Greenie writes:
 
>I haven't seen a single post save a one-paragraph score update regarding
>last Monday's beanpot games. BU makes it's eigth straight appearance in the
>finals, and (again) has the opportunity to becmoe the first school to win
>four years in a row (with freshman eligibility). Harvard fights back from
>deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 for the upset of BC in overtime.
>
>And nobody has anything to say?
 
I was there, six rows from the ice in the BU section (thanks to my buddy
Saul) and was fortunate enough to see most of the goals scored right in
front of me.  My observation on the first game is that NU played one bad
period, the second, and let the game get away from them.  NU had come into
the game off of a tough loss  to UNH where they checked the Wildcats pretty
well but were done in by UNH's superior play makers taking advantage of a
sometimes-slow-to-react defense.  I think the same thing happened Monday
nite vs. BU. Countless times in the second period BU's forwards got behind
the NU defense, a circumstance which created too many odd-man rushes and,
eventually, scores.  NU is pretty good right now defensively, as long as
the stay in a system, but once it starts to break down the will be done in
by better teams.
 
I wil say that the disallowed goal loomed large in the third period.  When
I saw it live (right in front of me), I thought it was good, then on the
first replay I thought it was kicked in.  However, on the second replay it
appeared  that the puck went in off his leg, above the foot, and was
directed in because it deflected off the leg as the player (I don't
remember his name) attempted to stop outside the crease.  The thing that
bothered me about this play is that when the "goal" was scored, Fitzgerald
did not waive it off.  Therefore, when the replays seemed to be
inconclusive, shouldn't the goal have stood?  And, BTW, who were the replay
officials anyway?  Considering the fact that neither Crowder or Parker knew
prior to the game that there would be replays, me thinks that the whole
process was a seat-of-the-pants affair.  They better iron outthe kinks
before the playoffs.
>
>
>o  Lots of folks here on Hockey-L have taken to "observing" that Chris
>Drury isn't playing so well this year, that he's not nearly as close to the
>Hobey as many other players... from what I've read about the games, and
>what I did see on the tube, Drury confirmed one of the key reasons he's a
>favorite for the Hobey: HE PLAYS BIG IN BIG GAMES. No, he didn't score the
>winning goal ("just" a fourth-quarter, put-the-game-away kinda tally), but
>think about this: over all the years of great teams and great players at
>BU, BC, Harvard, and Northeastern, it's likely Drury will emerge as the
>ONLY player who's won four Beanpots. I know the Hobey is a "single year"
>award, but winning a fourth beanpot is a pretty major accomplishment.
 
Please!!! Chris Kelleher will have won four too. To imply that freshman
Chris Drury was the reason that BU won the Beanpot in 1995 is ridiculous.
I believe they had a couple of guys named Grier and O'Sullivan (among
others) that year.  In 1996, besides Drury, BU had Pandalfo (altho he got
hurt), Bates and the usual BU types, unsung heroes who always come to the
fore in big games.  There is a difference between playing IN a big game and
playing BIG in a big game.
 
Now I am not saying that Drury is not capable of playing big, he has in the
past, but the fact is that this year he has not.  Attempts by the BU
faithful, various media types, and the HE commissioner to anoint him are,
to put it not so mildly, disgusting. I have seen Drury in person four times
this year - 3 vs. UNH and the Beanpot semi - all BIG games would you agree?
In only one, the BU 4-2 win over UNH, has he been the difference.  He had
no points in either of the other two games vs. UNH and only the final goal
vs. NU.  Yes, Drury plays hard, but so do a lot of other guys - including,
yes, UNH's Krog and Mowers - and they are also putting up better numbers
this year.
 
The Hobey is an award for an individual season, not for lifetime
achievement.  If it was not, why did freshman Paul Kariya and not senior
Jim Montgomery win in 1993? The award should be won on the ice, not in the
press.  Unless he comes up big in these final 6 weeks, Chris Drury does not
deserve to be the Hobey winner.
 
>o  For those of you following BC this year, how typical would you consider
>their performance? It seems that they pretty much dominated Harvard for
>most of the game -- and then simply blew it. Given the significance of the
>Beanpot, can this same loss of concentration and/or focus be expected come
>tournament time? What happens if BC is given the 4th Eastern seed -- and
>needs to be solidly focused to defeat a strong Western 5th seed like St.
>Cloud?
 
BC is fading - a 9-3 blowout to UNH, an unimpressive win vs. Lowell, the
Beanpot fiasco and then, last night, a tie with PC at home.  BC needs to
realize that you have to show up every night, regardless of the opponent,
and play for 60  minutes.  Your speculation regarding the NCAA's is right
on. I see the same fate befalling BC as some of my beloved UNH teams of the
past, lots of sizzle during the season, but no steak at the end.
>
>o  Harvard? They've got a losing record, yet beat a ranked team. Yes, it's
>the Beanpot, where the playing field is leveled, and memories of a losing
>season can be obliterated by hoisting the trophy, but still -- they beat
>BC. Was this a mere fluke, or a sign that Harvard might be picking their
>game up in the coming months?
 
Complete breakdown by BC.  On both the tieing and winning goals, BC defense
left men uncovered.  You can't do this against anybody and expect to win,
especially in the Beanpot.
 
>o  This would be a bizarre occurrence indeed, but imagine if Harvard storms
>through the rest of the season, wins the ECAC playoff, and manages a 5th or
>6th seed -- and plays through to the final four to join BU and BC. Of all
>the Frozen Fours that have been played, how many have had 3 teams from the
>same region -- let alone the same city?
 
Nice pipe dream, but it won't happen.
 
Greg Ambrose
 
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