Bears take Cup> UM freshman stifles Vermont

loading...

LOWELL, Mass. – University of Maine freshman goalie Mike Morrison second-guessed coach Shawn Walsh’s choice of goaltenders for Saturday night’s Governor’s Cup tournament final against Vermont.

“Alfie [junior goalie Alfie Michaud] has been playing really well. I wouldn’t have put me in. But coach Walsh showed faith in me,” said Morrison, who was pulled after the first period of last Saturday’s 3-2 win over Providence but rewarded Walsh with a 20-save shutout in Maine’s 2-0 triumph over the Catamounts at Tsongas Arena.

Junior center Cory Larose scored a pair of goals in the game’s first 8:23 and Morrison and the Bears made them stand up. The Bears limited Vermont to 12 Grade-A scoring attempts and killed off eight Catamount power plays.

Maine is now 9-1-1 overall and winner of four in a row. Vermont fell to 7-4. It was the Bears’ first Governor’s Cup tourney title since they beat Vermont 2-1 in overtime in the first one four years ago in Orono.

“I wanted to do the best I could for the team. I knew how badly they wanted to win. Me also,” said Morrision, who had seven Grade-A saves. “My job was just to go in and win. I thought I handled myself pretty well.

“I was too casual and too confident against Providence and it cost me,” said Morrision who added that he concentrated on staying focused for the entire game.

Vermont senior defenseman and captain Jason Reid said Morrison stood up really well.

“I had four point-blank shots and he made the save every time,” Reid said.

Walsh said Morrison used his 6-foot-3, 194-pound frame to his advantage by playing his angles well.

“They shot wide a lot and that happens because the goaltender isn’t giving them too much to shoot at,” said Walsh who chose Morrison because he didn’t want any goalie to have one poor period affect his future and assistant coach Nate Leaman had told him Morrison had a great week of practice.

“I like Mike and it’s a long season. It’s healthy for the team to go with two goalies,” said Walsh.

Meanwhile, Larose gave Morrison the only goal he was to need 2:01 into the game by converting the power-play rebound of a David Cullen shot from the mid-point.

“That’s our bread and butter. We get it back to the point, Cully took a shot and Brendan [Walsh] did a great job screening the goalie,” said Larose. “The puck popped out to the side of the net, the goaltender was out of the play and I put it in the open net.”

Vermont goalie Andrew Allen said he thought he had the save.

“It hit me in the pants and snuck out to the side. I didn’t know where it went.” he said. “I didn’t see it quick enough and he pounced on it.”

Just 6:22 later, Larose was in the right place at the right time when an errant pass to the front of the net by UVM defenseman Andreas Moborg hit his own player in the leg and deflected in on Allen.

“I got enough of it but there was a Maine player right there and he banged in the rebound. That was a tough goal,” said Allen.

“The puck was just laying on the line and I poked it in,” Larose said. “I was basically Johnny On the Spot.”

In between the Larose goals, Morrison made one of his best saves of the night as Vermont’s Isaac Gilbert maneuvered around a maze of players and took a 16-foot wrist shot that Morrison got a piece of his glove on.

“Alfie watched them play on Friday and told me they all like to shoot high,” said Morrison. “I cut down the angle as much as I could and he got me in the glove. That save gave me confidence. The first shot is so important.”

Maine had several good chances to extend the lead, including a Steve Kariya breakaway, but Allen turned in an outstanding 32-save performance to keep his team within two.

The Bears killed off five consecutive penalties over the second and third periods to preserve the shutout.

“That’s the most aggressive penalty-killing I’ve seen and the most successful we’ve seen against us,” said Vermont coach Mike Gilligan.

Reid agreed, saying, “Their penalty-killing was fantastic.”

Maine senior defenseman and captain Cullen said the Bears have preached “defense, defense, defense” all season long and it has paid off.

“The defense was able to step up because the forwards were coming back,” said Cullen.

The Bears have now allowed only 16 goals in their 11 games this season.

“They took the passing lanes right away from us. They made the obvious easy plays and quick passes all the time. We were a step behind them all night long,” said Gilligan.

Kariya was chosen the tournament’s MVP and was joined on the all-tourney team by Morrison, Larose, UVM right wing Don Richards, UMass-Lowell defenseman Anthony Cappelletti and UNH defenseman Jayme Filipowicz.

UNH won the consolation game 5-1, holding the River Hawks without a shot on goal in the first period.

Bears 2, Catamounts 0

Maine (9-1-1) 2 0 0 – 2 Vermont (7-4) 0 0 0 – 0

First period – 1. Maine, Larose 5 (Walsh, Cullen), 2:01, pp; 2. Maine, Larose 6 (Kariya, Cullen), 8:23. Penalties: UVM, Moborg, interference, :40; UVM, Richardson, interference, 3:54; Maine, Dimitrakos, roughing, 10:01; UVM, Reid, roughing, 10:01; Maine, Janik, holding, 17:06.

Second period – No scoring. Penalties: Maine, Vitorino, hooking, :28; Maine, Janik, holding, 2:48; Maine, Wood, slashing, 4:09; UVM, Kerlander, holding the stick, 8:11; UVM, Torney, interference, 10:45; Maine, Heisten, charging, 15:40; Maine, Cullen, holding, 18:27.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties: Maine, Heisten, hooking, 7:48; Maine, bench minor for too many men on the ice (served by Dimitrakos), 13:25; Maine, Dimitrakos, high sticking, 15:51, UVM, Wilde, slashing, 17:13.

Shots on goal: Maine 15-12-7-34; UVM 3-9-8-20

Goaltenders: Maine, Mike Morrison (20 shots-20 saves); UVM, Andrew Allen (34-32)

High percentage scoring attempts: Maine 14-6-9 – 29; UVM 3-6-3 – 12

Power-play opportunities: Maine 1-6, UVM 0-8

Attendance: 3,740