>
> Some random comments & observations(Frigid Four):
> Lake Superior:
> 1. What really impressed me was their discipline - starting about
> midway through the 2nd period BU was playing pretty chippy - an
> awfull lot of uncalled charging penalties and stick tripping - but
> LSSU NEVER retaliated. Wisconsin's senior class would have
> retaliated with slashes and gotten BU back into the game. After the
> game the announcer stated how tough it is to get the players to play
> LSSU's form of hockey and you have to give credit to the coach
> and the players.
> 2. That face-off play is amazing. Everytime the Boston player
> would end up tripped and on the ice - with the LSSU blueliner
> getting an open shot. Do they ever get called for interference
> or tripping? Did they get away with this all year?
It's funny, some of your points, I agree with thoroughly, others I seem to
disagree with.
As far as the chippiness goes, from the biased viewpoint of a BU fan, I thought
Lake State was pulling a lot more little sh*t, interferences and sticks to the
groin that, unlike Wisconsin, was not blatant, open, after the whistle, or
hurting them. LSSU's "stuff" is a LOT more focused. LSSU does not appear to
be a team that would goon someone after the whistle or grab someone from their
bench, but do just enough to give them the edge. It's easy for me to criticize
officials from the stands, not being in their position, skating around on the
ice level and dealing with emotion, but it seemed that ECAC refs are not as
good as refs from other conferences. (remember, that last paragraph is from a
biased perspective)
The only 2 blatantly and unbiased critical notes I will make are that, #1, BU
NEEDS to learn how to win face-offs. If anyone keeps stats like this, I would
very much like to see them. BU will not be able to win a National Title until
them learn how to win a face-off. Parker NEEDS to spend time on this sometime.
#2, although most chippiness in the National Title Game this year were attempts
to win the game, one particular move with apx 2 min left was not. If you have
the tape, watch it again.
With LSSU holding a dominating 8-1 lead and apx 2 min left in the game, LSSU
had a face-off in the BU zone. LSSU won the face-off (no surprise), but then,
as Pandolfo of BU tried to get out to the point, Gerald Tallaire of LSSU shoved
his stick under Pandolfo's groin from behind and proceeded to lift him off the
ice. (I'm not talking about a little harrassment, I mean that if Pandolfo's
cup were not properly in place, he would have had to be taken to the hospital.)
With Pandolfo screaming, the open point man blasted another goal to make the
score 9-1.
If this were a close game, I would just say that the LSSU player was a little
cheap (heck, almost everybody has a player or 2 who can be a little cheap at
times), but with 2 minutes to go with an 7-goal lead, sticking someone in that
way was, well, you watch the tape and judge.
As I said, if it were close, I might have just yelled. If Lake State scored
another because the opportunity was there, I could very easily see that (I
believe that you NEVER tell a kid to play 1/2 speed). But to go out cheap-
shotting one of the more docile players to get one more goal...
Well, we cheered them when they came back to the hotel because they won the
title and deserved it, but that one move left a slightly bad taste in my mouth.
Not knowing LSSU or Jackson, I do not know if it LSSU or just Tallaire.
I will criticize Pandolfo somewhat for not dropping Tallaire right there. #1,
if Jay wants to make it to the NHL, he'll have to be able to defend himself.
(Jay was the BU guy who was underneath that pile in the Prov-BU fight) #2,
Tallaire will have to learn that doing that stuff won't do in the NHL. He's
only a Frosh, so he has time to learn, but someone had better talk to him or
someone will eventually kill him.
Well, enough rambling by me.
> 3. Who's going to bet against them next year?
I picked 'em #1 preseason this past year.
> Officials
> 1. I thought they did an outstanding job all tournament. They
> never affected the outcome of any game. I was really
Let me make that clear (just in case anyone misunderstands), BU lost that
game/LSSU won that game. I found the officiating not to be of high calibre,
but only the score would have changed, not the real outcome. LSSU would still
be national champs.
> impressed when they weren't afaid to call penalties during the
> third period of the LSSU/Harvard game.
> Announcers
> 1. I was wondering why there was such a difference of opinion on
> Bob Norton (I hope I got his name right); now I know. He does
> give some very interesting insights and does know his stuff but at
> times I found myself yelling shut-up and wishing I was back at
> a Sports bar with the sound shut off. He gets on these talking
> binges and just keep going - hockey is exciting enought without the
> constant chatter. He reminds me of Howard
> Cosell without the ego - and I still don't know if that is good or
> bad.
Well, I am slightly biased here too. If the biggest complaint about Norton is
his accent, fine, we'll get some know-nothing, care-nothing to muse about what
icing is.
Norton was a coach at UNH, has a son playing at UNH, and can be seen at MANY
high school and Pro-Am summer tourneys. He is *extremely* knowledgable and
great for kids learning the game. He notices nuances that most announcers and
fans completely miss. As far as his local knowledge, realize that he does
Hockey East games all year, so yes, he knows more about the Hockey East
players. I am not promoting local favoritism, but I will say that the reason
he knows where everyone in New England plays is because he's watched them all
play there. Unfortunately, I can not defend his Boston accent, but then why
don't we hire announcers from Texas? (no insult of Texas intended)
Maybe someday we'll have announcers on the National level who will be
knowledgeable, love the game of hockey, and, most importantly, don't have a
Boston accent, but until we have all three, I'll take the first two.
> Hockey-L
> Great - with it I get more good information here in California then
> I did in Northern Wisconsin.
I also have to say that I love Hockey-L
>
> Wisconsin - back next year with a lot less talent, a lot less ego's and
> hopefully a lot more discipline.
Good luck
I do love Wisconsin fans.
>
> Thanks for all the great opinions and information
> Ed Priest
>
Tony BU'92'93
Former Ogre
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