>> One final point, and I may get some PC flames here.  At the end of Friday
>> night's game PC reportedly picked up a lot of penalties, with the resulting
>> power play goals for UML inflating the score.  On Saturday night, with 3
>> seconds left and the puck at center ice, a PC player slashed Shane Henry.
>> Shane, a Lady-Byng-type, was so furious with the cheap shot that he went
>> after the player.  The whole UML team was upset at the guy.  (Yes, I'm sure
>> they were also upset at losing.)  My point is that cheap shots at the end of
>> a game reflect badly on a team...I don't
 
Well, I've been a PC hockey fan for some 20 years, and you'll get no flame
here.  An incident such as you described has no place in hockey.  I enjoy
hard-hitting hockey and have often been accused of wanting the game scored on
a 10 point Must system.  I have NO use for cheap shots such as you described
or what I saw Friday night.  All season, Providence has been plagued by
"stupid" penalties at the wrong time.  Not only will this damage their
reputation around the league but it will also cost them some games.  The
incident you described occurred with 3 seconds left.  Any earlier and you now
have a potential 6 on 4 with the goalie pulled.  Smart move, eh?  There's a
bit too much stick work going on for my liking.
 
Your points on Hullbig and Gill are fairly accurate.  They do play a "clutch
and grab" style.  Both players are rather large and are more suited to a
physical style of play.  Unfortunately, it's not a style McShane wants them
to play.  Now, there are some games where he turns the Friars loose and they
hit everything in sight -- but those games are rare.  He much prefers a style
that emphasises skating over hitting.  Well, that's fine if you have the team
that can do it, but Hullbig and Gill simply aren't speedsters.  Hence the
clutch and grab.  I don't like clutch and grab hockey.  It
shows me that the players doing the clutching simply can't keep up with their
opponent and need to slow them down.  I believe there's a penalty that covers
the situation:  HOLDING.  It should be called more often and that style of
hockey eliminated.
 
Thanks for posting a review of the Saturday game.  We saw very little in the
Providence Journal regarding the game.  (College hockey is used as a filler.
If they have room, they'll print it otherwise...)
 
-- Ron
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