Each week that I go up north I say that I should write some thoughts up and get back into regular PURE HOCKEY related posts to the list, and then, life gets in the way. Since I've done little but think about the games I saw over the weekend, I thought I'd finally put finger to keyboard...
I made the drive from Auburn and back all three nights and had a great time. If you didn't attend the games because they were on TV or whatever, you missed a great atmosphere. I must say that it has been some time since I felt that kind of energy in the building as it was this weekend.
I'll start with Saturday because that was the loss and bad news first... crazy game and not sure you can draw too much from it. The refs obviously lost control of the game, the players lost control of themselves and the coaches lost control of their teams. At the end of the day, Merrimack prevailed and its students got to chant "THIS IS OUR HOUSE" at all the Maine fans as we filed out of the building. I didn't think Sullivan had a particularly strong game, though the two quick goals came right after he was shaken up. Maine never got into what worked Friday (and Sunday) on Saturday at all and the entire game (including penalties) played right into Merrimack's hands.
What I thought Maine did very well Friday and Sunday was that they attacked the neutral zone with speed and in the middle of the ice. They stayed away from the wall in the neutral zone, and did not play exclusively dump and chase, though they still dump the puck plenty (we are not BC after all). I can't remember forecheck well enough from Friday, but on Sunday Maine changed up its forecheck and sent two guys deep and really came out in first 10 minutes and hit everything that moved. Really set the tone in that game.
I thought Shemansky and Mangene had particularly good games on Sunday. I wish Hegarty would move the puck quicker out of his own zone. Sullivan was better Sunday and Maine showed the discipline necessary to win playoff hockey games.
Joe Cannata makes playing goalie look easy. He is so quiet with his body and always seems to be in great position. I know BU goalie Milan made 68 saves Sunday, but I think Cannata is best goalie in the league and going to make a nice pro I think. Very solid, and good for Maine to have played him with Milan on deck.
Say what you want about the alleged beer in the Merrimack section or lack of creativity in chants that don't involve "sucking", you got to love that they brought 5 buses worth of kids up to playoff game. How great is that? Wouldn't it be great if Maine bussed 5 rounds of students down to Boston? They gave the kids quite a deal and even though it didn't turn out their way, I'm sure they'll remember it and so will we.
When everything was on the line Sunday, the students were great for Maine!! When we arrived at the arena about 5:45 the line for the students wrapped around the outside of Alfond Stadium and INTO the football field!! The balcony was completely full with 37 minutes to go before puck dropped. As always students were classy and did a great job! Considering that the general public tickets were not presold to the public (unless you elected to have them as a season ticket holder) I thought the community came out very well on a Sunday night. I know that the group of people I was with all had to work on Monday morning and had long drives ahead of them, but no place we would rather be! Considering students were on break vs. UNH and the first two games, I thought they still did a nice job turning out as well.
What was this "altercation" I heard about in parking lot? I think it happened after I was in the rink...
All in all, it was a very memorable weekend and it appears that Maine is headed back to the NCAA Tournament!! It is great to be relevant again this year and to have this pressure and excitement at the end of the season. This is a feeling we have certainly been missing and you learn to appreciate it more once you haven't had it for awhile. Hoping for the best in Boston, and looking forward to watching the NCAAs (as always) but this time with Maine in it again!! Thanks for reading and letting me share. THIS IS OUR HOUSE!! GO BLUE!!
~Deron