Friday:     UNH 2    at Providence 2 (ot)
Saturday:   at UNH 5  Northeastern 1
 
Friday's game (seen on NESN) was pretty boring for 2 periods, as both teams
were not sharp.  Lots of missed passes and opportunities characterized the
game, which was 1-1 after 2 periods.  In the 3rd period, the game opened up
and only great goaltending by both netminders kept the score down.
Providence scored the go-ahead goal with about 5 minutes remaining, but
UNH's Joe Flanagan scored only 11 seconds later to tie it back up.
Overtime had some good chances for both teams, but again the goaltenders
were up to the task.  UNH really needed to win this game to make up some
ground on the Friars who, along with Merrimack, are fighting it out with
the Wildcats for the last home ice spot in Hockey East.
 
Saturday's game against Northeastern was actually closer than the score
indicates, as UNH got 2 empty-net goals late.  UNH goaltender Jeff Levy had
another great night, making 47 (I think) saves.  The game was really chippy
-- my biased view is that Northeastern is an extremely frustrated team
that's having a tough season, and they take out their frustrations on the
other team.  Anyway, my hazy memory can't come up with much in the way of
stats right now, and I apologize.  UNH played well enough to win, but
wasn't all that impressive against the worst team in Hockey East.  The
Wildcats have to be concerned about their defense.  Even though they only
gave up 3 goals in the last two games (in contrast to a couple of 4-8
debacles this month), they are giving up a huge number of shots.  Earlier
in the season, when they were playing well, UNH consistently outshot the
opposition. This has changed lately, no doubt partly due to playing better
teams, but giving up 48 shots to Northeastern is ridiculous.
 
Still, UNH is a good team, and I think it's amazing that a team ranked
between 12-15 in Keith's ratings can be 6th in Hockey East.  It's a tough
league to play in.  UNH's main concern now (IMHO) should be to get out of
6th place, where they would likely end up playing Maine (at Orono) in the
1st round of the playoffs.  That would be disaster.
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Chris Craig            Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand.
[log in to unmask]                    Ignorance and prejudice and fear
...!mit-eddie!mit-athena!crcraig   walk hand in hand. -- Rush, "Witchhunt"