CONNECTICUT BREEZES PAST QUINNIPIAC

COLLEGE HOCKEY UPDATE:  Connecticut seemed to take control of the game early on, and didn’t really relinquish it, in the first game of the NCAA Tournament in Allentown, PA., on Friday.  A goal by Hugh Larkin eight minutes into the first gave Connecticut a 1-0 lead, and then with five minutes left in the period, Ethan Gardula zipped one past the Quinnipiac goalie square in front of the net to make it 2-0, Connecticut, the score at the first break.  Connecticut out-shot Quinnipiac 8-4 in the first.  Quinnipiac managed more momentum and it paid of ten minutes into the second when Jeremy Wilmer scored to narrow the UConn lead to 2-1.

But with six minutes left in the second, Tristan Fraser scored for Connecticut to re-establish the two goal lead at 3-1, the score at the second break.  Connecticut had an 11-7 shots advantage in the second.  Quinnipiac stepped up the pace another notch in the third, but Connecticut was up to the task of containing them.  While Quinnipiac out-shot Connecticut 11-3 in the frame, the Huskies held their ground and Joey Muldowney even found an empty net with two minutes left to make the final score 4-1.  Connecticut advanced to play the winner of the Pennsylvania State University vs. University game played later that day, in a second-round matchup on Sunday, March 30th, at 2:00PM Pacific Time on ESPN2.

[This game is already underway, tied 2-2 midway in the second period, at the time of this posting.]

The outcome of this game was not an upset in our pool, as twenty-three of the thirty-nine entrants picked Connecticut to win, compared to sixteen who picked Quinnipiac to win it.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE BREEZES PAST MAINE

COLLEGE HOCKEY UPDATE:  Here we go again — Pennsylvania State University seemed to to take control of the game early on, and didn’t really relinquish it, in the late game of the NCAA Tournament in Allentown, PA., on Friday.  Brian Nobes scored to put Maine on the board first, up 1-0 four minutes into the game.  But only a minute later JJ Wiebusch scored on a power play for Pennsylvania State to tie it at 1-1, and that was just the beginning.  With six minutes left in the period Matt DiMarisco shot one in the slot from the right side of the left face-off circle to extend the lead to 2-1, and then with two minutes left Dane Dowiak scored to make it 3-1 for Pennsylvania State, the score at the break.  Pennsylvania State University out-shot University of Maine 16-8 in the first.

Play was more even in the second, which was not good enough for Maine, but Matt DiMarisco slapped another one in only six minutes into the period to extend the Pennsylvania State lead to 4-1, the score at the second break as his team also ended with a slight 10-9 shots advantage.  Even play continued in the third, and again it was nut sufficient for Maine, as they yielded an empty net goal with three minutes left to make the final 5-1, Pennsylvania State. Pennyslvania State University advanced to play Connecticut in a second-round matchup on Sunday, March 31, at 2:00PM Pacific Time on ESPN2.

[This game is already underway, tied 2-2 midway in the second period, at the time of this posting.]

The outcome of this game was a huge upset in our pool as thirty-four of thirty nine entrants picked Maine to win, compared to only five who picked Pennsylvania State to win it.

That’s all for now, stay tuned, and go Terriers !

— Tom