From Larry Mahoney's column today in BDN;

Zabkowicz said he is happy to be playing up front "because we have nine
solid defenseman and it was going to be tough to crack the lineup. I love it
up front."

All the while, Maine's official roster online this morning lists the Z as a
defenceman (but they don't list Billy Ryan yet).

So long as Zabkowicz can adjust to the swing role, take the occasional
healthy scratch, and keep the scoring touch as he did in Vermont, the
flexibility he brings is an asset to the team.

This all once again reminds me of the recent Paul Lynch situation.   Whereas
Lynch did not take too well being put in roughly the same role now facing
the Z, I now see more positive signs both on-ice and off when it relates to
Z and how it is working for him.  BTW, Z is a much better skater than Lynch.
  Should be interesting when UMass faces Maine this season.

Honestly, Maine has fewer concerns on the defensive side of the ice (the
only thing left to learn is who will be the on-ice "enforcer"...) Wherever
they can acquire more scoring, all the better for this year's squad.

Game / weekend notes:

Got to like less "pass-o" and more shooting on goal when Maine has the puck.
 When they did pass, the transfers were crisp and more on the forehand than
I can recall from last year.

Maine still needs to work on winning more faceoffs.  Any Maine alumni now in
the NHL available on a temporary basis to help on that ?

Read the Syracuse paper and saw Joe Exter was starting in net for the Wilkes
Barre team in the AHL.  Good for Joe...what an inspiring story.

Tale of two programs....VT next game is against Sacred Heart, Maine faces
North Dakota.

Burlington is very friendly to visitors...will be a good stop for any Maine
fan who can snag tickets in future years.

The Gutterson reminds me of a super-size Snively Arena with its curved
wooden roof and some wood bleachers.  No fish, however...

Was nice to see an example of the old "Governors Cup" hardware in the VT
trophy case.

Vermont's student section was particularly quiet yesterday.  Maybe they get
into it once students have stopped going wearing shorts and T-shirts.  They
apparetnly had some sort of "wear black" promotion yesterday...hey, it
didn't work.

Maine came out dressed yesterday in "home" white.  Is college going to be
wearing home dark this season like the NHL did last year ?

Nice to have an 8 PM start next Friday...means we can drive most of the way
to Maine and not miss much before we plunk ourselves in front of the
satellite dish-fed TV and watch most of the contest on CSTV.

Beer is sold in the stands during the first half of football games in the
Carrier Dome at Syracuse University.

How is it that Maine can be ranked higher than BC in the national poll and
be ranked behind the Eagles in the pre-season HE poll ?

in closing, given we were so close in Burlington to our Canadian fans...

GO BLEU...