Hello everyone, here is the recap of the tournament in Durham that
appeared in today's Maine Campus
 
 
DURHAM, N.H.- For the second consecutive year the University of Maine
men's hockey team squared off against the University of New Hampshire
in the championship game of the annual Governors Cup tournament.
For the second consecutive year UNH scored seven goals against the
Black Bears as they pounded Maine 7-0 to seize the first-place trophy.
In the opening round the Bears defeated Vermont 3-1 to earn their third
straight trip to the tournament's final in as many years of its
existence.
"I give New Hampshire tons of credit,"  Maine head coach Shawn Walsh
said following the championship game loss.  "They capitalized early and
we're not a team that can come from behind. It's just the nature of our
team. When we can stay in the game we have a real chance to win.
"If we get behind by two or three goals we're not good enough to come
back."
That held true to form Saturday as the Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0
lead on goals by Mark Mowers and Tom Nolan before the first period
reached its half-way point.
The game opened up with New Hampshire controlling much of the play as
their depth up front began to establish a dominating presence early.
With three exemplary lines stuffed with natural goal scorers they began
to open the game up and create havoc on the Black Bear defense.
"We came out right away and got that first goal and after that we
didn't let up and kept going at them," UNH left wing Derek Bekar said.
"We kept putting them away."
The Wildcats kept Maine on their heels when sophomore forward Mike
Souza took a pass on the left wing from Jason Krog and ripped it past
Bear goalie Alfie Michaud to make it a 3-0 game.
With the first period wounds still bleeding the Wildcats knocked home
its fourth goal of the game when Mowers beat Michaud from inside the
right face-off circle.
Throughout the first stanza the 'Cats put heavy pressure on the Bear
defense creating numerous turnovers in its zone.  UNH exposed and
exploited an undisguised weakness that has engulfed the Black Bears at
times this year.
 Team defense has been inconsistent this season and following the game
Walsh acknowledged the role it played against New Hampshire.
"It was shaky," Walsh said.  "When you play a good high-powered team if
you don't get support from your forwards it's tough to do.
"We're just a very young club. We're capable of real highs like we were
last week when we beat BC by seven goals and we're capable of real
lows."
Although the contest featured an array of high powered talent, it also
provided a moment of terror as well.
As the game bolted into the second period Mowers was hit from behind by
Maine forward Ben Guite. After slamming into the boards, Mowers fell to
the ice where he laid motionless for several minutes.
The Whittemore Center crowd froze as Mowers had to be carried off the
ice in a stretcher.  Guite received a game misconduct penalty which
resulted in an ejection.
"He (Mowers) has a concussion (but) we don't know how severe of a
concussion. According to the doctors he was remembering things,"
Wildcat assistant coach Chris Serino said.  "They did a good job with
all the precautionary measures taken."
The UNH captain was later released from the hospital.
"I was disappointed to see his injury," Walsh said.  "At least Mark
(Mowers) will be OK. and that is comforting to know."
After play resumed the Wildcats didn't lose their edge as they
continued to pour it on offensively.
With UNH holding onto a comfortable 6-0 lead they closed out the
scoring in the period and the game when defenseman Steve O'Brien
converted an odd-man rush with Krog.
Maine goalie Bryan Masotta, who replaced Michaud earlier in the game,
was screened in front of the net and O'Brien found enough room to slam
it home.
The seven goals were the most Maine has allowed this season.
"They are a better team than we saw tonight," said Bekar.  "They got
frustrated right off the bat."
On Friday night, the Black Bears' team defense came to play and held a
feisty Vermont squad to 23 shots and let  just one in-something they
haven't done since October 24th.
The Black Bears played their power play music to a three goal ensemble
as they handed the Catamounts a 3-1 defeat.
Captain Steve Kariya, senior Scott Parmentier and freshman Anders
Lundback all scored with the man advantage.
"The big key for us was that we had three guys back from last year (on
the power play) and it is basically the same unit," Kariya said.  "We
have good chemistry together and we know where everyone is.
"We just try to keep it as simple as possible."
Maine's defense tightened up as the game progressed and was able to
contain a Catamount team that has experienced a complete make-over from
years past.
Gone are the likes of Martin St. Louis, Eric Perrin and J.C. Ruid, who
were once considered the most dangerous trio of talent in the east.
Vermont (3-7-2) is off to a slow start this season having been
outscored 40-23 and find themselves nestled in the basement of the ECAC.
"Our defense played well tonight," Walsh said.  "Alfie (Michaud) also
played well tonight and the key to our team is how we develop."
Vermont was determined to play a tight, cautious game and attempted to
contain Maine's speed by clogging up the neutral zone.
"They played a careful game," Wansborough said.  "They don't give up a
lot of odd-man rushes and they played tight defensively."
Although the 'Cats looked to create turnovers in the Black Bears' zone,
it was Maine who found themselves in opportunities to capitalize on its
opponents mistakes.
The Bears got on the board first when Parmentier banked home a
back-hander in the upper right corner of the net past Vermont goalie
Andrew Allen.
"Our first time on the power play it took us awhile to get into their
zone," said Wansborough who assisted on the first goal.  "Then we
scored it right off the face-off."
That was the way things stood until the second period when Lundback
stuffed a wrap-around goal inside the right post as he caught Allen out
of position.
"(Brian) White shot it and Matthias (Trattnig) tipped it and I got it
behind the net and I jammed it in," Lundback said.  "We knew we had to
be patient for they are a hard team to play against."
After Vermont trimmed the Maine lead to one on a Simon Tremblay goal,
Kariya iced the game when he scored off a rebound in the beginning of
the third period.
"The third goal gave us some breathing room and gave us an opportunity
to get that cushion back," Walsh said.  "They really played a defensive
game tonight."
Kariya, along with Lundback, was selected to the all-tournament team.
They were the only Black Bears to be selected.
Maine returns to Hockey East play this weekend when they travel to
Rhode Island for a pair of games against Providence College.