DamStrait

You should straighten out that beaver-toothed, squirrel-tailed abomination patrolling your ice while you're at it.

Right on! Jim for pres!

Warning: MN fans read the following at their own risk. Due to my strong dislike for your team, I am incapable of being objective. If you go ahead, read the below, and don't like it, I don't want to hear about it. After a night of reflection, I still think it stinks. As I said before the series, MN is back and they are good. I was willing to take a split before the series started, but after having won on Friday, and coming so close on Saturday, after not sweeping down there in 24 years, it's a bitter pill to swallow. If the boys had lost on Friday, and then won Saturday, I think I'd be in a lot better mood. JP's dive was embarassing. He deserved the penalty, and I hope to never see such a display again. The 'hooking' call on the MN player was non-existent. He made contact with JP without having to do so and with the intention of hindering his return to the crease, but there was no hook. Should have been interference, but if JP hadn't taken his dive, does anybody out there think the infraction on the MN player would have been called (as it should have been IMHO)? I have no confidence that it would have. On the disallowed goal: I would like to see those replays again. It looked like it probably was a high-stick, but the angles were such that to me it was not conslusive, also, Zach's stick was initially much higher before coming down to make contact with the puck. Zach's contention that he made contact at waist level is conclusively mistaken based on the replays I saw IMHO. I would also like to see the bounce off of Ballard again. It seems to me that there was something that indicated he knew the puck hit him and may have even kicked at it, but I don't believe he made contact. Not sure it would have made any difference, but an official interpretation of what constitutes control would be interesting. It seems to me in the past, that a puck played by a high-stick needed only to be touched by an opposing player to be waved off. I will be watching these calls in the future to see how this 'control' is ruled in practice. Also, we will never know how Shepherd would have ruled had he known it went off Ballard, since he told Zach that it was waved off because it went off his stick and was first touched by a Sioux player. Anybody out there think that if it was MN down 2-1 at that point in the game and they scored the same exact way that it would have been waved off? I have zero confidence that it would have. The difference in shots (2:1 in favor of MN) is at least partially due to the (unearned, IMHO) difference in PPs (2.5:1, in favor of MN). Not only do the PPs give the opposition a better opportunity to get more SOGs, it also limits the good guy's opportunities. MN plays positionally much better on the big ice than do the Sioux, but in the 3rd especially, MN ran several (well maybe four that I can specifically picture in my head) obivous offensive and defensive picks that were not called. Hard to get possession of the puck when that is let go. Whenever there was a puck that got banged around randomly, it always seemed to land on a MN stick, which I take as further evidence that they played the big ice well positionally. As I noted before the series, the Sioux don't seem comfortable on the big sheet. They let MN puck carriers in way too deep without taking the body, IMHO. A favorite set play by MN seemed to be to carry the puck in wide and deep and then try to get it to the 3rd man in in the slot, which the Sioux defended well for the most part by keeping a body on that third man. MN's second goal came off such a play, however, even though the Sioux player seemed to have pretty good position, just a great play by Koalska. The MN assistant ad that threw our boys out of the press box is a no-class putz, even if it is against NCAA rules. I mean, what the hell could the penalty be for that anyway? If it is in fact not against NCAA regs, he should be stiffly fined by the league and forced to apologize in person to our boys. Shepherd did not have a good weekend. He is without redeeming value whatever. If his daddy has any hope of keeping his job, he should be forced to give his boy the pink slip. Even then he should be canned. And if the officiating doesn't rapidly improve McClod should be given his walking papers too. Best league in the NCAA, with the biggest rinks and revenue and they can't solve the bad officiating problem? BS!!!! Sorry for the length, but I feel better now!

Ya, especially since Wisco comes to the twin cities next weekend. I'm sure they'll get some "special" treatment too. Nevermind, read that as a two tem race. Wisco loses to CC though tonight.

Damn straight (nice set-up Sprig).

You are no doubt right, but it it's disappointing that it came: a) by officials trying to call a split (blatantly, I might add IMHO) b) at the hands of the despicable yellow vermin.

Have the Sioux actually received more power plays than the opposition in any game over the last, oh, say, five years? Gotta say, none come to mind.

The only poll that counts is the pole you hang your banner on. (copyrighted by The Sicatoka).

No doubt the other team played well enought to win, but when you have several trips and blatant interferences by the opposition go without a call and then a VERY marginal call goes against Andy, something is very rotten in Denmark. Then the call on the equalizer. Gee, guess someone in the league office wants to make sure a certain team makes it to the Final Five.

The %^@&^%& vermin are without redeeming value whatever. There's not a one of them that wouldn't benefit from an once-a-day complete thrashing. And I want the name of ass-clown u assistant ad that kicked our players out of the press box so I can send him an e-mail to let him know exactly what I think of his lame useless ass.

Tims just said it went off the vermin should have been a good goal! )(&%%#@!%^^ shepherds should all be given their walking papers! Way to officiate a sure split putz. It's amazing that Donnie Lucifer still has any of his soul left to sell to the devil, but apparently he does. Man, I hate it when the Sioux lose to these jerks.

Not disputing that, but it went off of Parise's stick, hit a vermin ass-clown and then was touched by the Sioux, all before going into the net. So what the hell is the proper ruling? Good goal or not? From my understanding, should be good.

Yes, it definitely came off the vermin crap-sack before another Sioux player touched it.

Okay, say it was played with a high stick, but it went off a yellow vermin piece-of-crap, so should'nt the goal count?

Is that what that was? I thought it was a second puck.

Sure, kick a guy when he's down.

I knew if I didn't leave they'd call the game. Knew if I left they'd resume play. You are all welcome. OK, ice has a problem, how 'bout making a public announcement to clue in everyone in the frick'n world? NOBODY in the arena knew what the prob was. A guy next to me even called home and asked someone watchin' FSN. No idea. Shep checkin' everything out, skatin' all over, scrapin' the spot with a stick and his skates, talkin' to everyone possible at ice level, drinkin' out of a water bottle while sittin' his useless posterior down, but NEVER givin' any kind of indication that he was satisfied w/ the ice. Needless to say I was sure they were going to call the game ala Wisco. OOOOOPS. Alas, not so. Should have stuck it out (instead I'm takin' the way of the coward and blamin' Shep). Thanks for the kind words NDH btw. Pretty sure this not-so-diehard Sioux fan doesn't deserve them.

What the hell is it to you if Sioux fans hate Woog? Who are you, his kid? Your understand that Woog should be pro-UMN since that is who he works for, but don't understand why Sioux fans are anti-Woog? Go bark up a different tree.

I will be disappointed if the Sioux don't sweep. That doesn't have anything to do with the particulars of this weekend though. I am always disappointed if the Sioux don't sweep, whether it be against Tech, UMN, an NHL team, our 2001-2002 Sioux vs. the UMN team of that year, it doesn't matter, I always want the Sioux to win and I am always disappointed if they don't. I also think I'm likely to be disappointed this weekend. As much as I thoroughly despise UMN, they are not doing it with mirrors. They are back and they are for real. In addition, Briggs is playing very well of late. I view him as much like Hauser (big, plays well positionally, but does not move well and is not overly talented), but much more mentally tough. The Sioux need to crowd him, hit him with a lot of rubber and make him move to make a save. The Sioux just don't like the big ice. They play tentatively on it. They need to play smart, but much more aggressively on it. UMN lives and dies on the power play. The Sioux will need not to take any stupid penalties, but also need to avoid having to take penalties because they get beat (i.e. don't get beat). Sioux goaltending will need to be solid, not letting in any softies. I see these games as being pretty evenly played with the winner determined by the team that gets the better bounces. I don't expect a blowout in either game, but if there is one (or two) I would be really disappointed if it was at the expense of the Sioux. I really hope the Sioux sweep. If they don't, I hope even more that the whole team, meaning all forward lines, all defensive pairs and all goaltenders give it a full 60 minutes both nights and play with a lot of poise, intelligence, and aggressiveness.

Perhaps you'd be more comfortable visiting another board. That would be perfectly fine with me.

Did you honestly expect differently? It is the University of the People's Republic of Minnesota, after all.

If BC could get three of their clowns named as finalists, I should think it not out of the realm of possibility that really quality players like Bo and Zach could also be co-finalists. And what about Matt Jones? IMHO, he's the best defensemen I've seen in college hockey this year and it doesn't appear as if he's even made it to phase 2 (from an earlier post on this thread, I haven't actually checked the site).

If NDSU wanted to play UND year-in, year-out, they should have stayed in the NCC. Why the hell do their apologists find that so hard to understand?

Has Al Pearson organized one for this weekend?

Really, there's no need for you guys to continue your witty repartee in public. Please take it off board.