Please. Considering that the game was called very loosely from beginning to
end, these what ifs are quite irrelevant IMHO.  Lowell had their chances to
put the game away early in the second period when they dominated the ice for
several minutes.  They didn't and UNH capitalized, took the lead and held
onto win.  As a long suffering Wildcat fan, our defensive play in the third
period was very satisfying to see.

I have the utmost respect for Lowell.  They are a very tough team for UNH to
play, always have been.  Last year's UNH squad would not have won this game,
in fact, they may have been blown out.  This year's team is much more
resilient.  They have gutted out more than one victory in grind 'em out
games and their overall record, home and away, proves that they deserve
their number one ranking.

In Hendrickson's column, MacDonald likened UNH to the St. Louis Rams,
implying that there was a pretty boy/soft aspect to their game and that UML
was kind of like the Patriots.  I think UNH showed last night that they have
a little more going for them than what MacDonald hoped.

Greg Ambrose

> From: [log in to unmask]
> Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 10:31:43 EST
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: UNH-Lowell
>
> Dave Hendrickson's excellent column on the UNH-Lowell game, entitled "Ifs and
> Buts," talks about the hard-luck aspects of Lowell's 2001-2002 season and it's
> HE quarterfinal loss to UNH.
>
> Here's three more "ifs and buts" to consider:
>
> --What if UNH's second goal had been waived off because of goaltender
> interference?  UNH's Kevin Truelson scored the goal on a rebound that sat 15
> feet in front of the net for several seconds as a UNH player fanned on a shot
> and one or two Lowell players missed clearing attempts.  In the meantime, a
> UNH player slid into the net and knocked Lowell goalie Cam McCormick on his
> kiester. McCormick was unable to stop Truelson's shot because he was flat on
> his back.  The TV replays didn't show why the UNH player ran into
> McCormick--whether he just lost control or whether a Lowell player knocked him
> into the net, but the UNH player clearly made no attempt to avoid hitting the
> goalie.
>
> --What if the UNH player who brought the puck into the Lowell zone prior to
> Saviano's go-ahead (3-2) goal had been whistled for a hand pass?  The hand
> pass didn't directly result in the goal, but it did get the puck deep into the
> offensive zone.  The referee may not have seen it, but it was not a marginal
> call--the UNH player had fallen on the puck just inside the blue line, covered
> it with his hand, and pushed it about 20-25 feet into the zone.
>
> --What if UNH's fourth goal had been waived off for goalie interference.
> Lowell goalie Jimi St. John couldn't stop it because UNH's Sean Collins hit
> his right skate from behind, causing him to pivot to the outside as the shot
> was coming in.
>
> As Dave said, a lot of ifs and buts.....