farce poobah

Purple back at full strength.

(ZZZZZZZZZZZ)

UAA takes the lead 2-1. I missed the goal, so I don't know who scored it. It was in the middle of a micro-nap I was taking.

Thanks y'all. You're too kind. Just happy to be spreading some amusement on a Friday night. In my next life, I'll try sudo-comedy. For all the excitement, try: http://portal.gci.net/gcisports/uaa_hockey 99514 is a zipcode in Anchorage....

Good Golly Goligoski! Gophers with a great chance with :05 left. Ends 5-5. I can't believe the Gophers lost a point at home to St Cloud. ** brain engages **

Ya. You betcha then.

Well, I think its a school color, so its not a surprise. I just make this sh%^ up as I go.

Still intermission in Mankato. Ice is freezing. Guys are drinking beer.

2:00 left at Mary Ucchi. Goepfert with a great save in OT.

Still intermission in Mankato. There's some students wearing purple there.

Still in the intermission at Mankato. Charter showing commercials from the mortgage companies. Edit: score still 1-1. No good scoring chances during the intermission.

Can't believe FSN showed the GWG in last springs 8-7 game at the FF.

We can hope.

GOAL St Cloud! 5-5!!!!! I'm less bored now.

St Cloud on the PP. 5:30 left.. Yes I am bored.

Tonights Sioux game was at least as interesting as the Tech (0) UMD (0) game.

HA! In Mankato, they play the OLE!! song prematurely. Instead of a Mavs goal, its a major penalty for goaltender interference. End of 2, 1-1.

See, the rest of the (college hockey) world is obsessed, too.

http://www.gophersports.com/fls/8400/stats/Fullbox.htm

Grieco appears to have all the tools to be a starter in the WCHA. My primary knock on his play so far is rebounds - placement is often in prime scoring areas. My gut says its a sign of being 17 years old for another month, and that as the game slows down for him, he'll start putting rebounds into the corners, kicking them past attackers, or sending them toward his D. In my mind, a healthy Lamoureaux is still the #1 guy. But I like the idea of Grieco continuing to play against middle of the pack teams, especially at home (CC when they come to town Thanksgiving, Tech in December).

I agree, it doesn't mean he is or should be disrespected. But that lack of a title appears to have created an inferiority complex where Woog takes cheap shots at UND, who won two national championships during his tenure. Other than that, he's perfect for color as a college hockey commentator, and I enjoy most of what he says. Its just when he keeps spreading lies that it gets wearisome.

A strange night at the Ralph. We played well, I thought the best jump, the best playmaking, that I've seen in 6 games this year. Still, the tie felt like a loss. A few random comments: 1) Duncan going postal - Right on the faceoff, Kronick ignores the puck and punches Duncan in the head. Saw it live, thought maybe I was seeing it with green-tinted vision, but watched again on tape. Definitely a punch - Duncan's head snaps back. Thankfully, Duncan didn't get kicked out - but I loved that he brought Kronick to his knees with 3 good crosschecks, including one across the neck. 2) On the last faceoff, St Cloud should have been called for too many men - they had 5 plus goalie! Worst of all, Toews got booted from the draw because our messing around getting Porter off the ice caused a delay, when it should have been a SC guy booted too. I want Shepard. 3) On the un-goal - Toews definitely kicked at it. I thought originally he grazed it with his stick before it went in (it all happens right in front of me) so I thought it would be hard to overturn. Still, I think they got the call right. 4) We deserved a better fate tonight. Yes, SC had a few chances, but for every one they got, we got two. Watkins was all over the place - could have had 2. 5) First PP unit looks fab (Toews-Oshie-Duncan-Lee-Chorney). Second PP unit is not effective yet. (Genoway-Radke-Miller-Watkins-Porter) 6) During OT, the Sioux PK was perhaps the best 2-minute sequence shorthanded I've seen in years. Absolutely had SC befuddled, we parried everything and gave them nothing. 7) Goepfert was very lucky. 8) Porter with another great effort. 9) Bina!!!! with his 2nd career goal, first of this year. Great example of D stepping into the play and catching SC by surprise. Maybe it was my imagination, but when his name was announced with the goal, it was perhaps the loudest cheer of the night. Mixed feelings. I don't have a sister, so I don't know what kissing her would be like. But its a bittersweet night. More later.

On the pregame interview last night, Hennessy asked about what they would try to do differently. Hakstol said he wanted more 3-on-3 down low to wear out the other team's defenders. So, without calling it cycling the puck, I think its clear that yes, that's something they'd like to do more.

From my angle, I didn't see much embellishment. I thought it a case of reffing the scoreboard.