NorthDakotaHockey

I would love to see the Sioux and Gophers hook up at the World. Maybe a little payback for last year at the Maroosh. Of course, we cannot look past a first round matchup. Perhaps like we did last year. Who was that Ferris State Hobey candidate who killed us last March? Cripes, was that a depressing game. This year. New team. New venue. Different result.

UMDDogz . . . . Of course you should show up at Sensor's with your UMD jersey and cap. Team and school pride baby. That's 3/4 of the battle. It is not your fault that you were born to follow the kid sister of the brown and yellow. Wear it with pride. Cheer like a banschee. Loudly. Respectfully. No cussing. No sexism. The good Sioux fans in the crowd will appreciate your fervor. There are no knuckehead, or threatening, Sioux fans. Those that go to Senser's are all pretty much knowledgeable cheery drunks. Besides, there will be no reason for us to get sullen. Remember. Sioux sweep. McLeod and Sheppard will drive the Cup to the Ralph. Anyone for a little hijinx and hijack of the Cup somewhere along US Hwy 2?

If I didn't know any better, I might be worried. She has more class than drooling over some clown panting around a bandbox arena concourse. She is a Sioux fan, for life. As are we all. Bring da brooms. Penalty Box crowd is gonna look like the clientele up on 7th Floor of Saint Paul Ramsey come Saturday night around nine o'clock. Drooling. Incoherent. Shocked back to reality, but still wanting to fight it anyway.

My twelve-year old daughter, a huge fan, also thinks that this "take a lap and we'll beat you up" stuff is really stupid as well. Let's play, and talk, hockey, eh? She is thinking about taking the lap after the fifth Sioux goal of the evening. Any tough Bulldog fans willing to take down a twelve year old just because she is caught up in the exhiliaration of a BIG Sioux sweep? Bring the brooms Sioux fans. This is going to be one great series, and the Sioux have too much firepower for the Dogs. Their run is over. Besides, they know that we have beaten them silly three times already.

10-4 Siouxnami . . . . This territorial bs over local arena rituals is pure bs, especially when diced up with threats of physical violence. The only reason Dog fans do the lap at the DECC is because their rink is 10-15 feet shorter in length than most rinks. If it were a regulation rink, these clowns would probably collapse before completing the lap. I do not take well to stories of threats and intimidation. My kids and I go all over the league, and meet with class fans, and fans who let us cheer hard and respectful while still having fun, at every arena that we have visited. This will be our first trip to the DECC. If any Dog fan wants to try and intimidate us into sitting down or shutting up, then let them try. Only their team might have a chance of doing that. Dog fans should spend less time worrying about what visiting fans are doing, and more time cheering their boys on the ice. Old ladies. Struggling students. Drunken jerks. Middle-aged balding fat guys. Don't waste your time or breath on us. We will cheer as we see fit, always cleverly and reasonably respectfully. We are looking forward to meeting the solid UMD fan base. I am sure that there is a fine and knowledgeable one. As for the rest of them, they can just live with the BROWN & YELLOW and the BEAT THE TRAFFIC chants. Maybe even an OVER RATED one to boot. DHG. You listening? Or having somebody read this to you?

Hey, that's a good idea there Man With Dress. We'll provide you with text messages. Cookaknov still has a phone. Still have tickets for you if you find your pants before Friday.

Sagard. Sagard. Sagard. Don't your boys, and their fans, have enough to take care of and worry about on your own, without wishing what other teams might do to help up. Remember, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. If the Gophers sweep into the postseason, they will be at home. If they struggle between here and there, you could be going out to see the mountains again sometime soon. That wouldn't be so bad. Two weekends of rare air to get ready for the rair air of a West Regional with the Sioux. Denver this week. At Denver, or CC, again in a couple of weeks. Then the Final Five, which would be a big break for the Gophers to miss. Rest. Healing.

By the way . . . . Nice to see the Gopher camp knashing their teeth over hanging on to home ice. Those races for third through fifth, and sixth through eight, are tight and big as well. Those folks just ain't playing for the Cup is all. This is not to say that there are a couple of WCHA clubs that may very well take home ATM.

Damn straight Marty. Every year, or most every year, the WCHA boils down to a seminal series, late in the year, for the Cup. Just so happens that it is in Duluth this year and the Road to the Cup goes through there. That's only fair, after that beating Prpich gave that Duluth guy early in the year. Somebody's got a picture of that classic to post here, no? I have it, but haven't a clue how to post it. Season-ending WCHA wars is better hockey, more times than not, , than we see in the NCAA's, although admittedly for perhaps a shade less on the line. However, I'll take a McNaughton Cup or a Broadmoor Trophy any year. The WCHA. Be there. Or be square. With no aggravation intended, this "I'm hoping for a split" bs has got to end this week. The only people who should be hoping for a split are those long-suffering stiffs over at UMD. Sure, it is great to see Sandelin do well. But enough is enough. Bring the brooms.

Don't forget the big assist from Mankato's goalie Clark on Fabian's second. Caught out of position, behind the net. Of course, Erik was in the right place, and did find the net. Yes, another vote for Fabian in the poll. He is going to be the next coming of Johnny Edwards here.

If not for their careers . . . .

The "radio booth" at the Wireless Center is little more than a couple of card tables behind the 200 level seats, with some bunting around them. Fans can go up and stand right behind the radio and tv jocks. Lucky that fan didn't have me in that radio "crease" after the game. I would have cleared him out in no time. A big Sioux crowd. Let's hope that it is a big crowd in Duluth as well.

I'm not ruling CC out in the round of sixteen yet. Two losses to the hottest team in the country ain't gonna hurt 'em much. They'll need to go 3-1 here on in, and probably win the first round of the WCHAs and go to the Final Five. Here's hoping that they match with the Goophs. As much as I would hate to see the Goophs not at the Ex, I would get over it. Actually, we need the Goophs at the Ex. No rest for Briggs. He's about ready to drop.

Damn straight Marty. I'm with you. No pussyfooting around this week. No talk of being satisfied with a split either. Sioux are going to the DECC to kick some hind end and take down a few names. However, after going 5-0 against the Dogs for the season, I sure as HECK hope that we won't see them the remainder of the year.

Cast February 19. I look tonight, and he still has only one vote. I'll bet he'll have forty by this time tomorrow, now that we find out that the kid has a nose for the puck.

Yes. The hats did make it to the ice, as did my lovely sparkling green hockey mullet wig. Fabian would have done well to gather that one up from the penalty box folks after the game. Check the other thread here boys and girls. Most valuable rookie. I was the only one, up until probably tonight, to register a vote for Erik. He gets some ice time, and is coming up solid. Nice to see the fourth line knocking it down. It was really cool to see Fabian get the wig. Er, I mean, the hat. It was a big win. Great great Sioux crowd. Almost had to feel for the Mav faithful. They have had a tough year and, unlike Tech, they will probably largely lie down in the first round. Tech and Mankato in Houghton next week for the rights to the cellar. Sioux and Dogs in Duluth for the likely rights to the Cup. WCHA hockey. Ain't it great?

Assists to Bochenski and Jones.

Guess it was Murray I was smellin . . . .

Bochenski is gonna tee one up within the next 60 seconds. I smell it from here.

Big slapper. Top of the right circle. We're gonna be burning a barn before this one is over . . .

Ya. Alaska just tied the Gophers. Love hearing that sound of 9000+ Mariucci sphincters slamming shut on a Friday night . . . .

Damn Straight DamStrait. I'm gonna go dish up some ice cream. Just called the ex. She turned me down.

Sioux are full strength . . . . AND THEY STILL SUCK!!! So far. I love that retort.

Gut check here everybody. Let's not start sounding like Gopher fans, crying about all the penalties. I hate when the Gopher fans always wave their arms for penalties, and cry foul when their boys are assessed.