The University of Maine Black Bears dumped the Devils 11-1 in an
awesome display of firepower on All Hallow's Eve at Alfond Arena.
Chris Ferraro stepped up his play (if that was possible),while brother
Peter watched from the sidelines(still suffering from that "elbow"
from the opening weekend),and Chris tied a school record with 5 assists
adding a goal for good measure. He was chosen the Game's #2 star,
however,as Paul Kariya scored a goal,added 4 assists and played an
excellent game defensively.
The Bears struggled a little for the first 10 minutes,but Matt Martin
found the back of the net to stake Maine to a 1-0 lead. Chris Ferraro
notched his goal just 0:32 into the second and it was 2-0. After the
lone UNB goal,UMaine scored 3 goals in a span of 2:57,to suddenly have
5-1 advantage. Kariya,Junior Justin Tomberlin and Jim Montgomery
(the first goals of the season for the latter 2) scored,and when Dave
MacIssac scored his first career goal with :49 left in the second,UM
went to the locker room up 6-1. Jaime Thompson scored his second goal
of the season 4:30 into the third,and then UM wrapped it up,as Cal
Ingraham(team-leading 6 goals),Tomberlin,Kent Salfi and Martin Mercier
scored 4 goals in 4:39 to give Maine a weekend sweep,and a series
total of 20 goals(vs 3 for UNB) and a 3-0-1 record(1-0-1 NC$$).
The Bears now prepare to play Providence this weekend,with
the hope of being 2-0-1 with the big games in Beantown 3 weeks away.
Notes: As mentioned,Chris Ferraro tied UMaine's all-time
assist record(originally set by All-American Andre Aubut in 1981)._
As the Presidential Election appraoched,Coach Shawn
Walsh encouraged as many players as possible to vote. The
results were that 21 of the 23 eligible voters on the roster
cast their ballots(the voting went 8 Bush,7 Clinton and 6 Perot
for the Political Hounds out there.) I am curious if other
teams had the "Get out and Vote" spirit felt here(overall,voter
turnout on campus,and in the state was excellent).
On Sunday the University community dedicated the new Alfond
Sports Arena with a ceremony honoring Harold Alfond. Present
at the ceremony was Florida State President Dale Lick(former UM
President),former Athletic Director Kevin White and Dr. Harold
Alfond,for whom the Arena is named. Emceeing the event was TV-2
Sportscaster Dale Duff. The ceremony officially opened the Arena
which will host both hockey and basketball. It was noted that when
the decision to build Alfond 16 years ago was made,the Hockey team
played on a frozen river,the Men's Basketball team played at a gym
in Bangor,and the Women's Basketball team was still in the embryotic
stage. Now UM Hockey is currently ranked #1 in the nation,the Men's
Basketball team is ranked as high as 56th(and pre-season Conference
Favorites),and the Women's team has boasted 2 Conference titles.
Thats the news for now from Black Bear country...here's to a
successful weekend in Providence.
John Forsyth
-Team Manager
-UMaine Class of '9?
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