Pock kept coming and shot again, but Howard sprawled and knocked the puck away with his glove.

     "How Howard stopped that is beyond me," said Cahoon, who figured his team had squandered its best chances.

     "We emptied our tank in the first overtime. Maine still had legs. We didn't."

     Maine began to dictate play in the second overtime and carried that momentum into the third. On the winner, Cameron Lyall fought for possession behind the net and sent the puck out to Deschamps. His shot was deflected through Winer's legs by Murphy - only Murphy's third goal this season and Lyall's first assist.

     The Black Bears will find out their traveling plans for the NCAAs when the tournament selection show takes place at 2:30 p.m. today on ESPN2. Maine figures to be a No. 1 seed in one of the regionals - either in Albany, N.Y., or Manchester, N.H.

     Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

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