yzerman19

If the SIoux beat MI and Frattin gets slighted in the Hobey race, you can guarantee an NC$$ championship for your University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. I

Biggest difference is age...the oldest players in the CHL are generally the same age as the youngest at many NC$$ programs. Obviously there are exceptions, and J. Schwartz is one of them. I contend that the CHL is the best route for the extremely skilled, top-end players who go major junior at 16. I contend the NC$$ route is better for late bloomers and for most players who aren't in that ultra-elite tier. The WJC is always the great tell from my perspective. Last point- CHL was the route back in the day when Canada was virtually the exclusive creator of NHL talent. Now, more top-end talent is coming from the US and many of those kids naturally gravitate to the NC$$.

I've lived in Mpls for 14 years and I have never eaten at Mickey's...I probably should, eh?

Well, the tournament is in St. Paul, so I'd suggest staying there out of convenience. The St Paul Hotel is very nice and near the arena. The Holiday Inn is nice and is also right by the arena. The Twin Cities is a large metro area, but the two cities of Minneapolis and St Paul aren't really that big, its the suburbs that make it large. Of the two, Minneapolis feels like more of a big city with a bigger corporate footprint downtown and the big University campus. St Paul feels more like a bigger small town and more "neighborhoody". Minneapolis feels more modern, and St Paul feels more nostalgic. Public transportation is poor for a metro area with 3 million people. The light rail connects Minneapolis to the airport and the Mall of America, but doesn't yet reach St Paul (they're working on it). Taxis are also inconvenient compared to other cities. Restaurants: lots of them- for a nicer meal you can do Kincaid's near the arena, but there are numerous bars and restaurants to fit the type of meal you're looking for. I don't think there is one place that I would say is "can't miss" or anything like that. Minneapolis is known as the city of lakes, and there are several medium sized lakes around the city that are all connected. This chain of lakes is a park system and has parkway with walking, running and biking trails. If it is nice out, that is a fun option. Other things: There's a lot of art and culture with several theaters (Ordway, Orpheum), a professional orchestra, a few art centers (Walker, Minneapolis Institute), There's a children's museum, a science museum, two zoos, the Mall of America. Stillwater is a suburb that is an old river town and can be quite pretty with quaint shops and tourist stops.

It is definitely delay of game and can also be a "go cheat from the press box" dq as well.

90% on board with you...just keep the mix...this is an on the rocks affair today.

Real question: How does an arena hosting an NCAA regional f this up? I'd fire people over less.

So was the ice bad all day? Thereby not allowing UND to get a good morning skate in? It would only be fair to George's boys who had to play late and will be too tired to skate or practice

Well, the ice wasn't really good last night, so that wouldn't surprise me. It does disappoint me. Did they give an estimate of when they'd know?

We gotta stay out of the box today. I've been disappointed in the apparent desire for the officials in this tourney to want to create games that are little more than special teams battles and to try and even things up when one team starts to dominate. The game is meant to flow and to be played 5x5. Too much special teams hinders our depth advantage as well. DU will try to get us to play undisciplined...keep it in check boys.

Nelson in is Sioux hockey. Tough. Way to go Brock!

Are you serious? I certainly hope it had nothing to do with the fact that DU is staying there and playing UND today.

With regard to the business suits, doesn't the home team have the right to pick their color? I thought they did...

I was 10 years old and my parents had season tickets, so I saw almost every home game. I did not go to Detroit, but I loved that team dearly and remember them like yesterday.

...or drive to Illinois...

I'm fine with our fourth forward line banging with DU's skill guys just as long as we have our best defensive d-pairing out against them.

I vote for the business suits today. Seems like the right time. Just that little extra jump.

I hear ya, but I really like Davidson on the off Kristo wing...Fourth line could be Mario, Dickin, and Rodwell I suppose. That enough grit for ya? Bottom line is 3 periods of hockey for a trip to the Frozen Four. Can't let DU dictate the style of game this becomes.

I'd say Rowney centers Kristo and Davidson and they put Gleason out with Mario and Rodwell.

Seeing the duplicate numbers on attendance means that they counted total gate not game by game...so 12,695 people over two sites and 4 games... kinda sad. Now, weekday afternoon games are tough to get a read on as many fans are at work. You could have conference champions host their regionals...adds to the thrill of the conference tourney that way too. Rotate which 4 conferences host on a yearly basis. I would like them to change the format to look more like the WJC, maybe make it best 2 outta 3 too. Round Robin in pool play, then onto the real tournament. Those that DNQ for the tourney could be sent to an NIT tourney. Shorter regular season, longer playoffs.

I am wearing my lucky cowboy boots!

Sioux have a .6818 win% (7-3-1) against remaining tourney teams (that we've played): Denver, Notre Dame, Duluth, CC. Go Sioux!!

First shift needs to show these guys what Sioux hockey is: Pony win the draw clean back to Chay, Chay walk around one defender, gain the blue line and flip it deep, Pony and Frattin then throttle the defenders with an aggressive forecheck down low, get the puck back out to Chay on the point, then Pony to the front of the net for a screen, Trupper on the half wall, Frattin on the dot, Chay fake pass to Frattin then over to Trupper on the opposite wing, Trupper slap pass through the Malone screen over to Frattin on the far post, goal. Physical dominance and top end skill: Sioux Hockey!

wasn't Herbie also instrumental to scsu

Call me myopic or call me insensitive or even an elitist, but I don't really care about the good of the sport, nor do I care about how many NCAA tournament bids there are: 12 instead of 16? Big deal... I care about Sioux hockey. As my friends who don't follow hockey have been saying for years "who's in the tourney this year? MN, UND, BU, BC, New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan?" Most years he's batting .750. Big programs in niche markets dominate the game.