Just some meandering thoughts as we approach tourney time...
 
*PC is playing the same kind of tight-checking, intense hockey they did a year
ago. Coach Paul Pooley has done an amazing job with this team, and goalie Dan
Dennis has turned into a rock-solid goaltender. The Friars are peaking once
again at the right time, and could give the Terriers a real war this weekend.
 
Unlike a year ago, the Friars don't have Chad Quenville or Brady Kramer, and
aren't going to take the world by surprise--but they can certainly still give BU
a run for the money on Friday afternoon. The Friars will have to play with the
Terriers for the first 10 minutes (they've given up at least one goal to BU in
the first 5 minutes of each game this season), and Dennis will need to be solid
between the pipes. If that happens, and the Friars don't take silly penalties,
this will be more along the lines of the 5-4 OT loss to the Terriers than the
8-1 trashing they received at Walter Brown the next night (keep in mind that PC
had to play BU without senior defenseman Justin Gould and Travis Dillabough in
both games that weekend).
 
PC's power-play was immense versus BC, and beat Greg Taylor on clean,
good-looking goals both nights (there wasn't a garbage goal in the bunch).
Moreover, the defense took apart BC's top line, getting good mileage from Jay
Kenny, Eric Sundquist and Hal Gill (who has improved game after game from the
start of the season).
 
With Kramer and George Breen both gone, PC doesn't match up as well size-wise
with BU as they did last year, but IMHO, I don't think that BU is anywhere near
as powerful or intimidating as a year ago. If the Friars play smart and
confident, it'll be a battle on Friday. And with that in mind...
 
*Lowell could well win the HE tournament this weekend. They looked incredible up
at Maine last week (yes, I was actually there), and they certainly have the
potential to win it at the Fleet Center this weekend. Beyond that, they're as
dangerous as virtually anyone out there. (Watch out to whoever plays them in the
NCAAs in Albany).
 
*As far as the NCAAs are concerned: Denver and St.Lawrence lost
best-of-three/3pts. series on their own home ice in their respective
Quarterfinal rounds. I find it difficult to give either of them a bid to the
NCAAs--it wasn't like either of them lost in a single game elimination
situation. When you play three games against inferior opponents and can't win a
Quarterfinal series on your home turf, you don't deserve an NCAA bid. (Unless,
perhaps, all of your starters were out with the flu or something along those
lines). This is particularly true in the case of St.Lawrence; they lost to a
struggling Harvard team that's well below .500 and hasn't played particularly
well all season! (And they gave up 8 goals last night, at that!).
 
*Could someone tell me if there's a consolation game at the FleetCenter on
Saturday? (From what I've read, it doesn't look like there is one).
 
Any thoughts, reactions???
 
Cheers,
Andy
BC '97
 
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