redwing77

I have no idea what is going to happen tommorrow night. I was so nervous turning on the radio about 10 minutes ago because when I left the game UND was down 2-1 and UMN was working on their 5th powerplay. Relieved we got the win tonight! I don't know what's in store but I am exstatic we got 2 points! Let's refocus and go for 4! Poor Gophers are going to lose more votes already in the polls. If we sweep they'll lose the #1 ranking. By the way, gotta love the stats side of play from Eric Fabian, Robbie Bina, and the grit from Rylan Kaip.

Jones or Radke is my prediction. Who they will fight, I don't know. After watching that "fight" between Testuide (I think) and Gordon I am thinking whomever it is will more than likely turtle. None of them want to fight, they just want to incite. Right now, the only given is that Lamoreaux will get run at least twice tonight. No call.

Never met Greg Shepherd, but somehow, I don't doubt he's arrogant and big of himself. I mean, he's one of the only guys to watch a moment that would normally call for him to "throw down from above," fall short of the opportunity, and get promoted despite the inadequacy of his response. Just once, I'd like to see Greg grow some balls and simply say "Well, you biffed this game up. Maybe you'll be better next week. I know you were scheduled to officiate tommorrow but I just don't see that happening." And I'd love to see Greg fire Don Adam. It's been a long time, but I still think the best WCHA official is Mike Schmitt and well, he's retired. I took him for his word when he told me he wanted to be there to watch his kids play hockey, but now... I kinda think that he knew that the officiating corps was heading down the crapper and got out before his name was dragged through the mud. EDIT: How important is this weekend to me? Well, on one hand whether the Sioux sweep or get swept life will go on... I don't know. I'm hoping we have a good weekend and, regardless of the results, the games are well played on both ends and safe.

Wrong. They will see what they want to see. Brand and his cronies know no barriers and cannot sniff a rat. First off, if a Native American student is walking down the sidewalk out of the library towards say, Tabula, or perhaps towards the residence halls (as an example) and a student who isn't Native American walks by him or her without acknowledging the Native American's presence I'm sure Brand will label that as simple ignorance or intolerance brought upon by the cruel and demeaning imagery. Also, I wouldn't put it past some of the more radical extremists among the pro-nickname changers to attempt to stage something. There are a few ultra liberal non-Native Americans in the group that is pro-nickname changers. A simple change in costume and a script later, and the NCAA has "evidence"

Awesome

Really? Hmm. Sorry 'bout that. Whatever Masucko does, FSN could use less of.

Greg officiating while observing Greg officiate? Wow. I'd bet Greg would remark that Greg made a command performance. Seriously, though, I already predicted Derek Shepherd this weekend. And if it is Don Adam: I hope Grieco gets plenty of practice time this week. Walski as well. And I hope Robbie gets the flu and can't play. Duncan and Genoway better watch out as well. No, Minnesota isn't that cheap, but Adam isn't that safe either.

Geebus, I'm agreeing with Fire Helmet Guy again! Masucko is one, if not the worst color commentator in the WCHA. Woog's a homer, sure, but at least he understands the game of hockey.

Bring on Enya!

I was wasting time in a Minneapolis mall (Ridgedale or Southdale) and went into a Borders bookstore. Inside on one of the display tables was a book that had the stories of most (if not all) of the Medal of Honor winners. I say most because there may not be any from the time when the honor was first bestowed (I don't exactly recall when that was). Anyhow, one that stuck in my mind was how this one soldier, a guy who wanted to be a Green Beret but was washed out and became a member of the 82nd Airborne in Viet Nam ended up going into a town in Vietnam with 5 of his teammembers and perhaps 12-24 "indiginous fighters" (South Vietnamese fighters) to rescue a couple of dignitaries. I don't remember the entire detailed account but he ended up saving everyone he was sent to rescue AND went up against roughly 225 NVA head on and survived without severe injury. As I read it I was saying to myself "Jeebus Parise, this guy was Rambo!"

Don't know what was said, but I think it was Hartman who said that Dubay was talking about the officiating and said it loud enough so that the officials (who apparently were within earshot) heard it. They complained to the WCHA and the WCHA asked that FSN not allow Dubay to be allowed to be on the air from any WCHA contests and FSN fired him. What was interesting was that Chad Hartman said that Sid Hartman was doing this a long time before Dubay was and Sid gets away with it. And don't say it, dagies, McLeod and Shepherd aren't interested to hear it. To them, the WCHA's officiating has never been better. You'll only get asked to leave.

What's sad is that, being so close to the cap as the Wild are, they don't have as much talent as others with similar payrolls. Heck, why not Blake and a draft pick for Veillieux and Dupuis? Wouldn't that free up enough cash? Sure, that's a bit more than the Wild would want to get rid of (they'd probably have to sign another AHLer) but talent wise, I'd do it in a second.

3 goals in 36 seconds at one point.

Random things I'dd add to what was already stated: 1. The "rail cam" is the most retarded "new feature" I've ever seen. I think it is to get in touch with the figure skating crowd because that's about all it is good for. Seriously, they lost the puck so much with that cam I am thankful that it was only an All Star game and not a game that matters. 2. Radulov was very effective. Would have been as effective as Malkin (0 points) had Lehtinen not given him a gimme. Makes you think "Wow, he was more worthy of the spot than Statsny, that's for sure!" Seriously, if this game mattered and my name was Paul Statsny, I'd be pissed. I'm not bothered by the cherry picking. If cherry picking was ever to be accepted, this was the format to do it. Zach Parise is the man. Wow what a performance. And even though 17 goals were scored in this game, I have to say I was impressed by the goaltenders. Even Budaj, who I can't fault because he wears a crappy sweater.

Dupuis, X AHLer, and a 2007 5th round draft pick for Blake and a conditional 2008 5th round pick. If you think that's a dumb idea, just remember Snow is the Islanders' GM. Anything's possible.

huh? The last few years? I was talking LIFETIME Matchup, nd1sufan. BSU has beaten UND exactly once regardless of what division they are in or were in in all of the matchups between the two teams. You're losing the argument.

This just shows how much (or little) you know about hockey. By the way, BSU is 1-13-1 against the Sioux. Nice try though.

Given earlier in the year, who'd thought I'd be excited to see our PK % over 80%! Our PK has been over 90% in the last 8 games though. Like I said, all I want is a good, hard fought, yet clean game. NO INJURIES please. My money is Shepherd is the ref. Just a hunch.

That would be Terry Ryan-esque. Getting talent for crap. Right now, if I were Risebrough (sp?) here are the players (regardless of stats) I'd trade individually or with either draft picks or minor leaguers (including rights) to get Blake: Dupuis Veillieux Schultz Walz Boogaard (Snow should be fired if he trades for Booger) Skoula Smith Heck, if the Islanders threw in a minor leaguer or perhaps a draft pick, I'd trade PM Bouchard.

Not really. I seem to recall we started out on a pretty good clip regarding penalties early in the year. We repressed it because for much of that time we weren't keeping the puck out of the net. Fire Helmet Guy: I wouldn't say the officials are on the Gopher payroll. A few years back Mankato won (or nearly won) because of the shoddy officiating job done at the Mariucci and MSUM got more power plays than Minnesota. However, they do get away with an AWFUL lot of ticky tacky stuff. My only worries are if they'll call the game both ways and if they'll protect the goaltenders. Neither things are the officials known for. Being that is so, I hope Grieco gets a lot of work in practice this weekend. We might need him.

This makes more sense. I apologize Schmidtdoggydog for coming on so strong time and time again over these things. Maybe this time I overreacted. I don't think simply saying "he's not playing well" is player bashing. This year, however, seems to be the first year in quite some time that posters here have seemed to take so adamantly to blaming specific players for the team's struggles and, even when the team does well, some posters have to go out of their way to point out the mistakes that were made by said players that really didn't have an impact on the game. Who doesn't know Lee is having a down year this year? Who doesn't know Lee is usually "good" for one mistake a game at least? Brian is only 19 years of age (maybe 20 now) and still has much growing and learning to do and he's doing it under a lot more pressure than most any other defenseman on the team. People look at where he was drafted and expect him to progress at superhuman rates and he's believes them... only development happens at its own pace no matter what you do to "speed things up." That's why I agree with Sicatoka's assessment. It makes plausible sense as to what could be the problem. It doesn't say that he's a liability 90% of the time he's on the ice (which is patently untrue), it doesn't say that he sucks or should be cut, or hopes that Ottawa signs him or even that Ottawa made a mistake. Brian will come around and all I wanted to say in that post is that I was going to be one person who stood up for him, even if I was the only one. No matter how foolish I looked.

Maybe, but really, if coaches want the game called fairly yet find that the games aren't called fairly, who is to blame? Themselves? Really, what it comes down to is accountability standards among officials and the league office. There is none. Period. Greg Shepherd's "attaboy" accountability program (It wouldn't be surprising if he gave out gold stars for good performances and scolded officials for bad games by giving them a frowny face or "Mr. Yuk" sticker) and Bruce McLeod's "See no eveil hear no evil" attitude is really a problem. Yeah, I used to think it was mainly Greg Shepherd until McLeod decided that the best way to remedy this situation is to PROMOTE Shepherd.

Brian Lee is among the team leader in points for defensemen. Brian Lee isn't perfect. Brian Lee is learning. Brian Lee still sucks. Yeah, Brian Lee is good for one mistake at least a game. And the best part of it is: Hakstol knows what he's doing. And for that, I don't care what "everyone" says. I'll support Lee even after he leaves UND. He's not the best defenseman to wear a UND sweater. He's not even the best defenseman on the current team. However, I'll still support him. I LOVE, though, how fans say "I don't like bashing players but.." and then bash players. It's kind of like "I don't like getting cut by a knife but..." while watching your index finger get chopped off. If you don't like bashing players, then don't bash them. It's really that simple. Did Brian Lee cost UND the game? Nope. Did he play a great game? Nope. Does he deserve to be cut? Nope. Does he deserve to be benched? That's up to Hakstol to decide and, even if he did decide it, I would be shocked if it was more than one game. What I wonder is this: Is Brian emotionally alright? I mean, with everyone saying how much he sucks, I wonder if he doesn't step onto the ice terrified he'll make a mistake and, thus play the rigid "holding the stick too tight" game that he has played as of late? WOuldn't it make sense? I mean, I know he has great skills and potential, but I don't know if I could use those skills and potential if everyone in the world keeps saying how much I suck. What I do is this: Look for the positives in every player. What I don't do is wait for the mistakes a player makes. Fascinating this: Genoway, Bina, Chorney, Radke, Oshie, Toews, Duncan... they've all made mistakes that contributed to or lead up to a goal for the opposition, yet Lee and Finley are the only ones that seem to take the blame? I don't like bashing posters but.... No, actually, I won't bash a poster. I just think that all this Lee bashing and player bashing is really really sad. It's like we can't see how good the team is playing. We can only see what a player you don't seem to care too much for is doing. If they don't make a mistake, then nothing is said, but if he does make a mistake, you're all over him. It's a nice way to live a life, no?

Really... I expected "sue" from State of Hockey. He has no classy bone in his body. But from you? Ask me the prediction I'd make before Christmas regarding this series and I would have predicted a Minnesota sweep. Yeah, I don't like Minnesota (just ask me what I think about their football program), and some of their fans are really, really awful, but the fact is they are the best team this year in the WCHA (and the NCAA to be honest). UND was NOT playing well at all. The only "positive" is that I would have predicted that the wins wouldn't be by more than 2 goals. Now that the Sioux are playing better, I'm still not convinced that these games will be easier for UND. In fact, there still is a possibility that Minnesota still sweeps the Sioux. However, I will take a UND win on Friday and UMN win on Saturday. Despite his great season thus far, Briggs is beatable and so is the UMN defense. Frazee is the unknown here because sometimes he looks more beatable than Briggs and other times he's freaking amazing. Anyways, here are my weekend's predictions: Homer predictions: 1. UMN will end the weekend having more powerplays than UND 2. UMN will get away with some "rough stuff" 3. There will be plenty of clutch and grab, most likely both sides. 4. There will be plenty of UMN "fans" coming here or on USCHO claiming to "talk smack" but instead really using that leeway just to insult and demean the other side. Classlessness, in other words. 5. I expect there will be some rather unclassy cheers at the game. Realistic predictions: 1. Both games will be tight. No blowouts. 2. Both sides will feel that one bounce in a different direction could have changed the game. 3. If anyone misses the games (radio, tv, or in person) they're going to regret it. Known: UMN has the WCHA title in the bag whether UND sweeps them or they sweep UND.

Before anyone asks "Where's RW77 on this" I'm going to chime in and say you all know my stance.