tnt

Thompson was NCHC plater of the week last week, but paired with Panzarella I believe. I really think they want to stick with the Mattson-Ladue, Stecher-Ausmus pairing, which leaves you no other choice but to go with a couple offensive-minded defensemen. It could just be they need more time to get used to each other, or maybe now that they have a couple weeks off, they may want to rethink the Ausmus-Stecher pairing. Even though they have been the best pairing, they both have great defensive capabilities, and maybe they may choose to mix those with offensive defensemen. Either way I think we'll be o.k.

Guess he won't be working the West Regional at Scheels.

This much I agree with. Thought the call should have went both ways at the least, but I think this should have been an opportunity for Hakstol to express in big games like this and the NCAA tourney, don't give the refs that opportunity. Macmillan had taken bad penalties that almost cost us one game in the tourney 2 years ago and killed our chance to come back in the other. Also had a bad one vs. Wisconsin in regional last year but made up for it with the shot off his body for the winner. I wonder if Hak expressed to them before o.t. to watch their step because of the possibility of a makeup call. I know I was expecting one if there was anything close, but certainly didn't expect two. Hopefully they can get the win tomorrow and learn from this in games that have even bigger consequences down the road. You would expect a little more consistency in a game for first place though.

If Blais' team ever makes it to the conference tourney, he might get his team to the NCAA tourney--that's a start.

That's the way it normally is called, but they knew Blais was mad, so they made an exception. Then, after they had the 5 on 3 in OT there were a few other cross checks by UND that went uncalled, because they knew Hakstol was mad. Nice job by your officials Adams, officiating off emotion!

Oh, I thought you meant just committed. He committed a little while ago. Give me a guy that people call a diamond in the rough like Stecher anyday. Guys like Tucker Poolman who have to work just to get a chance many times end up performing better than the hyped recruits. Would be interesting to see how the top recruits they had in the past have performed compared to guys like Poolman and Stecher.

Who is that?

I'm thinking that Teemu Selanne played with Winnipeg when Brad Berry did, or at the very least they know each other.

"He isn't doing it" is a lot different than he didn't do it in this case.

Are you saying Bubba doesn't contact anyone after they verbally commit?

Just saw the headline over at GPL that Mankato validated their top ranking with a win over Minnesota. They validated that with me with wins over Omaha and Duluth and their consistent winning in college hockey, when you can get nipped by a Bemidji State or a Lake State at any given time. I know it may be nitpicking, because I sometimes think people here don't give Mankato enough credit unless they play us, but it did come across kind of arrogant to me, like beating a 20ish pairwise team validates something, especially when their fans think they are crap right now.

You mean the same Nick Schmaltz that people thought was a huge upgrade over Rocco after one exhibition game? Don't get me wrong, I like his upside better in the long run, but Rocco would be much more noticeable night in and night out. I think right now Schmaltz is much more one dimensional. True, that one dimension is phenomenal, but in order to continue to take advantage of his incredible passing skills, the opposition has to perceive a threat of him scoring more often. Thoughts of all the chances he missed don't run through my mind like they did with Rocco, but his passing ability does. This isn't meant to be a rip on Schmaltz, just that his impact right now isn't that what Rocco might have brought, and that's o.k. because he is still learning to be that consistent impact player. I just think if he would shoot more often, that would complement the rest of his game, and if we can get him and LJ going, that makes us that much better.

Yeah, and wasn't that first game of the year only the first or second time they have beaten UND? Bemidji is 10-7-1 against Duluth in their last 18 according to the announcers.

I think we have 3 defensemen that will see time in the NHL on our current team. Time will tell on that, but I wouldn't trade our defensemen for any other teams as a unit.

I would think his linemate Chris Jensen must have had one at some point.

I believe Nick Naumenko had one, I'm thinking against Anchorage.

Do you watch a lot of their games?

Agree. I think we find out a lot this weekend against Mankato and whoever else they end up playing. If they swarm Mankato this weekend, then I think the turnaround will have begun. If not, they may just sleepwalk for the rest of the season and need to win their conference tournament. Hopefully Mankato will be ready for the gophers, knowing it is now or never for them.

89ers, as in the year of statehood. Sure it can be corrupted, but it seems everything can.

See the rage from know it all fans in the Friday Lake Superior thread for the answer to that. Hakstol can't win even when they are winning, can you imagine this board if they were playing like Minnesota? There are just as many irrational people on this board as GPL, if not more.

Why hasn't Joel J. From Sioux City played since he committed?

Been watching to see how fast he is, but haven't seen anything but floating, especially on the defensive end. Maybe it's because he has to play so much, but I would like to see some Zach Parise type grinding and hunger for the puck.

To me if you want to get someone experience should Zane not be able to play for any reason, why not put him in a situation that at least has a little bit of the pressure he might face should that scenario unfold. Coming in at 6-0 is safe for sure, but what pressure is there, and who knows if the team will still be playing like they should.

Yeah, even though he kept it when they brought in Parise and Suter to effectively not rock the boat, one would think the coach would take this as an opportunity to give the "C" to the person who sets the tone for this team -- which would be Parise, possibly Suter. To have him keep that title is basically a mockery.

Personally, I don't think anything is a must right now because they are going to have to win the WCHA tourney to make the NCAA tourney anyway. It would be nice to have first round at home, but they haven't exactly been world beaters at home either.