Semis (Friday, 12/29): Dartmouth 3, Boston College 1 UMinn-Duluth 5, Vermont 2 Consolation (12/30): Boston College 1, Vermont 1 (overtime) Championship (12/30): UMinn-Duluth 3, Dartmouth 2 All-tourney team: G Taras Lendzyk (UMD), D Owen Hughes (Dartmouth), D Laird Lidster (UMD), F David Hymovitz (BC), F Eric Perrin (UVM), F Marc Ciccarello (UMD) MVP G Scott Baker (Dartmouth) (Boxes posted to list INFO-HOCKEY-L). Dartmouth certainly showed that they are capable of winning games with their showing in this tournament, as they played very well. Their victory over BC broke a 9 game losing streak and was their first win of the season. Goaltender Scott Baker won the tourney MVP award with a solid but ordinary effort against BC followed by a spectacular effort in the championship game. BC and UMD didn't take them too seriously, I think, and the Big Green almost put the final into overtime when a bid for the tying goal hit the post behind Lendzyk and bounced out with 18 seconds left in the game. Dartmouth skated hard all weekend and played with the most heart -- Dolesh and Hughes on defense and Whitworth on offense played well. UMD was the class of the tourney, playing very strong against Vermont with solid forechecking and powerful defense, then finishing off their offensive chances. I think Dartmouth surprised them in the final with their perseverence, but UMD was larger, stronger, and managed to hang on for the title. It took some fantastic saves by Dartmouth goalie Baker to make this one close. I was impressed with the Bulldogs, and can see why they have played so well for most of the season. The killer goal in the semifinal against UVM was the 4th one. With the score 3-1 UMD, Vermont had put on heavy power-play pressure, with Lendzyk making a spectacular glove save to rob a UVM forward. Shortly after that, a pass went to Vermont's Pavel Navrat at the point; he dodged around a diving Marc Christian and was about to take a short-range slapper when Christian reached back while flat on the ice and deflected the puck to teammate Joe Rybar. Rybar passed back to a breaking Christian (after he had gotten up) and Christian broke in alone to roof a short-side wrister to make it 4-1 and kill any Vermont comeback ideas. BC played very weakly the first night, one of their worst efforts of the season. They had offensive problems all weekend, possibly due to the absence of Marty Reasoner (playing for the USA Juniors in the WJHC.) Dartmouth consistently outskated and outplayed BC, and deserved their win. The Eagles shook off the cobwebs and played better in the consolation against Vermont, and might have taken this game with some better luck. UVM's tying goal came late in the game when Greg Taylor was totally screened on a seeing-eye shot from the point that slid inside the near post (Contrary to what Howie Mansfield had posted earlier, Taylor did not see this shot; we were right behind the goal and saw it all the way; Taylor was totally screened.) Vermont may have been suffering from scorer withdrawal, as sparkplug Martin St. Louis missed the tournament due to his play for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. The UVM fans were not happy with their team's play on either night, but at least grudgingly recognized that UMD played very well in the semifinal. They expressed a good deal of concern about the upcoming ECAC stretch, given the way the Cats played this weekend, and probably are justified in their worries. UVM continues to show that they only have one consistent offensive line, and when Perrin-Ruid-St.Louis can be shut down the team does not score well. (Matt Stelljes took St. Louis's place on the line for this tournament, and obviously is not the same caliber player.) Attendance: Both nights were official sellouts at 4035, and most seats were filled for the Vermont games. But after the consolation game, only about 2000 fans stayed for the final between Dartmouth and UMD, and many of them left before the game was over. Gutterson Fieldhouse: Another curved roof shell building, with some modernization. Not bad, but it's the fans and the noise that makes the building, and UVM just couldn't get things going this weekend. We looked at the photos of past UVM teams (including Travis Roy's dad), enjoyed the people, and really enjoyed the cookies with the M+M's! (We recommend the chocolate version if you have a choice. :-)) I thought Vermont did a nice job with the parking lot shuttles and the walkway through the basement tunnels of the athletic complex to get us to our seats; if only BC could do that as efficiently when they use satellite parking for basketball! We enjoyed the weekend, the town, and the games. If any of you have teams in the tournament next year, a trip is highly recommended. --------------- ---------------------- Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask] Read the FAQ!!! A patient BC fan. GO EAGLES! HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.