Notes on our experiences at the Northeast Regional (Manchester, NH):

We had tickets to both the eastern regionals because we didn't know where
BC was going to end up.  We were able to get the Albany tickets to someone
else who could use them (one advantage to e-tickets from Ticketmaster; we
could email the ticket files to the new owner on short notice.  He was
near Albany, we were near Boston.)  Manchester is just an hour drive for
us so we could do the weekend as day trips, no overnight stays for us.

Manchester is small and easy to get around once you learn the directions.
The arena was easy to find.  We parked on Saturday in a city lot that had
a sign saying "$10 Event Parking", only to find that the attendant asked
how many games we were there for, and when we said both of them, he charged
us $20.00 !  We talked to some security and Manchester police at the arena
and they checked it out.  The guy was wrong in overcharging us (there was
only one admission, you couldn't leave and return for the second game), so
they took our name and address and we are supposed to hear from someone
in Manchester to refund our extra $10.  I'm pleased that they helped us,
but I won't be completely satisfied until the city does contact us and
sends our money back.  (Yes, I could have made a fuss at the lot, but with
a line of cars and no backup authority I didn't want to get in a battle.
If the guy was deliberately ripping people off I didn't know how he would
react if I called him on it.  And I would be leaving my car there after I
left for the games.)

The arena is relatively new, so it is well-kept and clean.  The seats we
had were in the upper end, but all the views seemed pretty good, and the
seats were pretty spacious and comfortable.  The row in front of us was
filled with pro scouts checking out the players; at least one guy was
representing the Canadiens.  Things in the arena were cramped between
periods and games, the walkways aren't terribly wide as folks had pointed
out.  It is one of the few arenas I have been where there are more rest
rooms for women than men.  Compared to the Centrum in Worcester, which is
a competing location, it is more convenient and comfortable for most.  I
didn't think too much of the food options, but they were standard arena
fare and at least were cheaper than Boston.

The games:
Saturday game 1 between BC and Niagara was a bit tense when the Purple
Eagles scored on their first shot, but BC was carrying the play to a large
extent and we were fairly confident that they would put some points on
the board.  The goal of the game was the Peter Harrold dash up the middle
of the slot, faking out 2 defenders and sliding a shot through the 5-hole
before tumbling over VanNynatten and into the net.  Very sweet move and
finish!  BC also got 2 very efficient power play tallies from Pat Eaves,
and it was great to see Ben Eaves playing a regular shift for the first
time in months.  Niagara worked hard but was outclassed in speed and
skill, and their defense couldn't handle the BC movement.  Niagara's first
line is fast and good, though.  I'd like to see them combined with some
better talent in a bigger program to see what they could do.  Matti K
came up big when he had to, stopping a breakaway and the subsequent
penalty shot that was awarded.  (Double jeopardy, not fair, ref!)  The
referee was not a friend to BC, as it turned out, and Niagara made it
close with a 5-on-3 power play score late in the second, but BC scored 2
in the third to put it away.  A second sweet power play score from PEaves,
and then a nifty backhand flip from Ryan Shannon to salt it away.

Saturday game 2 featured Michigan attacking UNH in front of a predominantly
UNH crowd.  Unfortunately for the home crowd, UNH was a major disappointment
in this one.  Michigan played well, strong, fast, and aggressive.  UNH was
slow, weak, and hopelessly inept at getting the puck out of their zone.
(Why can't UNH play that bad when they are playing BC?)  The UNH fans were
embarrassed by their team in this one, pleading with them to at least make
an effort and show some gumption.  It didn't help.  About 4 of the UNH
players played well, a handful were trying, and about half of them could
have stayed home for all the good they were doing.  Michigan got a good
game from Montoya, Gajic, Kaleniecki, and many others.  Every time the puck
was contested along the wall, Michigan would come away with it and go on
the attack while the UNH players would stumble after them.  It was a
microcosm of the season's inconsistency for UNH, and I can now understand
why some of their fans were so disappointed in their effort this year
(despite being good enough to make the tourney.  It was a good season in
many ways, but expectations ...)

We tried to get dinner down by the Mall of New Hampshire after the game
before heading home.  The first restaurant we tried said there was a 2-hour
wait!  The next one was over an hour wait.  Apparently there was a big
CYO youth basketball tournament in town along with the hockey regional,
and everyone was out to dinner at the same time.  We finally moved farther
away from the mall and only had to wait 15 minutes at Pizzeria Uno.  Next
time we'll scout locations earlier, I think.

Back on the road Sunday afternoon for the shot at the Frozen Four, the
crowd was better than I expected.  While a lot of UNH fans unloaded tickets
to BC folks coming up for the final, there were still plenty of Wildcat
fans there (and to my surprise, most of them appeared to support BC.  I
guess I shouldn't let the flame wars on USCHO color my thinking about the
loyalties of Hockey East fans in general.  It probably didn't hurt that the
opponent was Michigan, a big-time program that some find too large and
dominant.)  We parked on the street this time, and that got the thumbs up
from the security lady we talked to about our parking woes on Saturday.

I was worried about this game, as I wasn't sure if BC could come out with
a stronger effort against Michigan.  I didn't think they could win if they
performed as they did against Niagara.  I was happily impressed with the
way the Eagles played for the entire afternoon/evening, carrying much of
the play for long stretches.  Yes, it was a difficult game when Matti K
gave up one so-so goal and had a brain cramp in leaving the net to try to
clear a breakaway attempt only to eventually give up a second goal.  But
he also had some brilliant saves on tough chances and was a rock in the
third period and overtime.  Michigan tried to establish the hard
forecheck that was so effective against UNH but rapidly found that BC was
much better at moving the puck out of their defensive zone, and also that
BC could not be knocked off the puck the same way Michigan manhandled UNH
on Saturday.  The result was a dominant performance by the Eagles for most
of the second period and a lot of the third.  I've never seen a Michigan
playoff team so dominated for such a long time in one game.  Montoya was
very good and needed to be to hold off the Eagles as long as he did.

The first BC goal came at the end of a power play when the Voce/Eaves/Eaves
combo moved the puck quick enough that Montoya couldn't cover the post
before Voce flipped it high inside the post.  As Ben Eaves made the pass
and Voce made the shot, a whole series of the scouts in the row in front
of us started scribbling notes; it was a great skill play.  The biggest
difference in the game overall was the Eagles' top line, which UMich could
not handle.  They were killing the UM defense every time they were on the
ice, and Berenson noted after the game how he didn't have an answer for
them.  The BC effort wasn't limited to them, though -- the whole team
played on fire and with an attacking style, and there was a lot of work
to keep the puck flying toward the Michigan goal all game.  The tension in
the third period, the stretch of play where there was no whistle to stop
things, the number of broken sticks littering the BC end when Michigan was
putting on their late pressure, and the BC counter efforts was simply
thrilling hockey, no matter who you were rooting for.  This was one great
playoff game to watch as a fan, and I'm sorry more folks didn't get a
chance to see it.  (I contrast this to the OSU-Wisconsin game on Friday,
which was like watching paint dry for someone without a rooting interest
in the game.)

Just as I mentioned to Linda that BC was getting worn out and their shots
weren't being of high quality, they get the shot on goal from Harrold, the
rebound, and the Pat Eaves backhand into the open net to tie the score at
2 with less than 5 minutes remaining.  Both teams got near-misses in the
last few minutes, and BC stormed the crease in the last minute and somehow
Montoya kept the puck out.  It was thrilling, it was exhausting, it was
fun, it was exhilarating.  I normally can't enjoy a game with this tension
level and this importance when my team is in it, but I marveled at this
game.  I haven't watched the replay on the tape yet but I bet I will enjoy
it again just for the spectacle of it.

The overtime was more of the same, with both teams putting on pressure,
especially the Wolverines at the start.  Each team had shots in the crease,
big saves, rebounds, desperate clears, and the crowd roaring on each near-
miss.  BC started to carry more of the play as time wore on, either because
they found a second or third or fourth wind, or because they just were more
desperate.  It was immediately obvious when Ben Eaves didn't make it on
the ice with his linemates, and freshman Brian Boyle had to double-shift
to cover his absence.  We didn't know what it was at first, but hoped that
it wasn't anything permanent, as he was magnificent in this game and we
wanted to see more from him.  The final goal was a scramble off the faceoff,
the shot from the point that was saved wide, then Pat Eaves collected the
puck in the circle and spun and shot.  The rebound dropped down and was
collected by someone who shot it at Montoya, it bounced up in the air,
and it was swatted at and then it was in!  The place went nuts (at least
the BC partisans, who were the largest part of the crowd.)  The reaction
was similar to how it was when they won the 2001 championship, a sense of
disbelief and relief and excitement and ecstasy.  I thought it was Voce
who got the winner, and then we saw the replay and saw it was Ben Eaves,
who had come out for that shift without us noticing.  That made it just
that much sweeter.  I'm sure the Michigan fans were disappointed to come
so close and then lose, but their team will be back again in the future;
that is one of the benefits of following a big-time power with a big-time
coach.  It isn't just a one-shot deal, lightning in a bottle.

For the Eagles, they live to try for the title in Boston, just as in 1998.
This team was expected to make it there with their talent and their strong
showing during the season, but the stumble down the stretch made it open
to question.  They can be a very good team, though, and this game made that
evident.  There are 4 strong teams left in the tourney, and we are
guaranteed one more HE-WCHA matchup in the final.  It should be interesting
in a couple of weeks.

We are looking forward to the Frozen Four and some new blood in the set of
teams.  Congrats to Maine and UMD and Denver; it should be a good set of
games.  I am hoping that the weather cooperates and we don't have a 2 or
3 overtime game in the first semifinal, because I want a smooth Hockey-L
dinner experience!  We are going to have a good crowd and it will be great
to see everyone again.

Rick McAdoo
"Volunteer reporter"
A satisfied BC fan. GO EAGLES!