UMASS-AMHERST 4 Maine 2 That's right, in what has to be a huge step for the young UMass hockey program, they beat what will likely be the former #1 team in the nation tonight behind a record crowd of 6,000+ at the Mullins Center. Joe Carr reported on the radio as this game being the largest upset in Maine since the mid 1980's. A very exciting game for the UMass team, and much credit goes to them as they were blown out the night before, and played much stronger. UMass beat Maine, there is no doubt about it. Maine never even knew what hit them Evens, Blair Wager, and Jakes all scored for UMass in the first 14:47 of the first period, and everyone might as well gone home because the game was over. UMass added another one at 3:21 into the second as Wager notched his second of the night. Finally at 14:16 of the second period Maine said, "Wait a minute, there's a hockey game here", and scored a goal, Lovell from Allison. Jeff Tory would add a power-play goal for Maine 3minutes into te third, but that was all she wrote. The win is huge for UMass, I can't say enough about how they played tonight. They clearly took it to Maine in the first period, but Maine gave it their all in the third period, and the young team bent only slightly but did not break. Freshman goal-tender Brian Regan was marvelous in goal tonight, and deserves much of the credit for the UMass victory. Many comparisons have been drawn about the way Joe Mallen is building his program similar to Maine's in large defense, and small forwards, and this is a huge step for them. Joe Carr compared it to Maine victories early in their Division I life against Providence who was #1 at the time, and North Dakota also near the top at the time Maine knocked them off. To all people who say that the WCHA and CCHA will always be better than Hockey East, and always produce stronger teams, beware. Merrimack tied Maine, and beat Boston University and now UMass has begun to build. Hockey East soon will no longer be a division dominated by the likes of only two or three teams if this trend continues. For Maine, it must be a disappointment, but they just simply were not ready to play. They blew UMass out the night before, and must have thought tonight will be a cake-walk. What many people fail to realize is even though this team has been #1 for a while this year, they are very young. I'm sure Shawn Walsh will use this to his advantage, and I am sure that Maine will build from this loss. The rematch will be in two weeks at Alfond Arena in Orono. One comment.. this is what makes college hockey so great. In what other sport could the team ranked #1, and the team ranked last in the power ratings play and be competetive with each other? Very few at best. Exciting game tonight, sure my team did not come out on top, but I am very excited for the UMass program, they sure have something to build on. +--------------------------------------------+ | DERON TREADWELL - [log in to unmask] | | University of Maine (22-2-6) | | 1994 Great Western Freezeout Champs! | | 1995 RPI Invitational Champs! | +--------------------------------------------+