Snake

Not saying he didn't accelerate, but just pointing out that he's not really THAT young compared to Toews, who played his entire freshman season at 17. I think Simpson came in as a 17yo as well, so it's not unprecedented. Jones wouldn't play a game at age 17.

Because when a team is successful it looks good for the conference. Hosting playoff games is an easier way to win a championship, and the Big Sky, like every other conference, is proud of how many championships they win. Also, if it affects recruiting it will affect the ability to be an effective D1 program.

Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't Jones's B-date Oct. 3, 1994? Wouldn't that make him 17 now and 18 right at the start of the 2012-2013 season?

Looks like it's based on Nielsen ratings/sampling.

Probably because they would be the first team to pay the price of NCAA sanctions by not being able to host a NCAA playoff game?

It'll be interesting to see how the DU/UND game in two weeks compares to the Michigan/Notre Dame game. It might put a little perspective to the NCHC ratings draw potential...or perspective to UND's ratings draw.

For your argument to have merit, online students would have to be enrolling at the expense of the "physical" student. Whether or not that's the case, I don't know. If a student's only option is an online education, would you rather they pursue it elsewhere? Online degrees can turn into successful careers just the same...and those people can donate just as easily to the University in the future. Let's not limit the impact to the time they're actually in school.

Well stated. Just this year I started teaching my two daughters how to skate (4 years and 5 years old). Saturday, we went to the women's game and stayed long enough to watch the Senior tribute. My oldest asked if I could pick her up so she could get a better view of the action on the ice. As she watched intently, I caught myself daydreaming about the possiblity of being there 16 years from now during her senior night. Who knows? It may not be hockey...maybe it'll be soccer, or swimming, or perhaps golf. My wife golfed for UND, so they may have a shot at playing that instead despite my genetic contribution. UND athletics has had a storied past and rich tradition. For my kids, I want University of North Dakota Athletics to have a future.

The St. Paul Civic Center seated about 16,000. The tourney drew 45k - 55k when in St. Paul before the X was built. In 1994 they set a record attendance of about 61,000 (broken 1st year at X). I'd say the tourney did pretty well in the early 90s. Not sure what this has to do with UND fans and their travel habits. IMO the biggest reason for the tourney attendance explosion is the building of the X.

I like the idea of a St. Paul/Omaha rotation vs. St. Paul/Denver if necessary. Omaha is a great road trip with a convenient downtown location for their arena. I haven't been to Denver yet, but will be knocking that one off the list in a couple weeks, althought the experience will be different going to Magness than it would be going to Pepsi. Ok...maybe I just want to drive to the tourney every year instead of fly!

Well...in order to put a hold on the hold I guess it's time to start the petition to repeal the repeal of the repeal!

Does anybody know the FCS side of this? Everyone is assuming it as a given, but maybe FCS isn't interested in carrying our games after the current contract expires. What then?

This is the tie-breaking procedure for tournament seeding the WCHA listed on their site last year. I can't imagine it being different this year. As for the MacNaughton, teams who tie for first are co-champions. ------- In the event that ties are encountered in the determination of WCHA ranking or designation of home teams for playoff purposes, the following procedures will be used in the order given to break the ties: a) If two or more teams are tied, head-to-head competition during the regular (conference) season will be used to break the tie. b) If two or more teams are still tied after (a), the highest seed will go to the team with the most WCHA (conference) wins during the regular season. c) If two or more teams played a four-game series during the regular season and the teams have the same win-loss records for those series and the same number of WCHA wins, the team having the least number of goals scored against it in the four-game series shall have the higher rank. If two or more teams played a two-game series during the regular season, procede to tie-breaker d). d) If two or more teams are still tied after applying the provisions of (a), (b) and ©, the team having the greatest ‘winning margin’ during the regular season will have the higher rank. Winning margin = WCHA goals for during the regular season minus WCHA goals against. e) Games played against WCHA opponents in holiday tournaments will not be counted in the determinations.

It would be interesting if, say, DU has games on their "regional" FSN-RM...which I can pick up on my direcTV sports package. Would they now be blacked out? Purely hypothetical, but what if UND were to get a "regional" deal on the "regional" FSN-North? Or...what if the UNDSN were to become available to DirecTV subscribers and thus available to everyone via the sports package?

I'm guessing Dave Starman will be making a few trips to GF!

It's funny how a single postseason can change the outlook of a fanbase. If there's one thing both UND and UMD fans should have learned from last year, it's that what a team does in the games leading up to the posteason really doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot. UMD could be on our end of the spectrum this year and we could surprise everyone. Just make the tourney and take care of business!

Normally I'd be less concerned knowing Tech scored 9 unanswered goals on UMD to close the weekend...but that's a double-edged sword considering we have to host MTU the following weekend!

How does one slow the pace down when there's another team out there? Physical play? Which takes more of a toll on the body - speed or checking? I think having the extra ~3000 sq. ft. of the olympic surface to cover last weekend didn't do us any favors as well. It will probably be a little tighter and hopefully easier on our thin lineup this weekend on an NHL sheet.

And they don't even mention the MN State Hockey Tourney...

Most notably the ability to control play on the other end of the ice.

McLeod would actually wait until Thursday. Denver does the same crap after each period, too, and nothing is done about it.

Yes, it's obvious FSN brings their own equipment because they broadcast from a much higher angle - probably in/near the press box. FSSN has their cameras on the concourse level.

Yes, but they didn't announce they were shutting him down until Nov. 18. I'd assume he was trying to practice between the Sat. Gopher game and the 18th. I guess I'm still holding out hope he's still "on schedule" to return, but at the same time I'm not holding my breath. I would have thought we would have heard something around week 6 or so if they though it was a legitimate 6 to 8 week deal...such as an attempt to practice, etc.

This weekend will be week 8 since they announced they were shutting him down for "6-8 weeks" on Nov. 18. According to his comments at that time, he said he wouldn't start practicing until the 6-8 weeks were up. I'm not holding my breath that he'll return this season, but it would seem to me that this next week will be decision time regarding surgery.

Rocco's Injury