sagard

I don't think you really do. As much fun as it is to make fun of a rival I don't think those UND fans who either saw it live or the video before it was pulled are making fun of this kid. It is sad to see a kid who truly should be enjoying the some of the best years of his life struggling with problems.

The commentator pushed the question to Parker about a BU/BC matchup, but he knows and pretty much stated that the UND game will be a battle. Unlike ESPN, Parker will not put the cart before the horse.

Like me, you all should be thrilled with your teams bracket. While every game will be tough, none of them will be unwinnable. Then BC who will be tough, but UND if UND can maintain the effort they played with this weekend they will have a very reasonable shot. The best part about the Gophs/Sioux brackets is that neither will face DU/CC/Michigan unless they make the NCAA final. And at that point anything can happen.

What is really amazing to me is how there were two CC hits on DU players in the final that could have been five minutes. One got two for "boarding", the other of course went uncalled due to it being in the last couple of minutes and CC needed to tie the game. The tourney should be interesting to see if the WCHA teams can re-adjust to the officials calling penalties.

Using 0.0030, 0.0020, and 0.0010 with USCHO's PWR: 1 Boston College 27 4 25-6-7 .7500 2 .5945 2 Colorado College 26 3 29-8-3 .7625 1 .5967* 3 Denver 25 5 28-9-2 .7436 3 .5926* 4 Minnesota 24 11 26-14-1 .6463 6 .5720 5 Cornell 23 1 26-4-3 .8333 4 .5902* 6 Michigan 22 2 30-7-3 .7875 5 .5811* 7t North Dakota 20 20 22-14-5 .5976 10 .5670 7t New Hampshire 20 8 25-10-5 .6875 7 .5718 9 Harvard 19 9 21-9-3 .6818 8 .5710 10 Ohio State 17 6 27-10-4 .7073 13 .5494 11t Wisconsin 16 13t 23-13-4 .6250 12 .5537 11t Boston University 16 13t 23-13-4 .6250 9 .5685 11t Maine 16 18 20-12-7 .6026 11 .5607 14 Colgate 14 7 25-10-3 .6974 14 .5468 BSU MC I'd guess: East: 1BC 4MC 2UND 3BU (Host) NorthEast: 1Denver 4Colgate 2UNH 3OSU Midwest: 1CC 4BSU 2Michigan 3Harvard West: 1UM (host) 4Maine 2Cornell 3UW The commitee will have a lot of interesting choices to make with the 2vs3 seeds.

Great effort by the Sioux this weekend. I hope the doctors can get Bina going again. Good luck in the post season unless we cross paths again.

PCM- Thanks for posting the transcript with ZP. I think if you would have found some accounts from games in other WCHA cities (they certainly were out there) it would have been published. I realize you all despise Vanek, but he often received the same attention that ZP received. He also contributed to the problem with often viscious slashes and crosschecks in what I'm sure he perceived as retaliatory shots. It's hard to avoid noticing the referee when either Mason or Adam is running the game and it's not supposed to be like that.

I'm sure Lucia is extremely hard on the kids at times. MANY highly successful hockey have been known for that trait, including a few that have coached in GF. One player told me directly he loved Woog, hated Lucia, but if he had to pick a coach to play for he'd pick Lucia every time. There are certain limits to acceptable behavior to be sure, when those limits are reached it will show up in both the news and the recruiting trails.

Frank and Doug report that Paukovich is suspended for tomorrow nights game and they have heard unconfirmed reports about Bina that are hopeful.

You all should be proud of your team tonight. They gave it all they had and easily could have won. Losing two forwards and then turning the game against DU was an incredible feat. I've never seen anyone afraid of anyone like the entire DU squad was afraid of Greene after the Bina hit. From my vantage of club level behind Fisher I could see it was check from behind worthy of five and a DQ. How the three blind mice didn't confer and get the call correct is beyond me. I hope Bina is OK and it really makes you realize what is important. Gwozdecki was earning my permanent respect by holding his player out of the game. But then he must have decided that sitting a player out for that kind of play is fine, until you need him on the PP.

The Don said that if there ever was a team that could come to St. Paul and win three games it's this years Sioux. He credited the Sioux's ability to wear down opponents and not get worn down themselves for this chance. Fun game last night. Definately weird seeing Sioux and Gophers fans standing and cheering together. Except for the dozen or so UM dorks who cheered after the Badgers got one of their lucky shots. Good luck to the Sioux today, I'll be cheering for them again.

It looked very painful. Looked to me like his shoulder dipped the last second before impact on the boards.

Newsflash. Us Gophers fans aren't the only ones capable of arrogance.

That's all he will ever be evaluated as. His ability to make and stay in the NHL will hinge on his ability to score and create goals, not whether or not he can stay with his man through the neutral zone.

You can still find the sentiment if you look for it. It's hard for people to be vocal about it due to recent success. I truly enjoyed the all Minnesota recruiting, but I did realize that was restricting the success of the program. When Lucia opened the borders he was basically saying he was going to do what it took to win the NCAAs. Had he not won the NCAAs with ultimate dependence on Grant Potulny and Vanek, I think there would be a vocal minority harping on going back to the all Minnesota recruiting.

I think we are talking two different things. Last years playin game between CC and AA supposedly had 12,700. I'd guess maybe 6,000-7,000 actual. The vast majority of that crowd was Gopher fans. Would you agree that 75% were Gophers fans at that game? If so then the Sioux or UW would probably have to get a minimum of 4,500 hundred fans to the game tomorrow to match the Gopher contingent. If the game were on Friday or Saturday I'd say they could do it, but it's not and many have to work Friday. We'll know soon enough, and hopefully the vile red ones will be able to get out their golf clubs as early as Monday.

Granted it is a lot easier for us Gophers fans, but I'm guessing there will be just as many Gophers jerseys in attendance tomorrow night as Sioux or Badgers.

You should just be glad you don't draw the Gophers after beating UW. It's hidden deep in the WCHA handbook, but the game would in fact begin at Friday AM 12:01:00. At that point if things still aren't going well for the Gophers, Lou, Glen and Doug get to "officiate" the third period.

Not that uncommon. The Gophs and SCSU shared a plane to Ann Arbor a few years back for a regional.

It's a fine line between being a team that is chippy and has an edge vs. being a team that is goon like and thuggish. It's one of those things that you know it when you see it. The most glorious example of a team that crossed that line is the Ferris St. crew from '02-'03. Teams that get close to the line without crossing are usually very successful, such as the recent Demarchi led Gophers teams, Blake/Commodore Sioux teams, any Maine/Michigan team, the '02 DU team, etc.... This years Gophers are not anywhere near as physically imposing (read that as cheap if it helps you) as there recent teams. The only defensive player that likes to initiate physical play was Hagemo and I think he has had to back off since injuring his shoulder. I guess Harrington will hit someone now and then, but it is usually so far away from the puck it's just interference. I see this as potentially the Gophers biggest problem in the playoffs.

I'd love to see them matchup as well. As long as it's taking place Saturday afternoon. Gophs/Sioux tilts belong in primetime.

The only way it would happen at the Ralph is if the estate basically bought it. The league is in it for the money and selling out every game (which would not likely happen) would still leave the league with at least 20,000 fewer tickets sold. Although a good showing at next years NCAA regionals would turn some heads and maybe have the WCHA consider "fairness" for a season or two.

I don't think the NCAA will have a first round intra-conference matchup unless the five WCHA teams are in a position of three #1's and two #4's and it is unavoidable. If UW is a number four and UM/CC/DU are number ones I'll be shocked and disappointed if they force two WCHA schools to face off in the first round. If they do that they are simply trying to protect the eastern bracket again, as they have every year since '02.