The #1 ranked University of Maine Black Bears once again defeated
the Merrimack Warriors Saturday night in front of a crowd of 5345 fans
at Alfond Arena. Like last night,Maine jumped on Merrimack and dropped
their spirits from the opening seconds. Last night it took all of 14
seconds for Cal Ingraham to slip the past Merrimack goalie Mike
Doneghey,tonight it was 26,as Matt Martin and Jim Montgomery fed Cal
who was standing all alone on the near side of the net,and he quickly
deposited it in the back of the net.
However,Merrimack made a better account of themselves than last
night,and did not allow Maine to score again quickly. However,there
was only so long they could hold out. Cal Ingraham scored again at
8:10 (Paul Kariya,Montgomery) (PPG) and Kariya scored at 11:25
(Martin,Montgomery) (PPG) and UM took a 3-0 lead into the locker
room.
Merrimack kept up as much intensity as it could muster,but when
Chris Imes (Eric Fenton,Michel Latendresse) and Pat Tardif (Latendresse
Imes) scored just 16 seconds apart at 7:48 and 8:04,the Bears opened
up a 5-0 lead,which proved to be the nail in the coffin. Tardif scored
again at 15:07 and the Black Bears took a 6-0 lead into the inter-
mission.
Dan Gravelle put the Warriors on the board 3:52 into the final frame
scoring on feeds from Matt Hayes and Wayde MacMillan,to cut the lead to
6-1. The goal ended UMaine's stretch of 11 periods without allowing an
even-strength goalprior to Gravelle,the last even-strength goal allowed
was October 30 by the University of New Brunswick. Eric Fenton put the
Bears up 7-1 at 9:08 (Kariya,Ingraham) (PPG),but Gravelle answered with
his second goal,this time on the power-play,assisted by Mike Kelleher.
Jim Montgomery scored at 15:23 (Ingraham,Kariya),and Tardif buried
the puck 20 seconds later (Latendresse,Fenton),and what had been a
relatively closely contested battle was now a blowout. Eric Fenton
scored his seventh goal of the season with 1:27 left (Tardif),and
Lee Saunders scored with just 6 seconds left to seal the game at 11-2.
Maine played a superior game again tonight,but the score really
did not reflect the efforts put forth by the Warriors. Unlike last
night,the Warriors put up a fight until nearly the end. But they
simply couldn't stay with the Bears. Now it is on to Boston,where
Maine promises to get two tough road games at Walter Brown.
Scoring by Period
1 2 3 Total
Merrimack 0 0 2 2
Maine 3 3 6 11
Saves by Period
1 2 3 Total
Merrimack
Doneghey 17 11 6 34
Millar - 6 4 10
Maine
Snow 8 8 3 19
Hirsch - - 0 0 (In the final 10:25...no shots on goal)
Power play:
Merrimack 1/6
Maine 4/11
Records
Merrimack 4-3-1 0-2-0 HE
Maine 6-0-1 4-0-1 HE
Another score I have heard at this hour: Northeastern 2 BU 1 !
John Forsyth
UMaine Class of 199?
The opinions expressed are mine. Some may agree. Many will disagree.
But then,some people are wise,while many are foolish. Think about it.
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