UMASS-AMHERST 4  Maine 2
 
That's right, in what has to be a huge step for the young UMass hockey
program, they beat what will likely be the former #1 team in the nation
tonight behind a record crowd of 6,000+ at the Mullins Center. Joe Carr
reported on the radio as this game being the largest upset in Maine since
the mid 1980's.  A very exciting game for the UMass team, and much credit
goes to them as they were blown out the night before, and played much
stronger.  UMass beat Maine, there is no doubt about it.
Maine never even knew what hit them Evens, Blair Wager, and Jakes all scored
for UMass in the first 14:47 of the first period, and everyone might as well
gone home because the game was over.  UMass added another one at 3:21 into
the second as Wager notched his second of the night.  Finally at 14:16 of
the second period Maine said, "Wait a minute, there's a hockey game here",
and scored a goal, Lovell from Allison.  Jeff Tory would add a power-play
goal for Maine 3minutes into te third, but that was all she wrote.
The win is huge for UMass, I can't say enough about how they played tonight.
 They clearly took it to Maine in the first period, but Maine gave it their
all in the third period, and the young team bent only slightly but did not
break.  Freshman goal-tender Brian Regan was marvelous in goal tonight, and
deserves much of the credit for the UMass victory.
Many comparisons have been drawn about the way Joe Mallen is building his
program similar to Maine's in large defense, and small forwards, and this is
a huge step for them.  Joe Carr compared it to Maine victories early in
their Division I life against Providence who was #1 at the time, and North
Dakota also near the top at the time Maine knocked them off.
To all people who say that the WCHA and CCHA will always be better than
Hockey East, and always produce stronger teams, beware.  Merrimack tied
Maine, and beat Boston University and now UMass has begun to build.  Hockey
East soon will no longer be a division dominated by the likes of only two or
three teams if this trend continues.
For Maine, it must be a disappointment, but they just simply were not ready
to play.  They blew UMass out the night before, and must have thought
tonight will be a cake-walk.  What many people fail to realize is even
though this team has been #1 for a while this year, they are very young.
I'm sure Shawn Walsh will use this to his advantage, and I am sure that
Maine will build from this loss.  The rematch will be in two weeks at Alfond
Arena in Orono.
One comment.. this is what makes college hockey so great.  In what other
sport could the team ranked #1, and the team ranked last in the power
ratings play and be competetive with each other?  Very few at best.
Exciting game tonight, sure my team did not come out on top, but I am very
excited for the UMass program, they sure have something to build on.
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| DERON TREADWELL - [log in to unmask] |
|         University of Maine (22-2-6)       |
|     1994 Great Western Freezeout Champs!   |
|        1995 RPI Invitational Champs!       |
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