This is going to be brief, but Providence avenged their Friday night loss to
UML by winning 3-2.  IMO they won in rather unimpressive fashion, however.
I only heard the shots on goal announced for the first period, but Lowell
outshot them 16-6 that period but was losing 1-0.  :-(  Providence then scored
the only goal in the second period, before UML roared back with two goals at
the beginning of the third.  However, Providence netted the game winner later
on on a ppg and held on for the win.  I still think the shot differential
should be in UML's favor.
 
Quick observations:
 
* Chad Quennville, my favorite Providence player by far, could have been the
  goat for PC had Lowell tied it up in the flurry of the last 15 seconds.
  With about 30 seconds left Quennville took off up ice with an open net in
  front of him.  He got over the offensive blue line, had a direct and EASY
  shot for the open netter, and decided to be cute and "unselfish" and pass
  to a teammate.  The pass went awry and the door was left open for UML to
  tie it up and potentially win in overtime.  It was a bonehead play.
 
* Although territorial play went in Lowell's favor for most of the game,
  Providence made the most of their chances.  All three goals were on rebounds
  within 10 feet of the net.  There's something to be said for being
  opportunistic.
 
* Last year penalties didn't hurt Lowell as much because they had the best
  penalty-killing team in the nation.  Penalties *did* hurt them this game,
  though.  They don't have the likes of last year's shorthanded squad.  If
  I remember correctly, the game winner was during a penalty to Sbrocca.  It
  was a flagrant hit from behind that was called charging.  I've mildly
  disagreed with Mike about Christian's need to cut down on penalties in
  general, but this was one stupid and obvious penalty that hurt them badly.
 
* Fankhouser, in his first start of the year in the Lowell nets, didn't see
  much action the first half of the game.  But there was a flurry of about 5
  minutes or so when he had to make 4-5 tough stops to keep Lowell in the
  game.   It's hard to know how much to blame him for the rebound goals he
  gave up without checking the replay.  He may have had simply no chance.
  But he did make some good saves.
  Although he's seemed the odd man odd in the battle with Lindsey and Fillion,
  I'd be surprised if he didn't see some more action soon.  Perhaps Fillion
  against Merrimack on Tuesday (since it was Lindsey on Fri and Fankhouser on
  Sat) and then back with Lindsey against RPI next Saturday.  Who knows?
 
* It looked like a Providence player (number 12? I don't have my notes or
  program with me now) went spreadeagled in the net *hard*.  Every male in
  the audience immediately bent over in extreme pain.  Play moved back up ice
  and the ref, Gravellese I believe, did not blow the play dead until the
  player flopped around like a fish out of water for what felt like painful
  hours in a noble attempt to get to
  the bench.  He couldn't even make it ten feet.  Then they came out and
  checked his *knee*.  It was at the far end and so what clearly looked to
  everyone to be an injury to one sensitive part of the anatomy, was in fact
  an injury to another.  They took a very long time getting him off the ice,
  understandably so, and he went right to the locker room, but he was back
  within the next shift.
 
* Lowell personnel moves: Christian Sbrocca has been moved off the first power
  play unit in favor of Neil Donovan.  Henderson, the freshman, must still be
  having problems with the shoulder he injured against BU because he did not
  play.  Jason Cormier, usually the seventh or non-dressing defenseman, played
  wing on a defensive line with Eric Brown (the first game I've seen Brownie
  dress) and Ryan Sandholm.  Cormier got the second goal for UML, his first
  career goal in college.  Sbrocca got the other one.  Bullock had no goals
  and one assist.
 
DaveH