WOW, What a Weekend!!!!

Observations from the Fleet, where we did not have the benefit of
seeing the statistics was that UMASS was winning some key face-offs, so
was surprised at the difference after watching some of the game on
tape!

Which leads me to a request.  I set my VCR to tape 4 1/2 hours, mea
culpa!  Missed the last 2 minutes of the second overtime and all of the
third, anybody have this on tape and have the ability to make a
copy????  Would like to see that on tape.

As many of us on hand can attest this was one excruciating weekend.
Never able to relax, but this team plays in their zone so very well,
and for the most part does not allow second chances!

Thomas Pock was scary every time he headed up the ice, and Prestin Ryan
proved that he is one of the best d-men we have ever had!

Great to see the hard work put in by the 4th line pay off, and for a
kid like Cam Lyall in his senior season to be a part of Maine history.
To say Ben Murphy was overdue is an understatement and the way he was
lugging the puck up ice all night and how well that line had played
truly was a case of hardwork paying off!

Jimmy Howard was fabulous and while I was certainly disappointed that
Frank did not get to play, Jimmy was the right call.

Looking forward to driving to Albany on Friday, now if the guys could
put a 4 spot on the board in the next couple of games, maybe we could
enjoy sitting on the entire seat for a game instead of wearing out the
edge of it!

Please email me if you have a tape you can copy for me.

Thanks,

Bob Fitta '83

On Mar 21, 2004, at 11:00 PM, Dan Doucette wrote:

> Congrats to the Black Bears on a fantastic weekend.
>
> Observations from TV viewing:
>
> 1.  Maine is winning faceoffs again.  Winning more than you lose is
> one key
> to the game that was not so earlier in the year.
>
> Curious that the Maine "official" hockey site doesn't post the faceoff
> stats
> for several games I checked, so I checked the Hockey East league
> website to
> be sure.
>
> Looking at a couple of the weaker Maine performances this season, I
> saw in
> the Florida tournament in two losses, Maine lost over 50 % of
> faceoffs.  In
> the nil-nil draw at Matthews, Maine lost more faceoffs than they won
> 28-30.
>  Both games this weekend, however, they won more faceoffs than their
> opponents, as the NESN graphics showed.
>
> 2.  The transition game is back.  Maine is starting the play up the
> ice much
> more quickly and effectively out of their defensive zone than I
> observed
> earlier in the year.  Cement skates have been traded in fortunately.
>
> On those two points, these improvements mean the offense can more
> easily
> score the few more goals than the nation's most stingy defence gives
> up.
>
> 3.  Finally, the recent performance of Maine's 4th line is most
> pleasing.
> You will see in the Tournament that some schools will field squads
> only one
> or two lines deep, the opponents can therefore ease up when a team
> substitutes deep onto their bench.  Maine has legitimate two-way
> players
> very deep on the bench now down to their fourth line, and Coach won't
> shorten the bench up in tight games unlike some other coaches I've
> seen (hi
> Jerry !!)
>
> All in all, the Tournament draw is very good for Maine.
>
> I'm just jumping for joy that Dick Umile's mildcats drew Michigan.
> All I
> can say to that:
>
> Montoya is better than Ayers
> Red Berenson is better than Dick Umile
> UMaine owns a Hockey East 2004 Champion banner, New Hampshire gets
> squat.
>
> I will offer a cash reward to anyone who can produce an image file
> with a
> video capture of Umile rolling his eyes as his team gassed another one
> against UMass.  Alternatively, someone should get set up for the
> broadcast
> from Manchester, as I reckon the same will happen again next weekend.
>
> Go Blue...not done at the FleeCenter in 2004...
>
Bob Fitta
Director of Advertising
Harvard Magazine
617-496-6631