Paul Gentile wrote:
 
>>>> Howard Quimby <[log in to unmask]> 02/18/97 11:31am >>>
>>>> I was also surprised that the coaches weren't sanctioned.  But I think
>>>>we're
>>>> beginning to tell tales of Umile telling his players to keep fighting.  I
>>>> don't believe that's the case and in the past Umile has always been one to
>>>> make an effort to keep his players under control.
>
>Yeah, right! *rofl*
 
I will remind you that UNH was the least penalized team in HE two years
ago. People better have some proof before they accuse any coach of inciting
a fight.  My personal opinion on all this is that, overall, UNH has
quicker, faster and better players than Providence (or most teams for that
matter) and, after the Friars were embarrassed in the third period Friday
night, were told to slow down UNH as much as possible.  I am not saying
that UNH never holds sticks, never slashes, never interferes, because they
do.  But the level I have seen it at this year against UNH is unbelievable.
 
When teams are allowed to bend and violate the rules to bring another team
down to their level of play, and the refs don't make the calls, frustration
sets in for the better team.  I saw it in the UNH-Maine game in the
Governors' Cup and the UNH game at Lowell last month.  What all parties did
at the end of the game Saturday nite is inexcusable but things do not
happen in a vacuum.  Minor incidents can snowball into bigger ones and if
the refs don't nip things in the bud, the situation can explode, just like
it did Saturday night.
 
Hopefully both teams can put the game behind them and reach their goals for
the regular season (1st place for UNH, home ice for PC).
 
One last comment:  Perhaps we can revisit the issue of home-and-home
weekends vs. the same opponent.  With the exception of Maine (and perhaps
UMass) there is no reason why teams in such geographic proximity have to
play back-to-back each weekend.  It inevitably leads to the tensions that
we see.
 
Greg Ambrose
Go UNH Blue!!
 
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