Notes on our experiences at the Northeast Regional (Manchester, NH): We had tickets to both the eastern regionals because we didn't know where BC was going to end up. We were able to get the Albany tickets to someone else who could use them (one advantage to e-tickets from Ticketmaster; we could email the ticket files to the new owner on short notice. He was near Albany, we were near Boston.) Manchester is just an hour drive for us so we could do the weekend as day trips, no overnight stays for us. Manchester is small and easy to get around once you learn the directions. The arena was easy to find. We parked on Saturday in a city lot that had a sign saying "$10 Event Parking", only to find that the attendant asked how many games we were there for, and when we said both of them, he charged us $20.00 ! We talked to some security and Manchester police at the arena and they checked it out. The guy was wrong in overcharging us (there was only one admission, you couldn't leave and return for the second game), so they took our name and address and we are supposed to hear from someone in Manchester to refund our extra $10. I'm pleased that they helped us, but I won't be completely satisfied until the city does contact us and sends our money back. (Yes, I could have made a fuss at the lot, but with a line of cars and no backup authority I didn't want to get in a battle. If the guy was deliberately ripping people off I didn't know how he would react if I called him on it. And I would be leaving my car there after I left for the games.) The arena is relatively new, so it is well-kept and clean. The seats we had were in the upper end, but all the views seemed pretty good, and the seats were pretty spacious and comfortable. The row in front of us was filled with pro scouts checking out the players; at least one guy was representing the Canadiens. Things in the arena were cramped between periods and games, the walkways aren't terribly wide as folks had pointed out. It is one of the few arenas I have been where there are more rest rooms for women than men. Compared to the Centrum in Worcester, which is a competing location, it is more convenient and comfortable for most. I didn't think too much of the food options, but they were standard arena fare and at least were cheaper than Boston. The games: Saturday game 1 between BC and Niagara was a bit tense when the Purple Eagles scored on their first shot, but BC was carrying the play to a large extent and we were fairly confident that they would put some points on the board. The goal of the game was the Peter Harrold dash up the middle of the slot, faking out 2 defenders and sliding a shot through the 5-hole before tumbling over VanNynatten and into the net. Very sweet move and finish! BC also got 2 very efficient power play tallies from Pat Eaves, and it was great to see Ben Eaves playing a regular shift for the first time in months. Niagara worked hard but was outclassed in speed and skill, and their defense couldn't handle the BC movement. Niagara's first line is fast and good, though. I'd like to see them combined with some better talent in a bigger program to see what they could do. Matti K came up big when he had to, stopping a breakaway and the subsequent penalty shot that was awarded. (Double jeopardy, not fair, ref!) The referee was not a friend to BC, as it turned out, and Niagara made it close with a 5-on-3 power play score late in the second, but BC scored 2 in the third to put it away. A second sweet power play score from PEaves, and then a nifty backhand flip from Ryan Shannon to salt it away. Saturday game 2 featured Michigan attacking UNH in front of a predominantly UNH crowd. Unfortunately for the home crowd, UNH was a major disappointment in this one. Michigan played well, strong, fast, and aggressive. UNH was slow, weak, and hopelessly inept at getting the puck out of their zone. (Why can't UNH play that bad when they are playing BC?) The UNH fans were embarrassed by their team in this one, pleading with them to at least make an effort and show some gumption. It didn't help. About 4 of the UNH players played well, a handful were trying, and about half of them could have stayed home for all the good they were doing. Michigan got a good game from Montoya, Gajic, Kaleniecki, and many others. Every time the puck was contested along the wall, Michigan would come away with it and go on the attack while the UNH players would stumble after them. It was a microcosm of the season's inconsistency for UNH, and I can now understand why some of their fans were so disappointed in their effort this year (despite being good enough to make the tourney. It was a good season in many ways, but expectations ...) We tried to get dinner down by the Mall of New Hampshire after the game before heading home. The first restaurant we tried said there was a 2-hour wait! The next one was over an hour wait. Apparently there was a big CYO youth basketball tournament in town along with the hockey regional, and everyone was out to dinner at the same time. We finally moved farther away from the mall and only had to wait 15 minutes at Pizzeria Uno. Next time we'll scout locations earlier, I think. Back on the road Sunday afternoon for the shot at the Frozen Four, the crowd was better than I expected. While a lot of UNH fans unloaded tickets to BC folks coming up for the final, there were still plenty of Wildcat fans there (and to my surprise, most of them appeared to support BC. I guess I shouldn't let the flame wars on USCHO color my thinking about the loyalties of Hockey East fans in general. It probably didn't hurt that the opponent was Michigan, a big-time program that some find too large and dominant.) We parked on the street this time, and that got the thumbs up from the security lady we talked to about our parking woes on Saturday. I was worried about this game, as I wasn't sure if BC could come out with a stronger effort against Michigan. I didn't think they could win if they performed as they did against Niagara. I was happily impressed with the way the Eagles played for the entire afternoon/evening, carrying much of the play for long stretches. Yes, it was a difficult game when Matti K gave up one so-so goal and had a brain cramp in leaving the net to try to clear a breakaway attempt only to eventually give up a second goal. But he also had some brilliant saves on tough chances and was a rock in the third period and overtime. Michigan tried to establish the hard forecheck that was so effective against UNH but rapidly found that BC was much better at moving the puck out of their defensive zone, and also that BC could not be knocked off the puck the same way Michigan manhandled UNH on Saturday. The result was a dominant performance by the Eagles for most of the second period and a lot of the third. I've never seen a Michigan playoff team so dominated for such a long time in one game. Montoya was very good and needed to be to hold off the Eagles as long as he did. The first BC goal came at the end of a power play when the Voce/Eaves/Eaves combo moved the puck quick enough that Montoya couldn't cover the post before Voce flipped it high inside the post. As Ben Eaves made the pass and Voce made the shot, a whole series of the scouts in the row in front of us started scribbling notes; it was a great skill play. The biggest difference in the game overall was the Eagles' top line, which UMich could not handle. They were killing the UM defense every time they were on the ice, and Berenson noted after the game how he didn't have an answer for them. The BC effort wasn't limited to them, though -- the whole team played on fire and with an attacking style, and there was a lot of work to keep the puck flying toward the Michigan goal all game. The tension in the third period, the stretch of play where there was no whistle to stop things, the number of broken sticks littering the BC end when Michigan was putting on their late pressure, and the BC counter efforts was simply thrilling hockey, no matter who you were rooting for. This was one great playoff game to watch as a fan, and I'm sorry more folks didn't get a chance to see it. (I contrast this to the OSU-Wisconsin game on Friday, which was like watching paint dry for someone without a rooting interest in the game.) Just as I mentioned to Linda that BC was getting worn out and their shots weren't being of high quality, they get the shot on goal from Harrold, the rebound, and the Pat Eaves backhand into the open net to tie the score at 2 with less than 5 minutes remaining. Both teams got near-misses in the last few minutes, and BC stormed the crease in the last minute and somehow Montoya kept the puck out. It was thrilling, it was exhausting, it was fun, it was exhilarating. I normally can't enjoy a game with this tension level and this importance when my team is in it, but I marveled at this game. I haven't watched the replay on the tape yet but I bet I will enjoy it again just for the spectacle of it. The overtime was more of the same, with both teams putting on pressure, especially the Wolverines at the start. Each team had shots in the crease, big saves, rebounds, desperate clears, and the crowd roaring on each near- miss. BC started to carry more of the play as time wore on, either because they found a second or third or fourth wind, or because they just were more desperate. It was immediately obvious when Ben Eaves didn't make it on the ice with his linemates, and freshman Brian Boyle had to double-shift to cover his absence. We didn't know what it was at first, but hoped that it wasn't anything permanent, as he was magnificent in this game and we wanted to see more from him. The final goal was a scramble off the faceoff, the shot from the point that was saved wide, then Pat Eaves collected the puck in the circle and spun and shot. The rebound dropped down and was collected by someone who shot it at Montoya, it bounced up in the air, and it was swatted at and then it was in! The place went nuts (at least the BC partisans, who were the largest part of the crowd.) The reaction was similar to how it was when they won the 2001 championship, a sense of disbelief and relief and excitement and ecstasy. I thought it was Voce who got the winner, and then we saw the replay and saw it was Ben Eaves, who had come out for that shift without us noticing. That made it just that much sweeter. I'm sure the Michigan fans were disappointed to come so close and then lose, but their team will be back again in the future; that is one of the benefits of following a big-time power with a big-time coach. It isn't just a one-shot deal, lightning in a bottle. For the Eagles, they live to try for the title in Boston, just as in 1998. This team was expected to make it there with their talent and their strong showing during the season, but the stumble down the stretch made it open to question. They can be a very good team, though, and this game made that evident. There are 4 strong teams left in the tourney, and we are guaranteed one more HE-WCHA matchup in the final. It should be interesting in a couple of weeks. We are looking forward to the Frozen Four and some new blood in the set of teams. Congrats to Maine and UMD and Denver; it should be a good set of games. I am hoping that the weather cooperates and we don't have a 2 or 3 overtime game in the first semifinal, because I want a smooth Hockey-L dinner experience! We are going to have a good crowd and it will be great to see everyone again. Rick McAdoo "Volunteer reporter" A satisfied BC fan. GO EAGLES!