Sid writes on the upcoming HE final four:
>BU will advance to historic Boston Garden for the first time since the
>1991-92 [sic; actually 1990-91; thanks Mike!] season, when they won the
>Hockey East championship, defeating Maine 4-3 in OT on a goal by Shawn
>McEachern.  The Terriers face the Wildcats of New Hampshire in the 2nd
>semifinal, Friday at 8:00 pm. UNH and Maine make their second Garden
>appearances in as many years ....
 
  Despite the long and storied rivalry 'twixt UNH and BU, this is the first
Boston Garden play-off matchup between the Wildcats and the Terriers since
1977; that's right, *16* years ago !!  There have been other play-off
meetings since then, of course (most memorably for me the (in)famous 1983
quarterfinal match-up in Snively Arena when BU's Jerry August when berserk in
the deciding game and got himself a major + ejection that cost the Terriers
the series; or the mini-game fiasco at Walter Brown Arena the next year when
the 'Cats decisive 8-3 triumph in Game 1 would ultimately prove for naught
the next night (BU 5-2 regular game and 1-0 mini-game victories - what goes
around, comes around I guess :-) but Friday will be a reunion, of sorts, for
the stalwart members of the CHDA (College Hockey Dark Ages) who were there
in Boston Garden for that memorable weekend so long ago.  Just *how long* ago
was that ??  Rod Langway, now unofficially "retired" from the Washington Caps
this season after a long and illustrious NHL career, was the defensive *star*
(!?! - see below) for the 'Cats that weekend, the prelude to New Hampshire's
*first* NC$$ appearance.  The Cats scored 16 goals in those two games, yet
could only split; the defense gave up 17 of their own !! (for the record: 10-9
in 2OT vs. Cornell in the semi-final (still the most exciting game involving
UNH I've ever watched; only BG's 4OT NC$$ Championship thriller in 1984 in
Lake Placid was better); 6-8 (with ENG) vs. BU in the Final).  Jackie Parker
was behind the Terrier bench then, and will be again on Friday; UNH coach
Charlie Holt is now a HE Officials "observer," but something tells me he'll
find his way into the 'Cat locker room with some mid-game advice :-)
 
   So .... On to the Gahden; may the best (or luckiest :-) team win !!!
 
   Good Luck to everyone's favorite team this weekend ....
 
                                        Cheers from the Chesapeake - Jim