Looking for positives:
 
- I don't think Coach's pre-game hypnosis kicked in this time.
 
- Allow someone free on the weak side, allow a breakaway, fail to clear
  rebounds ...  and the goaltending won't appear as strong as it should.
 
- NU is quicker than you might think;  Maine needs to have a very good
  game plan and a lot of confidence to win against NU.  Otherwise, the
  frustration of playing against their defense takes its toll.
 
- Todd Barclay won't get a natural hat-trick next time.
 
- I don't recall ShawnW losing his cool this game.
 
By the way, after our last game with UNH, *their* list never mentioned
the game for 4 days, and then only to suggest it couldn't happen again.
If I were a big UNH fan, I would have screamed when Coach Umile said
(of the 3 game week) "2 of 3 games against such top competition is great"
(paraphrased).  IMHO, UNH should be aiming higher this year!
 
Cathy wrote, in part..
>There was a Maine goal that the officials did not see, although the goal judge
>and many many others close to that net saw clearly.  ...
 
And I and many others were just as convinced that the goal judge made a
mistake ...  but I was not close to the net.  Did the refs say anything
to the goal judge afterwards, Cathy?
 
>I have to again complain about officiating, but first would like to hear from
>anyone who saw the penalty Vitorino had - five minute major - which many folks
>told me was undeserved.
 
Maybe 5 would not not often be the call there, but this incident was,
IMHO, something that was repeated over and over last night.  As the play
happened, I turned to my neighbor and said "Why did he do that?!",
asking why Viterino would make such a stupid play.  I don't know what
the penalty was for, but the cross-check to the NU player back of neck
while sitting on top of him wasn't fun to watch.  (I don't mean Maine
lost because they took penalties (maybe someone else would), but rather
there were many forced and unforced "errors".
 
> ...  The game was very physical, as we can always expect from Bruce Crowder's
>teams, and the refs did let a lot go on both sides, but some calls were
>questionable.  Did anyone else see this?
 
There's always lots of stuff that could be penalties and sometimes it
makes you wonder if it is being "let go" or isn't seen.
 
I'm disappointed when the clutch-and-grab is let go that much.  Perhaps
this year's Maine team doesn't play well under such circumstances?  If
so, here's another positive as the next two NU games are at the larger
ice surface at Mathews Arena ...  harder to C&G on big ice.
 
cheers,
 
Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L/Info-Hockey-L/Hockey3