sagard

After the barnburners up in Grand Forks the Mariucci games always seem to be a let down. Sioux show up Friday play great and win. Gophs get pissed and pull it out Saturday. Games are lower scoring and forwards from both teams drift into corners instead of driving the net like they did last weekend.

Get past your anger. Things aren't so bad. Oshie is a stud and as you predicted he will be a force on the WJC team. I have no doubt in my mind that Kessel and Toews will demonstrate the value in their lofty draft projections in due time.

Actually the Presidents dancing at the X is about the funniest thing I've seen on the big screen. Though I'd laugh out loud if they actually did a kiss cam on two Gophers in the Penalty Box.

The Gophers are virtually the same as last year. A little on the soft side defensively but if given space they will control the puck and play. The difference is that the Sioux aren't a Senior laden team playing at the top of their game. The Sioux had a good third period, but Potuly was still doing his part. If the Lamaroux doesn't make that spectacular save off Ryan's shot as he was steaming down the slot, the game would have been over with 10 minutes left. As it was the Sioux easily could have won the game. Oshie was probably the most effective freshmen in my opinion as well and it's easy to see why he was a 1st rounder.

Maine sucks!

As usual the atmosphere at the new rinks will depend on how the home team is playing. I highly doubt it was really all that different at the old "Ralph." First comes the good play, then the inspired fans.

No. They only get the over head view to ensure the same views in Anchorage, Houghton, etc...

So did Kessel live up to his potential #1 overall ranking? To me he disappeared for large portions of the weekend. He also missed a chance to drill Oshie by the side of the net and led to a Sioux goal Friday.

The Gophs got all the points but there really wasn't that much separating the teams. The biggest factor in my opinion is that UND didn't get the great goaltending they are apparently accustomed to this season. The other weird thing was that the Sioux actually seemed closer to tying the games before the Gophers took stupid penalties in the final minute. The Sioux didn't try throwing it on net and getting an ugly one down low and basically wasted probably 45 seconds of the final minute each night with perimeter passing.

Us Gopher fans can commiserate. Time for a new moniker. Bounces all went the Gophers way this weekend, things even out over time.

Irmen does somewhat allude to a recruiting slight in the Fargo paper:

Though he'd probably never admit it, Irmen probably would have liked a little more love in the recruiting process than he apparently received from the Sioux. And as bad as that loss in Ohio last year was for the fans, I'm sure Irmen took it worse knowing he could have played better. I agree that Irmen's antics were over the top and he seems borderline out of control in recent games with UND.

Next time there is flood potential you and McKenzie get the first calls.

Like the Olympic teams Canada will only lose in the WJC if their goalie cracks. As great as the Parise led WJC champs were, I'm sure Fleury would love to have both of O'Sullivans goals to do over.

I was thinking of Leneveu and Mckee who both had slightly lower GAAs, but not quite the 0.950. Mark Vermette from Lake State had 45 goals and 74 pts, Steve Johnson had 85 pts. Stauber robbed 'em. To me you can have a worthy winner and still have someone get robbed.

These are the stats from his Hobey winning season, he wasn't given any "curious" hooks that year. http://www.uscho.com/stats/gamebygame.php?...002001&gender=m I'm sure Ryan would have given his and his cousin's Hobey to change the last game on this schedule. That Mass game was in '01-'02 and the replacement goalie was probably getting some ice after the shutout was lost. The pulling of Miller doesn't appear to be a frequent habit of Coach Mason, despite the fans comment. 1. Panzer was in fact robbed. Miller was worthy, but other goalies have done more and failed to win. Not sure how much more Panzer could have done for UND that year. 2. How did you not die from boredom watching MSU smother UMASS in a rink that makes Mariucci look raucous?

Come on Bacardio. You live with us, play hockey with us, etc... It's time to feel what the dark side of the force and do for you! Besides we need payback for Dean Blais and your a good start.

What hurt the most is after that game I left the Civic Center thinking "That's OK, we'll beat them in the regionals just like we beat CC in '95." The PWR was something like: 1. Mich 2. UND 3. BU 4. Gophs Due to seeding rules we had: 1W. Mich 2W. UND 3W. Gophs etc.. No problem another UND matchup, only the Gophs have to play an extra game. Well the NCAA decided to go a different route and really put the screws to old Wooger. CC cruises through an eastern regional just to add to my bitterness.

I completely realize that if the Gophers manage to enjoy a winning "current" decade against UND at some point, it will evaporate when the "beautiful season" comes off the ledger. In my subjective rankings of who had the better season it's pretty one sided: '96 - Gophs '97 - Sioux '98 - Sioux '99 - Sioux '00 - Sioux '01 - Sioux '02 - Gophs '03 - Gophs '04 - Push '05 - Sioux Right now the biggest problem the Gophs and the Sioux have is the red menace to the East and those interlopers from Colorado.

Do you think you will still be enjoying it in three years when the last of the dominant late '90s UND teams falls out of the "decade" window? It will be be pretty dang close with the Gophers holding a game edge since 1/1/00. This is rediculous. How can today be only Wednesday?

3. Grant P. stepping out in front of the net and jamming the game winner passed a stunned Brandt and at least 7,000 Gopher haters. It was almost if he wanted to make them realize one last time how bad of a decision it was to turn their (arrogant) backs on him. 4. The opening of the Ralph II. Not really much at stake, but going into the third down two and watching the Sioux faithful on TV get real quiet real fast was just so weird. Of course not blowing the resulting two goal lead was a weird change as well. It was certainly a sign that good things were in store for the '02 Gophers. Of course the Sioux have tons of huge wins against the Gophs as well. The '97 Final Five and last years Frozen Four were among toughest to swallow. One thing that has become clear to me is that when the Gophers are better than the Sioux they better win the NCAAs, because it doesn't happen that often.

The Gophers haven't needed saving last I checked. (Maybe a goalie who saves) Only Parise was a savior. The last time the Gophers were saved it was by Pohl/Leopold/Lucia/Potulny/Taffe/etc... in some order.

The Pioneer Press says that Shepherd will be trying out a new face shield in Grand Forks this weekend while doing the Sioux/Gophs games. "Zelkin, who needed three stitches for his cut, is expected to wear a shield in the future, and Derek Shepherd also will try one when he works the Minnesota-North Dakota series this weekend at Engelstad Arena." -PP Bruce Brothers

Please. Lots of guys can play defense, but few can score. The Gophers have many problems, Kessel is not anywhere near the top of that list.