yzerman19

You're right, I keep forgetting that we finished ahead of CC.

Boy, if we can finish this one and pull another one tomorrow night, and SCSU and UMD pull off upsets, we wouldn't have to play the play-in game...which would be huge. First things first though, let's win this game.

I wasn't sure how bad he was...I spoke with his parents last night and first word out was an MCL strain. He was most likely going to have an MRI today. With a player like Drew, Buffalo will have some input on any potential serious injuries.

I didn't read through the whole thread, is Stafford dressed tonight?

The Gophs do have, like all Lucia's teams, an incredibly effective powerplay. Again, not taking away from Kessel, because he has flourished on that unit. I also agree that Toews and Stoa have stepped it up. The play between Toews and Stafford right now is pretty amazing. They are communicating, and Hak seems to have found the right compliments to the offense on that line. I am hoping that Zajac and Spirko step it up. Especially Travis, he is due for a big game.

Thanks for the stats, I was ignorant on that one. I assumed Phil was getting a lot of seconds on that powerplay, but evidently not. Regardless, as I stated before Phil racked up the points, but Oshie seemed to have more of an impact. Maybe it is all about style...Do looks play into this award? If so, that will take a few votes away from Kessel

This time of the year the talent rises to the top. Last year the Sioux did it on the backs of a solid defensive corps, but most importantly the three bonafide NHL players on last year's Sioux team: Zajac, Stafford and Greene all played at the next level. If our NHL players: Stafford, Zajac, Toews, Oshie, Lee, Chorney and Smaby elevate their game to what the Scouts were willing to bet a million bucks on, we will win the series. MSU is good and will come out hard. The Sioux have too much talent and are too deep to be beaten by any teams other than MN or Denver IMO.

I am not trying to take away from anyone on second assists...the majority of my career points were second assists. I know the difference between getting a second assist because I went into a corner and took a hit and got the puck out to someone who could do something with it, versus passing the puck from the wing to the point on the powerplay and having someone bang in a rebound or take a nice feed from the D man. It doesn't really matter what I think any more though. I wish Kessel would've been more of a dynamo this year, then he might be going pro after this season...instead we are going to have to face a more mature, stronger Phil next year.

You don't think that Kessel plays like a prima donna? There are very, very skilled players that I call prima donnas. The entire time Mike Modano played in MN I thought he was a prima donna. He changed down in Dallas, and maybe Kessle will change while he's at MN. This is not a Gopher or Kessel hater post. I will give props to Gophs that I think have the heart...Irmen, Kowalska, Ballard, even guys like Jon Waibel had heart. I might ne wrong, but Kessel strikes me as the kind of guy who is disappointed after a big win if he isn't on the score sheet. I have nothing against the guy, and I think he has a ton of talent, I just think he plays like a prima donna.

Does anyone know how many of Kessel's points are second assists? Not to take anything away from him. I hope I've been very clear that I think he is a good player. I just think he is one of those guys whose point totals are much greater than his impact appears to be. I have seen him show some flashes of NHL caliber offensive skill, but these occurances are more rare than we saw with ZP or Vanek or Oshie this year.

I think it is ridiculous to say that any of these young players have been disappointing. I think as far as impact however, Oshie made the biggest splash. Kessel, while compiling an armful of points, racked them up in an almost quiet way. Toews had a quiet year up until the last 3 weeks, where he and Stafford have become a dynamic duo. TJ is the most dynamic rookie, Kessel has the most points. Toews may have the biggest upside the way he has played lately. None of these front runners are disappointments. I wonder if Gopher fans are disappointed in Wheeler? I like him when I watch him play, but his numbers are unimpressive. Chucko has to be the biggest disappointment of the recently hyped players.

Didn't Zajac outscore Stastny last year when Stastny was ROY? I'd have to check the stats...

ZP had those same kind of expectations (Kessel has) and he was able to live up to them. I think the difference is heart...Oshie and ZP have the heart of champions, Kessel has the heart of a prima donna. Case in point play in the corners, the defensive zone and away from the puck.

You make a valid point on Denver, however, I think that when we faced them in Denver a week ago we took the play to them. We had a legitimate shot at sweeping the series, but you play shorthanded in the 6th period of a series at that elevation on their home rink in what has become a true rivalry series you are going to lose. Denver desrved to win that second game, but the officiating certainly didn't hurt their cause in the third period last Saturday. I like our chances with Denver in a one game series on neutral ice. I don't like our chances against the Gophs at the X, but I would prefer the scenario of us losing to them in the Final 5 title game to really want some payback in Grand Forks the following weekend.

I happen to put more weight on goals, and especially game winning goals. I think Kessel has had a good year, but I think that everyone who watched the Sioux play came away saying "wow that Oshie can play". If all you do is look at the numbers, Kessel wins going away, if the votes come from the people who watched the games, I think TJ wins. I watched a lot of conference games both UND and MN ( I live in the TCs), and I rarely saw Kessel impact the outcome of a game, where I saw TJ do it a lot. Kessel is a very good player who demonstrated it on the PP, but not so much at even strength. The real question now is who will stay in college longer between the two. Additionally, I was speaking with a scout who was in Denver and thinks that Toews is the number 2 pick right now after Erik Johnson.

Hak needs to feed the boys raw meat for 3 days and then starve them for two. We need to be hungry and smell blood. That is the kind of team that wins titles. I've often wondered what the locker room is like? I mean, who is stepping up and leading the charge.

I believe that the pressure will be on the NCAA to not want 5 WCHA teams to get in, no matter what the PWR says. With that in mind, we will need to make a strong case by winning the Mankato series and by winning at least 1 game in the Final Five. Right now, IMO, the WCHA has to look like this for favorites to win the Final 5: 1. MN 2. UND 3. Denver 4. Wisconsin 5. CC The emergence of the Toews, Stafford, Duncan line as our top line is great, I expect the Oshie, Zajac, Sparky line to give a lot of teams nightmares. I put our third line up against anyone, that Porter, Watkins, Kozek line is a very formidable third line talent and hitting wise. Defense is our achilles heal, the D corps has to keep up the way they've been playing. I like Parise getting 2 shutouts to end the season (that is great for his confidence). The 1-2 PK punch of Stafford and Zajac is as good as we've had since Hrkac and Joyce on the PK. I have little doubt that we will play MN to go to the Frozen Four. I think it is exactly what the NCAA wants for attendence too. I don't look forward to playing the Gophers, but I like the fact that the road to another title goes through GF. MN is the best team right now, and I believe that we are one of only a couple of teams (Denver, BU and Michigan State)that can handle them, and any advantage we can get (home ice) is huge. I don't like how Irmen and Potulny always play big in GF. I also don't like how our D men stack up against that line physically. Both Irmen and Potlny are strong kids who've succeeded at every level of hockey they've been at. They were a force in the USHL. I predict a close game with the first goal being huge.

Hopefully the consecutive shutouts have amped JPar's confidence. It would be great to have a hot goalie here at playoff time. The line combos seem to be have really gelled. Losing Fabian really hurts with that, we are going to have to skate an inexperienced player at his slot. I think the real key has been the maturation of our defensive corps. It is affecting all aspects of the game. Our forwards can break out and play better positionally now, because they can trust that the D will move the puck out with out too much help.

Losing Fabian hurts. He is the kind of grinder every team needs. Maybe a Roseau win next weekend will speed his recovery

I am looking for Zajac to step it up down the stretch here again. He is underachieving as far as goal scoring...Do you think he is deliberatley working on the playmaking part of his game instead of shooting? He stepped up in the MN game. I love that dynamic duo on the pk though Zajac and Stafford...they are so dangerous with open ice.

All done? 10-0 sweep over two games. Both nights we started slow and brought the heat late. We are going to have to play 60 minutes every game from here on out.

Two 10s? What'd he do shoot the puck at the Ref?

I am disconnected, how much time is left?

LOL on the phantom assists I don't know who has more Kessel or Carle

I have to agree with the Poltulny MVP. My picks: 1st team: Potulny, Sterling and Stastny, Carle, Goligoski and Elliot 2nd team: Stafford, Sertich, Pavelski, Smaby, Salcido and Parise 3rd team: Earl, Backes, Irmen Rookie: Oshie, Toews and Kessel I have to put Lee and Chorney on that team too, although I am biased. Oshie is rookie of year, 20 goals is huge. Kessel has a ton of points, but they are mostly power play assists