Mass Lowell 3, Maine 2 (OT)
 
UML     1 - 0 - 1 - 1 -- 3
Maine   0 - 1 - 1 - 0 -- 2
 
ORONO, Maine -- Neil Donovan scored 1:06 into overtime to complete a
Lowell comeback and give the Riverhawks the victory 3-2, ending Maine's
nation-leading overtime unbeaten streak at 21 games (6-0-15).  Maine's
last overtime loss was February 19, 1993 to Boston University.  It was
the "1" in Maine's 42-1-2 championship season.
 
PREGAME:
 
Maine was without defenseman Jeff Libby and forward Nils Satterstrom
tonight, both nursing injuries.  Reg Cardinal would play despite
suffering from the flu.  This marked the second of three straight games
Maine and Lowell would hook up.  The third game will take place next
Friday at 5 p.m. in the first round of the Governor's Cup.
 
FIRST PERIOD:
 
Once again Maine would begin the first period flat and consequently
would fall behind early once again.  This time it was Mike Nicholishen
who took the shot from the point, beating a stunned Alfie Michaud at
2:09 of the first period.  Michaud never saw the puck, and in fact was
moving to the short side of the net, while the shot went to the far
side.
 
Maine would not stay flat for long and overall played a good period of
hockey.  Martin Fillion, and missed opportunities stood in between
Maine, and several goals.  It would end up being a key to the game.
 
The best flurry came when Scott Parmentier broke in, only to be stopped
by Fillion, who left a rebound.  Steve Kariya came plowing through the
slot all alone but Fillion made the save.
 
Parmentier had a chance later in the period, when he failed to get the
puck in the air and Fillion was able to slide across the crease and
make a save.  Parmentier was not alone, several other Black Bears had
high percentage chances but failed to get the puck in the air.
 
Fillion was key to the period.  Maine had control of the last ten
minutes, but Fillion stopped all 14 shots that he faced -- many of the
spectacular variety -- and kept the score at 1-0 Lowell after one
period of play.
 
SECOND PERIOD:
 
Lowell came out in the second period and took the play to the Black
Bears.  Lowell tallied eight shots in the first 4:27 of the period
forcing Maine coach Greg Cronin to use his timeout.
 
Fortunately for Maine, Alfie Michaud played well all game despite
getting the loss.  Michaud was especially key during the second period,
and this segment in particular.
 
At one point Michaud was forced to make three consecutive saves before
diving behind the net to cover the puck.  Michaud looked calm and
confident, and his play reflected that.
 
After the timeout Maine was able to stop the bleeding.  Maine would
give up only four shots the rest of the period, but would still be
outshot 12-9 in the period.
 
With 5:43 to go in the second Maine would pull even on the power play.
After several poor power plays David Cullen took charge.  He carried
the puck from the left point all the way down to the corner, behind the
net and to the right corner where he fed the puck back to Cory Larose
at the right point.  Larose took the shot that found its way though the
crowd and into the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Like Friday night, Maine had plenty of trouble with the Lowell
forecheck, especially in the early stages of the second.  Maine had a
difficult time getting the puck out of the zone, let alone setup any
offensive chances on the other end.
 
THIRD PERIOD:
 
It was key for Maine to get the next goal, and try and take the wind
out of Lowell's forecheck.  As long as the game was tied, Lowell could
just sit back and play their game, especially with Fillion playing so
well in goal.
 
At the 6:04 mark of the period, Maine got that goal.  The puck came off
the end boards funny and right out to the slot for a wide open Steve
Kariya who beat a surprised Fillion short-side for the 2-1 lead.  For
Kariya, it was his team-leading seventh goal of the season.
 
But Maine would completely shutdown.  Content with the one goal lead
the Bears sat back and just tried to hold onto the lead, rather than
trying to force the play up ice and create offense.  When they did,
they were trying long breakout passes, not exactly high percentage play
with the lead.
 
They were successful in killing off most of the period, but as time ran
down Lowell got more and more aggressive and pressured Maine's defense
that much more.  Finally at the 16:53 mark, a rebound would squirt free
and Mike Mulligan followed his own shot for his first goal of the year,
and the score was tied.
 
It was a complete roll reversal from the night before, when Maine had
to claw back into the game.  Last night Lowell sat on a lead and it
cost them, tonight it was Maine's turn.
 
Maine would be outshot for the second straight period, 9-7, but outshot
Lowell through regulation 30-28.
 
OVERTIME:
 
A couple matching minors near the end of the third period had the teams
playing 4-on-4 hockey at the start of overtime, and Maine would get
some early pressure.
 
After a couple chances, Kariya skated into the offensive zone but was
outnumbered so wheeled back into the neutral zone and gave a pass to
Scott Parmentier.  Parmentier tried to make a fancy little play, but
coughed up the puck to Neil Donovan who went into the Maine zone 1-on-4.
 
Donovan was stopped, but a Maine player tried to make a breakout pass
which was immediately picked off by Donovan who beat Michaud to end the
game at the 1:06 mark of the period.
 
COMMENTS:
 
Greg Cronin talked after Friday night's winning saying that the team
dealt with adversity well, but posed the question who will they deal
with success.  Cronin answered that question himself tonight stating
the obvious at the postgame press conference.
 
Cronin took the blame for the loss saying that obviously the team
wasn't prepared to play the game tonight, or at least a full 60 minutes
of hockey.  It was as he said a coaching and personnel problem.
 
The problem was not Alfie Michaud, who played his best game in so far
this year stopping 26 shots in the loss.  He'd like to have that first
goal back, but he made some huge saves tonight, especially in the
second and third periods.  If there is a positive to be had from this
game, it is his play.  He looked like he is gaining confidence, and
that he is growing more comfortable with the new style that the Maine
coaching staff wants him to play.  Hopefully he'll continue to improve.
 
Maine lost yet another player to injury tonight.  Shawn Mansoff is hurt
with apparently a colarbone injury.  That means that if Mansoff and
Libby don't return, Maine will likely have to play three forwards at
defense, two of which won't start playing defense until this week.
Jason Price started at defense tonight and played solid again.  Next
weekends game's are non-conference and will not count in the Hockey
East standings.
 
As much as Friday night's win was exciting and important, tonight's
loss is devasting.  Maine failed on a chance to move up in the
standings and now sits tied with Northeastern for last place in Hockey
East.
 
It was how Maine lost tonight that was important as well.  Maine
trailed early, but outplayed Lowell in the first period.  The second
period they came out flat and their goaltender kept them in the game.
The regrouped without further injury and gained the lead in the third
period.  Only to lose the lead late, and the game in overtime.
 
This team isn't going to blow many, if any teams, out at all.  They
have to rely on their ability to win close games, reminiscent of the
1994-95 team that went to the NCAA finals.  That team didn't have a
wealth of talent up front, but they won the close games -- or at least
did not lose them, as evidenced by the six ties.
 
Maine is now 5-5-1, and a dismal 1-4-1 in Hockey East.  If you look at
Maine's Hockey East games, they have lost three of their four games by
one goal (Northeastern 5-4, New Hampshire 6-5, and Lowell 3-2).  All
three of those are games Maine should have won, but something happened
and they did not.
 
On a postive note, Maine's one win in Hockey East play is by one goal
as well.  They showed Friday night that they are capable of winning the
close games.  Winning the close games is the difference between the
good teams and the simply average teams.
 
Maine and Lowell (6-4, 4-4 in Hockey East) will matchup again on Friday
evening (5 p.m.) at Gutterson Fieldhouse on the campus of the
University of Vermont for the first-round of the Governor's Cup.  Maine
is the defending champion of that tournament, and depending on the
outcome will play either UNH or Vermont in Saturday's contest.
 
-- Deron Treadwell
-- REPLY TO:  [log in to unmask]