i beg to differ.... the problem WAS our defense!  over the past several
weeks the black bears have learned what it takes to play good team
defense......unfortunately the offense suffers and we don't have any
superstars to put the puck in the net..... we have to manufacture goals by
crashing the net
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. B. Doucette" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 9:12 AM
Subject: It's Official...and other comment


> 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 sitti
ng
> 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
>