I wrote about the Lowell-Merrimack rivalry,
 
> It seemed that every time the teams met in DivII, a
> championship was on the line - regular season, ECAC, or NCAA ...
 
...and how could I have forgotten about the old Teapot tournament.  The
Teapot was a sort of DivII Beanpot, played in the Boston Garden with the
semis one week and the finals a week later (just like the Beanpot).
Combatants were Merrimack, Lowell, Salem State, and usually Bowdoin or Holy
Cross.  The Teapot was played for four years from 1980-83.
 
Another chapter of the once bitter Lowell-Merrimack rivalry was written on
Jan. 5, 1981, when 6-8-0 Merrimack upset 11-2-0 Lowell, 8-3, in the Teapot
semis.  Here's the description from the article by Russ Conway of the
Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, titled "A Teapot Tempest: With Merrimack's upset
secure, one of the worst Garden melees in 10 years began".  I don't know
how accurate it is, but you have to admit it is colorful...
 
BEGIN EXCERPT
 
With six minutes remaining, Lowell's All-American co-captain, right-winger
Dean Jenkins, got into a pushing and shoving match with Merrimack's Rich
McLaughlin near center ice.  Jenkins was called for a cross-checking
penalty.
 
As play was whistled dead at the 14:07 mark, Jenkins went after McLaughlin,
throwing a couple punches which resulted in an automatic game misconduct
penalty according to college rules.
 
The fight was broken up and McLaughlin skated off the ice to the Merrimack
bench while Jenkins objected to the penalty.  Meanwhile, words were
exchanged between Jenkins - standing in front of the Merrimack bench - and
some Merrimack players.  Jenkins was then joined by some of his teammates
while McLaughlin moved down the Merrimack bench and sat down.
 
Ejected from the game, Jenkins left the ice and began walking down an aisle
next to the Merrimack bench and out of sight towards his dressing room.
Suddenly, he reappeared at the Merrimack bench where Warrior Coach Bruce
Parker was standing.  Jenkins then startled everybody as he raged on,
giving Parker a heavy shove, attempting to get past the coach to go after
McLaughlin once again.
 
A fan then reached over a railing and splattered Jenkins in the face with a
full cup of beer, igniting a free-for-all.
 
Jenkins went wild as he leaped over the railing, despite having skates on,
and began chasing the fan, knocking over some seats in the process.
Players on the Lowell bench emptied onto the ice and rushed to the
Merrimack bench.  Other spectators quickly jumped into the jam but
fortunately, most of the 3,518 in attendance had already left the arena by
this time (11 p.m.) with the game's outcome well established.
 
Within a minute, 10 Garden security and police officers were in the
fist-flying scuffle that involved breaking up about a dozen fans who had
either joined Jenkins in his defense, or were going after him.  Jenkins was
the only player in the seating area immediately behind the Merrimack bench
(normally the Bruins' bench area when they play here).
 
Before it was over, Jenkins, fans and security guards were sprawled all
over the place in separate fights.  Sixteen portable chairs had been
flattened but miraculously there were no serious injuries or arrests in the
melee that looked more like a script out of a rock'em-sock'em John Wayne
movie.
 
When order resumed, after an 18-minute delay, the two referees handed
Lowell players 59 minutes in penalties including three game misconducts.
Merrimack players, who remained cool at their bench protected by an outer
plexiglass cover, were not found at fault and received no penalties.
 
Jenkins was given a major five-minute fighting penalty, a 10-minute
misconduct penalty, a game misconduct penalty and a one-game suspension.
In addition, Lowell's Tom Cronin and goalie John Mackenzie were hit with
game misconducts and defenseman Paul Lohnes received a two-minute
unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a 10-minute misconduct.
 
Jenkins will not be able to play in Lowell's game this Friday against Norwich.
 
"We kept our poise in a delicate situation," said Parker, talking about his
Merrimack players during the brawl.  "Twice in a row, I felt that Dean
Jenkins had cross-checked McLaughlin.  The first time he got away with it
and the second one, the official made the call.  I'm just pleased our kids
didn't even take a penalty in that situation."
 
"I don't know what started it but Dean Jenkins is a level-headed kid," said
Lowell Coach Bill Riley, talking about his flashy forward who has been
highly touted by NHL scouts.  "I'd say the other guy (McLaughlin)
antagonized him.  And then that fan threw a beer in his face."
 
It was more like throwing gasoline into a fire.
 
END EXCERPT
 
Kids, don't try this at home. :-)
 
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                [log in to unmask]               *HMM* 11/13/93
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