yzerman19

If memory serves, the center in the offensive zone has to put their stick down first. On a center ice faceoff the visiting team's center has to put their stick down first (someone help me out here, but I think that is the rule). Common reasons to get tossed: encroaching over the dot, not squaring up, not putting your stick down first. I can't remember ever seeing a faceoff go to a third guy to take the draw...sounds like an unlikely infraction.

It's crazy around that bubble...yesterday RPI is in, they lose on Sunday and now CC is in...crazy

MacWIlliam is a great defensive player, well suited for a pro career. Smart, physical, tough. I originally thought he should be on an all-WCHA team over Blood until I saw Ben Blood's +/-...

What a moron!!! The leading goal scorer and total points scorer is left off the first team and does not make POTY?! Serious rube.

I put Dell on the first team and Patterson on the second team. I recognize that Patterson is the Gophers' MVP and that he had an outstanding year leading the conference in save %. My criteria is Wins, GAA, sv%, and Shutouts with the tie breaker being team success. Dell wins the comparison against Patterson in 4 of those 5 criteria. They both deserve to be all conference, and they will be. I don't know how you put the goalie on the 5th place team over the goalie on the conference champion all else being considered. I think Patterson is a great goalie, but you don't make the first team on save % alone.

No doubt...talk about a coach getting the most out of his team...

I still predict that Gregoire comes back for one more year...enough former SIoux have stated that they would rather have stayed than gone to the minors that Gregs will need to seriously weigh his probability of skating in the NHL right away vs the AHL. Kristo...well there was a whole stupid thread of speculation. I would be surprised if he comes back...

This one is more art than science. Regarding difficult PK situations, basically all your guys become penalty killers if you're skating shorthanded for an extended period of time. Always short shifts on the PK if you can get off, get off. But you might roll 8 forwards killing off a 5 minute major. Deciding when to go head to head: top scoring line vs top scoring line vs checking against scoring really depends on what you're trying to accomplish with a particular shift. It also depends on how your other lines match up. Certain game situations such as faceoffs at critical times might dictate a line based on your best centerman for draws and right vs left handed. This year the Sioux are highly effective because 2 of the 3 guys on our #1 scoring line can physically punish almost any line or d-pairing in the WCHA. It makes it difficult for other teams, because if you send out your checking line, well Pony and Fratts can simply beat them at their own game.

Yeah...Dell is #1 in wins and GAA, but much further down in save%...Patterson is the leader in save% and like 3rd in both GAA and wins...

8 games, 8 wins...4 weekends, 4 sweeps...that's it. Prediction: If we win the Final Five, we will win the national championship. If we lose at the final five, we will not win the NCAAs. Why? We need to believe that we can not be beaten. We need the boys to believe that they are an unstoppable force, an unbeatable family. Each weekend from here on out, we have to believe that its just 2 games...we don't need to win 8 in one day...2 per weekend, just like the regular season. Our strength of schedule says we've played teams like this ALL year anyway, every weekend. Frattin and Chay are both in green and white this season for a reason...if asked in October of 2009 if Frattin and Chay would be playing for the Fighting Sioux in March 2011 no one would've said "yes". This team is meant to be together, it is meant to win it all in the last year of the name and logo.

So it is...they can't have our number four straight meetings, can they...

My only issue is that the current pwr would have (assuming the favorites advance) UND vs BC in the semi-final...These are the two best teams in the country IMO, so it would be too bad to not have them face-off for the big prize. I think that they re-seed the Frozen Four, so let's hope that someone knocks Yale out

As of right now (no adjustments)- Bridgeport: Yale vs Atlantic Hockey Merrimack vs Miami Manchester: BC vs Western Michigan UNO vs Notre Dame Green Bay: UND vs Rensselaer Union vs UMD St Louis: Michigan vs Dartmouth DU vs New Hampshire Only problem is NH is a host in Manchester, so switch Notre Dame and New Hampshire Bridgeport: Yale vs Atlantic Hockey Merrimack vs Miami Manchester: BC vs Western MI UNO vs NH Green Bay: UND vs Rensselaer Union vs UMD St Louis: MI vs Dartmouth DU vs Notre Dame I think this is solid for attendance, avoids first round matchups, etc...only beef might be that the Regional finals might have a bunch of intra-conference rivalry games...

Prediction: Miele, Thompson and Frattin are the Hobey Hat Trick

UND in two...simply better at every position and in every aspect of the game Denver in three...MSU will win one, but in the end DU is just better. All games are close. UNO in three...Matt Read may or may not be on the bench; Dean Blais will be SCSU in three over UMD...Huskies are looking good as the season winds down, tUMD is looking the opposite...these are not your November Bulldogs... Minnesota in three over Alaska...The Gophers post season hopes lie on the back of Kent Patterson. An already weak Gopher d-corps might've lost Ness CC in three over Bucky...Home ice tips the scales in CC's favor... So, I predict all series go 3 with the exception of UND v Tech

Only way I can see it happening is if you had two #1 or two #2 seeds and three #4 or three #3 seeds or vice versa. They would move within the global tiering bands (1-4) to avoid intraconference, but they won't have a #1 seed play a #3 seed in the first round just to avoid an intraconference.

Chay had very good points per game numbers...I think that plus his reputation and the fact that he was captain of the conference champion lands him on the first team. Knight was top 9 in conference scoring on the conference champs... I could see Roe making it.

Here are my picks- First Team: Frattin, Jack Connolly, Zucker, Schultz, Chay, Dell Second Team: Gregoire, Mike Connolly, Shore, Faulk, Olimb, Patterson Third Team: Fontaine, Knight, LeBlanc, Gardiner, Ben Blood (+22 leading the conference champion), Gudmanson All Rookie: Zucker, JT Brown, Jayden Schwartz, Faulk, Jensen (SCSU) Player of Year: Frattin Rookie of Year: Zucker Goaltender: Dell

Agree that Miele is the Favorite. Frattin is the best player on the best team in the best league having played the 2nd most difficult schedule in hockey,.. I predict Fratty makes the Hobey Hat TRICK BUT doesn't ein it...unfortunately

IF this team has the character that I believe it does, there will be no complacency, no letting up. We might be throttling the bottom dwellers, but other teams are not...there are two ways out of series' like this...bad habits as you describe...or the imperial march and pure dominance. I vote for the latter.

I thought they gave the first one to Pony

So that's 20 for JG...excellent Frattin has to be the WCHA player of the year, and JG has to be second team WCHA

Frattin is the real deal, and I think he will be an NHL player, but it is tough to put him atop of Parise and Toews for success as a pro...What Frattin is doing in the WCHA is sick...but remember, Matt Frattin is OLDER than Jonny Toews by a couple months and Jonny is doing it in the show against the best players in the world!! All that said, Frattin is the best power forward in college hockey. Hands down. His return from the brink also warrants significant consideration from the committee.