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Friday, March 26, 2004
Lyall kept grinding, and his shot emerged
By KEVIN THOMAS, Portland Press Herald Staff Writer
Copyright 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
ALBANY, N.Y. -- He came into his senior season thinking he would play more.
In his first three years at Maine, Cameron Lyall was never a full-time player. With several openings in the lineup this season, Lyall figured his name would get penciled in more often.
But after 19 games, Lyall had played only one. Until Feb. 7, he had only played two.
Since Feb. 14, though, Lyall has been a full-timer. He has played well on the checking line, and he set up the winning goal in the 2-1, triple-overtime win over Massachusetts on Saturday for the Hockey East tourney title.
For months, it looked like Lyall, 23, from Ontario, would never suit up in Maine colors again.
Never was a whine heard from Lyall.
But Cameron, weren't you frustrated?
"I've been here for four years and I get asked that question every year," Lyall said. "I just love the game of hockey. I love being here."
"I thought I (would play) when I came into this season. But I didn't have a good start. When I got those two shots (to play), I didn't have it."
Lyall continued to do what he always does -- keep working.
"I made coach see that I still had potential," Lyall said.
Lyall played in his third game on Feb. 7. He sat out the next game and then joined the lineup for good.
"I'm very proud of him," Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said. "He's an example of perseverance and dedication and positive attitude.
"And the fact that he was in on that game-winning goal -- he set it up. He won that puck and made the play. And that's how he has played down the stretch. He's really at his best."
On the winning goal, the puck was sent into the corner. Two Maine players and one from UMass went for it. Lyall skated away with it, took it behind the UMass net and then passed out to Matt Deschamps, whose shot was deflected in by Ben Murphy. It was Lyall's first assist of the season.
"It was such a good feeling," Lyall said.
And one well worth the wait. MURPHY VS. MURPHY: When Maine forward Ben Murphy and Harvard forward Dan Murphy skate onto the ice today, it will be the first time the two brothers have faced each other. Both have received plenty of media attention about the brotherly confrontation, but Ben said he has to put it out of his mind.
"I'm not going to worry about it," Ben said. "I worried about it Sunday and Monday. Then I sat back and thought about it. He plays for Harvard, and Harvard is our opponent. Just one bad shift, if I'm thinking about that, I could cost my team the game. I can't let that happen.
"He's an opponent. When the game is over, then I'll think about it and talk to him." RESTED: When Maine was last in a triple-overtime game, it was the 1995 NCAA semifinals, and the Black Bears were still gassed when it came time for the final two days later (a 6-2 loss to Boston University). This time, Maine will have had six days' rest since beating UMass Saturday.
"(Lingering fatigue) is not a factor at all," Maine captain Todd Jackson said. "We've had plenty of rest. When we got back on the ice in practice, the energy was very high, and the spirits were high." NOTES: Among the familiar faces attending Thursday's practice were former Maine All-American Steve Kariya, who now plays for the Albany River Rats, and Harvard assistant Gene Reilly, an assistant at Maine from 1998-01. . . . When Harvard Coach Mark Mazzoleni was asked what his team had that Maine didn't, he paused and said, "higher grade-point averages and higher boards."
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: [log in to unmask]
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