sagard

Yep. Whoever predicted they would call it close until Thanksgiving wins the prize. I thought they would keep calling penalties until Christmas. Not a single 5x3 for either the Gophs or DU and the stickwork that was an automatic whistle previously went uncalled unless the player went down.

Do you like it when opposing fans come to POI and spout off? Then try to be a bigger man and don't do it here. USCHO welcomes this type of behavior and it is far more appropriate there.

I was going to add my prediction for this weekend, but I'd hate to ruin two weekend in a row for you all.

Adding to that thought. The Sioux won't replace nine outgoing Senior with a huge freshmen class unless they get nine commitments that they really want. If there are only six players that the Coaches think will compete at the level they need, that is what they will bring in. Especially if that gives them a flexibility to bring in more players from the next seasons recruiting class. Contrary to what many of my fellow fans think, I don't think the Sioux would bring in players for next near just to discard them the following season if there are better recruits coming in.

I disagree. All of us message board geeks likely know who's being recruited, but I'm sure the vast majority of Sioux fans (or any other team's fans for that matter) have no idea who they are recruiting until the LOIs are announced. Since Hakstol is not allowed to mention any players names, the only way the information can go out is via a direct question. TH didn't continue to probe the subject, so both TH and DH handled it fine and no rules violations occured.

Exactly. Eaves could use a little brush up on the NCAA rules, but Hakstol seems to be all over it.

How could you root for the vile Badgers? That is just disgusting.

I think UW is vastly over-estimated. Their forwards with the exception of Ross Carlson don't look to shoot and their defense will give up several quality chances per game. Brukler can still be very tough, but does not have the support of last season's Bucky team. I predict a UND sweep, but of course I predicted that last year as well.

He did OK last night. Sounds like he still has some growing up to do if your reports of him being far overweight are not exaggerated.

The rest of the choices should be pretty interesting. Is Brady Murray too old this year?

Yeah, re-reading it I missed the point.

I don't think you'll find too many Gopher fans wondering what could have been if only we would have landed Parise. They might have added the McNaughton in '02-'03, but CC was a very good team that year. Maybe the McNaughton or the threepeat in '03-'04, but with the team defense played last year I don't think Parise would have saved last years team. Plus had Parise committed to the Gophs we may have lost out on Vanek!

Based off the shiner Vanelli was still sporting Saturday against MSU, the UND guy is declared the winner. However, I doubt Vanelli would trade the results of the Saturday game for anything.

It's clearly Hakstol's fault that in the last five years UM, UMD, and UW have made major coaching upgrades.

I've never seen a BCHL game so I clearly don't know, but from the reading I've done it seems as though the roles have reversed from your position in the last 5 years or so. Last year the USHL scoring leader was Howe with 78pts, in comparison with the same 60 game schedule 19 guys in the BCHL had over 80 pts.

1. Like all teams Gophs have big goals overturned. Last year against BU, a couple years back against SCSU in OT, and CC at the Final Five in OT from what I immediately remember. Maybe not as big as the Maine/DU goal last year, but they all hurt and they happen to everyone. 2. The Gophs find themselves 3x5 all too frequently, including against MSU. The loss to AA was on a 3rd period 3x5 as well. If the Gophers got all the breaks I would not have had to wait my first 21 years as a fan to see them win the NCAA title. Some of the new folks around here would benefit from a little patience, though I wouldn't wish a 23 year drought on any of you.

I haven't been watching the games as close as usual yet this year, but I was at the Saturday UM/MSU game. Zelkin called everything in the first, didn't care if you were already short handed. In the second, he called every first infraction, but wouldn't put anyone down two. In the third, you pretty much had to go to town on a guy to get the penalty, but to his credit, he did call those. It was like a script. I think he blew the game for MSU though, I could tell from behind Briggs that it was deflected in off a skate and I just will never believe these guys don't do it intentionally. I'll take it though.

You know you northern folk subscribed to this philosophy as well until '03 it seems. Then all we heard was the Gophs inadaquacies in persuit of the McNaughton. Now you all are despondent despite going 4-2-2 against pretty strong competition, including 6 of 8 on the road.

I'd hate to see this board if you all actually got off to a bad start. RELAX. You all will expose CC as posers next weekend.

Not to mention the obvious Friday night collapse in GF.

Failing to sell 200 tickets to that series just tells me that the people in charge of selling the tickets were disorganized. Many people in the cities were looking for tickets, so if they were Gopher returns the "U" didn't try to hard to sell them.

I don't think UM or UND will be hurting for talent in the forseeable future. It seems like Kessel may be in the Vanek/Parise/Heatley type talent, obviously everybody wants him. As for Bradford, early USHL returns and it seems like Lucia wanted him pretty badly so he is probably pretty darn good.

My how times have changed.

The backpatting and whining on both sides of this fight is just plain stupid. Both players are easily replaced and the UND player doesn't even miss a conference game. It was a non-event. I hope both players enjoy their night off they deserve it.

It's pretty clear that the Sioux brought out the Gophers best efforts of the season. The weekend in Alaska sounded like a struggle the whole way for the Gophs. Barely getting by Massachusets, then losing to AA.