Just so it doesn't look like Mike isn't giving the opponent his due, I'll
second his opinion that Lowell didn't look *that* overwhelming in last night's
win over Merrimack.  After 3 losses we'll take the win but I'd have to agree
that this was more Merrimack's very poor play rather than an astounding
performance by the RiverHawks.  In particular, Merrimack's penalty killing was
like taking candy from babies.  As I mentioned to Mike during an intermission,
if your penalty killing is that weak you'd better not take bad penalties.
Merrimack did and had 4 scored on them in 7 opportunities with another just
seconds after the power play expired.  So realistically that was 5 goals in
7 chances.  Some credit is due Lowell for finishing the chances but basically
it was Merrimack's poor play that dictated the outcome.
 
I will offer a different view of the first goal, though.
 
Mike wrote:
> On what looked like a harmless rush, Lowell
> skated up ice 2x2, but a Merrimack forward who shall remain nameless
> inexplicably stopped skating and didn't cover Riga.  Mahoney saw the
> chance and fed the open Riga for a quick goal at 2:38.
 
It was my impression that Mahoney didn't feed Riga the puck, but that he
shot it and it deflected to Riga who put it in.  I could be wrong but it
seemed more of a lucky opportunity for Riga than a good setup by Mahoney.
 
 
It was good to see Mahoney break out.  Mike referred to him as a normally
quiet fourth liner.  Since Mahoney has also sat out some games that assessment
might even be viewed as going easy on the guy.  Personally, I was thinking
that Mahoney could do for Lowell what Bazin did last year.  Namely, come out
of nowhere to score a ton of goals.  He does do a good job of burying the puck
so maybe this is the time for him to emerge.  As I recall Bazin did most of
his scoring in the latter half of last year.
 
Bullock looked like a very ordinary hockey player last night (even before the
stick to the cojones had him down on the ice for a while).  And I didn't
notice any special shadowing of him.  I'm curious as to whether his ordinary
play of last night was also typical of the Syracuse Tournament.
 
Does anyone know how long and why Neil Donovan is out?  He's a big part of
the RiverHawks offense.
 
For those who might be interested, the lines were changed either as a result
of the recent losses or because of Donovan's absense.
 
Sbrocca-Daw-Salsman
Bullock-Dartsch-Concannon
Mahoney-Riga-Henderson
Cormier-Brown-Bassaraba
 
*****************************************************        ,-******-,
* Dave Hendrickson "Robo" [log in to unmask] *     *'     ##     '*
*        A Hockey Polygamist and Get-A-Lifer        *   *##   ___##___   ##*
* GO BROONS!!!      Go Red Wings!!        Go Leafs! *  *   ##|   ___  \##   *
* GO UMASS-LOWELL!!!    Go Maine!!           Go BU! * *      |  |___)  |     *
* --------------------------------------------------* *######|   ___  <######*
* Although I can't remember ever having an original * *      |  |___)  |     *
* thought, and am certainly parroting someone who   *  *   ##|________/##   *
* actually has a brain, these opinions are mine,    *   *##      ##      ##*
* not Hewlett-Packard's.                            *     *,     ##     ,*
*****************************************************        '-*******-'