PCM

I give the Gophers all the credit in the world for winning. They took full advantage of the bad Sioux turnovers. But I have also watched 28 Sioux games this season, which I think gives me a pretty good idea of how well UND is capable of playing compared to how they played tonight. You're funny.

All the talk leading up to the game was that it was a meaningless, throwaway game. The Sioux played the first period as if that's the way they looked at it. They woke up in the second period and began to play as well as they are capable of playing. But once they got the lead, they got sloppy again and it cost them. It wasn't even close to a 60-minute effort.

I'm not complaining about it. I just couldn't figure out what in the heck the officials were looking at to blow the whistle.

Not only that, but when they showed the replay, it didn't look like any Gopher player was even close to being in the crease.

I've got whiteout all over my #$%&@!!! monitor!

I totally agree. I came into this game thinking that the Sioux wouldn't have nearly as many costly turnovers as UMD did against the Gophers. Man, I was sure wrong about that. I haven't seen the Sioux make that many bonehead plays all season long. Blais was right. If the entire team isn't pulling in the same direction and isn't committed, then Sioux won't win a national championship. He said after the game that there are still players who are merely along as passengers. The good news is that this team has gone through stretches when it hasn't played well and then recovered to play well when it needed to. If the Sioux were going to lose a game in the playoffs, this was the one to lose.

Yes you are. Oops!

Can't argue with that. Gee, I'm starting to sound like CRR.

Agreed.

That is an absolute joke.

That's not what Bochenski says, but what does he know? Other than repeating the standard Gopher spin, it's a good column. Brandon hasn't been scoring goals at the same rate he was earlier in the season, but he is playing great defense, is strong on the forecheck and makes great passes to set up his teammates. He is a complete player.

So Brandt should be penalized because UND has two good goalies? Oh, and I forgot, he has backchecking forwards, too. What did Brandt do for his team? 1. At a time when the Sioux were 3-4-1 and UND had to play four of its last six games on the road against WCHA opponents, Brandt helped the Sioux get a road sweep at Mankato. In the first game with the Sioux in the penalty box for more than half the first period, Brandt made some huge saves that kept UND in the game (USCHO game recap). 2. With the WCHA title on the line, UND went to UMD, trailing the Bulldogs by two points in the league. The Bulldogs had the top offense in the nation, the top power play in the nation, a 14-game unbeaten streak going and the highly touted Isaac Reichmuth in goal. Brandt gave up only two goals for the series while Reichmuth gave up six. Brandt was the difference in the second game that enabled UND to take sole possession of first place USCHO game recap). 3. Brandt held Michigan Tech to one goal on 23 shots in a game that gave UND sole possession the WCHA championship. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Reichmuth allowed two goals in 26 shots in a game that cost his team any chance at the WCHA title. What did Adam Berkhoel do for Denver in the WCHA this season that was so outstanding? I noticed that the Pioneers were conspicuously absent from the Final Five this year.

I guess you couldn't be bothered to scroll up a few posts, huh? Try it. You might learn something. In the WCHA, Berkhoel's stats aren't even close to Brandt's. That's what should count the most in picking the WCHA all conference teams.

Well, I never said that. I thought the Gophers would win. I wanted to see a Sioux-Gopher championship game because I think it will tell a great deal about which team has the best shot at winning the national championship. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the winner of this game wins it all.

If the Gophers beat the Sioux tonight, they'll have earned some respect. The Sioux have defeated Duluth five times this season. They swept UMD at Duluth when the Bulldogs were healthy and the hottest team in the country. You beat them after the fifth try on what's essentially home ice when they're missing two key players. As Tommiejo/GATOR says, don't count your chickens before there hack.

Prpich had his stick between Green's legs and, as Tim O'Keefe said, gave him about three feet of lumber. Actually, in the replay, it doesn't look like Prpich did anything that bad, but the Green Family Jewels know otherwise. Jloos is right. Seeing Green's upside down skates peeking over the top of the UAA bench told the story.

How'd Mapletolft do?

How about Chris King challenging Jordan Parise to a fight? It looked like Jordan wanted to go until Zach talked him out of it.

I'm glad that Tim O'Keefe and Tim Hennessy were as confused by that move as I was. I know that Blais was not happy with Brandt's play during the MTU series last weekend. Perhaps it carried into practice and Jordan looked a lot better. After the first period, I'd say Blais made the right decision.

Oops. To answer your question, I'd rate the first period a 7 after it started out looking like a 3.

SFiP, after the first 5 or 6 minutes, the Sioux looked a lot better. I can't believe how many 2-on-1 rushes they gave up or nearly gave up early. Defense anyone? Good thing J. Parise was great in goal. He made some big saves. The last half of the period, the Sioux were really getting their chances. They just have to bury some of them. The Bochenski-to-Parise-to-Murray goal was a thing of beauty. We need some more! I think UAA is starting to feel the strain of playing so many games in a short amount of time.

You, Dean and Doug Woog.

Based on what Blais did during the 2001 Final Five, I'd expect the exact opposite. Unless Jordan looks head and shoulders above Jake in practice, I think Blais will start Brandt to get UND the one win it needs in this tournament to retain its spot as a number-one seed.

On USCHO's message board, Woog is being quoted as saying that Jordan Parise will start today. I guess that's possible, but it doesn't seem likely.