Maine 8, Mass Lowell 5 (HE)
Saturday, January 4, 1997 at Tully Forum (Billerica, MA)
Score By Periods Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
ME 4 - 2 - 2 -- 8 13 - 13 - 13 -- 39 9 - 18 1 - 6
UML 0 - 2 - 3 -- 5 10 - 7 - 11 -- 28 8 - 16 1 - 5
Records: Maine (12-8-1, 4-5-1 HE)
Mass Lowell (9-9-0, 7-5-0 HE)
SCORING
1st Period
ME-1 Reg Cardinal (11) (unassisted) 8:43
ME-2 Bobby Stewart (7) (Brian White) 13:07
ME-3 Jason Mansoff (6) (Steve Kariya) SHG 17:43
ME-4 Jeff Libby (1) (unassisted) 18:23
2nd Period
ME-5 J. Mansoff (7) (unassisted) 1:57
UML-1 Greg Koehler (8) (Neil Donovan, Marc Salsman) PPG 3:27
ME-6 Shawn Mansoff (3) (David Cullen, J. Mansoff) GWG PPG 5:50
UML-2 Chris Bell (5) (Ryan Sandholm, Koehler) 11:40
3rd Period
ME-7 Scott Parmentier (17) (Kariya, Shawn Wansborough) 6:52
ME-8 Marcus Gustafsson (6) (Trevor Roenick, Cardinal) 7:19
UML-3 Sandholm (9) (Mike Nicholishen, Koehler) 8:27
UML-4 Salsman (8) (Mike Mulligan, Shannon Basaraba) 13:08
UML-5 N. Donovan (9) (Doug Nolan, John Campbell) 17:30
Goaltenders Saves By Period
ME - Alfie Michaud (60:00) 10 - 5 - 8 -- 23 (5 GA)
UML - Martin Fillion (21:57) 9 - 1 - x -- 10 (5 GA)
- Craig Lindsay (38:03) x - 10 - 11 -- 21 (3 GA)
OFFICIALS: Referee Steve McBride; Assistant Referees Paul Scleparis,
James Brown.
ATTENDANCE: 2,138.
BILLERICA, Mass. -- Jason Mansoff scored twice, and Steve Kariya had two
assists as Maine rolled over UMass-Lowell 8-5 Saturday Jan. 4. Maine built
leads of 5-0, 6-1 and 8-2 en route to the win.
FIRST PERIOD:
Alfie Michaud started in net for Maine after Javier Gorriti went the
distance the night before in a 5-4 win over Providence College.
Michaud was tested right away. Lowell was able to hold the puck in the
Maine zone for long periods of time, just cycling away down low while
waiting for players to come open in front.
Maine had to take several icings early, and then Chris Bell was tripped up
in the neutral zone. Lowell had the complete edge in play, and now a power
play to work with.
But the Maine penalty killers did the job, as Lowell had no real quality
chances with the extra man.
But the style of the game persisted as Lowell continued to put shots on
Michaud, and Maine continued to be bottled up in their own zone. Michaud
was completely solid, and kept the game scoreless.
It took Maine five minutes or so before they had any sustained offense or
top quality chances. With 13:25 left, Kevin Bertram pulled down Steve
Kariya and it looked like Maine would have a good chance to get on the
board, but the UML penalty kill team returned the favor and the game
remained scoreless.
Maine would grab the lead at the 8:43 mark of the period. Reg Cardinal,
whose hard work epitimizes what the "blue line" stands for, dug the puck out
of the corner and walked out in front. Lowell starting goaltender Martin
Fillion made a pad save, but Cardinal was able to put home his rebound.
This was a major breakdown by the Lowell defense as Cardinal should not have
been allowed a second-chance at his own shot.
Play evened out at this point, but through the first-half of the period
Lowell had controled the play, and didn't deserve to be down 1-0. When they
got their chances, they seemed to come in bunches as they would put several
shots on Michaud during the same set.
As the first period wore on, Maine began to take control of the game and
they would score three times before the first was over to jump out in front 4-0.
First it was Bobby Stewart. Stewart was sent in two-on-one with Shawn
Mansoff by Brian White. Stewart came down the wing like he was going to
pass -- as Maine often does -- but instead took the shot, beating a fooled
Fillion for the 2-0 lead at 13:07.
After Robert Ek was pulled off for holding Chris Bell, Jason Mansoff got a
short-handed goal for the Black Bears. Kariya sent a pass ahead to Mansoff
who split two defenders and had enough time to take two shots on Fillion,
scoring on the second at 17:43.
Maine has now scored two short-handed goals, both by defensemen (Brian White
and Jason Mansoff).
Just 30 seconds later it was Jeff Libby getting his first goal of the year.
Libby threw the puck on goal, and according to Maine Sports Information
Director Matt Bourque who was doing the color commenatary on the WZON radio
broadcast, the puck deflected off Lowell defender Kevin Bertram and into the
net at 18:13.
It was an impressive first period for Maine. Their strengths of previous
few years -- goaltending and defense -- held them in the game, while the
strengths of past great Maine teams -- explosive scoring -- jumped them out
in front 4-0. It wasn't the greatest of periods for Maine, but they served
notice that they have the talent to put the puck in the net.
SECOND PERIOD:
Lowell would have 1:26 left on a power play to start the second. Trevor
Roenick had been whistled for a call with 34 seconds left in the period by
referee Steve McBride.
Lowell would still struggle to get anything on the power play, icing the
puck once and giving up a short-handed chance with Scott Parmentier and
Steve Kariya.
Not long after killing off the remaining time, Maine struck again. Jason
Mansoff scored his second of the game when Fillion last track of the puck
and the puck deflected into the net. It was what Bourque deemed an
"innocent" shot that Fillion looked bad on. That extended the Maine lead to
5-0 with just under two minutes gone in the second.
Lowell coach Tim Whitehead (former Maine assistant coach) had seen enough.
He pulled Fillion in favor of Craig Lindsay. Fillion faced 14 shots and
allowed five goals.
Lowell responded to the goalie change by picking up their play offensively.
They almost broke the shutout when Michaud misplayed the puck as Jamie
Graham came into the zone. The puck drifted toward the goal but Jason Price
jumped on the loose puck. Price drew a penalty for delay of the game on the
play.
On the power play Lowell had their best chance on any power play when Greg
Koehler was setup in front for an open shot, but fanned on the attempt.
Koehler would get his revenge moments later. Lowell used quick movement of
the puck to get the Maine penalty killers running around in their own zone.
Koehler got another chance and roofed the puck over Michaud at 3:27 to make
it a 5-1 game.
This was a key time for Maine. Just a night before, they lead 5-0 with only
10 minutes left in the game. They just hung on to a 5-4 win. Lowell, who
plays a trap much like Providence, had come out of that and had begun to
open the game up looking for offense.
Neil Donovan gave Maine a perfect chance to notch another goal as he took an
interference penalty with 15:57 left. Maine would score on the power play
as Shawn Mansoff put home the rebound of a David Cullen shot at 5:50 to give
the Mansoff's a 3-1 lead over Lowell, and Maine a commanding 6-1 advantage.
As the game approached the halfway point, Maine had an apparent goal waved
off by McBride. Bourque noted that apparently McBride has lost sight of the
puck. It would not impact the game however.
Lowell drew the game within four once again at the 11:40 mark of the second.
Chris Bell was left alone in the slot, and Ryan Sandholm, who just missed a
great chance, fed him for the goal.
Maine outshot Lowell 13-7 in the period, and 26-17 in the game to that point.
THIRD PERIOD:
Lowell clearly felt they were still in this game as they came out in the
third and put some good chances on Alfie Michaud as Maine was backed into
their own zone.
Craig Lindsay, who made some good saves after relieving Fillion, continued
to play solid for UML. He stopped Bobby Stewart on a breakaway, and then
when Graham went off for a penalty, some wild action ensued but Lindsay
turned them away.
As the period wore on though Maine put this game away. Steve Kariya made a
terrific pass to Scott Parmentier who had a wide open net to shoot for at
6:52 to make it 7-2. Parmentier now has 17 goals in 17 games played.
Then it was Marcus Gustafsson, who stayed on a tear, when he converted on a
goal after Trevor Roenick lost the puck off his stick on a wraparound
attempt at 7:19. Maine led 8-2 and it was over, right?
Much like the night before Maine seemed content to get on the bus and head
home at this point, much like they had when leading 5-0 at Providence.
Alfie Michaud, who had played well for the first 48 minutes, would lose his
help in front and Lowell would tally three times before the game was over.
First it was Ryan Sandholm. Mike Nicholishen sent the puck in on net, and
Sandholm converted as Dan Shermerhorn tried to get him. Nicholishen had
just been tripped and got up in time to put the shot on goal.
About five minutes later it was Marc Salsman. No one played Salsman as he
was able to come around the net unmolested on a wraparound beating Michaud
at 13:08 to make it 8-4.
While Maine was letting up defensively, they were still trying to score.
Ben Guite had a breakaway that Bourque said hit the crossbar, and then
Lindsay stopped a two-on-one with Stewart and Shawn Mansoff.
But UML was still putting on pressure offensively and they had one more goal
left in them. This time Neil Donovan lifted the puck over a sprawled
Michuad at 17:30 to close out the scoring at 8-5.
COMMENTS:
On several occasions late in the game, Bourque reported that Michaud
appeared to show frustration speculating that he was upset with the
defensive breakdowns late. Apparently Michaud lost his head when he was
interfered with him. Michaud was lucky not to earn a penalty, but somewhat
frustrated. Who can blame him? He plays perhaps his best game at Maine and
will be charged with five goals allowed on 28 shots. Certainly he wasn't
blameless in those goals, but he didn't have much help either.
While Saturday's letdown wasn't as prolific as the collapse at Providence,
it still is cause for some concern, but not outright panic. Remember, to
have a huge colapse you must first have a big lead. Maine is improving and
playing much better, and just like they had to learn how to get the big
leads, they now have to learn how to play with the big lead.
It still means that the goalie controversy continues though. While Michaud
may have in fact played better than Gorriti did on Friday, he also let in
more goals. It is doubtful that Walsh will decide to go with one or the
other based on this weekend and both will play at Merrimack.
The real key is that Maine is playing "Maine hockey" as Walsh likes to deem
it. They are not playing "down" to opponents as Greg Cronin often said, and
they have confidence. This team now believes they can score goals and win
games, and that is making a huge difference. It is hard to gauge how good
this team is, but they have come along way since November.
The question on whether or not Maine can score goals should now be settled.
For whatever reason, since Greg Cronin left Maine has generally not
struggled offensively at all. Maine players say that the defense is more
involved in the offense, and consequently Maine is getting more odd man
rushes. Most importantly Maine is converting them. All these are good
signs for the future.
The biggest thing Maine takes from this weekend's wins is four points and
their first two game sweep in Hockey East action. Maine is now 12-8-1, and
their 4-5-1 record in Hockey East vaults them into fourth place. Maine is
right back in the thick of the Hockey East action with two big games at
Merrimack next weekend.
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])
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