(taken from Friday's "The Maine Campus" w/out permission)
 
BLACK BEARS TO HOST ARCHENEMY TERRIERS
by Larry Rogers Jr.
 
        The Red Sox and the Yankees; the Cowboys and the Redskins; the
Bruins and the Canadians; Michigan-Notre Dame, these are some of the most
intense rivalries in sports.
        Make room on that list for Maine - Boston University.
        The Maine-BU rivalry has grown into one of the most competetive in
college hockey.  There is no love loss between these two teams and this
weekend's series at the Alfond has the makings for a classic.
        Both teams are nationally ranked in the top-five of nearly all
college hockey polls.  In the Troy Record, the Bears are ranked 3rd, while
the Terriers are positioned 4th.  In Hockey East, Maine and BU are one and
two respectively.
        You can bet the Terriers will be comping at the bit to knock off the
Black Bears after last Sunday's thrilling 6-5 overtime win by Maine, in
which the Black Bears captured the Great Western Freezeout Championship.
        "It's important just to give us a judgement of where we are now,"
said sophomore center Dan Shermerhorn.  "BU is definately a very quality
team.  They were preseason ranked #1 in the country, and they weren't ranked
that way for no reason at all, they've got a lot of talent and skill."
        The Terriers, 7-2-2 overall and 4-1-2 in HE will bring to Orono one
of the most talent-loaded rosters in the nation, led by six-foot 245-pound
sophomore winger Mike Grier.  Grier has used his massive fram to terrorize
opponents to the tune of 14 goals and 8 assists, good for a team leading 22
points (2.0 points per game).  His supporting cast included:  Jacques
Jobert, a second-team All-American a year ago; scrappy center Steve Thorton;
lightning-quick center Shawn Bates; high scoring forward Chris O'Sullivan;
along with pre-season All Hockey East defenseman Kaj Linna and Richie Brennan.
        Senior goalie Derek Herlofsky, who has struggled at times this
season, should get the call Friday night, sporting a 4-2-2 mark to go with a
3.15 GAA.  He is backed up by promising freshman Tom Noble (3-0, 3.04)
        The Terriers' special-teams have been effective, connecting on 20 of
66 power plays and killing 80% of their opponents.  Grier leads the team
with an amazing 10 power play goals.
        The Black Bears, now the only undefeated Division I hockey team in
the country, will try to protect their 10-0-3 overall record which inculdes
a 5-0-3 HE mark.
        Defense continues to be the strength of Maine, led by classy senior
captain Chris Imes with his heady defensive play along with two goals and 13
assists.  Imes is becomming a legitimate Hobey Baker canidate.  Defensemen
Jeff Tory and Jacque Rodrigue, along with forwards Barry Clukey, Dan
Shermerhorn, Tim Lovell, and Brad Purdie are the mainstays of the offense.
        Maine's power play continues to be a strength.  They are tied with
Providence for tops in the league on 29.4 percent effiency overall.
Thirteen different Black Bears have scored at least one power play goal, led
by Rodrigue (4), Shermerhorn (3), and Wansborough (3).  The Black Bears are
two for two in situations where they have pulled their goalie for an extra
skater as well.
        In goal Blair Allison has been an iron-man, playing all 13 games
with a minuscule 2.53 GAA.
        It is likely that if either team shoud sweep the other, the winnder
will be ranked #1 in the land.
-- end of article--
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DERON TREADWELL - [log in to unmask] |
The Hockey Bears are back in '94! 10-0-3   |
               GO UMAINE!!!                |
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