Well the preliminary rounds are over.. here is your pairings..
Friday 5:00pm
#1 Maine .vs #6 Providence
Friday 8:00pm
#2 Boston University .vs #5 UMass-Lowell
Saturday 8:00pm
Championship
(All games televised Live on NESN)
 
First off I thought the playoffs were very exciting.  I got to watch
each minute of every game on NESN, which I think was great exposure
for all these teams, I must say though that DAWN MITCHELL MUST GO!!
For those who do not know, Dawn is the lovely host of NESN Hockey East
broadcasts, and she is horrible.  Besides her normal act of being
totally clueless, in each of the three games she did (the first game
was tape delay and we avoided her) she managed to look like a fool.
After the first game, when it was all over (UMass-Lowell defeating
Northeastern) as she was signing off she had to look down at her notes
in a fluster to remember who was playing the game.  During the Maine
game she refered to the Black Bears as the "Black Hawks" and when
signing off this time she said, "And Maine wins it by the score of
5-2."  Maine won the game 7-4.  And the #1 blunder, while interviewing
Jacques Joubert after BU's win, she referred to his team as the "Warriors"
and Joubert did correct her rightly saying "We are the Terriers."  Aside
from those blunders, and the fact that color commentator Bob Norton
detestes Maine <smile> it was a great weekend of hockey coverage.
 
In regardes to watching #1 Maine and #2 BU play, one image struck me
about both teams.  They are very beatable.  At times both Maine and BU
played overwhelming hockey, each executing their game plans to the
best of their ability.  At times both also seemed to run away and hide.
Everybody has been "expecting" these two teams to meet up in the
championship game, for a great one, but they both have tough opponents
in Providence and UMass-Lowell.  Both seemingly match up well with each
of their opponents, as Maine/Providence and Lowell/BU have had some
close ones this year, so I would anticipate that this weekends garden
party be no less exciting than what we saw over the last weekend.
 
I haven't had a chance to see much of BU other than their game against
Harvard, and the ones played up here in Orono, and what makes it even
more exciting is that both Maine and BU have young squads.  You don't
have to look very far behind them to see UNH, who has some of the best
freshmen around as well.  Their is definately some quality young talent,
and these teams will all be battling again next year at this time.  It
really is great to see Paul Pooley and his Lakers.. (for you Mike!)
and Ron Anderson's Merrimack Warriors playing well.  I think Hockey
East is as strong as it has been, and could get stronger if some of the
younger players on these bottom teams start producing, could be real
exciting.  Their certainly is parity, at least as far as Maine .vs
Hockey East is concerned.  Providence is the only team that Maine
beat all three times they faced them.  Maine was 2-0-2 against BU, and
1-0-2 against Northeastern.  They were 3-1 against UNH, 2-1 against
Lowell, 2-0-1 against Merrimack, 2-0-1 against Boston College and 2-1
against UMass-Amherst, and they won the league.  As a college hockey
fan it is certainly great to see!!  Of course, I hope that they all
only do ok against Maine! <smile>