Thanks to Jayson for Dexter Classic comments that were RIGHT ON!
 
The entire 4 games were enjoyable to watch as the competition was strong
and clean.  I took the opportunity to chat with a number of BGSU fans
and found them most pleasant and knowledgeable folks.  (Sorry to have
missed you, Jayson, ...  I was the usher immediately to the right of
your perch in the press box).
 
I'll try 2 or 3 comments myself ...
 
1. Neil Little was the star of the tournament.  Maybe he has bad games
   sometimes, but it wasn't this weekend!  I love his stand-up, maybe
   even minimalistic style.  IMHO, Petrie (BGSU) had one bad period, the
   first against RPI (4 goals through the 5-hole), else he might have
   been named tourny MVP and BGSU crowned champion instead of 3rd place.
 
2. The Maine defense, called by some strong at the start of the season,
   but for me the most suspect part of the team, had a rough weekend.
   Most goals against Maine were nice plays set up by defensive miscues
   (but then aren't most goals?  :-)).  The third period, usually the
   strongest for Maine teams of recent years, saw exhausted D on the
   ice, despite frequent line-changes by Walsh.
 
3. This seems to be the year of injuries for Maine.  Jason Weinrich (D)
   is expected to remain out with a badly injured knee for at least
   several more weeks.  Jason Mansoff (D) went down with a sprained knee
   and is expected to be out for several weeks.  Jacque Rodrigue (D)
   sprained an ankle and is somewhere between questionable and probable
   for next week.  Patrice Tardif (LW) went down during the final minute
   of the RPI-Maine game and his status is still being evaluated
   (hyper-extended knee).
 
4. Jayson said ...
      10) Majic game winner was a beauty of a play, and as Coach Powers
          put it: " It doesn't matter who it's against, it's a big time
          play" Layzell takes control of the puck in center because
          Maine tried to hit Mahoney coming out of the box.  But Mahoney
          had trouble getting out of the box and onto the ice, so he
          couldn't receive the pass.  Layzell pushed it ahead to a 2 on
          1 situation at the blue line.  Pasco received the puck, took
          the defender out and dished it to Majic on his left.  Majic
          came in on left wing, and used his speed to cut off the
          defender Silverman.  He cut across the front of Allison and
          backhanded one top shelf above Allison's glove.
 
   It was a great play by Majic, but Silverman was not on the ice.
   Justin Tomberlin was caught on the far side of the ice, and when he
   came over to help the right D, he (converted this weekend from
   forward to defense) became entranced with the puck.  Majic showed it
   to him, then slid it through him toward the slot.  Majic cut
   cross-ice, collected the puck and was in alone on Allison.  The
   comment by Coach Powers was no doubt referring to the stand-in senior
   defenseman, Tomberlin.
 
5. Though good times were being had by the fans (something of a contrast
   to the tense previous weekend with BU) and the games were good clean
   competition, or perhaps because the games were so clean, a couple of
   plays stood out as not belonging: RPI's *very* talented defenseman,
   6-3 senior Brad Layzell gets my vote for the UNsportsmanship trophy
   as he viciously cross-checked Tardif (double minor) mid-game and then
   after Tardif was injured (final minute of game -- no call), checked
   the hobbled Tardif (on one skate and trying to get off the ice),
   while the puck and play was at the other end.  :-(
 
gobble gobble gobbled
wayne
 
Wayne Smith
The College Hockey Discussion List administrator
Systems Group - CAPS              BITNET/CREN:  wts@maine
University of Maine System        internet:     [log in to unmask]
 
P.S.  It was great for me to have first-time Alfond visits with Ryan
      Robbins and Johanna Wise this weekend, and the former Ogre, Tony
      last weekend.