Harvard 7, Northeastern 5
BU 8, BC 2
 
No specifics since I didn't write anything down; maybe someone with a paper
can type in the boxes.  I had spent 6 hours driving back from Syracuse
earlier in the day and was only in the mood to sit and enjoy the games. :-)
 
This sets up the "Beanpot Dream Matchup" between Harvard and BU next Monday
night.  Harvard is 14-1-1, BU 18-5-2, both among the top teams in the
nation by either the polls or ratings.  What is interesting is that the
game next Monday will be accessible to many of you throughout the nation.
Boston's WSBK-TV38 will, as usual, carry the final at 8 pm Eastern and
since WSBK is a superstation like Ted Turner's WTBS, it appears on many
cable outlets throughout the US.  Check to see if your cable company
carries WSBK and if so, make plans to sit down and enjoy a battle between
the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East, 2 of the best in the nation.  This
doesn't happen that often; usually you need a pay channel like PASS or NESN
to see a game like this.
 
The game may also have bigger implications than just being for the Beanpot
championship (as if that weren't enough already)...since Harvard's one loss
is to BU and BU is gunning for a 2nd seed in the East, if the Terriers win
again and the teams are closely rated, it could come down to the head-to-
head record.
 
In the first game: Harvard appeared to be feeling the effects of the layoff
but still played pretty well.  Crimson went up 3-1 before 2 NU PPGs in the
2nd tied it, then Harvard took control after that and dashed any hopes of
an upset.  NU's team defense was atrocious and they were guilty of a number
of dumb penalties at inopportune times.  Refereeing was provided by the
team of Melanson and Noeth from the ECAC, and now I see why folks don't
like this pair.  They were horribly inconsistent, to say the least.  On one
play, a Harvard player knocked an NU player into the goalie and then
punched him, all without the Huskie doing a thing, yet both went off.
 
What I liked from Harvard was their ability to both skate well and play the
physical game.  Past Northeastern teams have been able to upset Harvard by
taking the play to them, but the tables were turned this time.  The Crimson
have that intriguing combination of being both a finesse and power team,
much like the great BU teams of 1989-92 or so, and this could carry them
far.
 
In the nightcap, BU took advantage of BC's poor play in front of Mike
Sparrow and roared out to a 3-0 lead, never looking back.  Shots on goal in
the first were about 12-7 BU, but I didn't think BC, which has trouble
generating offense, had more than one quality shot.  After BU went up 4-0
in the second and Sparrow was pulled for Josh Singewald, who saw his first
action since being hurt against BU about 3 weeks ago, the action cooled
down a bit and kind of lulled the fans to sleep.  Singewald played well in
net but again, his team was too far behind at that point.  Halfway through
the third, the teams swapped a few goals and it was 6-2, then BU scored the
final 2 of the game for the 8-2 final - a convincing win that was pretty
much expected everywhere but at The Heights.
 
If there was one overlying impression I had of the night, it was that the
action was not what we have come to expect from the Beanpot.  Even BU,
despite scoring 8 goals, did not look strong and had only about 10-15
minutes in total throughout the game in which they really dominated play -
but that was more than enough.  And Harvard let NU back in the game twice
and played a very inconsistent game, but that was to be expected because
of the layoff.  NU and BC are not having good seasons and did not present
formidable challenges to the favorites.  Usually you can throw out the
records when it comes to the Beanpot, but this time, everyone about played
up (or down) to their records.
 
It is also interesting to see the apparent attitudes that the four teams
carry into the Beanpot.  It seems as if BU jumps right in thinking that the
Beanpot is theirs and the other teams have to come and get it, and they
came out with fire and crushed BC's hopes with those three goals in the
first.  Meanwhile, it seems like the other three teams know the route to
the 'Pot goes through BU, and they rarely showed the kind of enthusiasm
that is characteristic of a BU team playing in the Garden, the Terriers'
"home away from home" (won 9 straight there, off the top of my head,
including the last 3 Beanpots and the 1991 HE championship).
 
Next week?  Originally I liked BU to beat whoever they faced in the final,
but I'm not so sure now.  I'm wondering if we'll see Tripp Tracy in net for
Harvard since he's got the better numbers.  Harvard seems to have a more
balanced team and should be able to give the physical play right back to
the Terriers.  Either way, it should be a dandy...I am leaning toward the
Crimson by a goal, maybe in overtime.
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*