farce poobah

I believe this is the first time that TWO first round picks were UND hockey players. (My memory only goes back to 1977 or so.) Plus all the returning talent, drafted and some not drafted. As a fan, I am still a bit stunned by the rapid rise in the level of talent coming into the program. Facilities have a big role in that (The Ralph) ... including the rehab facilities to deal with injuries quickly and effectively, and the weight room. Only 104 days until the puck drops in Orono.

Oh gosh, where to start. There's so many targets here. First, the author is REALLY frustrated that his beloved Islanders haven't won in a long time. He was a fan when they were winning but now that they are losing, he's not. Second, as a maximum hypocrite, he criticizes the "bandwagon" fans, while describing his personal behavior as exactly the same, while conveniently forgetting to label himself as a hypocrite too. Third, his sole criteria for deciding that hockey is "no longer a major sport" is that the free-TV broadcast rights package went down in value. What a stupid yardstick. And I got news for him - when baseball and NFL and yes college hoops get renegotiated the next time, those numbers are going to decline too. If attendance were going down, then it would be time to conclude NHL popularity was falling. But back to the argument about what's a major sport ... if I were to make an offhand guess, without facts like TV ratings, attendance, and so on, I would say that the NHL is about where it has been (except on Long Island) for some time. They set a long term goal of expanding into the southern USA, and are making some progress... but it will take decades to see if the bet works or not. Last, a prediction - when the Yankees don't win a world title for the next 5 years, we'll see him write in 2008 about how baseball is falling in popularity. Sheesh.

Toronto. They have the world's best goaltender. Belfour gets 3rd shutout of Ottawa

Congrats to Sandelin. Just don't make it a habit, OK? Nice article on Dean and Wendy on INCH, for those who don't get over there often... Link

Post-game press-conference: TEAM USA Coach Dean Blais: "Those Fighting Sioux are one of the most well-coached teams I've ever played against. I would have told my Team USA guys about the Sioux weak spots, but there aren't any."

One final tip of the cap to Zach: After what I'm sure was a disappointing Hobey Baker Award ceremony, and after several media interviews, he signs autographs for several kids, taking time to exchange a few words with each, and even poses for a picture with my two young girls. All the while, Zach is pleasant and an occasional brilliant smile crosses his face. Point being, from his demeanor, you couldn't tell whether he had just won the Hobey or not. Classy guy. Go Zach.

Nice commentary last night by TSN about the Johnsons from Thunder Bay, driving between St Louis to watch their son Ryan and Nashville to watch Greg.

AAnd some of them happen during the NCAA regionals.

Agree, it would have been permanent he## if the Bison had left us in 1993 ....

I think he's better defensively than offensively. I would be surprised if he leads the league in scoring but I would not be surprised to see him be named the league's best defensive forward (Selke) down the line. In today's NHL, stopping the opponent's top line is imperative, and I think Zach can step in quickly and do that.

[primal scream] getting the #1 seed is overrated

NCAA all-time best goals against average, tournament (min 2 games, 100 min): Ken Dryden, Cornell 0.50 Gerry Powers, Denver 0.50 Tim Regan, Boston U 0.50 and Jordan Parise, North Dakota 0.50 Still in progress: Isaac Reichmuth, UMD 0.50 Jordan is in some pretty elite company. Source: ncaasports.com men's ice hockey record book

Yeah, only 29 weeks until we get to see the Sioux-Gophers at the Ralph.

Congratulations UMD! GO! bring home the bacon.

I'll be fine once the numbness wears off ... which may take 2-3 days. I've seen North Dakota Hockey win some great games, and I've seen us lose some tough games. Fortunately, there's an awful lot more on the plus side of the ledger for the last 25 years. As a fan, this one is not nearly as disappointing as Madison '99. Because the effort was there tonight. We skated circles around DU, played near flawless hockey, and did everything well except get it past Berkhoel. We played hard, we played clean, and as a fan I can't ask anything else of my team. ============================================ In retrospect, the season had a lot of memorable moments. I got the joy of seeing dozens of spectacular plays this year, 30 victories (not all in person, I still need the day job), and a team that is prepared and puts terrific effort most every night. Tonight's bitter-tasting final night will over time be replaced by all the other memories of the season, starting with 3rd period rallies against UMD and BC in October, to home sweeps of the Gophers and Dogs, the great road weekend in Duluth, and even last weekend's WCHA Final Five title game vs. the Gophers. This season had a lot of what makes college hockey the greatest sport I know. The constants, through it all, are the poise of these young men, their dedication, and their leaders. As a fan, one other thing that I will long remember about this season are the efforts of some dedicated fans and posters on this board to increase the Fun Quotient in the Ralph with signs. You were terrific. I guess the bottom line for me is I'd rather be a fan of North Dakota Hockey than any other team, and I wouldn't trade my experiences for all the gold in China. Dear Dean and Dear Team - Thanks for a great season.

8 minutes in, we have great legs tonight so far. Bochenko hits the post on a powerplay Sioux going on a second PP

BOTH.

Brady Murray's play reminds me of Doug Smail's rookie year. Fast, good hands, hustle all the time, but not the strength just yet. Smail came back with 5-10 pounds of extra bulk after that first summer, and I expect Brady to get stronger.

I just love saying "ND 2, Minnesota 0" end of 1.

I just love saying "ND leads Minnesota"....

The '99 Madison regional was at the Dane County Coliseum. I couldn't believe it was the same place that totally rocked when the BADgers played.

Yup. Taking a guy who's possibly the highest-drafted NHL pick out of the lineup has gotta have an impact. Anybody else notice that Brady Murray took about 3 shifts in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd? No PK duty that I could see.

Public transportation is quite good, and the Fleet is on top of North Station, so its worth considering hotels that are farther away but close to subway or rail lines.

I was thinking about that game, and the game also reminded me of the 1997 quarterfinal against Cornell ... 1-0 late in the second, and we just built the lead gradually and won handily.