Thanks, Bob for jogging my memory - - - the game I saw (the semifinal
loss) must have been this one. I recall a fast and furious last 5
minutes as the Clarkson goalie held on to a 5-4 lead and must have
stopped 20 shots. Berenson was the best college player I had ever seen
up to that point, including Brinkworth at RPI. So it was 1962.

I dont doubt from then on the NHL might have taken the top college
players a bit more seriously, but it took another 20 yrs for a steady
stream to make it to the NHL, Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito being
exceptions to the rule in those days.

==========================

Bob Griebel wrote:

> Unless someone has a better explanation, my understanding is that
> Berenson opened the door to college hockey players going into the NHL.
> As a juniors player, Berenson was told by the General Manager of the
> Montreal Canadians that he'd never be allowed into the NHL if he went to
> college instead of taking Montreal's offer.  After losing Michigan's
> semi-final game in his senior year in '62 (in a game in which one of the
> opposing players was Ron Mason, later the winningest college coach at
> Michigan State)
> =============

I sincerely hope that Bob is kidding with this P.S. below .... if not,
there is one sick person loose in Columbus :-) Or could that have been
Bob Stagat? :-)

Cheers to all,

Tony Buffa
RPI '64 .. hoping to make another Frozen four one of these years.

====================

>
>
> P.S. Who was that guy at last night's game wearing the "Where's Tony
> Buffa?" t-shirt?
>