yzerman19

If everyone does their job and pitches in just a little extra on one shift, we will win. Play smart in our end, remember our responsibilities around our net. Aggressively establish a forecheck. BC forwards are quick and skilled, but they are small. By the third period they will be slower if we hit everything in a maroon jersey. Don't press too hard, mistakes are worse than highlight reels are good.

I've heard that about the Warthogs...They're really good in their own end

Couldn't agree more. We could be playing the Tallahassee Warthogs for all I care. Just win the game!

James Flannery Wing 1946-1947 Jamestown Albert Hausauer Defense 1946-1947 Jamestown Arthur Forman Goalie 1946-1948 Wahpeton Busted out the trusty "Fight on Sioux" for that one

Great Story. That's Sioux Hockey.

Hak broke it up in the third period and OT against Wisconsin. I support that move. I also support having true centerman on each line. Faceoffs will be important. I think that Kaip with Watkins and Frattin; and Vande with Trupp and Martens are almost interchangeable. It is not a second vs third line, it is two second lines that can both chip in goals and shut down opposition. putting watkins and frattin on the same line really adds speed to that line. I agree that prior to the playoffs, the Kaip, VV and Watty line was our second most productive line. The third line really was not producing at all. I think we have to try and beat BC with the 3rd line. Their top two lines can compete with our top two lines, same thing for Michigan. we have to win those games based on good matchups, everyone playing at the next level, and some lucky breaks. What we can control is having the right faceoff men in, and being in a position to try and win the game by having our third and fopurth lines out play their third and fourth lines.

With the lines I mentioned before, and the "home" last change due to seeding, It really helps us. Not just on forward matchups, but also on D pairings. As much as I like Joe, one on one the advantage goes to Gerbe. I like the fact that we can check the Gerbe line with the Kaip line up front and Chorney and Bina in back. Put our most mobile d-pairing and best defensive forwards out vs that BC big line. BC PP is really interesting with those 5 forwards. DJack has to be working with the PK this week on how to take advantage of that. As I said before, any d-man can play forward, but not every forward can play D. one on one, two on two or odd-mans, if you are a forward playing the position of a D man; it is tough, especially in open ice. You feel all alone out there. I think the Kaip line checks the Gerbe line, and the Oshie line plays even up with that Ferriero line (maybe its Smith, or both? I can't remember who is on that second line for BC, but a couple very fast and very good players). We win the game with the third line. Yet another reason to put VV and Trupp on that line.

Chorney? wishful thinking...we can dream can't we

I bet both Duncan and Kozek finish out their careers. It would certainly be a different look not having Oshie with Duncs. If they do come back we will have a glutton of forwards.

He was the 38th player selected in the 2005 draft. That's square in the second round. He will be too old for the CHL. He could transfer to another school if someone is willing to keep him around a couple of years and help him get his head straight. He'd have to sit out a year, but maybe that's what he needs.

Too bad, I was pulling for Phil. This might be the motivation the boys need to really dominate the F4. I'm sure Duncs will let JPL have his Hobey halftime if he posts 2 shutouts on the way to #8!!!

The televised event is the naming of the award winner, not the hat trick

Nope, He met his girlfriend there. I sat on the couch and watched every single regional game. I had the TV and PC internet feed doing PIP. Due to work and life stuff, I couldn't make the regional, and I can't make it to Denver.

Has a goaltender ever taken his squad to the F4, been named the regions MOP, and led the league in GAA, SV%, Shutouts, 2nd in wins, 3rd in minutes played? I agree that the popular choice will be Porter, but man, Phil's resume is awfully good.

With back to back 30+ goal seasons, ZPAR is really establishing himself as a premier forward in the NHL. All of us who watched him regularly in GF knew he would be, but to be a consistent 30 goal man puts you in pretty elite company. Thomas Vanek has also had an excellent second half and also has 32 goals. He has done a 40 goal season followed by a 30 goal season. This is also very special. Throw what Toews is doing out there as well and Stastny, and man we had some special WCHA forwards the last few years; and those are just the NHL superstars, there are a ton of NHL regulars too.

I've posted many thoughts on line combos. I think that the performance in Madison locks down the first line of Oshie, Duncan and Kozek. The second line for most of the season: Kaip, VV, and Watty have been a very consistent line. They establish the forecheck, are strong on the puck, and chip in some timely goals. However, in Madison perods 1 and 2, we saw a serious lack of face-off depth. We also saw an inability to control any play from basically any line. Hak moved VV off that line and put Frattin on it. It worked. So, if we say let's go with what worked in Madison we have: Oshie with Duncan and Kozek Kaip with Watkins and Frattin Vande with Now we get to the next dilemma. Who can play well with who, who needs to be in the lineup and who should sit? If, in fact, Trupper is back for the F4 as rumor has it; He has to be in the lineup. I put him on the third line with Vande. That is a pretty potent third line no matter who the other winger is. In fact, that is a third line that I have no problem matching up against ANY line from another team. But who is the other winger? Miller? Martens? Zajac? Based on the MN series, I put Martens on that line with Trupp. So Vande with Trupp and Martens Now for the fourth line Regulars not listed so far: Miller, Zajac, Malone, Radke These guys all bring something to the table, but I believe that Hak will make the fourth line the physical presence line. Zajac has been in all year, and he is a true centerman. Darcy's in. The team wins with Kyle Radke in uniform, he will be on strict orders, but he is a senior and a leader, and he is in. So Zajac with Radke and..... Sorry Miller, but I have to go with Malone. Malone brings the physical play. He doesn't have Miller's potential upside skill wise, but he plays physical and fires up the team. I don't believe that either Malone or Miller will score a goal, but I do believe that Malone will hit somebody (hopefully with his shoulder not his knee). In conclusion: Oshie with Duncs and Kozek Kaip with Frattin and Watkins Vande with Trupp and Martens Zajac with Radke and Malone

No way Radke isn't suited up. I don't see him getting much ice time, but I definitely see him in uniform and on the bench. Our record doesn't lie, and we are flat out much better with him in. I predict Radke gets 3 shifts per game from here on out, maybe four if we need his physical presence.

Rumor has it he will be back for the F4

I like Zajac on that fourth line, as he gives that line two things: A true centerman, and an outside shot at scoring a goal ala CC in the F5. I do agree he has played well of late. We'd have our 4 best centermen centering our 4 lines.

Yeah, I'm totally not hating on Vande, he is a horse out there. I was following up on the moves that Hak made in the 3rd period and OT. As stated by others, Frattin, Kaip and Watty were the second line once we started rolling 3. I think part of that move was to start winning a few more draws too. Oshie, Kaip and Vande on the draws. I like that going forward. Oshie with Duncan and Kozek = 18 goals this year x 3. Pick your poison. The best all around player in college hockey centering two certified snipers. Kaip with Frattin and Watty = speed on the wings, heart in the middle, grind and fly. Can establish the forecheck, work down low, maybe chip in a goal, can flat out skate. Vande with Trupp and Martens? This could be an interesting line, what third line can produce like this? Martens and Trupper clearly played well together against MN. Pack a lunch line, hard workers who can score big time goals. Zajac with Malone and Radke = The Physical Presence line, just not PP into opponent PP, please. This puts Miller on the pine. BM has skill, it just isn't clicking.

Notice that TJ is the only one they asked about the other teams in the Frozen Four. Great answers TJ, no bulletin board material!

let's hope that KT talks up the WCHA as much as JT, so we can keep getting that top end talent!!! KO did his best to hurt that, but i remain hopeful that he only hurt the MN rep with the top dogs, not the rest of the league.

I am waiting to hear Van Riemsdyke go too. For a long time, the WJC has been the stage that the pro scouts look to as far as readiness to play at the NHL level. J VR lead the 2008 tourney in scoring Turris, led Canada in scoring on the way to gold. The big names the last few years: Kessel, Johnson, Johnson, Toews, Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, Bergeron, Parise, Kane, Phaneuf, Carter, Getlaf go back a ways: Bure, Gretzky, Lindros, Forsberg. Turris, based on WJC performance alone was heading to the show.

I like having Watty and Fratty on the same line. It really brings some speed. DIdn't Frattin pick up some assists over the playoffs? I feel like he has been playing better. I thought about putting Trupper up on that line, but I really like having Trupp and Vande on the same line. It seems like it might bring some serious tenacity and scoring threat on the third line.

I noticed vs Princeton that theOsh got his jersey hung up high, and he had a bunch of extra badding stuffed into his breezers and up his back. Duncs quickly pushed it down. Love the idea of rolling: Osh centering Duncs and Kozek Kaip centering Watkins and Frattin Vande centering Trupp and Miller Zajac centering Martens and Radke As much as I love the Kaip, Vande, Watty line, I think that we do need to split them up now.