The following is from the Portland Press Herald, Wednesday August 14
edition.  It is copyrighted by Gannett Co. and I have obtained
permission to reprint any and all articles for the Portland Press
Herald on the Maine list.
 
UMAINE PLAYERS CAN'T BEAR BAN
* Up to four 'All-American canidates' may leave because Maine is
excluded from postseason play
 
by Kevin Thomas, Staff Writer
 
The four best University of Maine hockey players could leave the team
because of the Black Bear's ban from postseaon play this year.
 
Goalie Blair Allison and defensemen Jeff Tory and Brett Clark have
been invited to the Canadian national team tryout September 9 in
Calgary.  If chosen, they will represent Canada in international
tournaments during the next year.
 
Also, forward Tim Lovell is considering a transfer to another school.
 
"We could lose three or four All-American canidates," said Maine's
acting head coach Greg Cronin.  "It's one of those things.  If (the
NCAA ban) hadn't happened, we'd be one of the favorites for the
national championship."
 
Although Maine voluntarily sat out this year's national tournament
because of it's violations of NCAA rules, the NCAA added a second
year to the ban in a wave of additional penalties announced July 31.
 
All four players said the NCAA ban caused them to look elsewhere.
 
"You never know what will happen with the appeal," Allison said.
 
Allison and Tory are All-Americans.  They, with Lovell, were the only
Black Bears chosen to the All-Hockey East team.  They are all
seniors.
 
Clark, a sophomore, was chosen to the Hockey East All-Rookie team
last year.  He was also the Montreal Canadiens' sixth-round choice in
the NHL draft two months ago.
 
Because of the NCAA ban, Maine's seniors would be allowed to transfer
to another school without any of the usual penalties (transfers must
normally sit out one year).
 
Maine has eight seniors this year.  Cronin said he knew of no other
players considering a move.
 
Lovell said he's spoken to a few schools, inclduing Northeastern.
 
"At the moment, I don't know," Lovell said.  "I want to play for a
national championship.  And since I've been at Maine, this will be
our third year we can't play for a championship."
 
In 1994, Maine forfeited 14 games because of ineligible players,
runining the Black Bears' chances for an NCAA tournament berth.
Maine played in the 1995 NCAA tournament and reached the final.  In
1996, Maine penalized itself and sat out of the tournament.
 
The 1997 penalty is harsher.  The NCAA is banning Maine from all
postseason games, including the Hockey East tournment."
 
"That's shocking," said Lovell, who didn't realize the ban also
covered the conference tournament.  "At least we had Hockey East last
year.  Now we don't have anything."
 
Northeastern's new coach, Bruce Crowder, also has been in touch with
Allison and Tory.  Crowder knows them well from his previous seasons
at Massachusetts-Lowell.
 
Allison and Tory said they didn't want to play for another school.
Allison said he will return to the Black Bears if he doesn't make the
Canadian team.
 
Tory and Clark are exploring their options, including a return to
Maine or going pro.
 
If all three play for the Canadian team this year, only Clark could
return to Maine because he would have college eligibility remaining,
according to the Canadian national team general manager, Mike
Johnson.
 
At the tryout 35 players will compete for 20 spots.
 
Johnson spoke highly of all three Maine players.  Allison has played
on a Canadian all-star team "so we know what he can do," Johnson
said.
 
"Tory is high on our list.  And Clark may have been one of the top
prospects we say" in a recent evaluation of players.
 
If Allison leaves, the Black Bears will not no returning goalies.
Backup Blair Marsh has one year of eligibility left but has graduated
and said he was leaving the program.  The No. 3 goalie, Eric Geoffroy
of the Lewiston, has transferred to the University of Southern Maine.
 
An incoming freshman, Alfie Michaud of Selkirk, Manitoba, could
become the No. 1 goalie.  Michaud, an all-star from the Saskatchewan
Junior Hockey League, said two weeks ago he might not come to Maine
because of the NCAA penalties.  But his father, Alfred Michaud, said
Tuesday his son has decided to join the Black Bears.
 
"Alfie will be put in the fire quickly," Cronin said.
 
If Tory and Clark leave, the Black Bears will have only five
defensemen returning and no known recruited defensemen coming in.
 
Plus, Tory, Clark and Lovell played pivotal roles on Maine's power
play.
 
Cronin, who is acting head coach until the suspended coach, Shawn
Walsh, returns Dec. 24, is disappointed the players might leave.
 
"Because (of the NCAA decision) I can sympathize with them," Cronin
said.  "But there is also a degree of loyalty that exists here."
 
***
LOVELL HAS been chosen to play for the USA Select Team in the Tampere
Cup tournament Aug. 22-25 in Finland.  The United States team is
comprised of 20 American born collegiate players.
 
The tournament includes seven of Europe's top club teams.
 
Earlier this week, Cronin returned from Finland, where he was an
assistant coach with the US national junior training camp team.
 
-- end of article