Yesterday's game article isn't available on-line, but here's today's round-up of
tidbits from the regional - Pam
 
Headline: <%2>Tourney talk: Hello helmets, goodbye Chiefs<%0>
Publish Date: 03/29/1994
 
David Jackson
 
and Tris Wykes
 
Staff Reporters
 
East Lansing, Mich. -- Though the NCAA's West Regional featured six
hockey teams and seemingly nonstop action, the squad most
recognizable to the casual fan had to be Michigan.
 
The Wolverines sport dark blue helmets adorned with yellow markings
identical to those on the helmets of Michigan's football team.
 
The pattern, which is supposed to resemble the markings on a
wolverine's face and back, is created with a bright yellow tape
plastic made by 3M and purchased by Michigan equipment manager Ian
Hume at the Ace Barns Hardware store in Ann Arbor.
 
``We get more questions about the helmets than anything else to do
with the team,'' student manager T.C. Wingrove said at Michigan's
Saturday afternoon practice.
 
``It helps with recruiting,'' Hume said of the highly recognizable
helmets. ``If a kid in British Columbia turns on a college game and
sees a team with an `M' on their jerseys it might be Miami (Ohio) or
Maine or Minnesota. But if it's Michigan all you've got to do is see
the helmet once and you know who's playing.''
 
Instant replay?
 
The debate over the use of instant replay was sparked once again
during the weekend's action.
 
In three of the four games, teams made what appeared to be goals but
were never recorded on the scoreboard.
 
The most controversial of those came nearly 18 minutes into the third
period of Saturday's Lake Superior State-Northeastern tilt.
 
With the score 5-5 and the din in Munn Arena rising, a Northeastern
slap shot trickled through the pads of Superior goalie Blane Lacher
and crept toward the goal line.
 
Although the puck appeared to have entered the net, Lacher lunged
backward and quickly swept it under his arm. For a moment, confusion
reigned as the goal judge gave no signal and the referees, out of
position to begin with, simply prepared for a faceoff to Lacher's
right.
 
Several Husky players slammed fists and sticks against the sideboards
in disgust, but the goal was never counted and Lake State prevailed
less than three minutes later.
 
Asked about the play in a postgame press conference, Northeastern
coach Ben Smith was unruffled.
 
``Not much to say, it wasn't a goal,'' said an expressionless Smith,
who at that time had yet to see the play on tape. ``I couldn't see
what happened. There's been talk at national meetings of the coaches'
association (about using replays) but I was unsure . . . so I asked
my captains to skate over to the officials. Obviously the goal judge
didn't think it was in question and the referees didn't think it was
in question.''
 
Smith's Superior counterpart, Jeff Jackson, was brief and to the
point in describing his reaction.
 
``I was checking to see if I needed toilet paper,'' he deadpanned.
 
Not long enough
 
The Gophers and Lowell played the second-longest game in NCAA
tournament history, 89 minutes and 29 seconds, only 7:42 shorter than
the 1984 championship game between Bowling Green and
Minnesota-Duluth.
 
It was not the longest game in Gopher history either. Minnesota and
North Dakota played the longest Division I hockey game ever, a
five-overtime contest in the finals of the Minnesota Holiday Classic
in December 1968. The Sioux prevailed 5-4 when Buzz Christensen
scored at the 102:59 mark, ending the game which took parts of two
days to complete.
 
So long, Chiefs
 
The University of Massachusetts at Lowell made its last on-ice
appearance under the nickname ``Chiefs'' in its double-overtime loss
to Minnesota on Sunday night.
 
Lowell, a member of Hockey East, will not carry the same moniker next
year, as the University is in the final stages of selecting a new
nickname and mascot.
 
``It's never been a matter of us being forced to do anything about
it, but it was a nickname we couldn't do anything with,'' said Wayne
Edwards, Lowell's director of athletics. ``We wanted to be sensitive
to concerns so we couldn't have anyone dressing up as an Indian and
we couldn't sell any merchandise. It was a non-logo for us.''
 
Edwards first began getting comments and questions on the logo four
years ago, fielding the occasional call from alumni and the media.
Hoping to address the issue before it became controversial, the
school put together two committees comprised of students, faculty,
alumni, administrators and even some media members.
 
The first committee recommended the name be changed, and the second
is due to narrow the nominations for a new name down to three on
March 29. The final choice will then be made by Lowell Chancellor
William Hogan.
 
 
Pam Sweeney                            Go Gophers!!!
[log in to unmask]         1993 WCHA Playoff Champions!!!
[log in to unmask]              Ski-U-Mah!!!