forecheck

PCM and Sicatoka, I wouldn't doubt it. That store has a conspiracy against me, and one of these days I'm going to prove it! And BigGrey, others have already pointed out that the coaches do get to pick their non-conference schedules. The caller was commenting more on the fact that UND plays all but 2 of their league games at home in the first half, leaving them on the road all next semester.

I don't know what happened, but I hit something on my keyboard that erased everything halfway through the interview, so I might have missed some stuff. PCM might have to fill in the gaps.... Some people think that UND has an easy schedule, playing so many games at home, but it can be such a grind, especially in Grand Forks, ND where everyone expects you to win no matter what. Blais likes to get his team on the road. Right now, the focus is on finals. Most of the team is taking finals on Friday, Reading and Review Day, and about half of the team should be done and will go home for Christmas after Saturday's game. They're excited to have a little break. There is a lot of talk about how UND hasn't played "anybody" this year, and Tim asks who is anybody? (Sound familiar? ) They used the example of the Gophers this year, because they are a good, respectable program, and said that they had a hard time against Michigan Tech, and lost one to Mankato. There is no gimme in this league. And how can you argue with a 14-1-1 record? It's a little early to say that we're going to win the WCHA, although Blais thinks the Sioux will be a top 5 team and will get a bid to the NCAA tourney. But, they are still one point behind CC, and they still have to take care of the second half of the schedule. This team has won something like 7 one-goal games. Usually when you look at the goals for/goals against for a team, you can determine how they're doing, but not so much for this team. We may only be winning some one goal games, but last year we were losing those games. The biggest difference, again, is the team chemistry. You walk into the locker room and you can feel it. No longer are the coaches the first 3 people on the ice. The guys have just dug a little deeper and realized that last year was no fun. Opening the arena was fun, and seeing 11,000+ fans, but losing wasn't. Today was an optional practice, and still over half of the guys were on the ice playing some pick up games while Blais was doing some interviews. They just love to be there. Someone e-mailed Tim and asked him to have Blais comment on the incident at the end of the game. Blais said that when he and Dahl were shaking hands at the bench, Blais suggested they get their teams in the locker rooms before something broke out. He said that when he yells on the ice, the players hear him, so when he stepped out onto the ice he was yelling for them to get back. One half was calming down, and then he saw Prpich getting into it with another player, they weren't backing down, and they were saying some things to each other and Blais could tell it was about to turn ugly. So he grabbed Prpich and wrestled him away. As for the spearing to Cullen, it wasn't caught on tape, and Blais didn't see anything, but he wishes he could know what happened. A little talk about how it was a bit ridiculous that Finger went so far as to say to the media that they once respected UND, but that was such a cowardly thing to do, and that their team lost all respect for UND. Canady came in on Monday and apologized. Blais was wondering about Moreland's condition, and said that he didn't know how serious a dislocated kneecap was. Tim said it isn't as serious as it is painful, and Blais said that Moreland has played through pain before. Caller asked about the schedule. The schedule is done through the league office, and Blais pretty much has no choice on it. Sometimes he gets to vote on which schedule he likes the best out of like 4 or 5, but otherwise he doesn't get much choice. Ideally it should be one series away, one series at home. Caller says P and Dubay (?) are smoking crack because they still say we haven't played anybody, even though we've only lost to one team. Then they played "where are they now?" with some players from the 80's. Bayda called last week to check up on the team, and he sounded a little lonesome, not that he wants to be back here, he's #2 in scoring on his team. Tim joked that it's not like he would look any good on the Parise/Bochenski line anyway. Blais is trying anyone with Parise and Bochenski until he finds the one that clicks, and right now, Prpich is playing as well as anyone, so why not put him up there? Tim says the team could look past this weekend and just want to go home for the holidays, and Blais jokes that if they do that, then they won't be going home. He can take away their Christmas presents and be a scrooge. He thinks this team if focused, though. Canisius is improved, and they're coming into this great arena, so for them it's like the superbowl. UND is the best team they're going to play this year. Blais really likes their coach. He wants to play everyone this weekend against Canisius...Ranfranz, Sofie, and Marvin were the players he mentioned. We are playing 4 games minus 3 players over Christmas, so it's time for people who haven't gotten very much playing time to step up. He might move a forward back to defense just to make sure there are 6 defensemen, but he thinks that the forwards will be able to help out and put some goals on the board. Chad Dahlen is a red-shirt transfer from Ferris State and Devils Lake, he can play, he moves the puck well, and he's not a real big kid, but strong. Blais likes what he is seeing. Jeff Panzer is just behind Johnny Pohl in scoring, and Goerhing is doing bizarre, he's playing so well. Blais said if the Blue Jackets don't call him up, some other team is going to snatch him up. There's no doubt that Goerhing will make it in the NHL. Tim says the Wild just don't like Roche, what's up? Blais says he's not 6'3" and he's too offensive. Plus the Wild are having such a good year so far. If he doesn't get moved up this year, another team will also snatch him up. Blais said he has already talked to a couple scouts who have said they would love to have Roche. Sometimes it looks like Roche might be gambling a bit, but where some defensemen would put the puck out of play, Roche will turn around and make an outlet pass.

LOL, no doubt.

Al Pearson is putting together a bus trip to Mankato, and then the Final Five and Frozen Four if the team makes it. Just look him up in the phone book if you're interested. They welcome "rookies."

Well, I tried. I was sitting 3 rows behind the penalty box, so I only held it up as Finger was skating to the box and sat down, and during warmups. I didn't want to obstruct anyone's view of the game, and I wanted to watch it myself. Maybe if we asked really nicely, Finger would come back up to Grand Forks and pose for a picture.

How come I am always hearing about Andy Shneider getting interviewed in the mornings with Tim and Swyg? Is he that good at interviews, or is he the only one available at that time?

Why the hell did they change the rules? Dagies version sounds much better than the DQ's they hand out now.

Thanks, PCM! Did you see it from your lofty perch? Tommiejo, the shirts were supposed to be a one time thing, so as far as I know, the only way you could get on is if someone offered theirs to you. You might be SOL, unless REA decides to try to make some money and sell more shirts. BTW, that was my 2nd free shirt in one week from those people. They were giving out free t-shirts from the opening of the arena last week when I bought something in the pro shop.

Well YaneA, I guess you just have to think about where your priorities lie then...your stomach, or hockey. I don't think I've ever eaten dinner on a Friday or Saturday night during hockey season till after the hockey games for the last 3 years. Oh to have such luxuries. The sign went something like this. It said Jeff Finger #8 on top to get his attention, and "How to get out of the stall (Follow the arrow)" underneath it. Below that was a square that is the penalty box with a big red "X" representing Mr. Finger, and a big arrow pointing to the gate. To the right of that were some simple instructions. I can't remember them exactly, but it was something like, 1.) Grasp handle 2.) Apply pressure downward 3.) Pull gate open 4.) Step onto the ice 5.) Repeat as needed. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone in the building understood what it meant, because I was constantly explaining myself. People who didn't ask me probably just thought I had taken a liking to the wolfman himself.

Can I do anything about people saving seats for friends? I highly doubt it. People get protective of "their" seats. Especially since my friends will have to save my seat for me this Saturday, seeing as how I don't get off of work till 7:00. There better be no cops on the road between Altru and REA! I think for the most part, the lower bowl section gets filled right away between 5:30 and 5:45. There are a lot of students that line up outside the doors before the games, and like you said, some people save seats for others. I know when Engelstad's family and friends took up rows A-H in the center section on Saturday, a lot of students that were lined up outside before the doors opened, ended up in the upper deck. If your friends really want to sit in the lower bowl, the only thing I can suggest is to get there at 5:30. They would have the advantage of not fighting through hundreds of students to get in the doors. Just as long as they don't sit in "my" seat. Tell them to keep an eye out once the game starts, though. I know there always seems to be an extra seat around us somewhere, because people don't want to get split up from their friends. If you see single seats with coats just thrown on them, more than likely no one is sitting there.

I was wondering about that. If a brawl had broken out, can Shepard hand out so many DQ's that neither team has enough players to play next weekend's games, forcing them to forfeit? What happened to the players after the waterbottle fight in Wisconsin?

A GENIUS would say Karl Goerhing is goose-bumpy good....hey look, I'm a genius!

It's pretty bad, I think, especially since Parise is one of those players who is either always getting himself open, or getting the puck to someone else who is open. As Lundbohm said in the postgame yesterday, "Those guys are really good at bear hugging." It just seems like the refs don't want to give Parise the special treatment that other teams are giving him.

Sure, easy to say if you're a big guy. I'm not exactly a frail little girl, but standing at 5'4" it's a little hard to stand up for yourself when you have hundreds of people pushing you. Tonight they actually put up some barricades, and had some university cops walk by every once in a while. It was much better. Of course, I was like the 10th person in the door, so I don't know what the rest of the line was like.

LOL. I'm famous! Yeah, I went to the women's game to see if I could find somewhere to stow the sign under the seats, since I was mauled the night before in line. I ended up just putting it in the security office and picking it up after I got my seat. They didn't care. I was 3 rows behind the penalty box, so the first penalty Finger got, I handed the sign down to the guys sitting by the glass, and they ended up handing it across the tunnel entrance to the students facing Finger so that he could read it. When they went to hand it back to us later, they asked the security guard to hand it to us, and the prick read it, laughed, and threw it on the ground. A couple minutes later, we asked some kid to give it to us, he did, and he got yelled at. If anyone was watching, that was me holding up the sign during warmups on the big screen. Finger saw it during warmups and had a good laugh with some teammates. As for the tp, I just had the guys in front of me offer some to Finger. I'm not one for throwing things, unless it's a hat....although I was tempted to throw it at Shepard since he looked like sh*t much of the night.

You should have come over by the student entrance. Everyone was too worried about getting to their seats to get a free t-shirt.

I remember there was a 2-1 with Notermann and Parise, and Parise deaked the goaltender but ran out of room and hit the post, so there was no chance for a rebound. At least it looked like he hit the edge of the post from where I was sitting.

Thanks! Feel like coming out and whooping some ass tomorrow night? Look for me in the student section. I made a much bigger sign, in anticipation of being pushed back a few rows. We'll see if I get the chance to use it.

I planned on it, but apparently Engelstad's family will be "borrowing" a few rows in the student section tomorrow night. I have a bad feeling I won't be as close to the penalty box as I like to be.

Well, I had the toilet paper and sign all ready to go, at the suggestion of the brains on this board, and Finger doesn't even bother getting a penalty! However, my friend thought it was pretty funny when I explained why I had toilet paper and a "You Are Here" sign with me, and during warm ups he caught Finger looking in our direction as he stretched. He held up the sign, pointing at it, while we yelled at him, and I doubt he could read anything except maybe his name on it, but he started laughing. At least the guy has a good sense of humor.

I don't remember ever hearing or seeing this problem at the old arena, but it's getting ridiculous. Basically, there are a few a**holes in the student body who feel as though it's ok to arrive at the doors around 5:15-5:30, when the doors open at 5:30, and then run up to the front of the line as soon as the doors open and push people aside. The people who have been lined up outside the doors for 1-2 hours to get good seats. This has been slowly progessing since the beginning of the season, and now it is finally getting out of control. I swear I almost broke a rib today when I was literally being carried forward by the crowd, and found myself stopped by a nice green cement pole. REA officials, who have plentiful security waiting for the students when they are let in the doors, have been just watching this happen without taking control. Then tonight they tried forcing about, oh what, 500 students back out the doors after letting us in because there was mad chaos. I am not exaggerating. They forced people out, let them in which led to more pushing, forced them back out, let them in, forced them out again, and then finally just said screw it and let everyone in. It was basically one REA official doing the yelling, with a couple security guards laughing and half assed telling the students to go back outside. One of these days someone is going to get hurt, and they're going to have a lawsuit on their hands. Is it that hard to position a few of those security guards and some barriers outside to keep people in something that somewhat resembles a line? Or here's a crazy idea! Get in line and stay there when you decide to show up. End of rant. Signed, A slightly bruised, pissed off student.

I think you have sorely disappointed everyone.

Oh there will be TP in with Finger. Some nice cheap, scratchy stuff. I usually sit a couple rows right behind the visiting penalty box, so I'll be able to easily maneuver my way to him. The race is on, Diggler!

Have faith, diggler, have faith. I've only been patted down one time by security, and that was at the first game. I think I can squish a role of toilet paper in my coat. The only problem we run into is that we're so cheap at my house, that we actually stole 6 months worth of dorm toilet paper when we moved into our place!