Wilbur

I can't see SCSU or Tech winning the final five. Heck, it'd take a monumental task for UND to win it with their shorthanded lineup. If SCSU beats UND I'd like to see them beat Minnesota too, but it wouldn't be the worst thing if Goldy won that game.

Hmmmm.....play up in Canada......test the waters of the NHL free agency pool.....play another year in Grand Forks.... You have to think playing in Montreal would be an unreal place to play professional hockey, but if he decides to become a free agent he won't have to worry about finding possible suitors. I think he'll sign with les habitants, and possibly make his NHL debut sometime next season.

First time in almost 10 years I won't be at the final five......such a tremendous time to be had by all. The new set up of the final five with every game basically being an elimination game makes the hockey and atmosphere that much better (the third place game sucked....always). I'd give anything to be at a Friday night Sioux-Gophers semifinal game.....yowser.....Then again, SCSU and Minnesota have had a classic or two. The big question is....will the Tech band be there?

Not sure if its been posted, but Air Force got a win tonight, which is good for the Sioux. Anything can happen in OT, hopefully no fluke bounces decide it (unless its for the badgers...)

Yes, but they didn't play on Friday afternoon. They both played Friday night, making the task a bit easier IMHO.

Luckily the Sioux didn't have to play the afternoon game on Friday against Denver, they played on Friday night. Same thing with Duluth the year before when they won all three.

A while back UND was the #1 seed with the Parise-Bochenski-Murray line in top form and Anchorage had to play the next day at 2PM after beating CC. Anchorage was playing exceptional hockey, but there was no way they could recover to beat a rested UND team. I felt bad for them, as the Sioux and Anchorage should have been playing at 7pm that day. I think it was the year before that Duluth beat the Sioux in the play in game and then got to play #1 seeded CC the next afternoon. They put up a fight, but lost in OT. In the history of the final five, I don't believe a team has won a game on Thursday night and won on Friday afternoon. Some teams have come close, but its just a monumental task.

Not the start that Bucky wanted for the period. I can see Denver scoring with under ten minutes left and holding on to win the game.

The number one seed normally does if the gophers aren't at the final five.

A sconnie win could knock Denver out of the NCAA tournament.....come on badgers....

This is exactly why I didn't want any red sweaters in the Ralph this weekend......pesky fricken badgers....... Denver will get at least one 5-3 powerplay to attempt to tie the game, hopefully Bucky is up to the task.

Here is the breakdown, brought to you by the Minnesota rule. Denver wins......Sioux vs. SCSU 7PM Thursday night (winner gets Goldy) Bucky wins......Sioux vs. Bucky 2PM Thursday afternoon (winner gets drunk hockey guy)

Makes it easy to see why the Wild have missed the postseason the past (insert playoff year drought here) years. Cuma is a great player, don't get me wrong....but the numbers speak for themself. Maybe Genoway will be a free agent in the near future and get on with a team that will actually give him a chance in the NHL.

Minnesota wild playing shorthanded defensively tonight.....hmmm....may be a good time to bring up a defenseman that would add some offense to their team. That being said now they'll go get Rob Ray.

I'll just gripe about Blood being on the third team. Coach of the year is okay, not sure how Faragher doesn't make the all rookie team, but the experts have spoken. I think Benny lost himself some points with the Minnesota incident.

Yeah, its easy to make the postseason and four Frozen Fours in a row. Its easy to coach a team with only 17 healthy skaters (I'm betting a few of them are dinged up that we don't know about) and mediocre goaltending (for the most part this season....They have turned it on as of late) to home ice and a possible postseason birth. Danny Kristo, Ben Blood, Aaron Dell were all pretty stupid to stick around for another year with the poor coaching they've been getting. Its a good thing that Blais recruited all these great hockey players the last seven years as well. Hopefully Deano can make it Friday night and show Seth Jones around the building.

Nick Jensen must have played the games of his life when SCSU and Wisconsin played this year....I guess Farragher didn't. Faragher is the reason that SCSU was able to stay somewhat in the hunt for home ice before Mike Lee got back. I mean he stole games for his team that I saw against UND and Minnesota.

Andy Baggot is officially a moron.....I can't believe I lowered my hockey IQ by reading his worthless drivel.... He should have just left Ben Blood off the third team, no reason to put any UND players on any of the All Conference Teams.

You know its kind of funny, but after the World Junior tournament this past year, and the swoon that UNO is going through, Deano has kind of lost of bit of gusto in my eyes. Still a great hockey coach, but I think the end could be near. Heck, they've got his replacement already figured out, wouldn't surprise me at the end of this season if Coach Blais stepped down. Like I said though, great man, great hockey coach. At this point in time though, I back Hak.

Hakstol has to be the coach of the year. I won't be upset if Lucia wins the award or even Motzko, but to be dealt the hand they have this season and still be talking about a possible NCAA birth is quite an accomplishment. Nobody care's, but here is the way I see it: Coach of the Year: Hakstol Player of the Year: Connolly Rookie of the Year: Rau First team Forwards: Connolly, Brown, Kristo First team Defense: Schultz, Blood First team Goalie: Patterson Kristo has been the best player on the ice in a majority of the games I've watched this season. Can't put another guy up there, can't think of one better.

The Minnesota Wild are all but eliminated in the NHL, it'd be nice to see them have Genoway make his NHL debut. Looking at his statistics he has had a great year for the Aeros and is one of the leaders on the team in plus/minus. Why not?

Friday Night: Kristo Saturday Night: Lamoureax

I thought for sure like Brad that BU would end up going to Wisconsin. Mercyhurst finished well above them in the pairwise and their reward for it is getting to play the #1 team in the country. I guess you can argue regionalism a bit because Mercyhurst is a bit closer to Wisconsin, but still they finished higher in the pairwise than North Dakota, St. Lawrence, and BU.

The NCAA gets it right, UND makes the postseason. They've proven they can beat Minnesota, they'll have to figure out a way to erase 6-0, and keep their season alive.

It never surprises me that there are ship jumpers early in the season. Last year was really one of the only Hakstol years that everyone was on board from beginning until the end. I think Hakstol is a great coach that lets a team find its identity early in the season, and once they've got it figured out starts building them into the type of team that will make a run in the second half. With the injuries that this team has had there is way we should be talking about a top five WCHA finish, and pairwise rankings, etc. But one thing I've learned from the Hakstol era is never for one minute think his teams are out of the hunt.....Yeah, no NCAA Championships, but the last 8 years have been pretty sweet.