> As fully expected, local media coverage was virtually nonexistent for
this
> inaugural event.
If a subsequent WUT is held in Boston I'm sure the local media will be
better. Also, isn't the ECAC-HE game on Sunday? What media interest there
is in MA would gravitate to that.
Anyway, they're playing it on Sports Channel New England on a Sat.
afternoon, and that's not bad.
> The final result, as you probably know by now, was a 5-4 overtime victory
by
> the Canadian contingent; I'd be willing to bet that no one who follows
our
> beloved NCAA Division I programs would have believed the players from
schools north of the border had a prayer of winning.
I certainly didn't expect the Great White North to win, given how even
mediocre NCAA teams whip the CIAU each year. I'm watching a replay, and
the US actually is leading with 3 minutes to go and is outshooting them
27-22, but Tim Thomas has looked shaky so I'm waiting for the meltdown.
Some impressions from watching the third period on TV as I write this:
This is an entertaining game -- the players are actually trying, there are
a lot of good plays, some solid hits, and it's a skating exhibition.
Abysmal passing, but that probably owes to the guys never having played
together. Not a lot of stagnation in the center zone -- the coaches are
letting their guys fly.
From reaction to goals, the 10K Joe crowd seems at least evenly split, and
perhaps even a bit on the pro-Canada side.
The TV commentators are good; especially the color guy. And they've got a
mike on the ref and he's a riot -- very "don't make me come down there".
Red Berenson got a "scanning the crowd for celebs" facetime shot; Joe
Bertagna patiently corrected the interviewer who identified him as the
current HE commish about to take over the ECAC...
Now I know how to pronounce Dalhousie. Or I know how someone else
pronounces it, anyway... ("house", not "whose").
Matt Mullen (CAN goalie) saved the game with 2 point-blank saves with 2:30
to go. The US is actually playing better in the final two minutes and have
the game in hand. And indeed, with about 1:10 to go the US gets a couple
more point blank shots (idle Q: what is the etymology of "point blank"?)
and Mullen came up huge. I still don't see how Canada is going to come
back in this one...
WOW! Canada scores the game tying goal with 9/10ths of a second to go!!
After they had pulled their goalie with 44 seconds to go they had a nice
3-2 break and thought they'd scored but missed an open net. J.P. Davis (?)
got the even-up mark on a scramble in front.
The TV cameras missed the winning goal about a minute plus into the o.t --
it was described as USA trying to clear and a Canada player picking it off
and feeding Greg Clancy, who shot top shelf. Cancy is evidently a very
accomplished player: CIAU rookie of the year a few years ago, then MVP of
the CIAU tourny.
Shawn Bates (NoDak) was named the US game MVP and he was incredible.
Anyway, very exciting game. I hope the folks in Burlington get a game half
as interesting.
- Greg
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