Mike Machnik wrote:
 
> Sean Pickett wrote:
>
> > I wish to point out that the NCAA itself did not force the Maine
> > hockey teams to miss the NCAA tournament "two of the past three
> > years."
>
> That's true, but they didn't say that in the release.
>
> The point Maine is trying to make is that an additional year of no
> NCAA tourney competition is unfair to the current players, most of
> whom have already missed NCAA competition due to transgressions that
> they were not responsible for.
 
Many of the players on the current team should have been aware
that Maine had committed infractions and that a ban on NCAA
tournament play was possible.
 
> But Maine only played BU in the 1994 HE quarterfinals because of the
> forfeits which dropped them to 8th place.  If there were no
> forfeits, Maine would have finished second or third - second, if I
> remember correctly. They would have probably swept the quarterfinal
> series to give them a record of 19-13-4.  Depending on their showing
> in the next two games, they could have either gained an automatic
> bid by winning HE outright or qualified at-large.  It would have
> been close; it was already close as it was when the actual results
> were considered.
 
Maine used ineligible players and that was uncovered during the
season, resulting in the forfeits.  Why even say "if there were no
forfeits"?  Also, Maine went to court to force the series with BU.
What if they had not done so and accepted the Hockey East ban?  The
team's on ice record would have been 17-13-4.  Maybe it would have
been good enough to make the NCAA tournament.
 
Sean Pickett            E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Go Terriers             1996 Beanpot Champions
BU Hockey:  http://www.tiac.net/users/spickett/hockey.html
 
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