Canuck

That's certainly an interesting stat. Especially considering I share the perception that Gopher players take more liberties with their sticks than do most teams. I know this comes off as more blind Gopher-bashing, but I had an objective observer this weekend tell me the Gophers have a handful of players who seem to always have their stick or arms high on a routine basis. Players who I would single out would be Ballard, Taylor and Riddle.

Don't know if anyone else caught this last night, but just before 11 p.m. the NCAA hockey tournament was discussed on ESPN Radio (1590 here in GF). Bob Norton and USCHO's Adam Wodon were on as guests. For what it's worth, Norton predicted a Maine-UND final and Wodon went with a BC-UND final. Wodon came off really well, but Norton, as usual, sounded clueless once the conversation moved out of the east region. At one point he referred to Grant Potulny as being "out of, er, umm, Grand Rapids, and he's a really good hockey player." Nothing of note was really discussed. Norton sees Maine riding Jim Howard to the final and both agreed that the East Regional is probably the deepest of the four.

Saturday's game notwithstanding:

No.

I'm not doubting the success of hockey in Minnesota as a whole. But (for Gilbert) to complain that Minnesotans are somehow slighted year after year in the re-hashing of the Miracle on Ice comes off as petty. I thought the whole alure of the Miracle on Ice team was because it was exactly that - a team. Right or wrong, Craig was the goalie and Eruzione was the captain, so those types will naturally serve as the faces of the team, so to speak. Considering the movie "Miracle" is told from Herb Brooks' point-of-view, I'm not sure how Minnesota comes out slighted in this whole thing. Besides, it's only a damn movie.

Yes, the game is now televised on WDAY as well.

I think even more nauseating is John Gilbert's article in the latest USCHO Magazine, in which he implies that the movie "Miracle" didn't spend enough time focusing on the players who were from Minnesota. Instead, players like Jim Craig and Mike Eruzione continually receive all of the attention. BWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

The Phoenix Coyotes list Tanabe's hometown as White Bear Lake and hockeydb.com lists it as Minneapolis.

Since Jeff has yet to play a regular season game in the NHL, I believe Fido Purpur remains the only true Grand Forks native to reach the NHL so far. I know in NHL publications Blake's hometown is generally listed as Moorhead.

Minnesota's Mike Crowley in 1994-95.

You are right about Stevens never winning the Norris, and that's a perfect example of voters being in love with big offensive numbers. I've always felt Stevens was robbed of the Norris in 93-94 when he not only had a career-high 78 points, but was a league-leading +53. The combination of those two numbers is sick. But alas, the voters went with Ray Bourque, who had 91 points.

I'd definitely agree with the reputation part of the equation. Mike Commodore went through it. Matt Greene went through it, and now Prpich is going through it to a certain extent. Case in point was the Duluth series when he gets a double minor for roughing and unsportsmanlike, when the referee himself admitted Prpich didn't throw a punch.

Are you kidding me? Glenn Anderson hardly qualified as an enforcer. The guy was a 50-goal scorer with some of the best wheels I've ever seen. Not sure where you get the idea he was a heavy hitter. Yes, Semenko was Gretzky's "bodyguard" during the Edmonton years, as well as guys like Kevin McLelland and even Mark Messier, who frequently dropped the gloves in his younger years. Then McSorley and guys like Jay Miller rode shotgun for Gretzky during the LA years. But Glenn freaking Anderson?

I would agree that Prpich has been a little undisciplined at times this year. Last year he was always stirring the pot, yet always seemed to be in control of his emotions. When he plays like that, he's a definite asset. When he can agitate and draw a penalty, without taking one himself, that's when he's on his game. This season, for whatever reason, he's been guility of not staying out of the penalty box. Still, he's the type of player you wanna go to war with in the playoffs.

Yeah, their goaltending is pretty wretched too, but believe it or not, in that Saturday 10-1 game at Mankato, I don't think there was a single goal the goaltender could've truly been blamed on. As hard as it is to believe, each one of those 10 goals could've qualified as what I like to call big-time goals. Let's face it, Troy Jutting has a mess on his hands from top to bottom. It's situations like that that make me wanna puke when I hear Sioux fans hollering for the end of the world because UND happens to be on a 3-4-1 streak or fails to sweep a quality opponent. We are very, very spoiled.

Agreed, and this isn't an argument exclusive to college hockey, either. For years many NHL observers have lobbied for a second award to be handed out to the best defensive defenseman. Rod Langway was pretty much the last stay-at-home defenseman to win the Norris Trophy and many would like to see a defenseman's equivalent of the Selke Award (best defensive forward) established. Often times, offensive numbers skew people's perception of what truly consitutes a good all-around defenseman. Mike Crowley immediately pops to mind as one example. I don't think anyone here is knocking the defensemen on the INCH list. But any discussion about the NCAA's top d-men has to include Matt Jones. He just might be the most underrated player in college hockey. Are UND's defensemen without faults? Of course not. But it is arguably the best group at blocking shots and they have also become very adept at keeping the play to the perimeter. I also find it curious that INCH is always quick to make mention of UND's goaltending "problems" every chance it gets, and now snubs each one of our rearguards. Yet we are somehow still the top team in the country. Backchecking forwards like Parise and McMahon make a huge difference, but their efforts would be irrelevant if we had, say, Mankato's defensive corps.

I believe Wyatt Smyth has since moved on to the Nashville organization and, yes, that is Erik Westrum. Speaking of Gophers I can't stand... I also took great pleasure on Saturday watching a Keith Ballard outlet pass result in a broken stick, a turnover and a St. Cloud State goal. Pure, unadulterated, laugh-out-loud comedy. All kidding aside, I've seen Phoenix scout Shane Churla at several UND games at REA, and also saw him in Mankato when UND played there, so they aren't shy about scouting collegiate players.

BTW, Wisconsin defenseman Tom Gilbert was also dealt from Colorado to Edmonton for Tommy Salo and a draft pick.

I thought it was rather humorous Monday morning listenting to Dubay wonder out loud just what exactly is it that makes opposing teams hate Ballard so much and what causes them to go out of their way to get a shot in on him. Hey genius Dubay, just take the blinders off for one period and watch him out on the ice. He's an outstanding talent, no question. Arguably the best defenseman in the conference. But he's certainly no angel out there. And that little swan dive he took on a high-sticking penalty in the third period Saturday? Looked like he had been hit by a sniper from the upper deck. Of course, he was on the ice to start the ensuing power play. Again, having said that, I think Phoenix will prove in the long run to be the winner's in this deal. I've been watching Derek Morris since he played junior in my home town and he can do it all, much like Ballard.

This has to be one of the more intriguing deadline deals so far (from TSN.ca): For what it's worth, I think Colorado drastically overpaid for Chris Gratton, a guy who has never been able to meet the high expectations. Derek Morris is one of the best all-around young defensemen in the NHL, and I would think Ballard projects to be a very similar player. Nice deal for Phoenix.

People, let us not forget UND was trailing 4-1 in what was one of the dullest college hockey games in recent memory. I was in the stands and had NOTHING to cheer for. My beer tasted good though. Excitement in the stands is usually an extension of excitement on the ice. Saturday, there was neither.

The women play their final games of the season this weekend at home against Clarkson, another Division I independent.

Smaby definitely has potentital, but the first thing he needs to do is quit jumping out of position to make the big hit. That's not necessarily a bad thing to do on occasion, but he's been doing it more and more frequently. Making matters worse, he's been missing the hits lately. So he's not only taking himself out of position, he isn't taking any opposing forwards with him. He'd be better served to focus on playing well positionally and picking his spots better, as far as the big hit.

Agreed. And the biggest culprit? Andy Schneider. It baffles me how often Schneider - all our D - seem to fire the puck directly into an opponents' shin pads. It doesn't take a ton of hockey sense to adjust and start faking a shot and step around the forward. As far as the D as a whole producing more offensively, you don't need to be an end-to-end type like Paul Coffey, or even a Travis Roche, to be more involved in the offense. Just move the puck smartly and, most importantly, get it to the net. Guys like Nick Naumenko, Curtis Murphy and Brad Williamson didn't put up their big point totals by leading the rush as much as the produced points by making good decisions, getting the puck to the right people or getting the puck to the net. Surprisingly, the current blueliner who might best fit that mold is Robbie Bina.

Early on, I too would've said Bochenski is the runaway favorite. But, as a hockey fan, the more I watch Zach play the more I appreciate his ability, which extends far beyond offensive talent. In the close to 10 years I've been in Grand Forks, I honestly don't recall seeing as complete a player at the college level, nor have I seen as "superstar" who competes to the fullest on every single shift. IMO, Parise isn't the best player in college hockey strictly because of numbers or offensive ability. He's the best player because, in addition to his offensive talent, he can go an entire game without scoring a single point, and still be far and away the best player on the ice. I don't think you could make that claim with too many other players in the country, including Bochenski. Parise is a difference-maker in all three zones and that's why I'd give him the nod over players such as Bochenski, Vanek, etc. Having said that, because of Parise's slow start point-wise, if the season ended right now, my vote would still go to Brandon for the Hobey. But Parise is gaining fast.