I only saw one posting on the score of the second game. Is it true that Lake
State beat BU
6-1? was it really that much of a blowout? I think that the Lakers are playing
their best
hockey of the year right now and they may be able to give Maine what for. I did
get to
see both the CCHA semi's and the championship and I believe that the Lakers are
just the
kind of team that can play effectively against the Black Bears. Someone, I
forget who,
mentioned about the CCHA playoffs that the Lakers are a slow team. The
impression I
got from those games was that they don't have a lot of speed but they do have
some fast
wingers. The Lakers style is one of forechecking and digging for the puck on the
boards.
During the CCHA playoffs it was almost uncanny how many times an opponent and a
Laker would go into the corner for the puck and the Laker would come out with
it. Added
to this, the strong defensive play of the forwards and the overall size of the
team will
make it very difficult for Maine to use its speed. After the CCHA final, they
interviewed
Jeff "they're a fourth place team in our league" Jackson and he said that the
team execute
the "system" perfectly. The system he referred to is the forechecking system
that they use.
It can be very effective when done properly, as Miami, Michigan and BU.
 
I know that Maine and LSSU met already once this season in the Great Western
Shootout. I don't recall seeing a recap on that game and I think that it might
be interesting
if somebody who saw it could give their impressions. I do know that several
players were
at the junior worlds then so the two teams that meet on Sat. may be very
different from
those that met in Dec. I remember that LSSU was not playing their best hockey
back then
and they lost to Brown in the Dexter Classsic shortly after the Shootout.
 
One final note. I saw on MSG a few nights ago a program titled "Out of the
Woods." It
was about the Maine Black Bears of 1992-1993! There was a camera crew following
the
team around the country, in the lockerroom, they even had some footage of the
World
Juniors and interviews with the Ferraros and Karya (not sure on the spelling).
It was
sponsored by CCM. I won't tell you what I thought of the program except to say
that it
had the smell of a network mellowdrama. The reason that I bring it up is this:
how closely
aligned is the Maine Hockey program with CCM? I mean CCM must have spent some
bucks on this show and I wonder if this is a one time deal or will we be seeing
"Son of
Out of the Woods" if the Black Bears win?