{"id":24268,"date":"2001-11-08T16:56:25","date_gmt":"2001-11-08T22:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2001\/11\/08\/this-week-in-hockey-east-nov-8-2001\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:54:20","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:54:20","slug":"this-week-in-hockey-east-nov-8-2001","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2001\/11\/08\/this-week-in-hockey-east-nov-8-2001\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Hockey East: Nov. 8, 2001"},"content":{"rendered":"
Saving His Best For Last <\/h4>\n
Last year he posted a 1.96 goals against average and a .924 save percentage, but was still able to force his way into only one out of every four games. Such was life for Maine’s Mike Morrison as the backup to Matt Yeats.<\/p>\n
Not so this year. Morrison has not only wrestled the top spot away from Yeats, but earned Hockey East’s ITECH Goaltender of the Month Award for his 1.93 GAA and .947 save percentage in October.<\/p>\n
In Maine’s lone game last weekend, Morrison backstopped a win over previously undefeated UMass-Lowell. This week, the Black Bears host Boston University on Friday night and Sacred Heart on Sunday. With the coaching staff committed to giving each goaltender a start, look for Morrison to take on the Terriers as an increasingly entrenched number one goalie.<\/p>\n
The senior’s success has been the result of perseverance through limited playing time the last two seasons. <\/p>\n
“Even though I didn’t get the nod every weekend, that didn’t knock me down and make me give up and say it wasn’t worth it,” he says. “Last year I realized that, hey, I had nothing to lose here after I kind of lost my job in my sophomore year. I realized that Matt was playing more and I just had to work hard in practice, better myself, and just work on my progress. <\/p>\n
“Who knows? Anything can happen. I just need to be on my game when [an opportunity] comes. That’s what I’m doing this year.”<\/p>\n
That opportunity arose when Yeats got off to a slow start while Morrison stopped 46-of-47 shots in a win at North Dakota and 33-of-35 in a tie at Western Michigan. His performances have helped Maine stay afloat during a very difficult early schedule. <\/p>\n
“[His success hasn’t been surprising] because I’ve seen how hard he works,” says interim head coach Tim Whitehead. “Not knowing him before, I may have been surprised, but now that I’m here and I see how he trains and how he focuses and how he carries his practice habits into games, [I can see that] it’s not an accident that he’s doing well. He’s prepared himself. <\/p>\n
“It’s his senior year and he wants to elevate his game and continue playing hockey. I think he has an excellent opportunity to do that. He’s just got to keep working hard and good things will happen for him.”<\/p>\n
For Morrison, his senior year has given him a different perspective on his potential role on the Black Bears.<\/p>\n
“Being a senior, it’s a whole lot different for me and my [outlook] towards the team,” he says. “I finally realize what the seniors used to talk about when they’d say, ‘You’ll see when you’re a senior.’ <\/p>\n
“I’m realizing that I’m responsible for these guys. I want to set a good example and show them that this means a lot to me and that I’m going to give it my all, however they need me.”<\/p>\n
Earning the Goaltender of the Month Award was a proud moment for Morrison, but he’s keeping it in perspective.<\/p>\n
“It felt pretty good,” he says. “It was definitely a nice compliment. I grew up watching Hockey East. I think a lot of us who play forget that when you were a kid — especially kids from New England who know Hockey East — you’d watch Hockey East and those players were just legends [to you]. They were unbelievable. You have to remember that now we’re that caliber of player. <\/p>\n
“To see me get an award like that was a proud thing, but I’d only started in two of the games and came in during two of the others. There were other goalies who played more games. I just had a couple good starts and things went my way.”<\/p>\n
With a laugh he adds, “Who knows, maybe [Hockey East Commissioner Joe] Bertagna wanted me to finally get one of these because I work for him in the summer.”<\/p>\n
Morrison isn’t about to rest on his laurels now.<\/p>\n
“[The award] was definitely a compliment and I’m appreciative,” he says, “but give me one of those in February or April and I’ll be happy because that will mean that I’m doing my job down the stretch. That’s what matters.”<\/p>\n
A Real<\/i> Two-Way Player<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
REIMANN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Maine’s Tom Reimann, this week’s KOHO Hockey East Player of the Week, has now registered hat tricks this year both at forward and defense. He accomplished the feat up front this past weekend in a 6-3 win over UMass-Lowell; he got his other trick in his first game on defense, an exhibition contest against Moncton.<\/p>\n
The Black Bears entered the season thin on the blue line after losing four veterans from last year’s squad. Redshirt freshman Prestin Ryan had to sit the first three games until he began eligible and just as he did, Francis Nault was lost to injury. Nault may return this weekend, but the blueline corps has been thin all year.<\/p>\n
As a result, Reimann was asked to move back until recently.<\/p>\n
“After a few games he was anxious to get back to forward,” says Whitehead with a laugh, “but he was a team guy. His natural position is forward, but he handles it well back there.<\/p>\n
“He’s really become a complete hockey player. I think playing defense has helped his game because he’s more defensively aware. He’s a very good defensive forward in addition to always having been a good offensive forward. Any forwards who have a chance to play defense, it really helps them round out their game.<\/p>\n
“He’s a versatile player obviously and he’s a smart hockey player. He’s got great hockey sense. He has the poise to make the right pass at the right time and he can shoot the puck.”<\/p>\n
College Hockey Drive Time<\/h4>\n
Yours truly is hosting a new radio show with UMass-Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald on WJUL-FM (91.5) on Tuesday nights from 5:30 to 6:00. “College Hockey Drive Time” focuses on the River Hawks, but will strive to be of interest to all aficionados of the sport.<\/p>\n
For a school radio station, WJUL has a very strong signal so tune in if you’re in the Greater Lowell area.<\/p>\n