I just returned from BC where the Eagles dominated Alaska-Anchorage but still lost, 3-2. I see Clarkson, Cornell, and Providence have won, so I have gone o-fer tonight. Not a good start. Yet, it is the first time *ever* that all four road teams have won on the same night, either in the first round or in the quarterfinals. That goes back to the beginning of the eight-team format in 1981. No one could have predicted this would happen. This was only the third time an independent ever won a game in the NCAA Division I tourney; Alaska-Anchorage is only the second team to do it. Merrimack won two games in 1988, one at Northeastern and one at Lake Superior. BC was 17-1-0 at home coming in, but now they are on a two-game losing streak. We heard the BC radio guys on the way home, and there were two memorable quotes. Sorry I can't remember the guy's name. First: "Last year at this time there was the feeling of, "Who can beat us?' Now, it's 'Who CAN we beat?'" And second - and this one deserves its own line: "Len Ceglarski can't coach his way out of a paper bag." The BC folks are VERY down at this point. It could be over tomorrow night. Still, I look at the fact that Anchorage was so outplayed by BC, in my opinion (Krake was the only thing keeping the game close the first 50 minutes), and I will stick with BC to win the next two games and the series. Here's the box: Alaska-Anchorage (18-15-4) 0 0 3 - 3 Boston College (27-11-0) 0 1 1 - 2 FIRST No scoring. Penalties: BC, David Emma (high-sticking), 0:37. AA, Jeff Batters (interference), 8:18. SECOND BC1, Bill Guerin #25 (unassisted), 14:36. Penalties: AA, Batters (slashing), 2:51. BC, Ted Crowley (roughing), 7:08. AA, Troy Coulson (holding), 9:19. AA, Jim Mayes (high-sticking), 15:04. AA, Brian Kraft (slashing), 18:16. BC, Steve Heinze (hitting from behind - major), 19:56. THIRD AA1, Rob Conn #28 (Kraft, Trent Pankewicz), 9:12. BC2, Dave Pergola (Jeff O'Neill), 9:55. AA2, Kraft #20 (Conn), 10:12. AA3, Steve Bogoyevac #11 (Coulson), 13:39. GWG Penalties: AA, Batters (roughing), 9:26. BC, Sean farley (roughing), 9:26. AA, Brad Stewart (interference), 10:35. AA, Batters (slashing), 14:29. Shots on goal: UAA 11--5-11 = 27 Power Play: UAA 0 for 4 BC 10-19-16 = 45 BC 0 for 6 Saves: AA, Paul Krake (60:00, 45 shots-43 saves). BC, Scott LaGrand (59:30, 27 shots-24 saves). Now, some words: The referee was Shepherd from the WCHA; I was very impressed with the job he did in the WCHA Championship, and he called another good game tonight. Linesmen were Demers and Earle from the ECAC, and they also did a good job. The first period was one to fall asleep to. No scoring, very little up-and-down action, and only one penalty a side. In the second, BC turned it up and outshot the Seawolves, 19-5, but they only got one goal. That came at 14:36, when Bill Guerin shot the puck off the faceoff and Krake made the save, but Guerin put in his rebound to break the scoreless tie. BC had four power plays in the period and got no goals despite several great chances. The only other notable thing about the period came with four seconds left. Deep in the UAA end, Lorne Knauft hit BC's Steve Heinze, who was so angry that there was no call that he absolutely crushed Knauft (a big boy) into the boards. Knauft crumpled to the ice and did not move at all, lying on his stomach. The Seawolves' trainer came out and after about five minutes, Knauft slowly got up. I believe he was probably knocked out. Heinze was sent to the locker room and was given a major from hitting from behind, which now carries an automatic DQ - or so I thought. He returned in the third to serve his penalty and continued the rest of the game; I can't explain this because I thought I remembered seeing this in the rule book (which is at home). Knauft did not come out with his team to start the third, but he did come out for one shift and was on the ice for UAA's first goal; then he went right back to the locker room, but again he returned and played about the last six minutes. I can see how he would refuse to sit it out with his team on the verge of the biggest win in their history. The third period was played in halves, which is getting to be a custom at BC. UAA had a 4:40 power play in the third after the final 16 seconds of a penalty to Kraft expired, but they couldn't do anything with it. Krake continued to stand on his net in the UAA net, stopping McInnis and Emma. Finally UAA tied it up at 9:12. Big gun Rob Conn had two shots blocked by BC players, then his third try found the mark with LaGrand on his knees. LaGrand had shut UAA out for 49:12, but it would only take 4:27 for them to get all they needed to win. With five seconds left in the first half of the third period, Dave Pergola put BC ahead, 2-1. Jeff O'Neill threw the puck in along the right boards and Pergola beat UAA's Trent Pankewicz to it behind the net, then he wheeled in front and slammed it through Krake's pads at 9:55. It only took 17 seconds for Anchorage to tie it up. The net appeared to be off when the goal was scored, but it could have been LaGrand who knocked it off. Kraft got credit; there was a lot of action in front and it just looked like Kraft and Conn were whaling away at it. Brad Stewart was called for interference at 10:35, but BC couldn't score. They got two good chances just as the power play came to an end from Marc Beran and O'Neill, but Krake again came up big. Then at 13:39, the game-winner was scored. Steve Bogoyevac came out of the right corner with the puck and blasted a shot over LaGrand's shoulder from the bottom of the circle to bring a hush over Conte Forum except for the Seawolves' celebration. Krake played out of his skull the rest of the game, stopping Emma, McInnis, and Crowley on another power play, and making the biggest saves of the game on Franzosa with 1:53 left. Franzosa's first shot was stopped, then Krake fell back in the net, lying on his back, but he reached up to stop Franzosa's followup. I can't imagine how he didn't get the puck up over Krake, but it still goes in the books as a huge save. BC pulled LaGrand with about 41 seconds left, but the Seawolves were not about to pull a BC and let this one get away. Despite being outplayed, they earned this one with their hard work and tough defense, and their refusal to give up. I believed that if BC was going to lose a game to UAA, it would be this one. It will take another miraculous performance from UAA and Krake to beat BC again. Sure, it can happen, and maybe BC is really down on themselves which would play a big part tomorrow night (I don't know). We will see. Congrats to Clarkson, Cornell, Providence, and Anchorage fans! The rest of this weekend should be VERY interesting... - mike p.s. the 1-900 number goes on hold as of tonight.