Lee Urton writes:
>UMA-PC
>...
>It looks to me that UMA is the exact opposite of Bowling Green. that
>is, they have some fine team play. The players looked comfortable
>together, and played well, executing on all the things a team has to
>do. But they don't seem to have much in the way of individual talent,
>the kind of guys that can make stuff happen.
 
It's interesting that you note this about UMA's play.  To me, this is
one of the prime reasons why I expect UMA to become very successful once
they are able to bring in better players.  I've been very impressed
with the game plan employed by Joe Mallen most times I have seen UMA;
it's just been that they are currently suffering from being limited in
talent *and* very inexperienced.  As an assistant at BC in the late
80s and early 90s, Mallen was very much instrumental in the
outstanding Eagle teams that were near the top of HE and the nation
for several seasons.
 
As for the youth UMA has now, special teams is a good example.  UMA
ranks last in HE in both penalty killing and power play.  Several of
the key mistakes made by the UMA special teams against PC were a
result of inexperience, and I think NESN's Bob Norton did refer to
this.  The SH breakaways PC had may not have happened against a power
play where the pointmen had more experience.
 
As Badger Bob often said, special teams is where you win or lose
games.  Earlier this season against Merrimack, UMA actually had the
better of the play at even strength, but they were beaten on special
teams.
 
Norton also noted that UMA could gain a good number of quality players
just by recruiting from the Western Mass area, i.e. Springfield.  The
Springfield Olympics have sent a number of good players on to DivI
schools - players who in the future may decide to go to UMA instead.
And PC's Chad Quenneville, one of the more talented players in HE (did
not play in the tv game because of a DQ Friday), could very well have
chosen UMA instead if UMA had a team then.  He is from South Hadley,
right near UMA.
 
Mallen is lucky to have a recruiter on his staff who I think is very
capable of landing those quality players - Scott McPherson.  When
McPherson was at Merrimack for just one year, he brought in three
players who have proven to be key to MC thus far - goalie Martin
Legault, D John Jakopin, and F Claudio Peca.  If McPherson can work his
magic for the Minutemen, that combined with their excellent on-ice
coaching should lead to steady and quick improvement for UMA in the
upcoming seasons.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93