-- [ From: Adam Wodon * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
 
> Friday's games were the more emotional of four.  Cornell
> surprised me with how competitive they were with LSSU, who
> I figured would crush the Big Red.
 
I can honestly say, I was not surprised at this. I can see why people
would be, but I've been following the Red enough lately to know they
were for real. If Elliott stops one of the two softies, Cornell wins.
Cornell put 4 shots on net between the 2:00 and 1:30 remaining mark in
the third, not including the anguishing crossbar by Drouin. My forced
impartiality went out the window on that play, as I let out a "holy
sh**"
 
> Clarkson/Western Michigan was the overpoering goalie
> performance you always expect in the playoffs.  Only it
> was by the guy you'd [not] expect.
 
Either Magliarditi had his worst game ever, or he's overrated. I assume
it was just a bad game.  When I say bad, I mean bad for him. He was
good at times.
 
But Murphy's performance is not surprising either. He's simply damn
good, and always has been, starting over 75 straight games now.
 
> As Friday ended, the ECAC had vindicated the selection
> process, nearly winning both games, and surprisingly
> making a few chinks in the vaunted CCHA armor.
 
Again, no surprise to me.  The ECAC has good teams. No one wants to
believe it, but they do.  Last year, the league had balance, and a
winning record vs. the West, but no dominant teams.  This year, top to
bottom, the league was bad, but it had 4 dominant teams, three of which
proved their mettle this weekend.
 
> I don't think my HE friends could believe that a team with
> one line and a goalie could make the phinal phour, but
> they were convinced.
 
Just keep letting everyone think that.  People have to realize, they
may have one offensive line, but they have four lines that play
defense.  Teams don't allow 2 goals per game with just a great goalie
and 6 defensemen. The forwards help, and Vermont plays great team
defense.
 
> No point in gushing about Perrin and St. Louis.  Big type
> play had clutch time-- perhaps the best play of all was
> Perrins' goaltender imitation in the waning minutes, note,
> all stick, no flop.
 
SLU coach Joe Marsh was standing next to me on this one, and I thought
he was going to lose it when Perrin made the stop. His ECAC stripes
were understandably coming out.  The play was unreal, and, again, I had
trouble holding in the forced impartiality.
 
>  The second St. Louis goal remains confusin to me with St.
> Louis being quoted in the T-U as having knocked it in off
> the crossbar.  No one in the section apparently saw it.
 
I think St.Louis is the only one who saw it, but he should know.  He
said he tried to lift the puck, and lifted it as high as possible
without missing. He said it hit under the crossbar and went in.
 
>  Also, the T-U indicated that the LSSU goal went off a
> Vermont skate, although I don't remember seeing any
> Catamount in front of Thomas.  In fact I thought the goal
> was a little soft, but I will withdraw the criticism if it
> in fact went off a skate.
 
I had a great view of this one, and actually it went off Pavel Navrat's
calf and in, not a skate.  Either way, the puck was thrown in front
from almost behind the net, so there's no way it was going in unless it
hit something. Thomas had no chance.
 
>  Having a 6-4 advantage in the offensive zone is no
> advantage if you don't get the draw. BU its experience and
> prowess in the face-off circle to hold on.
 
Good point. I was really hoping Clarkson could tie it.  I wanted at
least one OT during the weekend. What a story it would have been if
Clarkson came all the way back.
 
> Call their performance mechanical--but sufficient.  It
> won't be against Michigan or Minnesota.
 
At times, BU is so good and efficient they're boring to watch. Not
really, because solid play is nice to see, but they're usually not
flashy, despite their dominance.
 
> For goalie I would have picked Murphy on his Friday night
> performance and second half against BU.  Not that I don't
> think Thomas was deserving.  I rate him best in the nation
> with only Daubenspeck close,
 
agreed.
 
> but Murphy's performance was so unexpected-probably the
> best of his career.
 
maybe it was the best of his (short) career, who can say, but it's not
unexpected. Murphy's always good.
 
Again, Murphy was hurt because the voting was done early.
 
AW
 
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