In Saturday's game that St. Cloud won 6-2, the score after two periods
was 3-2 -- UNO was a very impressive team and did not fold despite
facing the nation's #7 ranked team at home. Christian Graham did what a
captain should have done. Tortorella may have preferred a kindler,
gentler reminder that penalties can cost the team the game, but
Tortorella was wrong in that he damaged the team's chanc to come back in
this game (especially given the play of Leitza), and the captain jumped
on him after St. Cloud scored a goal. But Tortorella (#25) was the ONLY
dangerous forward on the team - he is quick, fast, and a wonderful puck
handler. He was also the smallest player on the ice at 5'5". The only
other player UNO could least afford to lose is goalie Jason Mitchell
(who is spectacular and the second shortest player on the tgeam at
5'7"). But I am writing this because I do not want to see Graham
vilified in this situation. I am glad for UNO that Tortorella decided to
stay. He is a valuable player to the team and I am sure he will benefit
from the team's growing pains -- so too will Quinnipiac College which is
in an earlier state of D1 development (given current # of scholarships).
 
Nathan Hampton
 
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