Sorry about replying to this post, but I trashed the "pooka" listing of 2 BU tickets for this weekend. If still available, I'd like to buy them. Thanks, Pat Leathers >From: Deron Treadwell <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Maine Hockey Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: UMaine buries Gophers >Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 12:13:03 -0400 > >This email has been sent to you by Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask]). > >Comments from Sender: > >This story can be found online at: >http://www.pressherald.com/sports/college/hockey/031011umaine.shtml > >=============================================================================== > > Saturday, October 11, 2003 > > UMaine buries Gophers > > > By JOHN FEY, Special to Portland Press Herald > > Copyright 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. > > > > > > OMAHA, Neb. -- For the University of Maine hockey team, the pain of the >2002 loss to Minnesota in the NCAA championship game festered. > > The Black Bears had to wait an entire season to get a shot at avenging >the heartbreaking 4-3 overtime loss in St. Paul, Minn. > > Funny thing, they had to travel halfway across the country to shock >the two-time defending champion and top-ranked Gophers 4-0 Friday night in >the first round of the Maverick Stampede at Omaha's new Quest Arena. > > Maine Coach Tim Whitehead couldn't help but smile when asked if he was > slightly surprised, a lot surprised or not surprised at all with his >team's performance. > > "I guess I'm a little surprised," Whitehead said. "It was a great team >effort. It was one of those games where we tried to focus on blocking shots >and staying with our man." > > The Bears did all of that and more behind sophomore goaltender Jimmy >Howard, who turned back all 25 shots the Gophers tossed his way. > > Todd Jackson scored twice, including the game's first goal -- a >short-hander at 5:48 -- which set the tone. Derek Damon and Colin Shields >sandwiched goals between Jackson's as Maine won a season opener for the >seventh straight year. > > Jackson, the Bears' senior forward and captain, said the team had >extra motivation for paying back the Gophers. > > "You don't forget about something like that (overtime loss)," Jackson >said. "I think it showed tonight." > > Jackson's goal came while his team was playing short-handed on the >game's first penalty, a hooking call on Tom Zabkowicz. Jackson found >himself with the puck and tucked it in the right corner of the crease off >Minnesota goalie Justin Johnson. > > "I think for a lot of guys, we didn't know how we'd stack up against >Minnesota," Jackson said. "To score that first goal meant a lot." > > It meant a lot to the Bears to have a hot sophomore goalie. Howard >wasn't tested as much as one might expect from the team that lost just >three players off last year's squad and returned 88 percent of its goal >scoring, including 11 of its top 12 scorers. > > Asked about posting a shutout on opening night, Howard said: "It's a >great feeling. It was the icing on the cake to get the shutout. We worked >really hard all week." > > Maine stunned the Gophers with Damon's quick strike 20 seconds into >the second period. Shields' score came at 7:17, and Jackson pretty much >sealed it with his second goal at 18:26 to close scoring. > > The Bears played cautiously in the third period, but still kept >Minnesota out of the net. > > "We didn't play very smart," Minnesota Coach Don Lucia said. "They >were a little more hungrier than we were." _________________________________________________________________ Add MSN 8 Internet Software to your current Internet access and enjoy patented spam control and more. Get two months FREE! http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/byoa