Greyeagle

I see you have a new name on POI, eh? Vanek can be a very effective backchecker. Several times he's picked a guys pocket around the red line and created a very good scoring chance. And since he's about 20% of our goal scoring I'm will to cut him some slack defensively.

Yeah....where were you??

Parise & Vanek are WCHA Offensive Players Of The Week.

Hammy made a very good point on POI - Woog is a MN employee still and discussing recruits that haven't signed is a no-no. I didn't see the game so I don't know the specifics. Put me down as a Gopher fan who likes championships. In Lucia I trust.

He's playing for the under 17 team in Ann Arbor. I would guess the USA hockey site?

I agree with WPoS, Briggs is now the man and barring an injury will play in all significant games while JJ will continue to get an odd game against the MSU-M's & BSU's of the world to spot Briggs. In fact, WPoS's post look suspiciously like an e-mail I just sent him.

The nepotism disturbs me more than the relationship he has with the officials. Derrick was a poor AR and get promoted? I wonder how that happened?

I think he was going into the weekend series with MSU-M, now Ballard is. Vanek - 22/44 Ballard - 17/53

Well it made me feel good. More importantly, I don't care who gets either award.

Sadly I will be out of town this weekend and unable to be at the games.

I disagree, PP's become critical the deeper a team goes into the playoffs and the teams become more even.

It's because I called you old right? I knew it, it's all my fault.

I will give you an "Amen" for that. Amen!

Get in line! Losing two of your best defensemen and goalie is never easy - then losing the best two remaining d-men for several games each made the situation worse. Subtract the team's starting goalie and sprinkle in a complete disinterest by forwards to play any defense and you have a recipe for a bad start. But that is water under the bridge. I anticipated a slow start due to the goaltending and young, inexperienced defense. The Ballard & Harrington injuries prolonged the adjustment period and we are just now seeing this team begin to play comfortably with each other. Lucia is also a first half experimenter but now the pairings are set , the lines seem to be set, and the goaltender issue has been decided. I think they can still make a nice run at the 2nd or 3rd WCHA slot. Fortunately for Gopher fans the PWR is very good (all things considered) so the NCAA is not out of the the question and they do have the talent to make some noise in the tournament if they get there. Threepeat? I wouldn't bet my money on it. What they lack IMO is a solid second line. Last year the Guyer-Talackson-Potulny line was the catalyst and they are not doing it so far, Guyer has been good but his linemates have been invisible. The third & fourth lines are solid and can probably match up against most other 3rd-4th lines and the 1st line can score and is also pretty good - not UND 1st line good, but then what other line is?

I guess not. Thanks and that answers my question. As ScottM said, it keeps away the PC police and that is a GOOD thing!

If I remember correctly, one of the sticking points during construction was Mr. Englestad's desire to keep the nickname and logo. Also, again if memory serves, this was why he leased the arena to the university for very cheap, so he could retain some control over the situation. Question, were Mr. Englestad's wishes articulated in the donation agreement? Thanks. BTW - Not a logo/nickname question. I think what he did was phenomenal for UND and college hockey and I think the nickname & logo are pretty cool. Just curious about the transaction.

It was BB recruit Wesley Washington. He still has not reached the minimum standards and will not attend MN. Now if Clem were still here....

Like I'd remember after my night on the town! I do remember thinking at the time that these guys would be much less friendly if the Gophers had happened to win the game.

I love memory lane threads like this. I went to one game at the old REA - MN v. UND in January (??) of '87. UND wasn't to bad. I think ya'll completely depleted the North Dakota Gopher population that weekend. It was pretty cool though, one of my distant cousins is married to a (from what I've heard) significant contributor to the UND hockey program. He got us seats for the game and I swear it was Gasperini's personal friend section - Everyone but my buddy & me had on a green sport coat. We then headed over to EGF with the rest of the under 21 crowd and got plastered with a fun group of Sioux fans.

Canuck, enjoyed your article. Hated that game though.

Close. Back to Sioux talk....

Seriously, how can one argue with this! IMO it took the crowds at Mariucci about two years to get over the "wow" factor of the new arena and start getting more into the games. Is this about the same at UND? I suppose it didn't help that the opening of the new REA corresponded with one the worst UND hockey seasons in many, many moons.

We're an oustanding team.....on paper. BTW - Thanks Jim. it's a fun tool.