PCM

Sioux kill the penalty. Less than 8 minutes left in the first. Still 0-0.

Still 0-0 with 10:45 left in the first period. TH says that Murray is back on the ice. Penalty on the Sioux. Genoway dumps a UAA player in front of the net. Maybe a goal-saving penalty.

Tim H. says that it looks like Brady Murray has hurt his shoulder again.

Lamoureux makes big save off Greene giveaway right in front of the net.

Sioux fail to convert on their first power play of the game. About 6 minutes gone in the first period. Still 0-0.

I just got here. I'll try to keep you up to date.

The biggest problem with college hockey officiating -- especially in the WCHA -- is situational officiating. Two or three years ago, Dean Blais was on the UND coaches' show complaining about the clutching and grabbing that's allowed to go on. That brought up the subject of the meeting that happens at the end of every season during which the coaches can talk to the league about officiating. Blais said that when he asked for obstruction to be called more often, the WCHA officials responded by talking about when and where it would be called. In other words, the game isn't called by the rule book. It's left to the official to make a judgement about whether a penalty should be called in certain circumstances. It's no wonder that WCHA officiating is so wildly inconsistent. When referees know that that they'll be allowed -- even encouraged -- to call some penalties and ignore others, then it's unrealistic to expect any sort of consistent standards. This approach dominates college hockey officiating, and the NCAA knows it. In closing its open letter to the hockey community, the NCAA said (emphasis added): The situational officiating approach needs to be be banished from college hockey. It'll be interesting to see how serious the NCAA is about doing this and whether it can force the WCHA to follow suit.

All you have to do is convince the WCHA to change the policy. Good luck at getting that done.

Maybe it is a WCHA rule. I just know that Shepherd said the REA wasn't supposed to show replays of questionable calls and that this policy has been in effect at the WCHA Final Five tournaments I've attended. Plus, there's also the question of whether people know the rules exist and, if so, how well they adhere to them. Until Shepherd got upset, replays were almost always shown at the Ralph. But I've noticed that since Shepherd got irritated, the REA has cut back on the replays it shows.

I wish I would have thought of it.

I don't think they're supposed to show anything that questions a referee's call. They don't want the crowd involved in "helping" the referee make a decision.. I remember at the 2001 Final Five championship game when SCSU scored the game-winner in overtime, those of us at the Excel were in the dark about what the replay showed. It wasn't until after I got home and watched the tape of the game that I knew exactly what happened on the play.

The game was still on when the Herald went to press. But there is a story about it on the Herald's Web site. You have to search for it, however.

That's it. Greg Shepherd was in the press box during one game of the Canisius series when they showed a replay on the scoreboard involving a penalty. He made a comment about that not being allowed and seemed rather upset by it. I'm guessing that he talked to someone at the Ralph or UND and told them they had to comply with the NCAA rules..

Good point. Since the Canisius series, UND has been converting on nearly 32 percent of its power plays.

I watched most of that game on Fox Sports Friday night. I'd watched my tape of it two or three times before that. It was truly a game that highlighted the best aspects of college hockey. The only bad part was the final score.

Quick summary of Hakstol's post-game comments: It was a well-deserved win. We played well for two periods, but we made some errors. The confidence was there in the third period. Stafford's goal got the ball rolling. Transition game was good tonight. Brady Murray added a lot. The Murray, Genoway McMahon line was very good. Scoring from the doorstep is becoming a familiar spot for Spirko. We backed their defense off early in the game and kept doing it through the game. Throughout our lineup, we played with very good speed. Fourth line had several great scoring chances and drew two penalties. In the intermission, we laid things on the line. This was when we had to step forward as a hockey team. It was a defining moment, a possible turning point. The guys got on board. We worked hard throughout the week. It was nice to see the guys have some fun on the bench and fun on the ice. We

I would think that this win helps because the Seawolves have beat some good teams. But UAA didn't sweep the Gophers. They took 3 of 4 points from them.

Stand by for whining, complaining and excuses from UAA fans over on USCHO.

You're lucky I didn't.

Let's get the sweep Saturday. I'd like to see an overconfident Wisconsin team play a jacked up Sioux team next weekend.

Sioux go on the power play again. Beaverson rides Prpich into the net. Only 13 seconds left.

1:01 left. Still UND 6, UAA 3

Not so fast. Spirko scored what is currently the game-winner right after I turned the radio back on.

Massen

Murray scores on the backhand. Sioux 6, UAA 3.