Maine, Minnesota play for NCAA hockey title

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Posted 6:32AM on Friday, April 5, 2002

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - New Hampshire and Darren Haydar had another chance at winning a national championship. Once again, Maine was in the way. For the second time in Haydar's four seasons, the top-ranked Wildcats were denied their first NCAA hockey title by the Black Bears. Peter Metcalf, Robert Liscak and Paul Falco scored two goals apiece for Maine in a 7-2 victory in the Frozen Four semifinals Thursday. The Black Bears (26-10-7) face hometown favorite Minnesota in the championship game Saturday. The Golden Gophers beat Michigan 3-2 in the other Frozen Four semifinal. Haydar, one of three Hobey Baker Award finalists, had a 10-game point streak stopped. Not coincidentally, the Wildcats (30-7-3) had their 10-game winning streak snapped. ``We're going to truly miss him,'' New Hampshire coach Dick Umile said. ``He's a great kid, and he's done an awful lot for the program.'' When Haydar was a freshman, the Wildcats lost to Maine in overtime in the national title game. ``It's not a great feeling to lose to Maine twice,'' Haydar said. ``This is something I'll have to live with for a while.'' The Black Bears, who outshot New Hampshire 40-25 and broke the game open with four third-period goals, dedicated this season to their late coach, Shawn Walsh, who died of cancer the day before practice opened. Walsh led Maine to national titles in 1993 and '99. ``He's a great inspiration for us,'' forward Tom Reimann said. ``He taught us how to win.'' New Hampshire needed only 21 seconds to score and led 2-1 after one period. Maine goalie Mike Morrison, improving to 20-3-4, stiffened and finished with 23 saves against the nation's highest-scoring team, at 4.6 goals per game. ``I told the guys after the first period to calm down,'' Morrison said. ``Don't trust your stick, bet your hand behind it.'' Minnesota (31-8-4) had a tougher time advancing than Maine, though the Gophers led 3-0 with 6:05 left. Adam Hauser let in two late goals but made 27 saves, and Grant Potulny scored twice for Minnesota, seeking its first championship since 1979. Playing less than 8 miles from campus before a NCAA tournament-record crowd of 19,234, most of them wearing maroon and gold, the Gophers beat the Wolverines for the first time in four postseason matchups. ``To be honest, I was very surprised how many Minnesota fans were here,'' Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. ``When we scored that first goal, it was electric.'' Jeff Taffe scored his 34th goal and added an assist, and John Pohl had his nation-leading 50th assist for the Gophers. J.J. Swistak and Jed Ortmeyer scored for the Wolverines. ``We didn't get the kind of flow we needed,'' said Michigan coach Red Berenson, pointing to the two-week layoff between the quarterfinals and Frozen Four. ``I don't think our team was as sharp.'' Josh Blackburn made 23 saves for the Wolverines (28-11-5), who were making their second straight Frozen Four appearance. ``He gave our young team a chance to win all year,'' Berenson said. ``I told him, 'Maybe you didn't win a national championship here, but you're as good a goalie as I've had at Michigan.''' Hauser made 10 saves in the first period and was even tougher in the second - stonewalling Michigan's star forward Mike Cammalleri on a breakaway and making a diving glove save of Ortmeyer's shot on a power play. ``He made some big-time saves,'' Lucia said. ``Adam was outstanding tonight.''