>Saturday was championship day for hockey in the state of Maine.
>In class B, Winslow repeated as champions with a 6-2 win over
>Falmouth, finishing the year with an incredible 23-1 record.
>Their lone loss came in overtime to defending Class A champion
>Waterville.
>However, the Purple Panthers could not duplicate Winslow's
>accomplishment as they fell to North Yarmouth Academy 3-1
>at UMaine's Alfond Arena.
>
>NYA had lost to Waterville three times this season, including
>two shutouts on December 20 (2-0) and February 5 (3-0).
>Waterville opened the scoring at 2:51 of the first period
>when senior captain James LaLiberty blasted Waterville's
>first shot of the game past NYA junior goaltender Brian Gagne.
>NYA's senior captain, Matt Greason, answered with a power
>play goal of his own at 7:29.
>In the second, NYA senior Chris Tanis, who lives in Bangor,
>flicked a shot from the point off the crossbar and in, as
>NYA took the lead for good.
>The third period had some controversy, as Waterville's
>Dean Carpenter appeared to score the tying goal at 4:28.
>However, NYA sophomore defensemen Ben Yates had knocked
>the net off before the puck went in, and the goal was
>disallowed.  Already short-handed, NYA killed off 1:17
>of a 5-3 Waterville power play which took any Waterville
>momentum away.  Senior Jeff Mercier scored his 22nd goal
>of the season at 7:32 to cement the state championship
>for North Yarmouth Academy.  It marks the third title
>for NYA since 1985, when Eric Weinrich led the Panthers.
>Weinrich was an inspiration to the team this season,
>
>as an enterprising assistant coach pulled his old NYA jersey out
>of mothballs and arranged for a letter from the Black Hawks'
>defenseman to be read to the team prior to the playoffs.
>NYA goalie Brian Gagne completed an amazing season, posting
>a 16-3 record, with a 1.24 GAA and .933 save percentage.
>
>One piece of unsolicited advice for my old boss at Orono,
>who was at the game for the first period:  instead of
>Eric "I had the puck in the crease with an empty net and missed"
>Nadeau, take James LaLiberty.  Far be it for me to recommend
>Waterville players, but I am one-for-one in that department
>(see: Jeff Libby).
>
>And since I promoted a Waterville player, I would be derelict
>in my duties if I didn't mention that Matt Greason and Jeff
>Mercier will both likely be taking a PG year and deserve
>much attention from college coaches.
 
Isn't this a COLLEGE hockey discussion list?  Or should I start talking
about the Mass. Super 8 tournament?  I guess there is nothing else to do in
Maine since the COLLEGE hockey season is over.
 
Greg Ambrose
GO UNH BLUE!!!
 
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