sagard

In my opinion you are blowing this out of proportion. Shepard let them play that weekend (260 minutes worth) and to think the Gophers significantly out hacked a team with Bruess and Kalinski doesn't seem possible to me.

I think it will be Anderson and whoever his partner is. Won't be Shepard. The Gophers don't need refs help to beat the Sioux, just need great goalie play and a couple weird bounces. No way of knowing, but the Final Five needs either the Gophers or the Sioux to get through the playin game to have respectable attendance. I'm guessing most tickets are sold already in the lower bowl and that is where the lions share of their money is made.

Let's go with the all important 5th place game on Saturday AM. Let the hardcores show up early and make it a triple header.

KRACH is cool when trying to get a feel for how closely you match up with an opponent, but obviously useless when trying to decide whether or not to buy regional tickets.

I've pretty given up on looking at the other components of PWR, but I still check the RPI table for the Gophers and it looks pretty grim. To get to around 0.555 they need to win 9/12 and their first round series. That would likely get them in, anything else and they need to win the Final Five. The WCHA dropped the ball allowing the RPI change to fly. I believe it has cost UW twice now and will continue to plague the fourth and fifth best WCHA teams.

Nice stuff Jim. I don't pay as much attention (maybe it's because the Gophers have been so bad) as I used to, but your PWR analysis should be required reading for WCHA coaches or at least for staff. I think the comparison of the effects of the Cornell and the Gophers series leans more to the Gophers due to the fact that you aren't likely to lose many ECAC comparisons even with a split or worse vs. Cornell. Losing three points to the Gophers gives all your WCHA rivals a game and half boost on the CO category. I can't research it, but I'd guess a series with a top three CCHA team would have a larger impact on your PWR than the Gophers series. Either way the key to RPI is clearly W/L record. From that follows PWR. It's really simple. Doesn't matter if you play a cupcakes or a tough schedule now, just win.

1. UW 2. DU 3. UMD 4. UND 5. CC 6. SCSU 7. UM 8. MSU 9. AA 10. MTU That is how I see it.

Matson missing hurts, but he is just one guy. He would help against the Sioux because he isn't afraid to bump or be bumped. That said he hasn't developed into any type of a scoring threat and the time for excuses is long passed.

The Gophers have beaten three teams of merit. BSU, MichSt, and UW. Other than that it has been squeaking by the cupcakes and getting drummed by the good teams. I haven't been as impressed with this years UND group yet, but I've only seen them 4-5 times on TV. Now the second half starts and UND has typically improved at this point.

Sadly I'm with you Card. I don't see the Gophers getting an out right win unless UND gets really drunk celebrating the Friday night win. Cepis is certainly better than most of the Gophers forwards, but he isn't really that great. Kangas and Patterson have both shown the ability to steal a game, but neither has shown it frequently.

I'm guessing if one isn't looking for trouble, they won't get any. There is going to be a massive Sioux presence this weekend at Mariucci. It comparison to the Final Five, there is 1/10 the drunks, 1/25th the trouble makers.

Just be glad you guys have the balls to sell beer. Don't cry about the size.

Hope I'm wrong, but I think UW is going to establish themselves as the best in the WCHA this season. DU/CC/UND/UMD/SCSU all have nice teams and could do well if they get/stay healthy.

I didn't say you had to enjoy those games. Seems to me like UND had some pretty good wins over the last decade to compare with the USA WJC team's win. Beat Canada! I don't doubt they can win it the hard way, but I doubt our guys can so we need to win tonight.

Tough question. I enjoyed the Eaves led WJC Gold Medal winning team just as much as I did the last two Gophers NCAA championships.

Schroeder is PMB. Likes the perimeter. Doesn't want to play in traffic. Like Kessel his WJC scoring heroics have been vs. the Norways of the world. However blaming anyone for his development is disingenuous. He is developing just fine and will likely never play a minor league game in his life. I'm guessing he is a top six forward in the NHL either next year or the year after.

I thought Team USA had a lot more passion. They needed to either make the team or establish credibility with USA coaches so it wasn't that surprising to me.

Hopefully we can give them a reason to boo, instead of just wondering why they like Russia?

I don't think Blais allows them to gag away a 3-0 lead vs. the Canucks if they can somehow manage to get another one. I suspect this team will do as well as the goaltending allows.

I'd actually be really impressed if UND can play with them given they are missing Kristo and Genoway. Additionally I don't think Blais hasn't made his final cuts and I'd be shocked if there weren't roster spots on the line for USA. No matter how much pride the boys take in wearing the Sioux sweater, motivation would seem to be on the last 6-9 guys on the USA roster trying to make it to the WJC.

I'd hope we'd at least invite each other to our respective cup cake classics. I'm going to remain blindly optimistic that the Gophers will never acquiesce to a BTHC.

I think you described the way already. We in the US just have a hard time stomaching the brutality required. I think my guy Schroeder is still hesitant after what that Canada kid did to JVR at the World Juniors. Had anyone on the US stepped up and jammed a stick into Tavaras' neck the whole tourney may have gone differently. If someone KOs your best, you spend some time going after their best. Let the rest of the WCHA watch Lasch and Roe suffer on film tonight.

I'm impressed with your kindness in these times. $500 for a mites program is a big chunk of ice time.

I think we have enough to get worked up about on the ice, not visiting BSU to start a season just give the "U" another home game to sell $35 per seat tickets to.