Maine 6 Princeton 1 (NC)
Saturday, December 21, 1996 at Alfond Arena (Orono, ME)
Score By Periods Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
PRI 0 - 1 - 0 -- 1 2 - 6 - 8 -- 16 6 - 12 1 - 5
ME 1 - 2 - 3 -- 6 14 - 6 - 13 -- 33 7 - 14 2 - 4
Records: Princeton (9-3-2, 6-2-1 ECAC)
Maine (9-7-1, 2-5-1 HE)
SCORING
1st Period
ME-1 Cory Larose (5) (Libby) PPG 19:36
2nd Period
PRI-1 Dominique Auger (5) (Verdon) PPG 4:18
ME-2 Shawn Wansborough (7) (Kariya) GWG 9:27
ME-3 Jason Mansoff (White, Shermerhorn) 15:00
3rd Period
ME-4 Scott Parmentier (12) (Unassisted) 2:36
ME-5 Steve Kariya (10) (Larose) PPG 8:06
ME-6 Reg Cardinal (7) (Unassisted) 9:26
Goaltenders Saves by Period
PRI - Nick Rankin (49:26) 13 - 4 - 5 -- 22
Craig Bradley (10:34) x - x - 5 -- 5
ME - Javier Gorriti (48:34) 2 - 5 - 3 -- 10
Alfie Michaud (11:26) x - x - 5 -- 5
ATTENDANCE: 4,092
ORONO, Maine -- Maine used a three-goal third period outburst to pull away
from Princeton and win the JCPenney Classic for the first time since
1992-93, with a 6-1 win Saturday Dec. 22.
FIRST PERIOD:
Princeton came out and controlled the play for the first few minutes of the
contest. They kept the puck in the Maine end for an extended period of
time, but couldn't muster any chances on Maine goaltender Javier Gorriti.
But once Maine cleared their zone and cranked up their offense they took
control of the game, complete control. Princeton would get two shots for
the entire period, but one was high quality.
Princeton was able to catch Maine on a line change and send a player in all
alone, but Gorriti came up with the big save. These were the kind of plays
that have frustrated Maine all season long. Maine carried the play, and was
dominating the game, but poor goaltending has cost Maine. Since Gorriti has
taken over the goaltending role, Maine is 3-1 and they aren't being burned
as often on such breakdowns.
Despite dominating the score almost stayed at 0-0 going into the first
intermission, but on the power play, Cory Larose got a goal. Larose took
the shot from the point. Princeton goaltender Nick Rankin got a piece but
not enough to stop the puck from crossing the line to make the score 1-0
with just 24 seconds left in the period.
Maine outshot Princeton 13-2, and for the second straight game held an
opponent to two shots in the first period. The Maine defense prevented
Princeton from any real chances, and performed well again in the neutral
zone both passing and playing defense.
SECOND PERIOD:
Princeton is a good team, and you would expect them to come out in the
second period and try to even out the play.
Dominique Auger, who had a great tournament, would score his fifth goal on
the power play at 4:18. Auger moved to the top of the slot and blasted it
top shelf by Gorriti. It was a terrific shot by Auger and Gorriti would
have had to make an incredible save to stop that one.
Princeton took the early lead in shots, and outplayed Maine for sections of
the first 10 minutes of the period.
But Maine would begin to once again take over the game as the period
progressed. With 10:33 left in the second, Shawn Wansborough gave Maine the
lead once again. Steve Kariya went behind the net and slipped a centering
pass infront where Wansborough banged it home to make it 2-1 Maine. That
goal proved to be the game winner as the Bears shut the door on Princeton
for the rest of the game.
Maine would get a big goal with five minutes left. Jason Mansoff flipped an
easy shot from the point. The shot made it through a screen, and Rankin
never saw it was it went over his shoulder and into the net.
This was the most even period of the game as Maine only outshot Princeton
7-5, but had outshot them 20-8 after two periods. This was indicitive of
the play as Maine led 3-1, and had the distinct edge in play.
THIRD PERIOD:
Maine would get started early and put this game away before the period was
half over.
Scott Parmentier got things going at 2:36. Steve Kariya picked the pocket
of a rushing Princeton forward (Masters) and the puck squirted out to center
ice. The good play at the blue line by Kariya allowed Parmentier to get the
puck and break in on Rankin. Parmentier moved in front and used a good
backhand to beat the Tiger goaltender to make it 4-1 Maine.
Maine used their second power-play goal of the game at the 8:06 mark of the
period. Gorriti sent the puck up ice and caught the Tigers in a line
change. Cory Larose got the puck to Steve Kariya who scored is 10th goal of
the year to extend the lead to 5-1 Maine.
At the 8:34 mark, Maine would make a goaltending change to Alfie Michaud.
Gorriti made 10 saves on 11 shots in a solid performance. Michaud would
stop all five shots he faced.
Maine had one more goal, this one coming just 1:20 after the fifth goal.
Reg Cardinal took over the puck and went alone on Rankin to score his fourth
goal of the weekend and give Maine the 6-1 lead. The goal drove Rankin out
of the game. Rankin made 22 saves on 28 shots. Craig Bradley replaced him
in the Princeton net, making five saves.
Maine would outshoot Princeton 13-8, and 33-16 for the game. Maine wins the
JCPenney Classic since the championship year of 1992-93.
ALL JCPENNEY TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Fowards:
Brent Ozarowski, Union College
Steve Kariya, Maine
Scott Parmentier, Maine
Defense:
Dominique Auger, Princeton
Jason Mansoff, Maine
Goaltender:
Javier Gorriti, Maine
Most Valuable Player:
Reg Cardinal, Maine
COMMENTS:
When Maine destroyed Dalhousie 10-2, it was hard to judge the performance
because of the competition. Maine had a similar dominance Saturday night
against Princeton, and it is by far a greater accomplishment to beat
Princeton, and so convincingly.
Anyone who watched Princeton dismantle Union 6-3 in the first game of the
tournament saw a very fundamentally sound, very good Princeton team. They
were very impressive, and many Maine people are surprised at how easily
Maine beat them.
Saturday's win is one of the most important wins all year for Maine. They
had not won a Saturday night game since Nov. 2 against Alabama-Huntsville.
It was also important from a confidence standpoint to win a big game and do
it in convincing fashion.
Maine has to be feeling good about themselves right now. They've won two in
a row and three of their last four, and now have their head coach returning
and the offense, defense and goaltending is playing as well as it has all
season. This is not surprising. I've felt since the beginning of the
season that Maine's best games lie ahead. They were bound to start slow,
but once things got in order and the younger players adjusted things would
improve.
These were two big wins, and Maine is in good shape going into the Denver
Cup this weekend before returning to Hockey East action January 3 at Providence.
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])
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