Well, It has been a while since I have posted anything meaningful on the list.
I have been a bit busier this year than I had originally expected.  I have
enjoyed the list and its many new followers this year.  This list is a great
opportunity for members to see differing viewpoints and actually learn something
about the fastest team sport in the world.  Unfortunately, upon reading many of
the posts, some people are still very narrow minded in view and I hope all who
read most of the incredibly large volume of posts on the list actually begin to
look at the game differently.
 
Enough of my rhetoric...
 
As usual, since 1988, my father and made the 22 hour trek from Albany, NY to St.
Paul fo the Hockey Final Four (or whatever you chose to call it).  Here are a
few thoughts on the games...
 
HARVARD - LSSU:
Well, in my opinion, Harvard was the better team.  Unfortunately, most of LSSU's
clutch, grab and hook style was considered LEGAL by the officials.  I am getting
weary of this style of hockey, which is most prevailent in the NHL.  Many times
Harvard players with their superior speed would blow by a Lake State player,
only to be "caught", not by a legal body check or hard skating, but instead by a
well placed hook or hold that was either not seen by the official or deemed
"acceptable."  This game could have been 9-1 Harvard had it been played on an
Olympic Sheet.
I don't mean to take too much away from LSSU, they are a very disciplined team,
well coached, and solid on defense, and they controlled their defensive area
well.  BUT, I wish that College Hockey would get away from the pro-style "legal"
hooks and holds and become more "pure" by adopting a more Olympic Style.
 
BU-MINNESOTA
Sorry Minnesota fans, but this Minnesota team did not belong among the Final
Four.  The geniuses in the NC$$ decided to give you "arguably" the easiest
bracket looking for a little financial gain at St. Paul.  BU was a far superior
team.  I would have liked to see Lake State ranked more appropriately, 2nd in
the West, then we would have seen a much better 4th team, LIKE Michigan.  BU
beat them all over the Ice and it was over after the first period.  They did
make a good push in the second but BU was just to good.
 
the FINAL
LSSU-BU
Well, Lake Superior played their style, once again very disciplined and well
coached.  There have been people on this list aguing that Parker was outcoached
or that the team had a lack luster effort.  Well, I feel it was a combination of
both.  BU did not adjust at all to the stifling style of Lake Superior, that was
IMO Parker's job.  Also, I didn't see the intensity on BU that I expected after
seeing them in the semis.  The only person on BU who I thought put in an
outstanding effort and is my vote for player of the game for BU was #12(?) Grier
the "large" freshman.  He hustled, was disciplined and did not seem to ever give
up, which I think the rest of the team did, and very quickly at that.  He has a
bright future ahead of him.  He does not have alot of finesse, but he has alot
of raw talent and seems to work real hard.
 
Well those are my thoughts, congratulations to Lake Superior on an EXTREMELY
succesful PROGRAM over the past 3+ years and to all those teams in the FINAL 12+
who had succesful seasons.
 
AN RPI SIDE NOTE...
There will be a cerimony in the Rensselaer Union on Thursday, 3:30-5:00 to
congratulate the Men's AND Women's Hockey teams on Successful seasons...
 
The Men's Team finished 2nd in the ECAC with a final record of 21-10-4 losing in
the first round of the NCAA's to UNH 2-0.
 
The Women's team Won the AWHCA Championship beating the University of Maine 3-1
in the Final, they finished with an overall record of 15-6-1, and also completed
the season undefeated in league play 13-0-1.
 
Enjoy Your Summer
and THINK HOCKEY...
 
Ryan Stone
Rensselaer '93 & '95
Lawrence Univ. '93
 
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