The Whistler

Redwing, how is that disagreeing with me? Usually when people disagree with me (which does happen, a lot ) I can tell why.

When we moved into the old Englestad from the old Barn the atmosphere wasn't like it used to be. Plus I would say that the atmosphere in the 90's wasn't as good as it was in the early 80's. (May the Farce be with you). If you want my suggestion, teach the guys running the PA (and the band) to shut the eff up when the crowd starts to get into it. Case in point, Friday period 2 and the fans are getting on Adam. (For your information I bought my ticket so I could get on the refs (at appropriate times of course and in an appropriate manner)). Ding Dong on the PA went into some long-winded sales pitch that was absolutely worthless. Let the fans get into the game. Now that I'm rolling I'm going to get on the one thing that's pissed me off for years. The last real game at the Ralph. The students, God Bless them, started a Hobey Baker chant for Jeff Panzer. After the cheer started the band got up and drowned it out. I still wished I went over and beat the band director to a pulp. The PA and the band need to shut up when the fans start getting into the game. Next time I'll tell you what I really think.

I agree with RedWing: The reason why every referee is crappy is because that's how the guy at the top wants it called. By the way IMO Bruce McCloud is a lightweight and Greg Sheppard calls the shots in the WCHA. I don't have any inside info on that, just my impression from watching him speak.

I would say that in general the tickets for sale are sold. (I think there's a few out there). Generally except for the corners in the upper section it's pretty full. Are those student seats or are they general admission? We've been #2 in attendance since the Ralph opened so I don't see a problem. Wisconsin generally beats us but they seat quite a few more. Selling that many tickets in a town the size of GF is pretty good in my opinion.

I sure would hate it if someone posted it to youtube.

I don't blame the referee's for either loss, although I believe they did a horrible job. Friday night the penalties early in the second period did take us out of our game. But that doesn't mean we should have given up. Saturday we got beat because IMO their goaltender was better than ours. Not the refs fault. Maine's a very good team and our youth definiately showed, but I wouldn't agree that they were superior in every way.

I don't buy it that the extra ref had anything to do with the puck hitting the officials. The 2nd ref never enters the offensive zone. When the puck is moving up ice the official should be moving into position deep in the other offensive zone. The only change is that you do have a ref ahead of the play, instead of behind. That should be a good thing because you shouldn't have an official make a goal/no goal call from the neutral zone. In the case this weekend it was more about cluelessness and laziness (mostly the former) not about too many officials.

Don Adam and that Albers guy didn't see this video. I'd recommend they review the part where they explain what to call when a goalie takes a dive. I think they could also learn something from the icing enforcement. I didn't see Vandervelde's CFB that well, but my impression from the corner of my eye was that that was also covered in this video as a 2 minute. Plus the linemen need to review the dropping the puck routine. It's not about you getting attention, drop the puck.

Obviously the hangup is going to be finding someone anyone competent to officiate a game.

I don't want to make an argument, but I thought it was more about how poorly we played rather than how good they played.

Sid Hartmann made the preidiction that the Goophs would win by 40-0. If that isn't an incentive for me to pull for the Bison there never will be one.

Like last year our young guys will be much better at the end of the year than they are now.

Who's going to be the big hitter on this team? I don't think Finley is going to throw the big checks like Smaby and Greene did. He's big and strong and he won't get pushed around but throwing the big open ice hit is a skill. That's ok, he's got to play the game he can be successful with.

The way he layed their though looked like he had got coldcocked. When he got up he never flexed his legs or anything. I think he was faking. I think it was more on how we played than on how they played. We can beat these guys. At this point of the season last year Wisonsin was just a better team. Not at the end of the season mind you.

We're messin' with their minds.

Last year in 42 games Toews had 11 penalties. Last night the team of dumb and dumber called him for 3. Hmm.

I don't know, last I saw of him he was going off holding his arm like he had an arm injury. Hak said after the game he likely wouldn't be playing 2night.

They've got to get their act together. I'm as critical of the officiating as they come, but bad officiating isn't an excuse to play like that. They'll be better tonight.

Yes I think that was a retaliation for the checking from the side behind hit.

Every game that Adam does (at least when we're involved) turns into an ugly game. My theory is that his inconsistency in officiating frustrates the players and get it going. Plus the real dirtiness started right in front of him (Radke's near altercation). He didn't call the first cheap shot (the check was just hockey) by the Maine player. I didn't expect the animosity between the two teams.

Last night during the post game show, Tim Hennesey's partner said a couple times that this was the first time that Maine had won in Grand Forks. I was pretty sure that we lost the game that Hale had to sit out. Turns out we did lose that Saturday game.

BTW: Does anyone have an idea why their goalie layed down in front of the net for 3 minutes in the first period? They even showed a replay and there was nothing there. Last time they played here (2001) their captain (#4 defensemen) drew a major spearing penalty from David Hale that was called by the Linesman (Ludwig?). He laid on the ice for five minutes and then skated the second shift of the power play. Blais said that all it amounted to was the Maine player holding Hale's stick.

At the end of the postgame Hennesy said something about not getting the game DQ, but only the game misconduct. I could be wrong.

I say you put Lammy back in and see how he performs, but what the heck do I know? I hate the cowbell guy! Everytime he goes at it I'm afraid Randall Flagg is around the corner. It must be the cowbell guy's fault.

It didn't sound like Vandervelde got one, but even so I don't expect him to play Saturday.