sagard

Michigan is usually a fun opponent, but I wouldn't give up UMD/SCSU/MSU (let alone UND) games for MichState/OSU/NotreDame. I like seeing the local kids play and the current WCHA is far and away the best avenue do that.

They are on crack if they think college hockey will add that kind of subs. Fan bases in college hockey are VERY loyal, but very small. Maturi is looking out for the Gophers best interests and nobody else. The UMD/MSU/SCSU games are typically every bit as fun as when we play the Mich schools. BSU will likely fit right in as well. CC and DU games are typically fun as well and of course UND games are the best. Surprisingly UW games after Eaves has taken over just don't do much for me. If there HAS to be a BTHC, I'd hope they go with five, exclude ND and trust PWR to get their teams in. If ND wants to be part of the BT, then they need to get in every sport.

I've thought five point games should have been implemented with shoot outs. 5/0 reg. 4/1 ot. 3/2 shoot out. You'll never convince me a shoot out winner should equate to anything resembling a real win.

The Gophers should be pissed and embarrassed. A little banner raising shouldn't effect there attitude one way or the other at all. These guys choked away their season last year and should come out flying in GF.

This sucks. Best wishes to his friends and family. Seems like those who knew him were clearly richer for it.

Something is weird about the Schroeder comments. The kid has been interviewed a zillion times by the media since he won state with St. Thomas Academy as an eighth grader. With the FSN media he is ALWAYS prepared and robotically thanks his teammates and his coaches. I think his drop in the draft is more due to his play the last half of '08-'09 and teams questioning whether his is just another Pierre-Marc Bouchard. To me Schroeder needs to drive to the net more this season and increase his goal scoring to the 20-25 range, not to mention show up vs. Canada at the WJC. Either way I hope Vancouver sends him back to the "U" for another season or two.

I had to know. So I googled "Geoff Paukovich". Got a nice laugh when the 2nd link was video of Prpch playing against him at a faceoff and the third link was this: http://thetwolinepass.com/2008/09/geoff-pa...h-is-a-scumbag/ Finally down at the bottom of the page I found this link.

She hates Lucia more than most on this board and is likely a mouth for some alums who won't take a shot at Coach on their own. Lucia will complete his contract through 11-12 at a minimum in my opinion.

Russian PP coming up. 3 minutes left. 2-2.

Okposo looks to have hit the post on the PP. Russia resumes applying pressure after the PP.

Sorry but winning the Gold when Canada is playing their Bs and Cs just doesn't do it for me. Beating the Russians/Fins/Swedes is nice, so at least we got that going for us. If you had an elite 16-17 year old, who would you prefer to send him to? Rolston or Blais?

No way. Seeing people whom you have mentored succeed is one of the most satisfying things for a person professionally. Blais should replace Rolston if USA Hockey ever wants to move from 2nd-5th fiddle to become a realistic challenger to Canada.

The NCAA if it wants to keep hockey from declining needs to re-open access to MJ players. Figure out a way for MJ kids to keep their amateur status and give them options. If you want to charge them a year of eligibility for each season a kid plays MJ after high school, fine. College and MJ needs to become a two-way street.

I think your a Gopher Hockey lover in denial. Good luck to your Bruins, if they can actually turn it around so can the Wild someday.

Yep it's a silly time of year. A few weeks of bitterness ending with fighting amongst yourselves after the last game. It's the same across all WCHA message boards, only a little early this season. The sun is shining and the first baseball practice is tomorrow. All will be OK.

Exactly. Nobody knows how it would turn out. Could be like Brooks and he'd do a nice job, but not have overwhelming success. Could be like Bob Johnson and he could raise the cup. Don't know unless he gets a shot someday. I'd certainly prefer a fresh start with Blais for the Wild vs. another Lemaire clone who won't be as good as JL with the players.

Miami has survived and one could say even flourished after their name change. UND hockey makes the Fighting Sioux name special, not the other way around.

Ivy league guys probably don't get too worked up about not getting an ASU degree. Hope Obama isn't thin skinned enough to cancel an engagement over this.

The only problem is that now with the new RPI formula, playing a strong schedule actually hurts you. Cupcake city actually gives a team a better shot.

Apparently I only understand 7>5. Sorry for the screw up, UM education at it's best. I'm hoping I missed as many Gopher series, but I doubt it because I didn't have to read through USCHO seasons to find them. Carry on.

This shouldn't be in the BSU thread, but enough is enough. Over the last ten years Gophers: '98-'99 @BC '99-'00 @Mich/MichSt. '99-'00 @Maine '00-'01 @Bemidji '01-'02 @Mich/MichSt. '02-'03 @UNH '03-'04 @Mich/MichSt. '03-'04 @Icebreaker Omaha '04-'05 @Icebreaker Alaska '04-'05 @BU '05-'06 @Mich/MichSt. '06-'07 @OSU '07-'08 @Mich/MichSt. I also liked it better when they would go out east more frequently, because then they would get better NC series at home at some point. Considering the Sioux over the same period: '99-'00 @Clarkson '99-'00 @UNH Tourney '00-'01 @Mich Tourney '00-'01 @Bemidji '01-'02 @SLU '02-'03 @Buffalo Tourney '02-'03 @Princeton/Yale '04-'05 @Maine '04-'05 @BC/NE '05-'06 @Miami Tourney '05-'06 @UNH '06-'07 @Dartmouth Tourney '06-'07 @Bemidji '07-'08 @BC/NE '08-'09 @BU Tourney '08-'09 @Bemidji To say the Gophers never travel and the Sioux are road warriors is a little bit of a stretch. Unless three road trips (two of which were @BSU for single games) over ten years is substantial. On topic. This is really ALL ABOUT MONEY. It always is. BSU will get into the WCHA, but I'm guessing they will have to forgo playoff revenues for a substantial period of time.

Most concise and best pro-BSU argument possible.

Well said Mike. I was going to refute the notion the Gophers don't travel, but I'll let it go out of respect for BSU. On topic I think it is progress that the Gophers no longer appear to be outwardly opposing the Beavers entrance. Does anyone know definitively who applied to the WCHA in addition to Bemidji?

The "U" travels to Michigan every other year and seems to go out east every second or third year. With eight extra games I'd expect them to travel typically one of the four series. Probably to UND or UW when the Gophers hosted the conference series. Our fan base wants UND at home every year, so if traveling is the only way to make it happen I'm sure Don and the boys would make the trip. Unbalanced league schedules are worse in my opinion. Compounding unbalanced league schedules with the goofy (but fun) final five format the WCHA league is not currently setup in a fair manner.

Lacrosse is growing and I don't know if it can be stopped. My son started playing and the parent interest/turnout beat Mites hockey played in the same facility at least three to one. It has a lot going for it: 1. It's fun to play. Very similar to hockey, but no learning to skate requirements. 2. It's cheap. 3. Can be played indoors and outdoors. 4. Parent's don't know what is going on, so they don't harp on the kids. In another 10 years there will be plenty of talent in the Midwest to choose from.