"[log in to unmask]" writes:
>THN Hockey East preview:
>(From the October 23 issue of _The Hockey News_, written by Larry Mahoney)
>
When I read this in THN, I was surprised at some of the things Larry said
about Merrimack and some of the things he left out -
 
>8.   Merrimack Warriors (4-17)
>     Five of Merrimack's top six scorers return from last season, but only
>     Dan Gravelle had more than 50 points.
 
True...yet why is this a concern?  Larry's #1 team, Maine, likewise returns
only one player who scored more than 50 points last year, and BU has none.
 
>     ...
>     hope for a return to form for Rob Atkinson, who slipped from 13 goals
>     as a freshman to just two last year.
 
Atkinson has moved to center and anchors a mostly checking line, as his
defensive play has improved dramatically.  His 13 goals came while playing
as a freshman with Gravelle and Casale.
 
Add Merrimack's Dan Millar as a strong candidate for All-Hockey East
freshman goaltender.  BTW, UNH rookie goalie Trent Cavicchi was wooed by
Merrimack who hoped he'd wait a year and then enter MC but he chose to
accept UNH's offer for this season after Levy turned pro.
 
I'd like to think Mailhiot will get some consideration for forward, but
he has the misfortune of being a freshman at the same time as the Ferraros
and Kariya.
 
>Coach's Corner, a seniority list of Hockey East coaches:
>
>2.   Ron Anderson, 43, Merrimack, 10th season.  Former NHLer likes tight
>     defensive play.
 
Interesting...more like wide-open, finesse, skating play!  But even that
has changed this year as the Warriors are playing a little more of a
physical style, i.e. "let them know you're there".  The key may be the
relentless attack from all four lines that, it is hoped, will wear down
opponents.
 
Two more notes from this weekend:
 
Sometimes you wonder why teams choose to schedule early-season
nonconference opponents, and the MC-WMU series showed why this is done.
Anderson hoped that playing WMU would prepare his team early to play a more
physical game that they'll need to get used to when playing Maine and BU.
WMU's Bill Wilkinson, meanwhile, said he believed that facing Merrimack
would get his team used to a more wide-open style of play.  I think both
teams came out of the series better for having played it.
 
Finally, we saw what an impact new Merrimack assistant Scott McPherson is
having on the club already.  I sat with him in the press box Friday and he
was able to suggest several key changes in the Warriors' style after the
first period that were clearly shown over the remainder of the game when
Merrimack dominated the final two periods.  He even amazingly predicted
Gravelle's game-tyer and Mailhiot's (pronounciation: MY-ott) winner down
to the player.  Looking ahead, Anderson seems excited about the recruiting
ability that McPherson brings to the club even though he has only been here
a short time.  BTW, McPherson was out recruiting and missed Saturday's
game, so the Warriors remain unbeaten with him present. :-)
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*