mikejm

Yeah, who'd have believed this UND team would lead the WCHA in goal/game? And that Brad Eidsness would rank second in GAA and first in winning percentage. This is sort of starting to look like one of those perfect storm thingys...

I think Miller deserves real consideration as team MVP this year for what he's accomplished. He stabilized a D-corp that could've been pretty shell-shocked after Finley's concussion, adding a calming, senior presence. He's also been a stud offensively; he picked a great time to have his best offensive year. He will be missed in very quiet, but very important ways when he graduates.

Couple of questions popped into my head: 1. Marto. Poke check. Make anyone nervous yet? He relied on it a bunch Sunday. 2. Is it possible they actually practice that shot that resulted in Zajac's game-winner? That's the second time the exact same scenario has resulted in a huge goal. The first time it happened I heard one of the particpants mention the "work on that". Low, far-side pad; playing the carom for the easy clean-up by the trailer. That's a great play, if it is a play.

That was one heckuva hockey game kids. Aside from about the first six minutes of the second period, UND controlled this game; I hate hate hate the cycle, but they worked it well tonight. After coming out of the locker room really flat for the start of the second, they started really throwing the bodies around and flipped the game for themselves. I thought Blood played a pretty solid, safe game; he seemed to know enough to get rid of the puck when he was in trouble; having Miller beside him had to be calming for the kid. Davidson on the fourth line was refreshing; he was throwing his weight around whenever he was on the ice. Watkins had a great senior night, and saved a sure goal after Eidsness left a fat, juicy rebound at the edge of the crease. Kozek was an animal. The Sioux need to tighten up the penalty kill really fast or that will come back to haunt them down the stretch. All in all, I thought the Sioux played a really good game against a very good hockey team. UND was flat for a spell and that cost them the lead, but a gutty performance to kill the penalty in OT and get the win. One game at a time; one win at a time.

I know what you're saying, but I think it is time for the strong hockey schools and conferences to bite the bullet and start doing things for the greater good. We're down to what, 59 DI hockey schools now? College hockey is already insignificant to a great deal of the country; now is not the time to stand by and let another team or two go by the wayside.

^Without regard to the OP's intent, the jungle drums have indeed been pounding about whether or not it is time for the UMTC to go on without tDon. Both fishwrap factories' blogs have been filled with some "professional" speculation on the subject. I think tDon's future at UMTC is a valid topic. Whether or not Blais would go there is another, and completely unrelated topic. I think Dean has a pretty good gig in Fargo, as long as Ace Brandt is willing to keep cutting checks.

^I'm leaning in Whistler's direction here.

I agree with you that Brad is MIP. What he's done on the ice and off this season is simply amazing.

Hey! I don't care if this is your board. There will be no talk like this around here, young man...

I think jim's charts point out how volatile this whole thing is now. The Sioux really don't have a luxury of phoning in a game or two in these next two weeks. They might need to win out to be really "safely in" the tournament. Damn those losses out east in October and that doggone GLI stinker really came back to haunt them...

Did you read the article you linked?

^That's funny.

Losing Bowling Green obviously would not be good for DI hockey. But the economics continue to make it harder and harder to justify big-time programs. I can't find the link I used to have that detailed the expenses involved in college hockey. But just in generalities, compare the expenses to, say, basketball. More scholarships, a much more expensive facility to build and maintain, vastly more expensive equipment, and especially with the dwindling number of DI teams, travel distances that translate into ever-increasing expenses. And for what? A trophy, certainly. Exposure, to some extent, but hockey remains such a regional phenomenon that south of, what, Iowa (?) what difference does a hockey title mean? Look at the potential income a DI basketball team can hope for should it earn its way into March Madness or even the NIT? Heck, NDSU might make the Dance; what kind of check will they get for their investment? The hockey community started out small, and continues to get smaller. The strong, storied programs (UND, UoMN, Mich, et al) need to focus on the growing the sport somehow. I think the onus falls upon the big, midwest public schools to entice more entries into DI hockey; the east coast teams are glorified DIII schools for whom hockey is simply a perk for the former preppies enrolled inside their ivied walls. The WCHA is in a position to help expand DI hockey. Obviously the conference can't grow into a 20-team league, nor should it. But it has tapped into a rich income vein through the Final Five tourney, and is earning money hand over fist. There are some schools similar to WCHA and CCHA members who presently have ACHA teams that could be grown into DI programs with some financial help, either direct or indirect. Penn State, Illinois and Iowa State all have quite successful ACHA teams. They're not going to step right into either the WCHA or CCHA, they'd be killed. But if the weaker WCHA and CCHA teams were spun off into a new league (complete with an auto-bid) and some of these healthy ACHA (or even DIII) programs were invited in, we might grow the sport a little instead of watching it die a slow death. Heck the WCHA and CCHA teams could agree to schedule one team in the new league AT THEIR RINKS for a few years to help them grow their attendance. Something has to be done to stanch the outflow from this sport. The colleges themselves are fighting for every dollar they can find to fund their own programs, so I think the conferences are going to have to step to the plate and try to make a difference. It is in their own best-interests.

I was there; I know he scored. His presence on the ice was not obvious as it is for most "stars"; he was just there. He'll be a nice addition to the Sioux, but I was, frankly, hoping to be wowed. I wasn't.

meh. just meh.

Minnesota might just end up playing at home in WCHA first round; the schedule sets up pretty well for them.

Just win, baby.

Please don't construe this as casting aspersions, or raising doubts, but are there NCAA rules against steroid use?

I just make sure the woman who picks me up at the bar afterwards has a nice place!

They didn't have any choice, really. The NCAA shut down DII hockey; there isn't any. Schools that were there had to chose to move up or become DIII teams, which IIRC is non-scholarship. Bemidji State was DII national champ five times if memory serves me. Mankato State won the DII title in 1980! And Alabama-Huntsville won one of the last DII titles before NCAA shut it down in 1999. I think in 1980 all three college hockey titles were held by schools with which "we" are all well acquainted: UND (DI), Mankata (DII) and Bemidji won one of its NAIA titles.

Um yeah. No kidding. All anyone has to do is get a little hot at the end of the season here folks. Win the Final Five, get the auto-bid and win your last four. That's all it takes to hang a banner. Minnesota has scads of talent; it is way, way too early to be counting them out yet.

Travis Roy missed a check and put himself into the boards headfirst. Unfortunate and tragic, granted. But in no way similar to the Lapoint accident, unless you are referring to the fact that the boards were involved in both incidents.

Oh puh-lease...

He's playing in the National Hockey League. Jeebus, give it a freakin' rest.

Great sweep, but man, what is with all the odd-man rushes allowed? Gotta tighten up on that crap. I'm proud to see the Sioux not go all ape-sh*t in retaliation for the Lapoint injury. This game could've gotten real ugly. Oh, and those standings: 7 teams separated by 6 points? Wow, gonna be a fun last three weeks in the regular season.