There's one thing in particular that sticks with me about
tonight's BU-Michigan game. I saw BU play in person eight times this
year, including the Beanpot and HE playoffs, and about 4-5 more times on
live TV, including tonight.
        In all those 700-something minutes of hockey, I never once saw
the Terriers quite as rattled as they were tonight. The only time in all
that time that I saw them so much as flustered was after NU came back to
tie the Beanpot Final at 3-3, but BU quickly refocused and you know what
happened from there, 15 minutes later it was 11-3.
        Even in their HE semi loss to Providence, they never really
looked shell-shocked, even after going down 5-2 early in the third. The
team had confidence that they could come back, and nearly did.
        After the second Michigan goal, still in the first half of the
first period, BU was clearly startled. Their defensemen, usually some of
the stediest around, fumbled passes, and seemed to lack that certian
undescrible "oomph." This one was over after that second goal, as BU
showed no signs of regaining its composure, generally a Parker staple.
Jackie tried everything, even changing line combos, something he seldom
does. This team was in La-La land for much of the game, something that I
don't think that I've ever seen from BU for that long a duration. Short
periods sure, it happens to all of our teams, but never like that for the
Terriers. Let alone at playoff time.
        Michigan took the bull by the horns, wrestled it to the ground,
and should take its rightful place as national champion on Saturday.
                                * * *
        I, obviously, am not in Cincinnati right now. However if anyone
in Cincy is remotely catching this, if someone with a pass could do me a
tremendous favor and ask Berenson something tomorrow, it would be greatly
appreciated. I'm so used to being able to do it myself.
        I'm wondering what impact that sweep in the Soo had on the team.
I saw them early in the season schmucking Maine and they clearly had "the
right stuff." Then, although I didn't see too much of the team, reports
here had the team slowly declining, all up until that nasty weekend on the
upper peninsula. Since then I've seen all or part of three Michigan games
on TV, and that's not the same team as the one from mid-season. That's
the team that clobbered Maine. How much of an impact did the Lake State
sweep have in the grand scheme of things and full-season overview, and
what was done to make the turn-around?
                                * * *
        Excuse me while I indulge myself for a moment. When recruiting lists
were coming out this time last year, people talked about a down year overall
for Michigan recruiting wise, but having known his abilities from prep school,
I warned the CCHA to beware Greg Crozier. Guess I was right tonight. A
pair of goals for the former Spartan (Lawrence Adademy Spartan that is)
turned Wolverine.
                                * * *
        The mood at Rafters in Amherst was jubilant. People here remember
well how BU ran up the score in our playoff loss there, and gladly put
conference pride aside to revel in BU's defeat. Yes, Tommy Noble was
given BU's very own sieve chant after each goal...a nice tough me thinks.
And one guy in a Michigan sweatshirt was overheard singing "Hail to the
Victors."
        College hockey was the big winner in the deuling TVs. No one
really wanted to watch the Bruins blow a 3-1 third period lead against
Montreal, and despite St. Joe's carring the A-10 flag in the NIT title
game, most attention was focused on a TV showing the action on
Cncinnati's not-so-frozen pond.
 
Leigh
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Who'll probably say "Go Blue!" against CC, but cerainly will be rooting
against the guys in blue Saturday night about 8 p.m.
 
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