Worcester remains a special place for Black Bears

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WORCESTER, Mass. – A week ago, just minutes after his University of Maine team had been eliminated from the Hockey East playoffs, Shawn Walsh dissected a sub-par effort, then quickly began focusing on the future.

“You know, Grant and I were talking before the game,” he said, referring to assistant coach Grant Standbrook. “And we said a loss might not be the worst possible thing for us right now.”

Then he explained his reasoning: His Bears had at least a 50-50 shot of heading to Worcester for the NCAA tourney. And you know what that means.

Worcester, you see, has always been a special place for the Black Bears.

Worcester is a place they’ve never lost, proven again in their 5-4 overtime win over Minnesota Friday night. Worcester is a place they’ve used as a springboard to national title runs. Twice.

It’s a city that harbors a bar that seems to fit Black Bear fans perfectly: It’s called Walshie’s on Main … No “e,” but it does sit just a block or so from the arena.

For Black Bear fans, Worcester has always been a place where special things begin.

On Friday, Walsh’s Bears took the ice at the Worcester Centrum Centre for an NCAA tournament East Regional first-round game, hoping to begin another title run with a win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers. A vast majority of the 8,745 fans shared the same hopes.

The Golden Gophers, however, had other plans. And after coming up empty on a big third-period power play and hitting the post twice in the final 20 minutes, the Bears finally manufactured some more of that Worcester magic.

Michael Schutte converted a Martin Kariya feed into the game-tying goal with just 2.7 seconds to go in regulation time. And Robert Liscak added the game winner in overtime as the Black Bears prevailed and advanced to take on Boston College.

Early on, the Bears did make themselves … comfortable … in their home away from home.

When the first game of the night – a St. Lawrence-Colorado College matchup – ran late, the Bears were nonchalant.

After all, the Bears had to wait in the wings through four overtimes for St. Lawrence to tip Boston University in Albany a year ago.

This time around, as UMaine waited for the Saints to fall, 3-2, in a relatively short two-overtime affair, the Bears found familiar ways to occupy themselves. Reports from those with access to the tunnel between the locker room and the ice described the Gophers as nervous … pacing … tense.

The Bears were kicking back … munching bagels … and looking for a TV to watch the game on.

As the game entered its second extra period, Michael Schutte and Cliff Loya made their way into the media work area, looking for a way to monitor the action taking place on the ice. … just like other Black Bears had done a year ago, when the tourney game in Albany dragged past the five-hour mark.

“Is the game on in here,” Schutte asked.

Assured that it was, he and Loya parked themselves in front of two televisions – one a closed-circuit set showing hockey, and another, bigger set tuned to the NCAA basketball tourney.

“You watching hockey or hoop?” one TV anchor asked.

“Both,” Schutte admitted.

Later, after UMaine and Minnesota skated onto the Centrum Centre ice, the Gophers did their best to ignore UMaine’s perceived home-away-from-home advantage.

The Gophers tallied the game’s first goal just 7:41 into the game – and only nine seconds into its first power-play opportunity of the night.

They went on to outshoot the Bears 14-5 in the period.

But through two periods, the Bears proved resilient, if not dominant.

Todd Jackson tallied the equalizer with just 5.6 seconds to go in the first. Lucas Lawson converted a Dan Kerluke assist into another game-knotting goal with just 9:20 to play in the second.

Early in the third, the Bears took brief control when junior defenseman Doug Janik blasted a shot past Adam Hauser, but the nation’s leading power-play goal-scorer, Grant Potulny, evened it up at 3-3 just five and a half minutes later, and Erik Westrum added another for Minnesota 2:24 after that.

Colorado Coll. 3, St. Lawrence 2

WORCESTER, Mass. – Paul Manning scored only his second goal of the season but it was probably the biggest of his career Friday night – carrying Colorado College to a 3-2 victory over St. Lawrence University in the opening game of the Eastern Regionals of the NCAA Division I Tournament.

In the second game, Maine and Minnesota were tied 3-3 midway through the third period.

The winning goal came 3:30 into the second overtime period, allowing the Tigers to move on to face North Dakota Saturday night in the quarterfinal round.

The game was the seventh longest in tournament history. But, it was the second consecutive season St. Lawrence has played an extra session. Last season, the Saints beat Boston University 3-2 in four overtimes, the longest game in tournament history.

“It was the eighth time we’ve played an overtime game this year but our first loss,” said St. Lawrence coach Joe Marsh. “I’m proud of our effort but it wasn’t a good time for our first overtime loss.”

Peter Sejna gave Colorado College a 1-0 lead at 10:22 of the first period. His 29th goal of the season came on a backhander from the right faceoff circle.

“We had a tough time getting started because St. Lawrence didn’t allow us to get into our game,” said Colorado College coach Scott Owens. “It was our fifth game in the last 10 days.”

Erik Anderson tied the game for the Saints at 7:36 of the second period. His goal, which came on a one-timer from the slot, was his 17th this season and came on a power play.

The Tigers took a 2-1 lead, on a power-play goal, at 10:51 of the second when Noah Clarke beat Jeremy Symington with a wrist shot under his glove.

Symington made 46 saves including 13 in the first overtime.

Russ Bartlett tied the game with his 18th goal of the season at 7:26 of the third period. Kevin Veneruzzo’s dumped the puck to Bartlett who tipped the puck into the net from in front of Tigers goalie Jeff Sanger.

Sanger had 30 saves and shutout St. Lawrence on six shots in the overtimes.

Manning’s game winner was setup on a pass, into the slot, from Justin Morrison.

“It was a lucky play, but we expected a lucky play to be the game winner,” said Morrison.