In a game that sounded sloppy yet exciting, Harvard came from behind
to beat Maine in Portland, 7-6.  Cory Gustafson had a hat trick for
the Crimson (8-3-1).  Maine fell to 10-8-0.  Both teams gave their top
two goalies time, which was interesting because this was a reasonably
big game - yet with the score close (I think Harvard was up 3-2) halfway
through the second, Maine's Allison replaced Marsh and Harvard's Tracy
replaced Israel.  Each of the replacements would give up 4 goals.
 
Mike Latendresse also had 2 goals for Maine; I think Maine had 4 PPGs.
 
Heather and I had the game on Harvard's WHRB at home, and I have to
say that while I turned the game on not having any interest in who
won, by the end we were both rooting heavily for Maine to come back
and win - because of the Harvard radio announcers.  If you have a
chance, tune these guys in just for the experience.  You haven't heard
"homer" broadcasting until you've heard a Harvard game.
 
These guys (who I don't think ever gave their names) complained
vociferously and annoyingly about EVERYTHING that did not go Harvard's
way.  They even complained about the shots on goal.  At one point in
the first period, the color guy said, "I don't know WHY they didn't
count that last shot for Harvard as a shot on goal...it hit the post
and that's part of the net!"  I kid you not.
 
One thing that really bugs me when listening to a game is when the
announcers complain about every penalty called against their team.  I
mean EVERY one.  And a penalty called on Maine, of course, was a "good
call".  It got really ludicrous.  When a Harvard player hit Ingraham
and was called, it was a bad call because Ingraham is small and had to
be taking a dive.  And when a Maine player was called, they made sure
to tell us how the Maine player was twice the size of the poor
defenseless Harvard player.  I don't know who the referees were (they
were never mentioned by name, though HE officials wear their names on
their jerseys), but according to WHRB, this was the worst-officiated
game they'd ever seen and they made sure to berate the officials
whenever possible.  Like when Harvard decided to warm up Tracy during
the simultaneous goaltending change, and then when Harvard started to
do so, Maine decided to warm up Allison - the referees were lambasted
for not also charging a timeout to Maine for the warmup.  The rule is
that once one team calls a timeout, the other can exercise all
privileges related to a timeout without also being charged one, like
warming up the goalie (this is specifically in the rule book).
 
I've seen enough HE games and different HE officials work games, that
I think the level of officiating in HE overall is pretty darn good.  I
have a lot of trouble believing that this game was called as poorly as
it sounded.  I honestly can't recall a single penalty called against
Harvard that the announcers conceded should have been called.
 
At any rate, it sure was entertaining.  And it sounded like the game
was, too.  Unfortunately, I think these guys missed it...
---                                                                 ---
Mike Machnik                                          [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                  *HMM* 11/13/93
<<<<<< Color Voice of the (8-8-1) Merrimack Warriors WCCM 800 AM >>>>>>