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Dave Hendrickson and Mike Machnik have already pretty much covered my
comments regarding the UMASS v. UMASS-LOWELL game last Saturday, except
maybe for my opinion that Dave Dartsch looked very good on the left side
of Greg Bullock.  I realize that Dartschie put up good numbers with Kent
last year, but I was pleasantly surprised with how confortable he looked
playing with Bullock and Sbrocca.  If this line stays healthy, they just
may put up the numbers that Lowell needs them too.
 
A few responses to Dave H's comments:
 
*   Out of the rookies, defensemen Mike Nicholishin clearly looks like the
    one that will log the most ice time.  I think there's a very real
    possibility that he can do as a freshman what Ed Campbell did last
year.
    And I like Campbell *a lot*.
    Beyond that I really like Shannon Bassaraba's speed.  Although he
scored
    one goal, there was another rush that really showed his jets.  That
    doesn't always translate into goals, but he bears some watching.
    Henderson is playing on the second line, so he's clearly shown the
    coaching staff something (even though apparently I haven't seen it).
 
I WAS IMPRESSED WITH NICHOLISHIN'S SHOT FROM THE POINT.  LOOKED LIKE IT
HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD ZIP TO IT.  ALSO, ON THE POST-GAME RADIO SHOW, COACH
CROWDER SAID THAT BASSARABA WAS THE FASTEST GUY ON THE TEAM.  I CAN'T
REALLY REMEMBER LOWELL HAVING A TRUE "SPEEDSTER" SINCE TIM SMALLWOOD, BUT
HE WAS A DEFENSEMAN WHO NEVER LIVED UP TO HIS POTENTIAL.
 
*   The powerplay unit consists of Bullock and Sbrocca on the outsides
with
    Jeff Daw in front of the net in Cam Neely and Adam Graves fashion.  Ed
    Campbell and David Mayes are on the point.
    In any case, although this unit scored the first two goals I think
they
    still have a ways to go.  I'm not one of these fans who is screaming
for
    a shot, any shot, five seconds into the powerplay but there were some
    5-on-3 opportunities that positively begged for a shot.
 
*   By far the single most improved player is Jeff Daw.  After a very
    promising 12-18-30 freshman season, he dropped to 6-12-18 in an almost
    invisible last year.  He's looking like a totally different player and
    his job in the slot on the powerplays will put some scores on the
board.
    Coach Crowder's optimism about Daw this year seems very well founded.
 
NO ONE SEEMS TO AGREE WITH ME, BUT I SWEAR DAW GOT BIGGER OVER THE SUMMER.
 HE SEEMS A LOT STRONGER TO ME, BUT I WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED WITH HIS
"CASUAL" PLAY IN FRONT OF THE NET ON A 5 ON 3 THAT LOWELL HAD.  HE DID
LOOK VERY GOOD AT TIMES CENTERING BULLOCK AND SBROCCA ON THE LOWELL (5 ON
4) POWER PLAY.  I TOO AGREE THERE WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH MOVEMENT ON THE
PERIMETER ON THE 5 ON 3 AND THAT LOWELL SQUANDER SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITES TO
SHOOT, BUT WONDER IF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE CASE IF DAW HAD WORKED INTO A
SCREEN BETTER OR MUSCLED A COUPLE OF GUYS OUT OF THE WAY.
 
*   The shorthanded unit varied with Aaron Kriss out there with either
    Barozzino or Nicholishin.  Up front began with Donovan and Riga, but
Daw
    was also out there with Donovan.
 
BILLY RIGA SEEMED TO GET A LOT OF ICE TIME, PARTICULAR IN THE SHORT-HANDED
SITUATION, WHERE HIS PLAY WAS APPLAUDABLE.  GUY AT WORK HERE IS A BIG RIGA
FAN, AND SAYS HIS POTENTIAL IN TREMENDOUS, BUT HE ALWAYS HAS TROUBLE
PUTTING THE PUCK IN THE NET.  IN MY EYES, IF HE CAN HELP KILL OFF
PENALTIES (WITHOUT TAKING ONES HIMSELF) ALL YEAR LONG LIKE HE DID THIS
WEEKEND, I'LL KEEP HIM EVEN IF HE DOESN'T SCORE!
 
*   Craig Lindsey may have gotten the number three star of the game, but
it
    escapes me why.  He really wasn't tested that much and the goal he
gave up
    was one that popped out of his glove and into the net.  I'm not sure
if we
    know much more about him now that we didn't know going into the
season.
    Which was basically nothing.
 
THE ONE THING ABOUT LINDSAY THAT I LIKED WAS THAT HE SEEMED TO BE POISED.
 HE LOOKED VERY NERVOUS IN THE EXHIBITION GAME VS. CONCORDIA AND THAT
CONCERNED ME.  SATURDAY, HOWEVER, I THOUGHT HE SEEMED QUITE CONFIDENT,
WHICH MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.  ONE STORY I HEARD SUPPORTING THE "GOALIES
ARE THE WEIRD ONES" THEORY.  A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO CRAIG WAS REALLY HUNGRY
LATE ONE NIGHT (I BELIEVE IT WAS PST MIDNITE) AND DECIDED TO GO TO
MCDONALDS.  INSTEAD ON WALKING TO THE ONE NEAR CAMPUS (AROUND A MILE WALK)
HE WALKED TO ONE IN THE NEXT TOWN, SEVERAL MILES AWAY).  I WAS ALSO TOLD
THAT CRAIG'S GPA AFTER HIS FRESHMAN YEAR WAS IN THE HIGH 3'S.
 
*   Paul "PMS" Botto has developed an *attitude*.  In the Concordia
    exhibition, during one tussle he ripped a player's helmet off and
slammed
    it to the ice.  Then a few shifts later he ran the Concordia goalie
big
    time.  He continued this chip-on-his-shoulder play for this game,
perhaps
    feeling that he needs to absorb some of the penalty minutes that
Travis
    Tucker (since graduated) picked up last year.
 
YEAH, WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?  OFF THE ICE, HE SEEMS KIND OF UN-ASSUMING AND
HE SORT OF PLAYED THAT WAY LAST YEAR.  STEADY, NOT GREAT, BUT NOT
TERRIBLE.  DIDN'T HELP BUT DIDN'T HURT.  NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN HE'S A
TYRANT?  IT'S GREAT TO SEE HE'S WORKED HIMSELF INTO A STARTING "D"
POSITION, AND HE'S LOOKED PRETTY GOOD BUT HE'S NEEDED ON THE ICE, NOT IN
THE BOX.
 
*   Governor Weld was respendant in his blue sweater and jeans prior to
    donning a Lowell jersey with the number 1 (Lt. Gov. Celluci got number
2).
 
I MUST ADD THAT THE GUV'S RECEPTION WAS RATHER "LUKEWARM" (THE GUY BEHIND
ME WAS "BOOING" HIS HEAD OFF), BUT HE LOOKED GREAT WEARING HIS LOWELL
SWEATER.  (HE KEPT IT ON WHILE BEING INTERVIEWED BETWEEN PERIODS ON THE
NESN TELECAST)
 
*   The crowd over over 3,000 people was basically a sellout.  I saw that
the
    capacity was listed as 3,200 but when you don't see an empty seat and
    there are people sitting in the aisles in the "endzone" seats, you've
got
    to figure they could not have fit more fans in.
*   My comments from last year about the UMass-Lowell Invisible Band
    (alternately referred to as the Virtual Band) apply no more.  There
was a
    full marching band for this game, and they said there'd be a pep band
at
    all future home games.  There seemed to be a lot more spirit among the
    fans, particularly among the students who were there in greater than
    normal numbers.  Whether this continues beyond the rivalry against
"the
    other UMass" remains to be seen.
 
I WAS TOTALLY PSYCHED WITH THE CROWD.  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS,
AND I'VE BEEN GOING TO LOWELL GAMES CONSISTENTLY FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS, THERE
WAS ACTUALLY AN "ATMOSPHERE"!!  IT WAS THE BIGGEST AND NOISIST CROWD I'D
EVER SEEN AT TULLY.  IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE KIDS THERE, IT MAKES A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE.  AND THE BAND WAS GREAT TOO!!  A PEP BAND
WOULD BE NICE, BUT I WOULDN'T MIND IT IF THE MARCHING BAND WAS THERE AT
EVERY GAME.  THEY MADE ALOT OF NOISE, AND AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES TOO!
NOW, IF SOMEONE CAN JUST TEACH THE BAND (AND STUDENTS) WHEN TO YELL
"SIEVE" AND WHEN TO PROPERLY HECKLE OPPOSING PLAYERS... (ALTHOUGH I THINK
I DID HEAR A SMALL 'NORTON, NORTON.. YOU SUCK' CHEER ONCE).  STEVE
TWOMBLY, KEEP THOSE KIDS GOING TO THE GAMES, AND GET 'EM ROWDY!!!!!!
 
USED TO BE YOU GET GET TO GAME 15 MINUTES BEFORE FACE OFF AND GET A DECENT
PARKING SPOT.  WE GOT THERE 35 MINUTES BEFORE GAME TIME AND ALMOST
COULDN'T PARK!!
 
LET'S HOPE THIS IS THE JUST THE BEGINNING...
 
 
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Steve Weisfeldt                                   Go River Hawks!!!!!!!!
Univ. of Lowell (now UMASS-Lowell)  1986, 1988
[log in to unmask]                          1-0-0  (1-0-0)
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