sagard

He has to be the favorite for rookie of the year in my opinion. I kept hoping that he was simply the benificiary of the great defense UND plays, but it is becoming clear he is more than that.

UW brought a very good effort tonight. It was the best I'd seen them play in about eight times seeing them this year, including their 3pt effort against the Gophs in Madison. They sorely lack finishers. The Gophers really played well in the third, limiting the Badgers to one shot on net and really only one good chance after the Badgers had pulled their goalie. I don't see how the Badgers will score against the Sioux. Two of their goals this weekend were two breakaways off careless Gophers turnovers, I don't see the Sioux making the same mistakes. I'd pick the Sioux to sweep in low scoring games.

I wasn't there tonight, but I'll get a feel for it tomorrow. The listed gate was 10,236 UW vs. 10,327 Friday against UND. I think capacity is listed as 10,000. Wooger was raving about how large the crowd was, but that doesn't really mean much. There were a lot fewer no shows for the UND series than I can ever remember. It seemed like the many UND fans at the games at Mariucci were forced to the SRO, usually they find seats.

Was that a recent transaction? Does that mean the threepeat is in order? Nice work by UND.

4-2 Gophs. UW scored a very late goal. The Gophs drew a lot of penalties. UW has no shooters.

If I were a Sioux fan, anything less than four is a disappointment, anything less than three and the McNaughton is no longer a lock. That said, DU doesn't have the skills to get a point this weekend. Sweep them and let them lose out. Berkhoel will face 40 both nights I'm guessing.

I think it is more akin to the NIT Tourney for basketball before the NCAA tourney existed. There was an organized national tourney, but the NCAA hadn't invented itself yet. Club is glorified intramurals to me. Of course, it obviously would mean more to schools who were playing then.

The U of M hockey program recognizes the 1940 AAU title, for several reasons in my opinion. 1. Mariucci was on that team. 2. They went 18-0-0, and won the AAU tourney against collegiate opponents. I knew the teams once, but have forgotten. 3. Sanctioned "NCAA" play was only eight years away. This was likely as good as it got. The Gopher's 2002 NCAA video mentions being co-National Champions with Yale in 1929, but that year gets no love at Mariucci. I don't see that banner ever coming down as that team has the namesake of the arena.

If I were Blais or Lucia, I'd hold fast for the Wild job. It may never become available, but they do currently both have pretty good gigs. They are both smart guys, neither will jump to the NHL for the sake of jumping. However, I'm guessing both would make the move at some point if the situation were right for them. I think Lucia will coach in the NHL someday, but if he doesn't he could work another 20 years at the U and probably rack up 900 career wins.

The Gophs will sweep Bucky, as will the Sioux when they go to Madison. They are not that good this year.

I thought this required the good old "Did you know we landed on the moon?", but I see it has been sufficiently flamed.

Didn't Blais just re-up with the Sioux? I suppose he probably could leave if he wanted to, but why leave for the NHL. They are so screwed up, I just don't think it makes sense. Not to mention the potential lockout. However, the Sioux would be fine even if Blais were to take off for the NHL. Many coaches would be stepping all over themselves to get the UND job.

You guys truly need four points to really put a strangle hold on the McNaughton. I don't see DU getting the job done against the Sioux D. The Gophers will only widen the Sioux margin from here out.

You all are hilarious.

He also said that the Gophers think Potulny will be out for four weeks. Which is very good news considering some of the early reports/rumors.

The NCAA has always had a surprise or two when the brackets come down. My biggest concern about the brackets currently is that I'd bet right now that the East will be protected. I'm guessing that UND, UM, UMich and UMD will all be in the western regionals. That in my opinion sucks. The only hope I have that would force that break up is if three Western teams can bump Maine from being a #1 seed. Maine is in fact very close to losing comparisons to Mich, Minn and Minn-Duluth. The other big problem is that if the season ended today and seedings went as expected, I think BC would cruise to the Final. The Western surviver would have faced wars in the Quarters and the Semi. Who knows how much they would have left in the tank for a battle with BC. I really want Maine to start losing.

The teams were so even this weekend it takes two disallowed goals (probably both correct) to keep scores a one goal difference. I think Goon will be updating his sig again this year. Hopefully on the Gophs side of the ledger, but if not, hopefully on the Sioux side. I was impressed by the fact that 10 of the last 30 NCAA championships were either Sioux or Gophers. I'm guessing it will be 11/31. If the Gophers end up in the same regional as the Sioux it will be a shame.

The ice is typically 1.5 hours. I wear a helmet, cup, shin pads, elbow pads. Others wear full gear. The games are usually a lot of fun and not ultra competitive, although I guess the game last year may have been a little rougher than most. I didn't skate so I can't judge.

Methinks you are calling the kettle black... Heck the only players I'm sure didn't dive/embellish this weekend were Z. Parise and of course GP.

Good point on the Parise analysis. My first impressions were that it was high, but even after the first replay I realized it was very close. I think the main problems were that both the shot and Parise's stick started so high. I think Fleming's play was truly incredible and most likely legal. It seems like the puck was screaming around the dasher, not up near the glass. To tell you all the truth, I wish I wouldn't have whined about the Gophs getting goals waived off Friday night. If I knew I'd get immediate retribution, I'd of saved that card for the tourney, and lived with a point last night.

POI has a lot of people who weren't fans until 4/6/02, many will now be fans for life, but many will disappear if/when the Gopher's ever fail to win the NC. It also has many fans that have been following for ever. You pretty much have to take the good with the bad, and do your part to make things better.

It seemed like the Gophers generated a lot of offense by going wide and deep into the corners with the puck. I wonder if they will be able to generate the offense at the X. I'm also starting to think that the best chance to knock off the Sioux in the tourney will be in the Colorado Springs regional. I just don't see players getting through the Sioux defense on NHL ice.

It seems like the result most expected, but it didn't take the path most expected. The Sioux special teams were dominant, the Gophers outscore the Sioux 3-1 during five on five.

Ballard slashed clean through the guys stick right? Usually called, but the WCHA refs wanted a tie game, and to put the Gophs short there would not have helped the cause. Hopefully we will get the real test tonight, with the Gophers up a goal late!

Bochenski was diving in the third, before and after the spear. The spear was probably the only thing on camera. Maybe diving isn't right, embellishing perhaps? I'll take a pass on the spear, thanks.