I haven't seen anything mentioned here about this, but Tuesday
    at Wednesday night at Orlando, Florida, Dynamo Riga of the Soviet
    Union took on Team USA, comprised of collegians, in a two-game,
    total goals series.  I watched both games on cable.  The scores
    were 4-2 and 6-3 for Riga both nights, giving them the series
    win, 10-5.
 
    The first game was very exciting and well-played by both teams.
    Both goalies, USA's Chad Erickson (Minn-Duluth) and Riga's Artur
    Irbe were outstanding.  Irbe is probably the best in the world.
    Shawn McEachern (BU) scored one of the US's goals and was named
    the game's MVP for USA (Irbe for Riga).
 
    The next night, the first period was more of the same, but Riga
    began to take over in the second, going up 2-1 and 6-3 for the series.
    When they scored three goals in less than a minute in the third,
    it was all over and Erickson was pulled by his coach (also his
    coach at UMD, Sertich) for Northeastern's Tommy Cole, who didn't
    play badly allowing one goal over the last 15 minutes.  Tony Amonte
    (BU) was named star of the game as the Terriers swept the awards.
 
    For my money, the best player on the ice for USA was Ed Ronan (also
    of BU), although McEachern, Amonte, and Jim Dowd (LSSU) got most
    of the publicity.  The team didn't look bad considering that 1) they
    had just been put together two days before, and 2) they didn't have
    their pick of all of the top collegians, since teams like Minnesota,
    Boston College, and Michigan State all had games during the week
    and couldn't let their players go.
 
    Stupid penalties during the two games hurt USA a lot.  I think they
    had nine power plays to kill during the first game alone, and while
    they only allowed (1?) PPG in game 1, Riga picked it up a bit in
    game 2.  Amonte got tossed from the first game with five minutes
    left and his team down by a goal when he decided to dump the referee
    (a Soviet) on his butt as he was preparing to drop the puck.
 
    BU plays Riga tonight, and I'm sure the three Terriers who played
    in Orlando have prepared their teammates well.  I can't make the game
    but it should be interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised if the
    Terriers did beat Riga tonight (if they can penetrate Irbe).
 
 
    - mike