mikejm

The Sioux played 45 games this year. http://www.fightingsioux.com/sports/mhockey/stats.asp

From the "fun with meaningless numbers" department in Wahoo, Nebraska: Ran some year-end numbers through Excel today and found out our beloved Matt Greene isn't the baddest of the WCHA bad boys, at least when it comes to his PIMs as a percentage of the team total. Guess who wins? These are team "leader" numbers only. Name School Penalties PIM T Pens Team PIM % of Team Paukovich DU 48 120 349 754 15.9151% Greene UND 63 126 370 800 15.7500% Scott MTU 37 101 304 708 14.2655% Rosehill UMD 42 103 344 759 13.5705% Harrington UM 42 100 336 745 13.4228% MacMurchy UW 40 88 333 701 12.5535% Stuart CC 39 94 353 752 12.5000% Fletcher SCSU 39 86 338 700 12.2857% Rankin MSUM 38 84 353 787 10.6734% Parez UAA 22 60 279 631 9.5087% Interesting that our pal from Denver racked up nearly as many PIMs as Mr. Greene, with 25% less trips to the box. I haven't dug deep enough into College Hockey Stats to see how the WCHA stacks up against the rest of D1 hockey. Discuss. (Sorry about the columns. I don't know how to override the board's formatting.)

I don't think you have to worry about anyone who wears a pink tie beating anyone up, even an old fossil like you.

All during the Frozen Four, I kept hoping Thorne or Clement would mention the "Red Pepper" line. I wonder what the Tellmanns would've done to hear their restaurant name on national television?

Especially a rookie with, apparently, only one leg!

Wow, Rick, what a great insight. I like Matt a bunch, but never really thought about him in the "human" light you've portrayed. I'm happy to hear his parents are supportive of his staying in Grand Forks. I sincerely hope he listens to them.

IF the Matt's both leave (I'm guessing one does, the other stays), the incoming freshman class will have to carry over their torrid scoring from SSM and the BCHL. With such a young d-corps, the 05-06 Sioux will have to win a bunch of 7-6 games. I am hoping against hope that Smaby gives the Sioux one more year; I can't imagine how the AHL or ECHL could be any more physical than 28 WCHA games.

Quick thank you to an under-appreciated group of seniors. When I saw Matt Jones on the news last night, clearly having just cried his eyes out, talking about how he'll never again be able to call "these guys teammates", I wanted to call Hockey Mom and tell her to go give them all a big SiouxSports.com hug. Here's to a great bunch of young men who worked their tails off to makes this a lot longer season than most folks would've thought possible: Thanks Jake, Brian, Nick, Quinn, Colby, Matt, James, Rory and Andy. May life bring you as much joy as you've allowed me over the four years of your Fighting Sioux careers.

I think DU played Fighting Sioux hockey a little better than the Sioux were able to last night. They clogged the crease and knocked down a lot of pucks. I know the Sioux had a lot of scoring "chances" but really, how many clear opportunities did they have? As much as I hate to say it, the Pioneers are a very talented team. They certainly didn't outplay the Sioux; they just got the bounces the Sioux didn't. Great season by a great bunch of young men. This team truly embodies the Fighting Sioux tradition. Can't wait for October.

Actually, I think "vaht?" is already universally recognized as verbal shorthand for "what the heck was I thinking when I downed that 6-ounce glass of tequilla as a chaser to the Leinie twelve I had after happy hour was over."

Thanks for getting my back, dagies.

There's a good note in one of the wrap-ups from last night's game. It talks about Hakstol thinking he should use his time out after the Gophers scored two quickies, but when he looked at the clock, he realized there was a tv timeout coming. He saved the time out (didn't need it after all) and got the break the team needed to gather itself. Helluva coach.

The best payback for Punk-o-biotch is to have Robbie Bina walk the trophy past the disheartened Pioneers.

What kind of a test? Of your (lack of) intelligence, grace and decorum perhaps? At least you got the joke part right. You exemplify the concept.

I hope Matt stays around UND for a couple more years. I was very critical of his play earlier this year and am very pleased to say he has elevated his game incredibly. He has all the tools to be a stalwart on the blueline, something the Sioux will need next year with all the graduations.

Actually PA picked the Sioux to beat Minnesota, although it may have been a facetious pick. Dubay is sort of tough to take from time to time, but I think he's one of college hockey's great cheerleaders, and really adds to the sport. He said on the air today that it would be really hard to stay in Columbus among all the Sioux fans if his beloved Gophers lost. I think the fitting thing would be one of the Sioux faithful outfit young Puffy in a nice white Sioux jersey, and then hope ESPN's cameras pick him up.

I guess they would qualify as fair weather fans.

Good omen...from ESPN.com chat: Eidelbes' Gopher pick should just about wrap up tonight's game for the Men in Green! Go Sioux!

Just another sign of the existence of the vast East Wing conspiracy

Hope the Gophers have their Callaways polished up. I think they'll have lots of time to play golf after tonight. Go Sioux!

This whole Maine-Sioux connection is really one of the best stories in college sports. Maine is a classy program and Sean Walsh was a wonderful young man who was called home far, far too early. It is heart-warming to read all the support Sioux fans have expressed over the years for the Black Bears, and vice versa. As soon as the last east coast team was eliminated from this year's tourney, the USCHO board lit up with a bunch of Maine fans loudly proclaiming their support for the Sioux in the Frozen Four. Maine is top shelf stuff; unlike some of our WCHA co-horts.

The coach of each Frozen Four team is automatically a finalist for the Penrose award; no one even had to nominate Hak. Still it is a nice recognition for a coach having one whale of a first year.

Man, I thought you were going start in with that "It takes a village..." stuff. Thanks for stopping where you did.

I didn't see an option for: When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Now this is really dating me, isn't it?

This sure doesn't sound like a team suffering from any nerves about their next roadtrip