Mike,
 
Here's the review of the Merrimack vs. UMaine.  I sent this only to you
so that you can mix in the box score info, and then send it to hockey-l.
Sound cool?
 
Merrimack played well most of the game.  All six of the Maine goals were
scored when Merrimack decided to try to get cute in their own end.  In
the first period, Merrimack worked the puck out of their own zone
quickly, effectively, and and without incident.  However in the second and
third period, on many occasions, Merrimack tried to get cute in their own end.
Steve D'Amore saved them most of the time, but he can't stop everything.
 
Another thing I noticed that I didn't like.  During the second period,
Rob Atkinson was trying to sneak in behind the defense on the left wing.
Twice a Merrimack defenseman tried to hit him.  However, a Maine defenseman
blocked the pass both times.  Both times, Maine turned the puck around,
and came in, usually with a two on one or three on two.  Steve D'Amore did
well to keep Merrimack close in these parts.
 
In the first period, Garth Snow was the big difference.  With Merrimack
already leading one to nothing, Snow robbed Jeff Massey twice point blank,
and then robbed Jim Gibson on the second one's rebound.  Snow made several
other big saves.  Merrimack may not have had many shots (16 in the game) but
most of those were testers.
 
The second period belonged to Maine.  The shots for the period said it all,
sixteen to six, and hence the result:  Maine scores four, Merrimack scores
one.  I think after the first period, Coach Walsh had a few choice words
for his Maine team.  They didn't play well in the first period.  They were
a different team in the second period.  Maine was skating, shooting, and
passing much more effectively.
 
Steve D'Amore played another solid game.  Almost all the Maine shots were
testers or goals.  D'Amore made several quality saves.  The goals, Steve
had no chance at all.  Also for Merrimack, Jim Gibson was flying.  His
presence on the ice makes a big difference for Merrimack.
 
One of the worst things was referree Frank Cole.  He didn't call flagrant
penalties on several occasions, then would call a phantom penalty to make
up for it when he missed the call.  A flagrant example was when he didn't
call a flagrant trip on Dan Gravelle, and then twenty seconds later called
an Maine player for a slash when his stick never left the ice.  This happened
on more than one occasion.  At one point this fan yelled "Hey Cole, what
are ya doing, watching the Beanpot?"  In fact, on Maine's sixth goal, the
teams were only skating four aside, although no penalties were called.
There was a fight (* more of a long wrestling match *) just outside the
Maine zone between Gravelle and Maine's Andy Silverman.  The fight continued
for close to ten seconds.  Cole never stopped play, and the linesman wouldn't
blow the whistle.
 
One thing that hurt Merrimack was a failure to convert on two almost
consecutive power plays.  At that point the score was 5-2.  If Merrimack could
have converted on either, or both, the score would have been a lot closer.
But Merrimack's Power Play looked horrible in the third period.  It did
click once in the second, but they looked horrid in the third.
 
Guy Ragault had two great chances to score late, but was robbed by Rob
Howland (* Howland replaced Snow with about five minutes left *) once and
Ragault fanned on the other attempt.
 
 
Overall, Merrimack's effort was a lot better than the score and shots show.
Merrimack played better than in the last two Maine games.  I hope to see
Merrimack continue the positive style of play.  They may not have won
the game, but they did play well enough to beat some other HE opponents.
If they play as well as they did in the first period for an entire game,
Merrimack will win.