Pour me some more of that Jim Beam, bartender. This a'int gonna be easy...
At ten o'clock last night the Lowell defense corps checked into Mass General
en masse. Each member was experiencing whiplash symptoms resulting from the
roadrunner Huskie forwards flying past them unmolested to the net. Some of
these were a case of simply getting beat by a quicker skater, but since many
were also the result of stunningly bad judgement on pinches, a few brain
transplants may also be in order. Questions are also arising about whether HE
leading scorer Greg Bullock is in need of a heart transplant.
Frankly, this is more like the Northeastern team I expected to see at the
beginning of the year. A consensus pick for #2 in Hockey East on the strength
of their NC$$ selection last year (not to mention the potential "stolen" win
against LSSU) and their minimal losses to graduation, Northeastern has baffled
me with their medicore record to date. Yes, there have been injuries
blah-de-blah but last night they showed what offensive team speed could
accomplish. They thoroughly dismantled a Lowell club that had split last
week's home-and-home with a very good UNH club and still had designs on third
place in HE.
Although the game was decided in the second period, a telling incident occurred
in the first. The RiverHawks had just been given a power play opportunity
about halfway through the period. Unfortunately, ten or fifteen seconds later
Greg Bullock picked up a slashing penalty that negated the man advantage. Coach
Crowder, upset that his team has spent so much time in the penalty box this
year (they lead HE in PIM/game when considering *all* games), has
said that those taking stupid penalties would lose ice time. Crowder
followed through on his threat. In addition to the lost ice, Bullock then
was invisible for virtually the rest of the game. At times he appears almost
disinterested, although that may just be his own demeanor and not really the
way he feels. It is disconcerting, however, to see Bullock go from being such
a dominating offensive zone player to being a mediocre face in the crowd.
Perhaps it's all a matter of a very good offensive zone player not spending
much time in the offensive zone due to the extreme pressure the other team is
pouring on. But there may be an attitude and an inconsistency that is becoming
problematic. I'm giving Bullock the benefit of my doubt, but I'm getting
worried. Here's hoping he turns it back around tonight and then stays
consistent the rest of the season.
Anyways... the key to this game was a second period that was overwhelmingly
in favor of Northeastern. They took a 1-1 game and turned it into a 4-1 lead.
Shots on goal in that period were 18-8 in their favor and would have been well
into the twenties had they not shot wide so frequently. Jordan Shields got
things rolling with a nice deflection of a Rick Shuhwerk shot from the point.
From that point on Northeastern was relentless with what seemed like a ten
minute powerplay despite the 5-on-5 manpower situation. The puck rarely left
the Lowell zone. Martin Fillion had been the surprise starter -- it had been
*many* games since he'd last seen action -- and at the beginning of the Virtual
Power Play it looked like he was more lucky than good. But he kept making the
saves, some of them at point blank range, until one had to be impressed. Then,
with 3:34 left in the period after yet another Lowell defenseman coughed the
puck up, J.F. Aube was left with a point blank opportunity. It figured that
Aube, sniper that he is, would solve Fillion's mastery but Fillion stopped yet
another point blank shot only to have Craig Carmody sweep in and knock home
the rebound.
Ed Campbell then made an ill-advised pinch (geez, this game sure looks easy
from the stands) and Jason Kelly converted the opportunity from Jeff Lucas
and Aube with 1:23 left in the second to make it 4-1.
Early in the third Dave Barrozino got turned inside out and then David Mayes
made an addition to the mountain of defenseman blunders and Jeff Lucas scored
on a nifty deke move on Fillion. Jordan Shields assisted.
At about that time, one of the ten-year olds that I coach asked if he could
borrow my pen to get autographs from the cheerleaders. It seemed like the
best use of the pen at that point, so I have nothing further to report.
IMO tonight's rematch at Matthews Arena is critical to UMass-Lowell. If they
get swept, falling out of fifth place may turn out to be more likely than
gaining home ice and especially third place. IMO a third place finish will
be a markedly better position than fourth. I'm assuming
that Maine will now finish first and BU second, with a three
way battle between UNH, Northeastern, and UMass-Lowell for third. (UNH's
surprise win over BU may go a long way towards clinching that spot for them.)
Whoever finishes third doesn't have to face the other two in the first round.
This is *no* knock on the remaining HE teams, but IMO there's a significant
difference between facing UNH or NU in the first round and either BC,
Merrimack, Providence or UMA. Again, no disparaging of those teams is intended;
my remarks are a measure of very high respect earned by UNH and NU. Of course,
if last night's game was any indication then UNH and NU will pull ahead and
UML will be just another opponent for those two. The importance of a good
performance tonight cannot be overstated.
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* 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. * *, ## ,*
***************************************************** '-*******-'
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