Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune, Saturday, January 14, 1995
 
WARRIORS' THIBEAULT WINS ONE FOR PROGRAM
by Bill Burt
 
BOSTON - Eric Thibeault did it.
 
Yes, the sophomore goalie from Sept-Iles, Que. helped beat second-
ranked Boston University last night.
 
Yes, he did what no other Merrimack goalie has ever done, beating
BU (3-2) at Walter Brown Arena.
 
And yes, Thibeault turned away 54 shots for a Hockey East record.
 
All great, but none of them compare to his greatest achievement.
 
Last night, Thibeault got Merrimack its first ever, as Indiana
University basketball coach Bobby Knight says, *program* win.
 
It means depth.
 
It means Thibeault, only 5-foot-7, climbing off the cold bench
after 15 months, picking splinters out of his rear end, and doing
what the other guy, Martin Legault, has done.
 
When Legault came up with achy knees a few weeks ago, it was
supposed to mean the end.  Merrimack's strength, goaltender Legault,
was again a weakness.
 
So we thought.
 
"People don't realize about Eric," said Merrimack coach Ron Anderson.
"He was the starting goalie playing for the championship in the best
junior league in Canada.  We knew he could play when we got him."
 
The only problem was Legault's performance wouldn't let him play.
 
"I probably would have played a lot more at some other school," said
Thibeault.  "But Martin was playing too well.  How can I complain?
I see him every day in practice.  He is one of the best."
 
Anderson rarely talks about feelings before and after games.  But after
the last two, a 3-3 tie with UNH and last night's win, he couldn't hold
them in.
 
"I'm so happy for Eric," said Anderson.  "He has worked hard every day.
Legault blossomed a little bit quicker, but that sometimes happens when
young guys move up to the next level."
 
"But Eric is great in practice," added Anderson.  "He is always prepared.
As a coach, you can't ask for anything more."
 
Well, the 92 shots Thibeault has turned away the past two games have
been nice, too.
 
Merrimack played last night as if they belonged on the ice with one of
the best teams in the nation.
 
Thanks to a quiet young man from French Canada, Merrimack finally did.
 
Some might call it a miracle on ice, though I expect 1980 Olympic hero
Mike Eruzione, a B.U. assistant coach, would disagree.
 
And some may say B.U. was snake-bitten because it was Friday the 13th.
 
But really, it was the best team Merrimack has put on the ice since
1988...with a lot of help from Thibeault.
 
"Merrimack has always worked hard.  Always," said BU coach Jack Parker
last night.  "Now they have some talent at forward.  They've got great
goaltending.  And they've got depth."
 
Sounds like a program to me.
END
 
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Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93