Saturday, January 10, 1998 at Kelley Rink (Conte Forum), Chestnut Hill, MA
BC 0, MAINE 0 (OT) HOCKEY EAST GAME
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UNIVERSITY OF MAINE 0 0 0 0 - 0 (6-5-2 HE, 9-7-3 overall)
BOSTON COLLEGE 0 0 0 0 - 0 (6-4-2 HE, 12-6-3 overall)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
UM 6- 4- 7- 0 -- 17 4 - 8 0 - 4
BC 12-13-15- 2 -- 42 4 - 8 0 - 4
UM - Alfie Michaud 12-13-15- 2 - 42 saves/0 goals (65:00)
BC - Scott Clemmensen 6- 4- 7- 0 - 17 saves/0 goals (65:00)
Full box posted to INFO-HOCKEY-L list.
COMMENTS
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Maine was able to use a defensive style and very good goaltending to gain
a point against BC despite giving up 42 shots. The two teams produced a
very rare scoreless tie, with both goalies getting the stars of the game
awards (Michaud #1, Clemmensen #2.) Maine, depleted by injuries, illness,
and player suspensions for both on and off-ice matters, went to a sit-back,
defensive trap style to limit the BC offense. It would not have worked,
though, had goalie Michaud not come up with big save after big save to
keep BC from scoring. Both teams ended up with 3-point weekends and
seemed satisfied with the result; Maine for stealing the point and BC for
feeling that they were only beat by a hot goaltender.
Maine had some early opportunities, perhaps as BC tried to recover
emotionally from an intense game the night before versus Boston University.
Soon, though, the style of the game became obvious. BC would come out of
their own zone, Maine would trap/block in center ice, BC would dump the
puck deep into Maine's zone, and BC forwards would work hard to keep the
puck in the zone and generate shots. The Black Bears took 3 early
penalties in the first period and were very fortunate to escape. Brian
Gionta, Jeff Farkas, Marty Hughes, Marty Reasoner, Mike Lephart all had
good to great chances that went just wide or were saved by Michaud. (BC's
Lephart was snake-bitten the whole night, with several shots and tips going
wide.) BC continued the pressure up through the 16-minute mark, and only
a late BC penalty gave Maine any chances at all. Clemmensen was able to
make the necessary saves.
The second period was similar to the first, though after Maine killed an
early penalty they learned their lesson and took no more penalties the
rest of the game. (The game had lots of checking and contact, but few
penalties.) Michaud again saved his team on the penalty kill. One of
the best scoring chances of the night came when Tony Hutchins sent BC
senior Jamie O'Leary flying in on a breakaway. O'Leary's shifted in
close but his shot was blocked just wide of the far post, and O'Leary
ended up crashing into the goalie and getting a charging penalty. BC's
defense was just as effective as Maine's, though, and few shots were had
for the rest of the period. BC's Gionta had a late break opportunity but
shot just wide.
The third period was similar, though Maine evened the shots a bit because
they didn't have to kill any penalties. Both teams were strong defensively
and Michaud handled the good shots that the Eagles got. BC got the puck
in the net at 6:08, but it was disallowed due to players in the crease.
Reasoner had a great shot late in the period but Michaud reached back to
make a great glove save, and he also had to kick out a backhander with
his toe to preserve the shutout.
BC had perhaps their best scoring opportunity in the first minute of
overtime as Gionta was able to come down the slot all alone, faked
Michaud into diving out of the net, and slid around him to the low right
side. However, he shot from such a sharp angle that he missed the open
net to the far side. Subsequent shots and tips went wide or were kicked
out. Then Lephart was able to slide to the middle and escape his man,
only to lift a high shot over the crossbar and out of play at 1:16. The
Bears started to check better after that point and there were few good
shots for BC the rest of the way. Maine was playing for the tie at that
point (no shots at all for UM in overtime, let alone a shot on net.)
To no one's surprise, the game ended with no score.
After winning a wild offensive overtime game on Friday up at Merrimack,
and with his roster depleted, Coach Walsh had to be very happy with the
point versus BC. The defensive strategy may not have won any fans over,
and probably wouldn't play too well at home, but it was just effective
enough to let goalie Michaud play what he later termed "the best game of
my life". BC also didn't feel too disappointed, despite having so many
shots and no goals. Sometimes you run into a hot goalie and things don't
bounce your way. (If this game had come after a loss to BU instead of
Friday night's win, it might have felt different to the Eagles' faithful.)
BC continues the heavy Hockey East slate next weekend with a home-and-away
series with Providence College, followed by a pair with UMass-Amherst,
away to UNH, and then back home against UMass-Lowell to close out January.
If they play the way they did this weekend, they should be able to pick
up a fair number of points and stay near the top of Hockey East. Maine,
on the other hand, has to face the fact that this was probably their
easiest weekend of the month. They host offensive-minded UNH next
weekend, then have to return to Boston for a pair against strong BU.
Given that schedule, and their continuing shortage of bodies, I wouldn't
be surprised to see the defensive trap style show up again in these games.
If they continue to get great goaltending, they could start a streak like
they did last year after the holidays. But if the keepers don't play
great, it could be a tough finish to January.
Looking ahead, this may be the closest and most exciting Hockey East
season in many years, with a lot of teams fighting for home playoff ice
and possible shots at the NCAA tournament. Right now BU and UNH are at
the top, probably, and BC and Maine behind them. Providence may challenge,
Lowell may hang on, and Merrimack will be a strong spoiler (or could make
a late run with their easier schedule.) Northeastern is the surprise team
of the year in HE, but faces a difficult schedule down the stretch. Time
will tell if they can maintain their early success. And let us take pity
on poor UMass-Amherst, who finish with 8 of their last 9 games against
UNH, Maine, and BU. I don't think we'll be seeing UMA in the Hockey East
playoffs this year (and I hope I haven't tempted the gods with that
statement ...)
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
"Volunteer reporter" An excited BC fan. GO EAGLES!
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to
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