MafiaMan

St Cloud locker room in 3...2...1...

The Engelstad Foundation doesn't get to dictate what goes on the ice any more than they do what goes on the plastic cups they serve drinks in.

They joined the B1G like 30 minutes ago. Sorry, the B1G was always Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Notre Dame's not a "true" member for another few years yet.

I was told that North Dakota and Denver almost have the same record... Thanks for comin' out, B1G. And, no, I don't count Notre Dame just yet.

All I know, is that if St Cloud State happens to win the whole thing...

What do you have against Harvard and Northeastern?

Nope, he really hasn't.

Good catch. I’m hoping it’s not early onset Alzheimer’s.

You say that like it’s a good thing.

Well, to be fair, Red Army broomball wears CCCP jerseys and you still talked to me at the Hogg, but I digress... I’ve buried the hatchet with DU after that Gwoz article came out earlier this season.

Would be pretty impressive to see 1/2 of the league with a national title within four years of the NCHC being founded. I may have to move St Cloud State up on my list!

In order, who I would like to win the NCAA championship this year: #1. Providence College. I know, I know, they just won it a few years ago, but PC is near MafiaMom's old stomping grounds up there in RI. The Friars have always been my second-favorite team. And who doesn't love those skating friar jerseys? #2. Bowling Green. Now this would be a nice story for a program that hasn't done much since the mid 1980's. And they have a Bismark Century kid on the roster, to boot, in Alec Rauhauser. Sentimental choice. #3. Minnesota State. Not really a fan of those gaudy purple uniforms, but this is another program where an NCAA championship would cause heads just up the road on Hwy 169 to explode. And Jared Spooner's a Bismarck High School kid, too, so there's that. #4. Northeastern. @Wilbur What if I told you that a Boston school won the NCAA hockey title...and it wasn't BU, BC, or Harvard? ESPN 30 for 30 presents...The Huskies You've Never Heard Of. #5. UMass. Yes, this continues to violate the policy of hating Hockey East, but UMass has been a doormat for a long time. Bonus as BU and BC might just shut down their respective programs if the Minutemen win the title. #6. American International College. While some might view this as a slap in the face to NCAA men's hockey, it actually would make me feel better about the Canisius College series. Raise your hand if you knew that the Yellow Jackets have been playing hockey since 1948. Anyone? Anyone? #7. Cornell. Yea, the Big Red has typically been the Big Dud come NCAA tournament time, but this program is loaded with history and tradition. I could rally around that like I did around Yale's 2013 run (wow, has that been that long ago already?). Cody Haiskanen played at Fargo Davies and with the Force, too. #8. Arizona State. My heart says 'no'...the long-lost puck bunny admirer in me says 'yes.' #9. St. Cloud State. The last time a coach won a title in his first go-round, his team fell off drastically the next three years. Hmnnn...maybe I should have the Huskies ranked much higher on my list for that very reason? #10. Harvard. Princess Jimmy Vesey provided a little too much drama for me the last time you guys were sniffing around the NCAA's. #11. Denver. This would make @stoneySIOUX go mad, which is why I can't have them farther down the list. @Godsmack , I know you won't like DU this high either, but who you gonna swap places with in five below this? #12. Clarkson. A little too NDSU-like color-wise for my taste. No reason to hate them, but no reason to like them either. @Oxbow6 thinks otherwise, 'cuz they're kinda Green Bay's colors too. Agree to disagree, I guess. #13. Ohio State. The Buckeyes could win this thing, show up on campus in a couple of weeks with the title trophy, and 99.99% of their fans would complain about the hockey team interrupting the spring football game. #14. Quinnipiac. I'm tempted to pull for the team that's had such heartbreak in recent in years...then I remembered that Rand Pecknold is their coach. That logo sucks too. #15. Notre Dame. Do you really want to go thru the off-season listening to @JohnboyND7 yap about NDSU's football championship AND Notre Dame's hockey natty? Yea, I didn't think so. #16. Minnesota Duluth. This really is more of a concern about @DrunkHockeyGuy and his health than anything. I'd hate to see him requiring a liver transplant after winning a 2nd consecutive national title. Bruce Ciskie is so likable, though, so it's hard to, wait, no it's not.

Not many good players these days use a wooden stick, but I’d pick it up since it’s free. Can always use a practice stick. It’s usable.

I’m pretty sure that the A-word has never come up in any of my posts. Mods, can we get a ruling on this one? As far as being a “spelling” a-bomb, I’ve already made it quite clear that it’s more of a joke than anything given my word OCD. Ask me about clipping my nails sometime, because that’s another one.

It’s actually Des Moines with an “s” at the end.

Oh, I'm sure Kieffer's dad is busy blaming the coaching staff for his son's lack of production. -15. Woof.

back on topic, @Godsmack , I am working on the preferred order of champions list today!

I was told that Williston, ND was just ahead of them. They're thinking 2024 for a start-date. Hot rumor is that Brad Marchand will be made available by the Bruins in the expansion draft.

SiouxVolley’s sources tell him that they are imploding the current facility and building a new one five times bigger...

And nobody on my panel of experts predicted anything other than a 10-2 Denver win. DU evidently had a bunch of fat cats waiting to head to the NHL.

We call it “Bean Bags” where I come from...

The great University of North Dakota was swept by a school that a) most of us had no clue where it was located before the series and b) 2/3 of us still aren’t sure how to spell the school’s name

Bucky’s only made the tournament 3 times in the last 10 years — and we haven’t seen them since 2014.