farce poobah

I like your thought process. His article has so many flaws it's hard to know where to start. The first is to frame the question as Miami vs Arizona State. It's broader than that. And that makes it a false choice. The MAC schools (BGSU, Miami and Western Michigan) are in different conferences which creates tension. Why would Western stay if Miami leaves? My bet would be NCHC loses both. And out west, there are other potental entrants to D-1 "likely" - U-Arizona and UNLV at top of list; does that NCHC want to have 2-3-4 schools playing a long way from everywhere else? Not to mention the bigger question of whether Arizona State wants to affiliate with the NCHC; I haven't seen any evidence of that, and broader history of Big Ten-PAC partnerships suggests a Big Ten affiliate membership would be their first choice.

Its only a flesh wound.

St Cloud fan hops into DeLorean, buys Gray's Sports Almanac 2025-2075. Opens up the page to NCAA Mens Ice Hockey Champions: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Jack Eichel with his first career playoff goal. Shouldn't surprise me, but it did.

Seattle takes a 3-1 lead in Colorado. 15 minutes to go. Dave Hakstol is ecstatic. (on the inside maybe)

Dear Toronto, better be double-da## sure you are right if you challenge a goal during an opponent's major power play. Sincerely, everyone else. PS Tampa says thanks for the 5x3.

I'm glad we schedule them. First and foremost, as a recruiting tool. The Ralph kinda sells itself. Second, its an exhibition game that doesn't count in PWR so its "extra".

haha, I get a zero on that one.

Boston: Pastrnak, Marchand, Bergeron, Lindholm, McAvoy Edmonton: McDavid Draisaitl, Nugent Hopkins, Nurse, Barrie. one minute to spare...

Sometime during the next two weeks (when athletes need to enter the portal), the crazy numbers game at Wisconsin will need to get settled. How they divvy up scholarship dollars will drive a lot of those decisions. But start with way too many athletes (returning and reccruited and transfer-portal entrants)!

Pretty sure John MacInnes recruited him.

Watching Toews' last game in Chicago, and then Troy Murray joins the broadcast team. Flashback city, and a lot of memories of both. At UND, Troy's persona was serious, and hard working. and a lot of parallels to Toews career, both at UND and at Chicago. Murray joined UND for the 1980-1981 Sioux team, one of 13 new players (if memory serves). Toews' freshman season also had 13 new. Both went to Chicago Blackhawks after two seasons. and wore #19 there. Both won the Selke Trophy, as the best defensive forward in the NHL. Troy Murray went to Winnipeg after Chicago, and I would bet Toews plays in Winnipeg next. (If he plays anywhere, that is.)

End of an era in Chicago. I hope he gets healthy. ... Coach Serious?

Somewhere, Luke Strand is going "yeah baby!"

Tuesday musings: if you're a coach with a great faceoff play, and you wait until the start of overtime to use it, that takes some cojones. Kudos.

I would be happy if: 1) the administrative and support structures for hockey change to fall under the Summit League, as I understand NCAA changes make it better for conferences to fall into such a structure. 2) The NCHC continued playing under the current league name and membership. (We already don't get home-and-home series vs our top rivals every season and don't need to dilute that by adding members.) 3. After they finish up with hockey, the Summit League next turns its attention to football.

Better dead than red.

I'm saying there's a pattern here. Of Motzko coached teams losing to teams that, on paper, they should beat. One game does not make a pattern. (Your stats above don't reflect that Quinnipiac played a weak schedule (#34th) compared to Minnesota (#2). Pre-game, Minnesota was the favorite by many metrics.) I do agree that QU is a very good team.

Monday morning thoughts, at the start of the off season: Wondering if Bob Motzko is the right guy to win it at Minnesota. He's great at recruiting talent, building and developing a strong roster. And he's won a lot of regular season titles: 5 in the last 11 seasons, which is definitely elite in the coaching ranks. But when the NCAA's roll around, his teams lose games they really shouldn't. Two of those at St Cloud stand out. 2016 - Ferris State at the Xcel. 2018 - Air Force at Sioux Falls. in 2021 and 2022 they lost to very good Mankato teams, but they barely put up a fight. 0-4 and 1-5 losses aren't good enough. Not even close. Maybe its in-game management. Certainly, the Gophers changed their forecheck, leading 2-0 in the middle of the second period Saturday. After creating loads of chances? Puzzling. There's a pattern here, of losing NCAA playoff games, despite having better talent.

Seems solid. Successful head coaching experience. And knows his way around the USHL, where most recruits come from. What do you think?

Five different schools have won their first NCAA title by beating the Gophers. Maybe #6 next year in St Paul?

Perets outplayed Portillo Thursday. And Saturday? It wasn’t even Close.

Textbook on how to beat Minnesota. Congratulations Q!

My neighbor owns a restaurant near the U of M campus. I predict they will be serving blackened chicken Sunday.

For all the talk about parity in college hockey, the final game is #1 vs #2. #2 Q has a shot, but they need to get the first goal. Can't play from behind against Minnesota. But they are good with a lead.