Maine played terrible tonight in penalty killing. All four North-
eastern goals were power play goals. Early on Northeastern had
some trouble when they were on power plays. They iced the puck
at least three times in the first period, and it wasn't because
Maine was attacking the net.
 
Maine's defense was considerably weaker tonight than in other
games this year at Alfond. Maine's offense had several oppor-
tunities in the second period after Northeastern knotted the
game at three goals apiece, but as Matt says, goaltending was
very good for Northeastern. Mike Dunham had an off night for
Maine, although not entirely his fault because the defense was
lacking. I do not believe Dunham and Snow are as good as most
everyone up here thinks. Both are above average, but neither
one of them is great, mainly because Maine's defense is so good
and Dunham and Snow don't get to see that many shots, or even
quality shots.
 
Sitting in the second row (rare to get a student ticket for
such a good location, especially on the second day of distrib-
ution), I saw a couple of outstanding plays close up. Fenton's
second goal off Veisor was a 20-footer that ripped through the
air three feet off the ice and clean into the net on Veisor's
glove side. Veisor was only a few inches off the goal post.
 
The other great offensive play of the game came in the third
period when Maine's Jim Montgomery made a beautiful pass
between a Husky defender's legs. Both Montgomery and the defen-
der were moving at top speed as Monthomery shot it a couple of
feet off the ice through the legs.
 
Here's an observation: Whenever Maine is on the power play they
tend to play cat and mouse games with the opposition, by pass-
ing the puck back and forth along the blue line. I have yet to
see Maine successfully set a shot up this way. All the other
team has to do is form a wall in front of the goal. I think
Maine should continue their explosive style of play on power
plays. They waste too much time trying to set the perfect shot
up. They have to keep the bodies moving in front of the net so
holes will develop. Defenders have yet to get edgy and come out
in an attempt to grab the puck.
 
Also, Senior Center Eric Fenton left the game after being slam-
med hard into the boards(at the end of the second period, I think).
He didn't re-enter the game, but he made it off the ice on his
feet. One of only three Maine natives on the Black Bears, he's
beginning to ripen.
 
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||   RYAN ROBBINS                    INTERNET:                 ||
||   UNIVERSITY OF MAINE             [log in to unmask]   ||
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