yzerman19

In looking at the PWR on USCHO, it looks like a Ferris State win tomorrow will bounce the Dogs from the NCAAs

No Dynamo this year...unless Hextall earns the title! See you tonight!

On another thread it has been posted that Tony Lucia signed a deal. I can't find any supporting evidence of this. I know he was drafted by the sharks late (like 6th round) and I don't think he was ever part of any trades. I don't see anything on USCHO, INCH, the Sharks site, their Worcester AHL affiliates site or their ECHL afiliates site. I am not ripping him, and please don't turn this thread into Tony Lucia bashing. I am just looking for corroboration. I would guess that he will play in the east coast league, but who knows.

Although not scientific and not based on stats, but rather on games I've witnessed the Keys to the Five: Shut down UMD's first line and stay out of the penalty box. UMD has an exceptional pp,and wins games because of it. UMD is extremely talented on the first line and solid on the second. They fall off dramatically on the third and fourth. Goaltending is mediocre and dcorps is mediocre. Wisconsin has a ton of talent and is extremely deep. They can be scored on, however. Get to them early and don't let them play their system. They are great with a lead. Another team that you can't give pps to. DU has the best goaltender and a very skilled and experienced team. They can be beat, but we can't take our foot off the accelerator. If we play on our toes rather than our heels, we can beat them. SCSU is good but not great. They have skill, but they have unpredictable goaltending. I believe they are the least complete team, but they are very capable of stealing a win with their first line and pp.

Right next to you again Sioux-cia! Always a fun time.

I was afraid you were going to say that.

What's with all these "dirty" adjectives on the hit? Where did these people learn hockey? Brutal? Yes, Unnecessary? Yes, Violent? Yes, Reckless? Probably, Dirty? No, Cheap? No. Dirty to me intimates cheap play like extra stick work or Slough foots or hitting from behind. Cheap to me means never going at a guy man to man, but taking shots when they aren't in a position to meet you head on, then turtling to a challenge. Frattin's charge was brutal and violent, but it was man to man and face to face. If the Gophers had such a problem with it they certainly had an entire period to settle the score like men. It's not like Frattin is a goon that we'd be fine losing, he is the sniper on our second line. Have the helicopter parents finally taken over hockey?

We need Gleason for the NCAAs, so if he is nicked up at all, I'd expect to see him in street clothes in St Paul. The Fienhage injury report is an interesting twist. I hate to say it, but this entire report is plausible.

I sent the video to a buddy of mine who could care less about the Sioux, but is big time hockey guy having played in the W in his younger days. His comment? "Awesome Hit."

I think the issue is that it shows a lack of sporting respect. I'm sure tDon was disappointed and pi$$ed off about losing and about getting physically beaten up, but he needs to show good sportsmanship. If the coaches don't lead by example, the league could easily degenerate into thuggery. It doesn't matter one way or another, and I know that Hak flipped the bird, etc. etc. But a coach should not disrespect a player, he needs to be bigger than that. Think about how much you despise him, but shake his hand and go to the locker room. I also think it shows Hexy really, really got into their minds...I wonder what type of smack he talks to have officials think he is a lunatic and to have opposing coaches refuse to shake his hand.

you were there, i was not. It's a pretty reliable source that i am citing, but i wasn't there. Anyway, we've got to play 180 minutes this weekend, 9 periods. then it's all about 240 minutes and 12 periods to hang #8...DU, WI, Miami...we've played them all. They are all good teams, but they are certainly beatable. BC i haven't seen, but would venture that they are very skilled and very good.

And you watched Don Lucia specifically through the entire handshake line? I've got it on word that it was even on one of the cameras and the decision was quickly made not to show it. Also, I loved when during the preamble the FSN geniuses labeled it as a goalie battle and showed Kangas'goals allowed in the series, completely ignoring the fact that he was hooked in the third on friday.

Ask Wehrs Sidenote: Someone told me that tDon refused to shake hands with Hexy after the game...heard him say "I'm not shaking YOUR hand".

Gotta believe the early calls have something to do with the diving from yesterday. Gotta keep that intensity up.

Bruno's in for energy. Rowney was solid, but not bringing the juice. Cichy and Toews...same type of player, so maybe just fresh legs, although Toews took some penalties yesterday.

If we know the answers, it is most certain that Hak does too...so...let's execute it. You gonna be at the 5 again? we'll have to connect this year.

Guessing Fienhage sits. Gleason will do better against the forecheck. How the Sioux win: Stay out of the box Handle the Gopher forecheck Make fewer mistakes than the Gophers How the Gophs win: Take the crowd out of it Handle the Sioux physical play Force turnovers off the forecheck by pressuring the Sioux dmen

Minnesota's going to be aggressive on the forecheck and try and force our dmen to cough it up. Best way to beat an aggessive forecheck is to bring the forwards down low on the break out so the passes are shortened up. Also very useful is having the dman beat the forechecker one on one...c'mon Jake, just outskate the rodent forechecker like we all know you can. Mac...physical, but contained. Malone, VV, and Zajac need to use their strength and finish. Physical play and good passes. Strong positional play to free up time and space for Trupp and Kristo to be creative with the puck. Toews can draw penalties, Frattin should be flying, Hexy yapping, Gregoire solid both ways. 4 hours...

Davidson could be playing forward on the fourth line as well. Either that or he is playing for Fienhage. We've got too be ice cold, no mistakes. They're going to want to take the crowd out of it, so no stupid penalties or early mistakes. Look for the Gophs to play defense first on all lines but their first. If Hexy's skating first line with VV and Gregoire, and you can bet that Malone, Trupp and Frattin are staying together, do we have Knight Toews and Kristo together or is Zajac on that line? Maybe Zajac, Lammy and Davidson...hmmmm

I'll be there. Sporting an old school green jersey.

Finishing the WCHA tournament strong can put the Sioux into the NCAAs as a one seed. The one seed is coveted for the ability to make the last line change. In close, playoff hockey, the ability to get the matchups you want can be the difference maker. Ending the Gophers' season would be fun, and as a Final 5 regular I want the Sioux in St Paul, but we have bigger goals. One game at a time, play our game, and stay healthy. Interestingly, I like our odds playing DU again. It is really, really hard to beat any team five times in one year...

At the X: DU vs RIT SCSU vs Yale In Worcester: BC vs Ferris UND vs MI State In Albany: WI vs N. Michigan BSU vs Cornell Midwest: Miami vs UMD Alaska vs NH

We sure picked a good time to get hot...7 in a row and a lock for an at large bid is now ours. I posted elsewhere that UMD has had the opposite fall compared to our climb. That said, it is imperative that we keep getting better every weekend. While tonight was not pretty, we persevered, and came from behind to win. Gophers, boy, it'll be a good one. We've ended a lot of U of M seasons the past five or six years. Minnesota will skate with us, meaning that it should be entertaining hockey. Minnesota's forecheck is very good, and they will be all over our defense. We will need to make good outlet passes. If Jake Marto is out, that will severely impact our chances. I think we win on depth and physicality. they do have some top end talent that can definitely make it interesting. As for officiating: score 6 goals and the refs can't job us.

Wow UMD has dropped out of the field...lesson on how not to finish it out.

As much as I want to take the bait, I will not pick on someone who wasn't smart enough to get into SCSU. All ribbing and stuff aside, that's just really sad.