Since many of the Gopher faithful are in Providence, I thought I would post
this in their absence (esp. since it's about 30 min from game time ...)
 
From today's Minnesota Daily
reprinted without permission
 
for those who don't yet know, for the Minn Daily, point your favorite Web
browser to gopher://kosh.mndly.umn.edu:70/1.
 
From the hockey deadlands in San Diego,
 
Mike
U of M '91
Go Gophers!
 
------------
Matthew Cross
 
Staff Reporter
 
Providence, R.I. -- Boston University sophomore forward Mike Grier
once scored 227 goals in just two seasons with the Holliston Mites
team out of Holliston, Mass., using a husky frame and a passion for
physical play.
 
The level of hockey has changed for Grier, but his style has not.
 
Heading into BU's game against the Gophers tonight, Grier leads the
Terriers in penalties and is tied for the team lead in penalty
minutes.
 
But he is also tied with Chris O'Sullivan for the team lead in
scoring with 53 points, from 29 goals and 24 assists.
 
"(Grier) is the catalyst of our team," BU coach Jack Parker said.
"He's the go-to guy on the power play, and he's also one of our best
defensive players as well, with that big body and willingness to play
physically."
 
The bad news for the Gophers is that Grier didn't play when they lost
4-3 to BU in overtime earlier this season. The good news is neither
did Minnesota defenseman Mike Crowley and senior winger Justin
McHugh.
 
However, Grier's addition to the BU lineup is expected to bring the
Terriers to a higher level.
 
"I hope he has more of an impact than Crowley," Parker said. "Both of
them were stars at the Junior Nationals that weekend, so I think
they'll both have a big impact on the game."
 
BU has come into its own since the New Year's Eve game at Mariucci
Arena for the Mariucci Classic title, and Parker said his team is
more controlled.
 
"I think we've become the team we thought we were going to be at the
beginning of the season," Parker said. "Now, our offense is directly
from our defense, and I think we are more in control of our destiny."
 
Parker expects a low-scoring, close-checking game against the Gophers
and said the only question is which team plays to its potential.
 
Gophers coach Doug Woog said the Terriers have more to aspire to,
being the more talented, experienced team. Grier and O'Sullivan are
 
two of those players with outstanding potential.
 
The two forwards feed off each other, much like receiver Jerry Rice
and quarterback Steve Young for the San Francisco 49ers. O'Sullivan
is the quarterback and Grier is the receiver and the guy who scores.
 
"There's no question they help each other out," Parker said.
"O'Sullivan is definitely the playmaker and a big contributor to
Grier's success."
 
Grier has certainly experienced success. He's a Hobey Baker finalist
as a second-year player, but Gophers co-captain Scott Bell is not
impressed.
 
"He's just a player, just like everybody else," Bell said. "But he
has the wrong color jersey on. That's all I know."
 
While Bell noticed Grier's jersey color, most people notice Grier for
the color of his skin.
 
Grier is one of the few black college hockey players in the country,
and though he could be the first black NHL player to be born and
raised in the United States, he just wants to be a regular player.
 
"People should look at each other for what they do, not what the
color of their skin is," Grier said in an article in the Worcester
Telegram and Gazette. "People should look at me for what kind of
player I am, not that I am a black hockey player, but how I am as a
hockey player."
 
But with the level of attention he is getting at the NCAA tournament
this weekend, one has to wonder what kind of effect it has on him and
his teammates.
 
So far in the tournament, Grier has only one goal and one assist, but
Parker said there's no reason to think Grier won't be an impact
player against Minnesota.
 
"I think its easy for the kids to stay focused, because before they
know it they'll have to go to bed, get up and play," Parker said.
"Most of these kids have been in the big games before. The question
is whether they will play to their capabilities."