Greenie writes on Hockey-L:
 
>Looking for any comments people here may have on this game, both on the
>game as a whole and on Ben Guite's clocking of Mark Mowers head-first into
>the boards.
 
I'll jump in.
 
>This loss was UNH's biggest win ever over Maine, the Black Bear's worst
>shutout loss since 1982 (11-0, Providence), and Matile's sixth shutout in
>two years.
>
>Are the Black Bears a very good team which is just having difficulties in a
>holiday slump... or have people been putting too many expectations on this
>team (IE, overrated?)?
 
This was my first time seeing Maine this year, so I can't comment on that.
What I will say is that UNH played very well in every facet of the game.
What particularly pleased me was the intensity and determination on the
face of every Wildcat player throughout the entire game.  What was also
heartening was the way the team played within itself after the scary injury
to Mowers.  I, for one, was concerned with how it would affect them.  After
all, though they were up 5-0, they still had more than half the game to
play.  But they continued to play well, led by Tom Nolan.
 
>What's up with Matile? Is he starting to settle down as a solid netminder
>or is he as unpredictable as ever?
 
Matile was *definitely* in command on Saturday night.  I was not at the
Friday night game, but Greg said he was excellent in that game as well.
Let's face it, he may have had back-to-back shutouts if he hadn't lost his
stick late in the second period on Friday.  His GAA has improved to 2.68,
and his save percentage is now at .903.  With our offense, I'll take those
numbers to the bank.
 
>Regarding Mowers' injury, perhaps I missed it but is any talk of more
>severe punishment for Ben Guite (the player who delivered the hit)? Is
>there any possibility that the league may assign Guite a further suspension
>for such a vicious hit? In the box that was posted I didn't even see Guite
>assigned a penalty -- in the USCHO writeup it was listed that he received a
>"major misconduct" so what happens to him? Was he sent off and another
>player served the penalty? Is this simply a one-game suspension? Did Guite
>have anything to say?
 
>This seems to be an increasing problem with college hockey. We've had our
>discussions here about full-face helmets, about where a player stands with
>his back wide open, about the difficulties in not hearing a ref's
>whistle... but it seems that these types of hits (and injuries) seem to be
>on the rise, and the main factor is the lack of severe
>penalties/suspensions for the guilty parties. How long can this go on?
>
>greenie
>S P O O N  ! !
>(go BU)
>(go RAPIDS!!!!)
 
Guite received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct, so another player
did serve the major.  A game misconduct carries no further suspension.  I
would like to think that Bertagna will look into a suspension, but that
probably won't happen.  I will say that I watched the BU/Clarkson game on
channel 68 Friday night, and Jeff Kealty received the same punishment on a
hit-from-behind on a Clarkson player who went hard into the boards but
bounced right up.  Seems like there should be a more severe penalty when a
serious injury results from the hit.
 
Karen
GO BLUE!
Get well quick, Mark Mowers!  We need you!
 
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