Maine 3, Boston University 0
Friday, February 21, 1997, at Alfond Arena (Orono, Maine)
Score By Periods Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
BU 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 7 - 3 - 10 -- 20 8 - 16 0 - 3
ME 3 - 0 - 0 -- 3 8 - 10 - 4 -- 22 6 - 12 1 - 5
Records:
Boston University (18-7-6, 14-3-4 HE)
Maine (22-10-1, 14-7-1 HE)
SCORING
First Period
ME-1 Shawn Mansoff (7) (Wansborough, Stewart) 11:16
ME-2 David Cullen (3) (Libby, Kariya) PPG 12:04
ME-3 Jeff Libby (4) (Price, Shermerhorn) 16:22
Second Period
No Scoring
Third Period
No Scoring
Goaltenders Saves by Period
BU - Michel Larocque (60:00) 5 - 10 - 4 -- 19
ME - Alfie Michaud (60:00) 7 - 3 - 10 -- 20
OFFICIALS: Referee Frank Cole; Assistant referees Brian Sullivan,
Bill Doiron
ATTENDANCE: 5,343
ORONO, Maine -- Alfie Michaud made 20 saves to earn his first career
shutout, as Maine blanked rival Boston University 3-0 Friday Feb. 21 at
Alfond Arena.
PREGAME:
Boston University was without Tommi Degerman who sustained a knee injury
against UMass-Lowell last Saturday, and forward Brendan Walsh who the BOSTON
HERALD reported has been kicked off the team.
FIRST PERIOD:
Before the puck was even dropped something was different about this night.
For starters Alfond was sold out for the third time this season (all since
Walsh returned as coach) and the atmosphere was as electric as it has been
in years. It was difficult at times to hear the Maine starting lineup --
this game was not only important to those on the ice, but those in the stands.
Maine rode that emotion to a quick 3-0 lead. The Black Bears would score
three times in a 5:06 span of the first period. It would prove to be all
the offense the Bears would need thanks to a stellar defensive performance.
After BU had the territorial edge early, Maine would pick up the physical
play which directly led to the first goal. Two Maine players put a huge hit
on a BU defenseman in the corner after they dumped the puck in. The puck
came loose as Shawn Wansborough found Shawn Mansoff at the bottom of the
slot who beat BU netminder Michel Larocque for the 1-0 lead at 11:16 of the
first.
BU freshman forward Chris Heron would make a costly mistake just 18 seconds
later, as he was called for interferece putting the deadly Black Bears'
power play on the ice.
At the 12:04 mark, just 48 seconds after the first Maine goal, the Bears
added another one. David Cullen extended his point streak to nine games
(2-11--13) when he threw the puck on net and it made through a maze of
players and into the net. It may have been tipped by a BU player.
With 4:38 left Maine got a 4-on-4 goal to close out the game's scoring at
3-0. Jeff Libby ripped a shot from the blue line that cleanly beat Larocque.
SECOND PERIOD:
No scoring this period, but it belonged to the Maine defense and Michel
Larocque.
First Larocque kept BU in this game. He faced only 10 shots, but eight of
those were quality scoring chances as Maine had the decided territorial edge
thanks to a terrific defensive period.
The Black Bears only allowed three shots on goal, and only six BU shot
attempts, period. Maine was really able to shut down the BU offensive
machine as they gave them next to no room to operate.
Maine had their chances. They had an apparent goal waved off, it was
unclear from my vantage point what exactly happened but it appeared it might
have been a goal judge error as the light quickly went off.
Then with 4:50 left in the period, Trevor Roenick beat Larocque but ringed
it off the post.
Maine outshot the Terriers 18-10 for the period.
THIRD PERIOD:
This was the Terriers' best offensive period, but that's deceiving as well.
BU had 10 shots to Maine's four, but BU had NO shots from the faceoff dots
in. No attempts or anything. Maine kept them to the perimeter and really
helped Alfie Michaud see the shots.
Maine, perhaps resting their troops with another game on Saturday (their
fourth in a week) just focused on clearing the zone and dumping the puck out
of the zone. They did a good job keeping the Terriers out of high
percentage chances.
Alfie Michaud was tested several times over the last two periods and made
the saves when he had to -- earning his first career shutout.
COMMENTS:
Superior effort from the fans and the players tonight. Maine came out and
jumped BU, and then played a solid defensive game to get the win. Maine
neutralized Chris Drury playing a key role in the win.
BU played like a bunch of individuals and not a team. Perhaps some of that
is due to Maine, but BU players did not try to make the play, rather try to
create something individually, usually being easily ridden off the play by
Maine's defensemen.
Michaud made some real good saves, especially two where Chris Drury walked
right in on Michaud, on in the first, one in the second.
Maine is now 13-3 since Christmas, and 12-2 in Hockey East since Christmas.
If Maine wins Saturday, they will be just one point out of second-place in
Hockey East -- something that was seemingly unattainable just a month ago.
WHAT THEY SAID: (postgame quotes)
SHAWN WALSH, Maine Coach
"We are a very good hockey team. We only have four seniors.
"They brought the Maine jersey back. It's pretty evident we are right in
the thick of top six teams in the country."
"Our defense played very well. It's worked out very well."
"I thought Larocque was very good."
"I saw same kind of respect I saw against New Hampshire."
-- Walsh noted good press in USA Today and NY Times, wondered out loud when
Maine would follow suit.
"This is our playoffs. Our goal is to play well."
"Pride means a lot more than wins and losses or how far you go in the playoffs."
RE: Alfie Michaud's performance
"He didn't have that many tough saves."
"He's giving us the saves we need. He's very confident. He's solid."
"I don't know who is a better team [right now, in the country]. Maybe
Michigan."
RE: NCAA ordeal
"I don't dwell on what we've been through. It's over."
ALFIE MICHAUD, Maine goaltender
"I just look at it as another game. For me, it's just another game and I
have to play consistent hockey."
"The team is playing great hockey. What can you say?"
"I saw everything. The defense and forwards blocked out good."
STEVE KARIYA, Maine forward
"It was a great team effort."
"The defense played well and we got some great goals."
"We wanted to get ahead and get them frustrated."
"Crowd was great. It's tough on opponents."
We just want to keep working hard and focusing on defense.
JACK PARKER, Boston University coach
"Thought we got outplayed. They jumped us real good [in the first period]."
"[After that] I thought we played pretty smart."
RE: Michaud
"I thought he played well. Defense got him the shutout, though our goalie
played better."
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])
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