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**Gibber** · 03-13-2011, 09:15 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by unhpuckfan2001 View Post

Still waiting to hear what time game will be; typically the #1 seed (Boston College) gets the early game, although with it being two Boston schools there was discussion on having that game be in primetime.

UNH and Merrimack both swept their series, UNH beating UVM 3-1 and 4-3, while the Warriors dispatched Maine, 5-4 and 6-2.

UNH returns to the garden for the first time in what feels like 15 years; Merrimack actually is going back for the first time since something like 1998.

The teams had some entertaining, closely-played games in the regular season. The opponent is never easy at this time of year, but the discussion among UNHers last night was, "BU or the Mack?"

I expect a large contingent of Merrimack fans to show up, this being so 'new' for them. I also hope the 'wonder of it all' is too much for them and UNH wins

Should be a good game.

pssssst, Merrimack is #4

we get the 8PM game according to hockey east

**RockTheWhit** · 03-13-2011, 09:15 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

This will be the late game, scheduled for 8pm but probably not starting on time.

**unhpuckfan2001** · 03-13-2011, 09:18 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by Gibber View Post

pssssst, Merrimack is #4 :-p

I was under the impression that they re-seed the teams 1-4 going into this weekend . . . and I figured somebody would comment on that.

New thread title: higher-seeded UNH v lower seeded Merrimack. Too bad, as Merrimack's Gold home jerseys are pretty sharp, IMO.

How about UNH in Silver and 'Mack in Gold?

**Yuppie Scum** · 03-13-2011, 09:30 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

As a Mack fan, I'm entering this game with a lot of optimism. I don't think any team wants to face the Madsen Flannigan Sheen (winning) line right now.There's a good chance Mack attendance will be respectable, maybe not to BC/BU/NU levels but there is a huge buzz among the alumni base and they'll be dumb not to bus down the students.

**Yuppie Scum** · 03-13-2011, 09:31 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by unhpuckfan2001 View Post

I was under the impression that they re-seed the teams 1-4 going into this weekend . . . and I figured somebody would comment on that.

New thread title: higher-seeded UNH v lower seeded Merrimack. Too bad, as Merrimack's Gold home jerseys are pretty sharp, IMO.

How about UNH in Silver and 'Mack in Gold?

I actually love the MC away blues but for whatever reason they haven't sold them yet.

**Snively65** · 03-13-2011, 09:45 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Was hoping for a BC-Mac and UNH-BU semi's, but I am just happy that the Cats are returning to the Garden after a two-year hiatus.

Anyone from UNH and/or Merrimack showing up for the first game?

I am thinking Boston Beer Works for an early meal around 4 pm, which I will need for an ultra-marathon night of hockey. :-)

**REDMEN2002** · 03-13-2011, 09:56 PM

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

Was hoping for a BC-Mac and UNH-BU semi's, but I am just happy that the Cats are returning to the Garden after a two-year hiatus.

Anyone from UNH and/or Merrimack showing up for the first game?

I am thinking Boston Beer Works for an early meal around 4 pm, which I will need for an ultra-marathon night of hockey. :-)

I took Friday off and will be in Boston for noon and will be at both games. I like Merrimack's chances better against UNH than BC for obvious reasons. Plus, I hate rooting against BC. It feels unnatural.

**WarriorHockey11** · 03-13-2011, 10:01 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

ill be at both games... so glad northeastern won, not because MC gets to avoid BC, although that is a bit of a plus, but just so i can enjoy the first game.

**unh1982** · 03-13-2011, 10:09 PM

Originally posted by WarriorHockey11 View Post

ill be at both games... so glad northeastern won, not because MC gets to avoid BC, although that is a bit of a plus, but just so i can enjoy the first game.

Be careful what you wish for

**John_Fuller** · 03-13-2011, 11:28 PM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

It's a good thing I have plenty of "refreshment" in the refrigerator because I'm really looking forward to this game after what happened in Durham last month. If UNH can't contain Madsen and Sheen it could be a long evening. If Merrimack can't stay out of the box, they won't escape the type of game they had on Friday. Would not surprise me to see this game go a couple of OT's. That BC/NU game also looks to be a decent appetizer too and wouldn't be surprised if this game went to OT to decide it.

**dmjossel** · 03-14-2011, 01:17 AM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by unh1982 View Post

Be careful what you wish for

C'mon, expressing a preference for playing UNH is not baiting anybody. Everybody has to play somebody. If you were not a fan of UNH, and had to choose between playing against UNH or BC this year, who would you choose?

Merrimack went 2-1 against both those teams this year, but they saw BC a long time ago, and their two wins against the Eagles were at home. They took one game from UNH on the road, in a year where a lot of people said MC couldn't win away games that meant anything. I don't see how playing the Wildcats at the Garden is worse than that, or worse than having to play BC there.

Merrimack will play their game. If they lose to UNH, I doubt anybody will be saying that we would have won if we'd drawn BC instead. In fact, in a weird way, things have worked out to Merrimack's advantage. Going 1-3 in their last four cost them a shot at the #3 seed and a first round with NU. I thought NU was the most dangerous low seed in the tourney, and they proved it by earning the only upset. So by losing to Providence, Merrimack avoided having to play NU, and because NU beat BU, MC now gets to avoid playing BC in the first round.

Anybody hoping for a title this season has to be thinking that the route to it goes through BC. If anybody other than BC is going to win it, somebody has to beat them. I think it's pretty logical, at least from a fan's perspective, to wonder if someone else might not do that for them, or at least to think there's an advantage to saving them for the last game, rather than the first. I don't see how that's anything to be careful about wishing for-- what has happened is exactly what I wished for when the season ended: a quarterfinal series at home against somebody other than NU, and a semifinal against somebody other than BC at the Garden.

**dmjossel** · 03-14-2011, 01:20 AM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by John_Fuller View Post

f Merrimack can't stay out of the box, they won't escape the type of game they had on Friday.

If Bigos getting a 5 minute major for boarding produces a 5-4 win, I'll take it

**MCHOCKEY** · 03-14-2011, 05:03 AM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

I'll be in town for Friday night's tilt, although still not sure what time I'll be heading in as it's my son's first birthday and although in a few years, when he is a little older, it can become a great father/son tradition, at just 1 year old, he's a little too young to take in the festivities just yet...but I'll be there, just a matter of when...if all goes well, I'll be in town for the NU/BC game, although might have to watch the beginning of that game from a local watering hole

GO MACK.

**freak** · 03-14-2011, 05:07 AM

Re: #2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

Originally posted by dmjossel View Post

If anybody other than BC is going to win it, somebody has to beat them.

Holy s* it, really?

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#2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

#2 UNH v. #3 Merrimack, Hockey East Semi-Final @ the TD Garden

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