Mark Lewin queries:
 
>So I raise the question to fans of BU and BC, Maine and UNH:
>if your team's most bitter rival were the only Hockey East team
>in the tournament (maybe even the only eastern team), would you root for
>or against the rival.
 
I posed this exact question today to a friend who is a BU season ticket
holder and, unfortunately, will not be at the semifinals.  Under no
circumstances, he told me, would he ever root for BC. He wants a Hockey
East school to win so he'll be pulling for Maine, with St. Lawrence a close
second.
 
On the other hand, as a UNH partisan I could never root for Maine, at least
as long as (Shawn) Walsh is there.  I will not bore anyone with the obvious
details as to why. The thought that these neanderthals from the north could
walk around bragging that they were the first team since BU to win
back-to-back titles makes me want to gag. I saw those BU teams and the
Black Bears could not hold a candle to them.  As for BC, their first
championship in 50+ years would mean that I could read about their exploits
in the Globe for the next month.  I could see Channel 38, in a reprise of
the Bruins' replays they used to do in the Bobby Orr era, doing a series of
shows entitled "BC's Road to the Frozen Four."  The Eagles? No thanks.
 
I have to say I'm pulling for St. Lawrence for several reasons. First,they
have a pretty good team. The UNH-St. Lawrence game at Canton back in
December was one of the best games I saw all year. Secondly, the are the
decided underdog, no one expected them to get out of Albany, let alone get
to the final. Third,the ECAC has not won it all in 11 years (Harvard '89)
and a win would be a nice change of pace for college hockey. Fourth, Joe
Marsh not only played at UNH ('76), but he's also from my home town (Lynn,
MA) and is a hell of a nice guy. Finally, and most importantly, St.
Lawrence is the alma mater of Dick Osborne, the voice of UNH Wildcat
Hockey.  Although Dick has been doing play-by-play at UNH for nearly 20
years and is devoted to the Wildcats, his first love will always be St.
Lawrence where he began his broadcasting career as an undergraduate. Dick
always has a broad grin on his face but if the Larries (as they were called
back in his day) ever win it, the smile may not come off his face for
months!
 
Greg Ambrose, UNH '72
If it can't be the 'Cats, let it be the Saints!
 
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