PCM

I don't know what the problem was because neither Tyler nor anybody else in a position to know will say publicly. I'm not going to take Tyler's assessment of the situation or his mental state at face value. If everything was okay, then I doubt that Lucia would have Hirsch practicing on the fourth line. It also makes no sense that Lucia would express cautious optimism about Tyler's chances of playing in the Frozen Four. Just because Tyler thinks everything's back to normal doesn't mean it is. To me, Lucia's words and actions indicate that questions remain.

According to this article, yes.

I'm not sure how you reached that conclusion from this article. Tyler could clear things up by explaining his actions, but he hasn't. Lucia could pronounce him fit and ready to play, but he hasn't. That doesn't leave me with the impression that Tyler's mentally fine.

There's an article in today's St. Paul Pioneer Press about the Tyler Hirsch situation. It doesn't really clear much up, including the question of whether he'll play in the Frozen Four. Lucia is quoted as saying that he's "cautiously optimistic." I'm not sure Tyler helped his cause much with some of his comments:

Or if it was awared retroactively to Jeff Panzer because more phantom assists were mysteriously added to his stats, giving him 242 points for the 2000-2001 season.

I feel your pain, but you're doing the right thing by going to your daughter's play. Your wife and daughter will be grateful that you made "the ultimate sacrifice."

From Suite 49 sports grill near beautiful Ralph Engelstad Arena, Tim Hennessy and Scott Swygman are the hosts with Sioux hockey coach Dave Hakstol and Sioux players Rory McMahon and Matt Greene for a special Frozen Four edition of the Fighting Sioux Coaches

Good grief. What does Hakstol have to do to get the credit he deserves? Lace up his skates, go into the game and score some goals? Good leaders do surround themselves with good people. Good leaders know how to delegate. Good leaders know when to let talented subordinates do the jobs they were hired to do. Good leaders don't micromanage. Good leaders stay focused on the big picture while others handle the details. The players I've talked to recently give Hakstol a lot of credit for how the team's rebounded and how it's playing now. Maybe you should too.

Details!

That's a great story, but how about posting a link to it rather than the full text, which is against SiouxSports.com rules?

I remember my first day of kindergarten because I accidentally went to the wrong school. But I was only 5. What's Skippy's excuse?

Good points. I don't understand the concept of having a 5-minute major and game DQ for checking from behind if refs don't call it when it happens. The penalty should fit the infraction. If the league's goal is to cut down on the number of checks from behind, making the penalty less severe isn't the answer. Referees who won't make the call for the existing rule should be shown the door, not provided with a more palatable option.

Peggy Hill to Hank Hill: "How are you going to live out your fantasy with all these naked women around?"

I didn't say it was my only fantasy.

So I'm not the only one with this fantasy?

I don't think he is. I know he is.

It's interesting that some are making a big deal out of the fact that three of the four WCHA teams had difficulty getting into Frozen Four. UND, the league's fifth-place team, got there with the most one-sided victories.

Now c'mon, this isn't one of those threads.

I'm fairly certain that you'd need press credentials to get into the press conference. I know the team practices at the 2000 Frozen Four were open to the public.

I want to see this one held up after one of the Matts flattens a Gopher: PRIED OFF ICE!

Say what you will about Bruce McLeod, he certainly knows how to punch redwing77's buttons.

In watching the replay many times on my crappy extended play VHS tape, that's what I saw, too. However, it should be pointed out that one of the ARs was in position to see everything. I would hope that he informed Adam about what he saw leading up to the hit. The other thing I saw that made me curious is that it appears that a Sioux player (Marvin?) got his stick on the puck in the corner and shot it up the boards where Bina was waiting to touch it. Could it be that Bina saw the Sioux player gain control and that he expected a whistle before the puck reached him? Perhaps that's why he was so totally unprepared for Paukovich's hit. I think Hakstol came of age as a head coach at that moment.

Business as usual. Here are the questions I submitted before the chat: What was referee Don Adam's reason for not calling a 5-minute major on Denver's Geoff Paukovich for his hit on Robbie Bina during the WCHA Final Five? Will the Robbie Bina incident cause the WCHA to review how it trains and evaluates officials? Why has the WCHA lagged behind other conferences in following the NCAA's instruction to call the game by the book? Was it a mistake to have Don Adam referee the DU-UND game after he erred on calling a major penalty the previous weekend during the UAA-UW series? Does the WCHA need to end situational officiating to avoid inconsistencies in how games are called and improve player safety?

This sounds like rhetoric. Bruce will be displeased.

As of last night, Paukovich hadn't called Robbie.