Great game.  This was the game Maine sorely needed.  Reminded me of RPI's OT
thriller over U-MD in 1985, although Maine ended it a lot sooner.  I think the
semifinal match-up is usually the key to the championship.  Anyway...
 
My star of the game:
1. Steve Shields--I am glad I voted him the #1 goalie in the Hockey-L poll, he
lived up to my confidence.  What a third period!  He must have stopped about
15 shots-some at point blank range.  The guy was ZONED!  Looking at my notes
I keep seeing BIG save, on Montgomery via Kariya in the first, on the
shorthanded 3 on 2 in the second, again in the third on (not sure of the name)
Hearn (?).  And then, the save of the day, the stop on Kariya, actually two
stops, in the last 1:30.  I thought this was going to be a scripted play:
"Paul Kariya, Hobey Baker winner, storms through the Michigan defense on a
one man breakaway.  Kariya goes down to one knee, evades the defensemen, and
lets loose a low wrister to Shields' right side.  The Maine players surround
Kariya..."  But it was not to be.  Shields was too damn good.
 
 
Secondary Stars
1. Eric Fenton-Played an outstanding game.  This guy is a major load in
front of the net.  At times he seemed like the only Maine player with any
fire.
2. Team Michigan--I'm not that familiar with their names, but Oliver comes to
mind.  They played superbly, always under control.  They certainly didn't read
Maine's press releases.  Kariya/Ingraham/Montgomery were just anothercouple
of skaters tothem.
3. Red Berenson--He had a great game plan.  Michigan had to have been schooled
to wait for all those 2 on 1's and 3 on 2's.  At times it seemed like there
was no one between the red line and Snow--only onrushing Michigan forwards.
Michigan also seemed to use its size to good advantage.  They seemed to check
like BU, but could also show the speed of Maine.  Michigan  must have been
directed to worry more about the secondary attackers (Montgomery, Ingraham)
coming in behind Kariya, than Kariya himself.  It seemed like Kariya was forced
to hold the puck much longer than he wanted, because there simply was no one
open on the rush.  By the time he made the pass the rest of the Michigan team
had surrounded Shields.
4. You can't leave Kariya out.  Even when he doesn't score goals, he makes
the ice buzz when he's out there.
 
Disappointments
1. Chris Imes--Where was he?  Back at Orono?  In the Hockey East tournament he
played such a strong series.  Against Michigan he seemed to play the whole
game backing up, or hustling to catch up to the Michigan players that had
gotten in behind him.
2. Saunders--but then he scored the game winner.  The whole game he seemed out
of it.  In the first he made that terrible play to allow a 2-1, although
Weinrich (sp) bailed him out by playing like a centerfielder on the rush.
His winning goal was virtually a fluke.  The puck, acting like a knuckleball,
bounced off Martin's knee and back on to his stick.  Strange ending to a great
game.
3. Snow--I don't think he had that great of a game.  I am sure he will not
start against LSSU, especially since Walsh has maintained the Snow/Dunham
rotation throughout the playoffs.  (I give him credit for his guts.)  Show
missed the second goal with the puck going through his legs.  I think he was
still rattled from seeing Michigan get the first score of the game.  My other
complaint is that he seemed to anxious to shoot the puck out of the zone to
start a rush.  While he can be an incredible weapon, at times his
aggressiveness back-fired.  Several times Snow opted to go with the big
clearing pass, ignoring his own defensemen who was standing right next to him.
Several times the big clear only resulted in an icing call by the refs.
Perhaps his actions were intended to break up the great forechecking job done
by Michigan's forwards--and Michigan's defensemen were almost never caught out
of position.
 
Other Observations
Reffing-Consistent, but at times non-existent.  This seemed like a typical
Harry Emmian game--he doesn't like to call anything until it looks like the
game is about to erupt in a brawl.  To Michigan and Maine's credit, they didn't
retaliate for the all the chippiness that both sides exhibited.
 
TV Commentators--Get Tom Mees out of there!  He belongs on ESPN tennis matches,
not hockey.  I wonder if he has ever been to a game before.  He seemed to beg
Bob Norton to speak up to overcome his inadequacies.  At times it seemed like
Mees didn't have a clue how to do the play-by-play.  He couldn't ID players,
couldn't ID penalties, couldn't get off his "Maine won 40 games" schtick.  One
good comment though: "Maine has the power play dialed-in."
 
Between the periods Phil Buttafuoco (Amy's uncle :-) )played the perfect NC$$
official-he said nothing.  I was hoping he would announce next year's regional
sites but the most interesting thing he said was that they were looking for a
site in the West to replace the Joe.  He also noted that those interested in
next year's tournament at St. Paul should contact the box office at
(612) 624-8080.
 
Shawn Walsh made an interesting comment that he told his team between the
second and third periods  there was no question who was the best team
around, and what goes around comes around.  He certainly pulled off a good
motivation speech because Maine came out and played the third period like
they were on a mission.  And, in light of their past failures, they probably
were.  We'll see if Maine gets to salute the crowd in Milwaukee on Saturday
night.  IMO they better get rid of the first period nerves or LSSU will leave
them in the lurch.  You can guarantee that LSSU will come out calmly, check
in, and play their usual business-like, mistake-free game.  Maine better be
ready to push the attack but take care of their own end of the ice.
                    _
            "NYS   // Hockey"
        Go 'Gate  //   Brian Morris
          Go RPI //      Albany, NY
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***********************Go Black Bears.  Sink the Lakers.***********************