Boston University defeated Providence at BU tonight, 6-1.
 
This game had three separate, distinct parts.
 
Part 1 - BU dominance
Part 2 - Both go through motions
Part 3 - Intense brawl
 
 
In the first period, BU looked just as good as last night, but this time
finished off their plays.  BU was making Providence's defense look silly as
they passed, skated, positioned themselves, and simply outplayed Providence's
defense in the Providence end.  It was pretty for BU, ugly for Providence.
BU skated off to a 4-0 lead and in total control.
 
By the second period, the game was over and both teams knew it.  BU and
Providence exchanged goals while going throught the motions.  Nothing else
really to say about it.
 
The third was sort of the same as the second with the game being fun only for
the BU fans.
 
 
With about 5 1/2 minutes to go, however, one of the worst brawls that I have
seen on the college hockey level broke out.
 
I will try to report this as unbiased as possible.  My seats are pretty good
for the position of this incident, so I will comment on what I saw for certain.
 
Shawn Bates (BU forward) checked a Providence player into the boards with his
elbow up.  This was going to be called (not sure exactly where the whistle was
blown) (Bates eventually did receive 2 min for elbowing) but the Providence
player took exception and there was a little minor shoving while asking about
each other's family and friends. :-)  (nothing deserving of any extra penalty
to either player yet, IMHO)  Mike Grier (BU forward) grabbed the Providence
player in what appeared to be an attempt to separate the two lovebirds. :-)
 
Another Providence player then flew across the ice and cross-checked Grier
(would become a 5 min major for x-checking) to the ice.  What was wierd here
was that two Providence players immediately went berzerk on Grier, intensely
flailing away at him underneath them.  This brought in the rest of the troops
for both teams, Chris O'Sullivan being the last one into the fray (he was the
furthest player when the sequel to "Slap-Shot" was being rehearsed).
 
Gloves and helmets were everywhere as the intensity was immense.  At one point
Mike Grier got up from the mess and looked for a partner.  Realizing that one
ref was trying to separate a BU and Providence player square-dancing in the
face-off circle, he skated over and stepped in, politely showing the Providence
player how to skate backwards to the center of the ice.  They were essentially
out of the fray and got a good view for the real entertainment.
 
Most one-on-one fights were balanced, with a slight edge going to the BU
players (except Pandolfo, who was sort of under someone).  The problems arose
whenever a 2-on-1 developed, as did temporarily when Grier went over to help
break up one incident, leaving a free Providence player to gang up (I am not
judging, heck, I didn't expect the free Providence player to start balancing
his check-book).  Once everyone had someone, things went along with the refs
trying in vain to do something.
 
Then, an incident I will not soon forget occurred.
 
The Providence goalie (Darren) left the crease and grabbed a BU player while
another Providence player punched him (the BU player, that is).  This prompted
McKersie to charge down the ice faster than I have ever seen him skate, grab
the Providence goalie from the pile, and begin to pound away.  The two went at
it for a number of seconds (long time when it's a fight) with Darren taking
a severe beating.  (McKersie is a 6-2, 200+ lbs goalie from Madison Wisconsin
who the other BU players don't mess with)
 
The goalie-on-goalie battle got the crowd extremely riled up as they gave
McKersie a standing ovation when his name was announced for the DQ.  Also, as
the refs and players were at their benches trying to figure it all out (after
the brawl was over), Darren was standing in front of his goal, alone, with
red marks on his face and the crowd began consoling him with first, "you can't
fight... you can't fight..." and then "puching-bag... punching bag..."
 
I am not personally saying that being able to fight is a requirement for being
a goaltender, but since Darren was the one who decided to leave his crease and
jump in, he had to expect what would happen.
 
All the DQ'd players then left the ice and play resumed with Bell and Herlofsky
in the nets.
 
BU scored again in what was a "feel-good" goal.
 
 
The DQ'd players will not be allowed to play in the next game and I assume
the league will review the tapes.
 
I would like to add that, to the best of my personal recollection (not perfect)
the ULowell vs. I forget thing that resulted in so many players being given
suspensions for such long time periods was only done after review of tapes of
the brawl there.  I do not *believe* (correct me if I am wrong) that there
is any rule in HE about a DQ being for 2 additional games (+ the game in which
the incident occured).  I could be wrong, but that is what I believe.
 
 
If someone else had a different angle on the fight, please feel free to fill in
the blanks.  But, as best I could, I tried to state what happened in as
unbiased a manner as possible.
 
 
In my judgement (sitting in the stands with only one set of eyes), neither team
went "after" the other team with the intent to start a brawl.
 
It was not like last year when Chris Ferraro gave "cheap-shot-of-the-year" with
a charging cross-check after the whistle to Mike Pomichter. (5 min major and a
game DQ for that x-check, if that gives you any idea)
 
It was also not like 2 years ago when Adrian Aucoin of BU decided to prove he
was a man by attacking the BC team in a stupid, idiotic display of frustration
that was an embarrassment to see.
 
In my judgement, this was just something that happened. (maybe some personal
hatred built up over a home-and-home series?)
 
That's it from someone who'll be waiting a few weeks to see his team again.
 
Hope to see some of you at Lowell on Thursday or NU on Friday, or (undecided)
on Saturday.
 
Tony  BU'92'93
Former Ogre