Saturday was championship day for hockey in the state of Maine.
In class B, Winslow repeated as champions with a 6-2 win over
Falmouth, finishing the year with an incredible 23-1 record.
Their lone loss came in overtime to defending Class A champion
Waterville.
However, the Purple Panthers could not duplicate Winslow's
accomplishment as they fell to North Yarmouth Academy 3-1
at UMaine's Alfond Arena.
 
NYA had lost to Waterville three times this season, including
two shutouts on December 20 (2-0) and February 5 (3-0).
Waterville opened the scoring at 2:51 of the first period
when senior captain James LaLiberty blasted Waterville's
first shot of the game past NYA junior goaltender Brian Gagne.
NYA's senior captain, Matt Greason, answered with a power
play goal of his own at 7:29.
In the second, NYA senior Chris Tanis, who lives in Bangor,
flicked a shot from the point off the crossbar and in, as
NYA took the lead for good.
The third period had some controversy, as Waterville's
Dean Carpenter appeared to score the tying goal at 4:28.
However, NYA sophomore defensemen Ben Yates had knocked
the net off before the puck went in, and the goal was
disallowed.  Already short-handed, NYA killed off 1:17
of a 5-3 Waterville power play which took any Waterville
momentum away.  Senior Jeff Mercier scored his 22nd goal
of the season at 7:32 to cement the state championship
for North Yarmouth Academy.  It marks the third title
for NYA since 1985, when Eric Weinrich led the Panthers.
Weinrich was an inspiration to the team this season,
 
as an enterprising assistant coach pulled his old NYA jersey out
of mothballs and arranged for a letter from the Black Hawks'
defenseman to be read to the team prior to the playoffs.
NYA goalie Brian Gagne completed an amazing season, posting
a 16-3 record, with a 1.24 GAA and .933 save percentage.
 
One piece of unsolicited advice for my old boss at Orono,
who was at the game for the first period:  instead of
Eric "I had the puck in the crease with an empty net and missed"
Nadeau, take James LaLiberty.  Far be it for me to recommend
Waterville players, but I am one-for-one in that department
(see: Jeff Libby).
 
And since I promoted a Waterville player, I would be derelict
in my duties if I didn't mention that Matt Greason and Jeff
Mercier will both likely be taking a PG year and deserve
much attention from college coaches.
 
On a another note, best of luck to Jason Mansoff, Dan Shermerhorn
and Reg Cardinal, who all signed with the Portland Pirates,
the Washington Capitols' club here in Maine.  I was at Sunday's
game and Jason played well, considering he had played his final
college game the night before.  Reg and Dan did not dress.
 
One last note: one of my worst predictions ever on this forum
was Merrimack to get home-ice in 1993.  Finally, they have
attained it, and a good chance to be invited to the Garden
(no, I still won't call it by that corporate sponsor name,
they can sue me) Party.  Congrats to the folks in North Andover.
 
John Forsyth
 
  Assistant Coach, North Yarmouth Academy Hockey  (21-12, 17-3 league)
        Maine Class A Champions   1985  1989  1997
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.