PCM

It's true that Ranfranz was put in a bad position by his teammates on both goals. On the first one, I think he was screened and never saw it. On the second one, yes, it wasn't his fault that he was left out to dry by a bad pass. But he was facing Talafous, a Badger player who'd only scored two goals all year. Marc made him look like Peter Sejna. It's hard to say if Ranfranz would have been okay the rest of the game. However, Brandt was and the Sioux got the win, which is what really matters.

Great third period! Best in a long time. Blais said on this week's coaches show that the Sioux were just going to fire away. They did and it paid off. What a game by Fylling! It was nice to see some bounces go UND's way for a change. Let's win game two and build some momentum for the playoffs.

Schneider didn't score a goal.

I am perfectly happy to let Minnesota retain that distinction.

Two words in a row spelled correctly. That has to be a record.

I don't know what anyone else thinks, but if UND gets home ice for the playoffs, I think I'd rather see the Sioux play the Pioneers rather than SCSU.

The best line I heard about this was on KJ 108 while I was driving to work. Bill Tanner of the Big Dogs said he could already hear the "Four more years!" chant from Republicans in Bismarck.

What about the European goalies?

At the time, I thought the remark about Ryan Hale playing defense was serious. But after thinking about it, I wonder if it wasn't a joke. I guess we'll see tonight.

yeh tehrs way 2 muhc racialism going on doun at NDSU

I've never been to a basketball game at NDSU and don't follow the sport all that closely. However, on last night's UND coaches show, Gene Roebuck mentioned something about NDSU fans sitting closer to the visiting team's bench than NCAA rules allow. He said this would be corrected and that it would help. Roebuck seemed to be satisfied that NDSU was making a sincere effort to fix the problems. I suspect the reason most UND fans are upset is because incidents such as these were allowed to happen by NDSU officials in such an important game.

Yipeeeeee!!!

I promise not to say anything. In the 2000 UND-BC championship game, the all-freshman line of Spiewak, Notermann and Ryan Hale played like forechecking maniacs. It was an awesome display of hustle and determination. Even the pro-BC ESPN sportscasters took note of their performance, especially in the final period. The harder they worked, the luckier they got.

You had to ruin it, didn't you?

Virg Foss has an an article in today's Herald about the trials and tribulations of Matt Greene. I like the headline so much that I had to use it here.

U of M

So if there's no problem at NDSU, why is Gene Taylor telling Roebuck that they need to make changes? In fact, Roebuck was quite complimentary toward Taylor's willingness to make sure that what happened at the game never happens again.

Forecheck, weren't you the one who coined the term "spin-o-rama" for Notermann's patented move? I'm surprised you didn't mention it.

Gene Roebuck was on the UND coaches show Wednesday night and here are some of his comments that I summarized. A drunk fan put his arm forcefully around Sioux assistant coach Shannon Baugh and asked her how it felt to be coach of a team that sucked. The guy's brother was around, which apprently made him feel brave until assistant coach Travis Brewster took off his coat and asked the drunk to step outside. Roebuck said the worst part was fans getting right into the faces of the coaches and players. He said that during the game, NDSU fans were also tapping UND players on the shoulders and calling them "sluts and whores." He mentioned that there was an administrator sitting at the scoring table who was smiling and laughing all the time these things were going on. Roebuck said none of this should be happening and that he's never encountered anything like it at any other school. He also said that he thinks NDSU will take steps to see that it doesn't happen again. He said there are clever ways to intimidate a team without being "downright belligerent." He said he thought it was funny during one game when a bunch of NDSU students dressed up like him. Roebuck said that for 40-some minutes, someone three feet away yelling in his ear. Scott Swygmann noted the they had to cut their pregame short because the NDSU fans around them were getting nasty. Tim Hennessy and Roebuck got into a bit of a debate about fans of other teams yelling "Sioux suck." Roebuck said that out of respect for Native Americans, nobody who lives in North Dakota should do that. Hennessy said that you can't let UND students yell "Bison suck!" or "Mavericks suck!" and then tell fans of other teams that they can't yell "Sioux suck!"

Sorry for the confusion. Right after Blais got done talking, I had to help my daughter with her homework and I wasn't able to get back to this right awy.

3/5/03 Tim Hennessy and Scott Swygman interviewed Dean Blais at Lola

The book will soon be closing on the college careers of three Sioux seniors who have played four years at UND. I'm interested in knowing Sioux fans' favorite memories of these players. I'll start by posting mine. Jason Notermann Before the puck is dropped and while the players are gathered around the goalies at their respective ends of the ice, I watch Jason Notermann's routine. He circles the group of players until everyone joins it. He then skates around the outside and touches each player with his stick before joining the big huddle. I'll miss seeing that. I'll also miss Jason's gritty play, hard work, determination and no-nonsense attitude. Jason's shorthanded goal against SCSU's Scott Meyer during the 2000 Final Five is one that stands out in my mind. It happened about 20 seconds after Meyer stoned Brian Lundbohm on a breakaway. John and Densie, thanks for raising such a good son and sending him to North Dakota. Kevin Spiewak The shorthanded goal Kevin scored against Maine during the 2000 Frozen Four is one on of my favorite video replays. I'll never forget the sight of him turning on the jets to get around the defender and going full tilt into the Maine zone, his black ice jersey flapping in a self-created slipstream. That effort to me epitomizes the "speed kills" mentality of Blais-coached teams. A year later, Kevin's game-winning goal against Ryan "Unscoreonable" Miller, the Hobey Baker winner that season, got the Sioux into the 2001 championship game. Kevin is also unabashedly humble about his ability. After the CC game at the REA in which he scored a highlight-reel goal, he told me, "I'm not a goal scorer." I still wonder how far my jaw dropped when he said that. Dan and Karen, it's been a joy watching Kevin these past four years. Chris Leinweber My wife claims that Chris is the most graceful skater on the Sioux team and that's why he's been one of her favorite players the past four years. I talked to him in Providence after the Sioux won the 2000 NCAA championship. I told him that the team had us worried when they started the third period behind 2-1. He said that none of the players were worried. They knew that if they continued to work hard, they'd win. That's what confidence and hard work can do. I also remember a game against Wisconsin during which Chris made a Roche-like move to score from point-blank range. I believe the goalie was Dean Weasler, no slouch in the net. Barry and Ivy, thanks for letting your baby grow up to be a Fighting Sioux. Good luck to all three Sioux seniors for the rest of the season and in whatever follows. You'll be missed.

I can certainly see why he's your ex. Open and shut case.

I was just applying a little JBB ointment to the wound. Feels good, doesn't it?

The truth? Here's Hammy, in his own words, saying exactly how much he knows about the truth: