The rest of you on this List can all now safely talk about each series
having an impact on the PWR numbers for the Round of 16 ... Larry Mahoney
writes about it in this morning's BDN:

http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=108240

And, the article begins with our 17th-ranked squad needing offense, rather
than the earlier drone about the "D".  Nice to see the pundits finally
echoing what I have been saying for weeks to everyone.  One good thing, at
least we haven't seen a "Jimmy Howard bounces back from injuries" comment in
a while.

Good point in the discussions on USCHO:  Maine needs to push forward to not
lower than 14th in PWR, as two auto-bids will go to teams with very low
rankings who win their conferences, thereby setting the cut two steps
higher.  So, our collective goal is to be able to proudly exclaim before the
selection show -- if Maine does not win at the Fleet (a/k/a This Space
Available) Center -- "We're Number Fourteen !!!"

Maine this season seems to me like a fast car set up with minimal low-end
torque: maddeningly slow off the line, but can build up to high
speed...eventually.  Their play on Fridays seems a bit lackluster, and their
successes opening the weekends have been against much weaker squads.  I
don't see New Hampshire sitting back if Maine comes out slowly tonight on
the large ice, they can score 'em in bunches if they want to (can give them
up, too, but Maine's is not as good as the Lowell offense). Leveille sitting
out this one does not bode well for Maine.

Can I repeat my success in forecasting Game 1 of this series as I did with
last weekend's opener ?   I'll figure that over this weekend the Boys from
Durham will score one goal for each of the letters missing from their own
Wildcat jerseys: 8 which is also the starting time of tonight's contest.
Tonight's prediction -- New Hampshire 5, Maine 2

Lindsay and I will be in Durham tonight for this one, ensconced with the
Wildcat faithful.  We do have solace in knowing that any negative result of
the game is tempered by the realization that when heading south good beer is
not too far away in Portsmouth, starting with the Red Hook's tap room at
their "easy on / easy off" exit on the Spaulding.

Thanks also to Jim Acheson for posting link here to that NJ Devils fan's
website, with a VERY good collection of recent Last Four pics.  Is she a
member of HOCKEY-L ?  If not, should be made an honorary one for her fine
collection of (free) pics on the Internet (Wayne, you listening ?).

http://devsrule.com/2004_12/2004_12_11_P1.html

So, find someone with DirecTV and look for College Sports TV feed tonight
and follow along.  Turn the sound down, they probably will assign a couple
of dopes to describe the game.  Gary Thorne's not doing much these days...lol

Dan