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http://www.pressherald.com/sports/college/hockey/040329umthomas.shtml

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                        Monday, March 29, 2004

                       COLUMN: Kevin Thomas



                             Bears get there ... so beware




                          Copyright  2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.



  FROZEN FOUR


      FROZEN FOUR

  Semifinals

  Thursday, April 8

  Maine (32-7-3) vs. Boston College (29-8-4), 6 p.m.

  Denver (25-12-5) vs. Minnesota- Duluth (28-12-4), noon

  Championship: Saturday, April 10, 7 p.m.

  Where: FleetCenter, Boston

   Television: ESPN2 (semifinals), ESPN (final)

  TICKETS

  UMaine is making a  limited number of tickets ($141) available through a lottery. Call 1-800-756-TEAM for more information.



ALBANY, N.Y. - If you want to know the theme of this University of Maine hockey team, don't look for the catchy phrase or eloquent verse. That would be too easy. And these Black Bears don't do anything easy.

     The theme is not as memorable as the cinematic line "If you build it, they will come."

      But it does go something like this:

     "If you get there enough, something good will happen."

     And where is there? Well, the Black Bears are driving toward two destinations.

     One is the net. Maine can not always rely on the Colin Shields' rocket launch past a stunned goalie. The Black Bears have to get to the net, have to bring bodies there, and then send in the puck. Then who knows what will happen? Ask Mike Hamilton. He barely got off a shot after driving the net in overtime.

     But the puck bounced, first off a goalie and then, apparently, off the stick of a Wisconsin player, a player who was falling down from the force of more Maine players driving the net. The puck sneaks over the goal line, and Maine beats Wisconsin 2-1 in overtime in the NCAA quarterfinals.

     You just never know.

     And Maine has always tried to strive for another destination: The Frozen Four (of course, the NCAA did not always call its hockey final four frozen, but it is a simple way to avoid confusion with that other tournament going on, the one that has everyone in the office filling out a bracket).

     To win a national championship, you have to get to the Frozen Four first. Keep getting there, and your odds increase.

     "We believe if we get in year after year, we'll eventually win another one," Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said. "We've just tried to be as consistent with our program, getting to that stage year after year. And if we do, we're confident we'll get one."

     Get the puck and bodies to the net, and who knows? Get your team to the Frozen Four, and you just might find yourself skating around an ice rink, holding up a trophy.

     This is a Maine team that can do it. It is not always pretty, and rarely is it an easy romp, but the Black Bears simply win. (Didn't we hear those same words about that football team in Foxboro, Mass.?)

     "This team is very composed in close games," Whitehead said. "It starts from the goal out."

     Whitehead referred to the goalies, Jimmy Howard and Frank Doyle, the incredible Maine tandem. For the playoffs, Whitehead has decided to ride the hotter goalie, Howard. And Howard is showing why he should be on the All-America list when it is published next week.

     Wisconsin kept taking it to Maine. The Badgers, arguably, had the better talent (and it was young, hotshot talent with eight freshmen in the lineup).

     But better players do not always make the better team (Yes, you can again make comparisons to the Foxboro team). Whitehead has continually made references to last year's Maine season. It featured a gifted group with several veterans, but not the ability to play together like this year's model.

     In 2003-04, it has always been about team. The s-word (selfish) is rarely used.

     Take Doyle for example. He puts up the second-best goalie statistics in the history of Maine hockey, becomes a Hobey Baker candidate, and then is benched. His reaction is to praise the talents of Howard, who happens to have the best statistics in Maine history.

     Ask any player about scoring a goal, and you will start hearing other names about who made the check, or the pass, or the screening rush to the net.

     Greg Moore, the pride of Lisbon, scored the game-winning goal in the great comeback against Harvard in the regional semifinal Friday. His was the fourth unanswered Black Bears goal of the third period in the 5-4 win. Stick a microphone in Moore's face afterward and ask him to tell about his thrill of victory.

     "It all started with Colin Shields on the initial forecheck. He made the defenseman turn it over, and it popped out to Michel (Leveille)," Moore said.

     "Any kid dreams of scoring a game-winning goal. But it would not have happened if my team didn't score the goals to get us tied, and then my linemates working hard to give me the chance for a shot on net."

      It was just another shot on net. Just another goal.

     Now Maine is making just another trip to the Frozen Four.

     And . . .

     Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:     [log in to unmask]