Siouxman

If you've got the time, listen to the whole game broadcast. It begins with the "License to kill gophers" clip from Caddy Shack. Then at the first intermission is a great song, "Love Hit Him Like a Frozen Puck in the Head." It is great getting a different perspective to a game that doesn't involve Woog, Sonmor, or Mazzacco.

I have preference and will be putting in for St. Louis. So if I decide not to go next year, I will have four available.

You mean you can't even share by replacing key letters with symbols so we can get the intent?

Velkommen!

I don't know, but I didn't think the clip was all that great. Couldn't hear anything about the winning goal with all of that yelling and screaming going on. Just kidding. We had two couples sitting in front of us. Both men had pamphlets that explained the rules of hockey (you know - icing, off-sides, etc.) Needless to say, they didn't yell, shout, cheer, jump up, or do anything normal in response to the games. I didn't bother to ask why they were there.

That goal put such a buzz into the arena it was incredible. It created an atmosphere that carried on to the Sioux game. Sioux fans walking around the arena chanting "Gopher Chokers." A night that I will never forget.

Will be there with Southpaw and Morley. Staying at the Howard Johnson Inn & Suites. Walking distance to the Bradley Center.

It is a very tough call, last year to this year, but I will go with Prpich, Smaby, and Stafford. Not so much for what they have done on the ice personally, but for the step into the leadership role. The Sioux lost a ton of leadership with last year's graduating class plus Matt Greene leaving. For the Sioux to start the year with so many freshmen and to meld a team of their current capabilities very clearly took some team leadership. Somebody had to welcome the new guys in, make them feel at home, make them feel wanted, make them feel deserving, and most of all: Show them the history, drive, passion, and work ethic that is Sioux Hockey. The leaders of this team had to do all of that, plus try to maintain and improve on their own skills and conditioning. Coaching can only go so far (example: Lucia is a good coach, but Gophers obviously lacked something in team leadership somewhere), and then the team leaders have to take it the rest of the way. These freshmen, to a man, are showing everyone what Sioux Hockey is about. And they could only have learned that from the upperclassmen on the team.

This one doesn't apply to the Sioux, but sums up Friday night veeeeeerrrrrrry well!

Ticket is sold to a Sioux fan.

I don't see Toews ready for the NHL either. While he has great height and weight for a 17 year old, he is not quite as strong on his skates as he could/should be. Another year of physical maturation and he could very well be ready. He has taken some horrendous hits, especially this past weekend against Michigan. While he popped right back up, I think it would be better for him to add another year of age so those kind of hits aren't quite so devastating. Give him the skate stability of Stafford or Oshie and he will tear up the WCHA. Then he will be gone.

WPoS, We had a good time at the tailgate. It was a little cool with the slight breeze, but the food, beverage, and camaraderie was more than adequate compensation. It was great to meet a number of the Sioux faithful on the board. My thanks to all of those that showed up. I am thinking that it would be a good thing to do in October again to kick off a new Sioux season, that first home two-game series. Sorry about the "attitude" your group experienced at the game. It is one thing to do it in fun, and another to do it not in fun.

Listened to Dubay on Beyond the Pond this am. One of the callers was a Gopher fan heading down I-94 back to the Twin Cities. The varmint are fleeing the ship. Hopefully they dispose of their tickets to Sioux fans before they walk the plank.

Hope it is still on. I plan to drop in and I know Rayman03 plans to after he gets off work.

What a night of hockey and to be at the Ralph. The Sioux crowd was really behind Holy Cross and the place went nuts when they scored in OT. The crowd roared and clapped continuously until after the handshakes were completed and the Crusaders left the ice. Almost every Holy Cross player acknowledged the crowd as they left the ice. It really set the tone for the Sioux-Michigan game. I have never heard the Ralph that electric and crowd into it as they were during the Sioux game. It was dynamic and noisy. It is 1:35 am, my throat is sore and hoarse, and I am so pumped that I can't go to sleep yet. Plan to hit the tailgating party at the old Ralph tomorrow and THE GAME!!! I have my tickets to the Frozen Four and the car is almost packed. What a night! Gotta love those SIOUX!!!!!

This is not an anti-Kessel post, but a congratulations to "THE OSHIE". From the WCHA website by John Gilbert: Quote: "Oshie, runner-up for freshman of the year to Minnesota's Phil Kessel, was the best freshman at the tournament, and came out from behind the net to jam a shot at Goepfert, creating the opening for Spirko's goal." We have been treated to Oshie's work ethic all season and it is great to see him recognized. Now Michigan will get a chance to see what this UND team and its freshmen are all about.

Stafford's injury, though scary, may have been a blessing. This team more than survived without Drew, it flourished. And this is following the loss of Fabian. It forced other members of the team to step up and allowed them to learn what they can do. And they did it. Now when he comes back, the Sioux will have 4 experienced and tough lines, each of which has confidence and know that they can pressure the other team and score. As a previous poster said, this team is special. But so was every other Sioux Championship team, just each in its own way. I am feeling very good about this team and its ability to pursue, tough it out, and simply not give up. LET'S GO SIOUX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know that I like being tabbed as the favorite, but I guess it is better than being tabbed as not having any grit. Holy Cross will have a huge cheering section on Friday night.

They have more commitment than the hockey team!!

According to Woog and Moroncco, the winner of today's game would get the #1 PWR ranking. They were told that by someone (hopefully who knew what was going on). Evidently that didn't mean anything either.

Let the Gophers go elsewhere. I would rather see some inspired hockey!

A totally lackluster and pathetic performance by the Gophers. Bring that show to The Ralph and it will be a short bus ride home on Friday night. For once I agree with Woog (now that is a rarity), you have to have pride in yourself and play to win. It wasn't just the lackluster effort, the Gophers continuously coughed up the puck all game long. Maybe Lucia banned the team from Blarney's for the Final Five and that is the excuse.

Sorry, but I think that you missed the point. Teams don't suddenly turn it on and off at their will, or suddenly have the heart and passion that it takes. If the Gophers lose to Wisconsin today with another no-so-great performance, that gets into the team psyche and creates doubt, mistrust of teammates, etc. Other thoughts begin to creep in, and it is only downhill from there. These games do matter.

Here is a great quote from the Wisconsin State Journal. http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/sports/index.php?ntid=76775 "As individuals learn at different rates, so do teams," UW coach Mike Eaves said. "Apparently, we have a pretty thick skull right now. We're still trying to learn this lesson." That is a coach talking about his own team!

Great poll!! You beat me to it. I just sat down to put the same poll together, but you came up with more options that I did. IMHO, if the Gophers do not wake up and realize that these games count they will again make an early exit from the NCAA's.