UML win over BU:
 
        I was surprised there wasn't much about UML's win over BU except for
the scores and the article at US College Hockey Online.  I was telling a
friend of mine that I wouldn't be surprised if UML beat BU, especially
after they came back to split against UNH.  The Boston Globe didn't have
anything and the Boston Herald had an article, but I don't think the
author say the same game I did. On UML's first goal, a SHG, they had
just finished killing of the first penalty on a 2-man advantage for BU.
Kevin Bertram came out of the box and went to the bench where Mark
Salsman came out and rushed to the blue line.  The BU defenseman who had
the puck at the near point, was hit by Salsman.  The puck bounced to
Neil Donovan who with Salsman started a 2-1.  Donovan rushed up the
right wing with Salsman in the middle being slightly hooked from behind
by the 2nd defenseman.  Donovan gained the blue line and took a quick
snap-shot because Salsman was now covered.  The puck was blocked and
deflected right to Salsman who gave BU goalie Tom Noble a quick fake and
scored.  The few articles that I saw, including Dave Hendrickson's
article at USCHO (it was good except for the goal), said how Donovan
passed it.  The puck simply bounced UML's way.
        On paper, UML has no business beating BU.  I said in our pre-game show
that UML has to catch some breaks, Matin Fillion has to play spectacular
and the special teams have to shine.  All 3 happened.  Fillion was
awesome and the posts were kind as well in the 3rd period when BU dinged
a slapper of the pipe when it was 2-1 in favor of UML.  I think they
even hit the post a 2nd time on the next shift.  Again, the puck bounced
UML's way.  Not to say that it was pure luck that they beat BU.  They
did play exceptional team defense and thier special temas did very well.
 
Paul Gentile wrote:
> I didn't notice any particular line-matching strategy being implemented so I
> don't think it was any particular Lowell player who had shadow-detail. I did
> notice some peculiar line-ups on face-offs. Several times, one of the defensemen
> on the ice would line up as a winger and the winger would subsequently take the
> defenseman's position. What is this strategy all about? This is especially
> curious when the face-off was in Lowell's zone. The winger would stand just
> outside the crease ... making it incredibly hard for him to get out to the point
> position quickly.
 
        I had noticed that Shannon Basaraba had been shadowing Drury early on,
simply because Basaraba has the speed to match Drury.  But it wasn't
that evident as the game went on, maybe because UML had a 2-0 lead,
maybe because of the special teams play that Coach Whitehead couldn't
get the matchups he wanted.
        To clarify Paul's face-off question, UML has been doing that since last
season.  They drop back the weak-side winger,and move the weak-side
defenseman up.  The center draws it back to the strong side defenseman
who immediately passed cross -ice to the winger who has a "running
start" up ice.  I think some of the face-offs in the Lowell zone when
the winger was on top of the crease, UML decided to play it more
offensively because the draw was just inside the line.
 
UML losing to Merrimack:
 
        A good game with great goaltending.  VERY cold.  It was warmer
outside!  Merrimack is a team that if you take lightly, you're going to
lose.  I think UML shows their inexperience of putting out a consistent
effort in back-to-back games.  Well, who knows exactly why, but maybe
they concentrate too much on taking each game one at a time instead of
taking into account the weekend as a whole.  Not much else to say except
that it was a classic Merrimack-UML battle.
 
        Tim Mustone
        WJUL Sports
 
ps - I constantly get a kick out of this:
 
HE Preseason Poll:
 
HOCKEY EAST Office, Andover, Mass.
                  (Lowest point total for highest ranking)
                      Team                 Points
                   1. Boston University        12
                   2. New Hampshire            20
                   3. Boston College           31
                   4. Maine                    40
                   5. Providence               41
                   6. Merrimack                60
                   7. UMass                    63
                   8. Northeastern             66
                   9. UMass-Lowell             72
 
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