>[...]
>NATIONAL CAPITAL TOURNAMENT at OTTAWA
>semifinals (11/26/93)
>Merrimack 5, Western Ontario 3
>at Ottawa 5, Colgate 2
>
>consolation
>Colgate 8, Western Ontario 3
>
>championship
>Merrimack 2, at Ottawa 1
>
>In the Ottawa Sentinel's pre-tourney story on Friday, Merrimack was
>listed as being "an NC$$ power".  Holy cow.  Well, maybe someday.  I
>know one guy I spoke to from the area seemed surprised when he asked
>me what place Merrimack was in and I told him last. :-)
 
That was the Ottawa Citizen that called them an NCAA 'power'. Bear in mind
that University hockey here gets very little coverage. There were three
articles this weekend on the tournament, that was all the ink Ottawa U. will
get until the playoffs, assuming they make it that far.
 
>The first game really had no flow to it as the Canadian refs, known to
>let more go than their American counterparts, allowed a total of 23 power
>plays - 14 for Merrimack - and each team scored 3 PPGs.
>[...]
 
Don't forget that there is only one ref in Canada, so he can't see everything.
That is probably one reason why less is called. It also means that the game
depends more on the individual style of the referee concerned. Some refs will
call everything, while others will let them play. With two refs, I think there
is less differential between games.
 
>No details on the consolation, but Merrimack got goals from Gibson and
>Matt Adams to take a 2-0 lead after two and held on for the win, 2-1, as
>goalie Martin Legault turned aside 33 shots (unofficially).  Ottawa had
>the edge in play over the final two periods, outshooting Merrimack 27-11
>and 34-21 for the game, but Legault played very well.  The tourney all-star
>team was something of a mystery, as neither Gibson nor Adams made it and
>Merrimack defenseman John Jakopin was named MVP.  Jakopin had a decent
>weekend, but he also had no points and didn't even play as well as
>fellow D Dean Capuano.  Legault also did not make the all-star team,
>nor did Capuano.
 
As I said in my earlier post, I was quite impressed with Legault as well. Is
he the starter or the primary backup? I liked Jakopin's play, but I wouldn't
have named him the MVP, mind you I only saw the final. I agree that Legault
was by far the MVP in the final, but I don't think Rivard was for Ottawa.
 
>An interesting rule we saw called numerous times this weekend dealt with
>checking from behind.  In CIAU hockey, this gets the offender a minor -
>plus an automatic ejection.  Three players drew this in the championship
>game alone, including Merrimack's Matt Gallo, who was playing only his first
>game of the year and then got the gate just 8 minutes in.  It seems to me
>that if this warrants an ejection, it also warrants a major instead of a
>minor, but that's the rule.
 
This is the rule in all of Canadian amateur hockey. I suppose the theory is that
you penalize the player by tossing him, but you don't overly penalize the team
by making them play short for 5 minutes. I think the rule is stupid, myself. I
think we are going to see a lot more "cross-checking" called, because refs
will be reluctant to throw people out for checking from behind, so will instead
call it X-checking or interference.
 
One question I have, how are the trees doing? Jakopin was the Tourney MVP, but
how is McKenna playing. They could be forces when they adjust to the US game.
 
Good luck to the "NCAA power" Warriors, :)
John
 
--
John C.K. Edwards       ONLY _21_ DAYS UNTIL I GO HOME!!!! :-) :-) (Dec.19)
Poli Sci/Law III      GO CATS GO!!! (7-18)     TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!!!! (5-6)
CUSA Arts/SS Rep    [log in to unmask]    [log in to unmask]
Ottawa, ON        Unfortunately, my opinions aren't those of CUSA or Carleton