dagies

I only averaged one-half an "e".

Matt Green and Matt Jones taken 44th and 80th overall respectively: http://www.uscho.com/news/agate.php?item=draft02 Nice article from the Herald last week about Jones: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/3506569.htm Found this link on Greene from Central Scouting that looks good: http://proicehockey.about.com/gi.....com%2F About Jones: http://proicehockey.about.com/gi.....com%2F

Shut up, Sprig!

They will still need to pick additional sites for the upcoming years do to tournament expansion. With luck REA will land one in 2004 +. Let's hope one thing. If fans turn out in GF, there will be no reason not to hold regular regionals at REA. The size of the take is too good.

It seems like guys come back from that tourney tired, but having improved their game. While it always sucks to have guys miss games on the schedule, the opportunity for the player and the downstream benefit to the team, as well as prestige for the program seem well worth it. Hope they both make it.

For those that have not checked it for a while it looks like it is being revamped. There are new hockey pictures, and other stuff. It doesn't appear done yet, but should have some pretty cool stuff on it when it is all completed. http://www.ralphengelstadarena.com/index.html

Here's my uneducated guess. Columbus is reticent to dub Goehring as the next Arturs Irbe. They will promote one of the Syracuse goalies and Goehring will start in the ECHL, and work himself into the AHL squad as the year progresses. His numbers will continue to impress, but his stature will work against him. Belfour might be done. He has struggled some this season and some of last (I think?). Clubs again are reticent to take on board his mental baggage. He will not get signed quickly. He will need a break. An injury in camp, etc to catch on with someone. You should pay as much attention to my opinion as I pay to pro hockey.

Arrgh. I was really pulling for REA.

I would almost rather have a regional in MN than in GF for personal convenience but I would rather see REA get it. What did I just say?? The regional in 2000 at Mariucci was excellent. Maybe it was the teams but the place had excellent attendance. Regionals are fun. Hope to see the Sioux this year close by, either MN or ND.

Didn't the USCHO article say something like the regional sites won't be announced until the end of June?

Why do you think they waited until AFTER Taffe left to implement this rule.

http://www.uscho.com/news/2002/06/14_004464.php Gotta find something to talk about. 15 seconds doesn't seem like much time to get set for a face-off (with line changes) but hey, if it moves things along that sounds good. Looks like some good stuff in here.

I agree. From the way this is all explained, these seem to me to be sound ideas that make sense. I'm not sure I think it is a big deal to consider big losses at home or big wins on the road. That seems to me to be a little too nit picky.

ScottM, you are probably right. I'm done with it. OETKB On another site, there was a discussion about forwards playing on their "off" wing. I'm not a player myself, but it sounded like for those who do play, there are some advantages, especially when around the net, if you play the off wing. You have better shooting angles at times. Some players preferred that, especially if they played down low. Playing the "correct" wing is better for passing and catching, and playing on the boards out by the blue line, and I am sure in other areas. Based on that information, it is my considered opinion (yeah right! ) that being short in left or right handed wings is not that big of an issue. However, there is no escaping the facts as you state them.

ScottM asked on the Pur-pick thread about who might not be on the roster next year. To keep that thread from diverging, let's pick that topic up here. I believe this shows available bodies sans Faul for 2002-03. We can speculate from here: Bochenski Lundbohm Notermann Spiewak R Hale Parise Genoway Fournier McMahon Fylling R Connelly Canady Massen Palmiscno B Connelly Prpich Jones D Hale Fuher Schneider Greene Leinweber Marvin Brandt Sedevie Sofie Siembida This roster has 27 guys on it. According to this site, last year's roster contained 27 guys as well. One of those was Genoway. So if you remove one guy (walk-on B Connelly), then you have equal numbers of players as last year, and that takes care of itself. One wonders what you are going to do with 15 forwards. Well, what happens if you DID work Prpich at D? You sit Palmiscno and the weakest forward that week in practice and there you have it. You then sit the weakest 2 D's, I'm guessing Marvin and Leinweber (maybe someone else as I still think Leinweber will have a better season.) Even if Prpich doesn't play at D, you have a lot of competition for forward spots. It could be a tough cut every week, deciding which forwards sit. My guess is Prpich would sit his fair share, as he learns to moderate those penalty minutes.....

I'm going with pantherfan until we find out differently. One figures he has heard the name an awful lot over the PA at Penticton: "Perrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-pick SCORING!" "Penalties assessed to Vernon's Joe Blow, 2 minutes for roughing. To Penticton's Mike Per-pick, 10 minutes for fighting and a game disqualification"

Lots of talk in MN that a significant "name" player for the Gophers lacked grades this spring and fall eligibility is in jeapardy. That could really put a hurt on their team the first half of the year. Regardless, can't worry about what is happening to other teams.

I read a post on the BCHL message board that said the BCHL board of governors voted to do a one year trial sans the red line. Not monumental by any means, but can't hurt getting guys used to the D1 game. Just in time for Brady Murray to get up to speed if they implement it in 2002.

I would be awfully surprised if the REA did NOT bid for regionals in 2003 and 4. Can't imagine why they wouldn't. It is obvious they want to use and showcase that building as much as possible, and why not. Therefore, until I officially hear otherwise, I will believe that they have bid. I would think there is a decent chance of landing one. The arena has to be one that people in hockey circles would like to see if they haven't to this point. Just my suppositions.

Over on USCHO there is a thread titled "Which D1 hockey team do you admire most" (other than your own). I was quite surprised to see how many people noted UND. Granted UND is a power and has history, so maybe I should not be surprised. But I expected most of the comments to go to the big schools like MN, MI, BC, etc. It shows that college hockey fans are not caught up on school reps and evaluate programs for what they are. And it is very nice to know that the Sioux are so highly thought of around D1 hockey. I didn't know anything about UND's hockey program when I decided to go to school there. I do feel lucky to have found it. It has provided countless hours of enjoyment for me over the years.

Greyeagle, no worries, eh.

Sprig, this last year was the first year we have been back out that way. Distance means that we blow almost an extra 2 days of vaca in travel time. That's 2 less days of hunting in Iowa, or S. MN. But we had such a great time that we are seriously thinking about making it out regularly. This last year we were out during October. We have hunted Iowa and SD in December to avoid the crowds. Mixed results because if you don't know the snow conditions ahead of time, and cover availability, you can waste a lot of time in December. I don't think we would be against coming out in Decemberl, however. Just depends. We'd like to figure out how to make it work to take the train up from Mpls. What a great way to get out there. Just what do you do when they drop you off? PCM, that brings back memories of hunting gophers in the hills west of Milbank, hanging out the sliding door of the van.

I missed that, Sicatoka. VERY interesting. It's funny, because earlier today when I was musing about this additional forward, I was again pondering the possibility that if he is a tenacious, 2 way player, what is the chance he could play D. I guess he actually has a little experience there. This creates more interesting speculation. I think we can all be thankful to Coach Blais and the staff that they gave us something to talk about, right when things were getting dead.