jk

I, for one, couldn't complain if either player won the award. I do think Vanek is more dangerous offensively because he can carry guys on his back, while Parise's not that strong. When Vanek basically decided to not let MN lose Friday in Duluth, he made some plays that I don't think anyone else in the league could make. I think most unbiased observers agree that Parise is a better two-way player. It doesn't mean that Vanek doesn't backcheck; it means that he isn't as good as Parise in that regard. The reason I would give the award to Parise is this: He's a better all-around player, and, despite not being as dangerous offensively as Vanek, they are basically even in scoring.

I know it's been tough for our skill guys to get any room, but I think it's a little lame to be complaining about officiating, especially before the game has even started. The Sioux have to go out and score more goals than the opponent ... whatever the ref does ... whatever the ice condition is ... however hot the other goalie is. In the 2000 title game, the officiating seemed to be tilted pretty heavily to BC, but the team overcame it and pulled out the win. Remember also that playoff hockey is about tight defense. You don't generally win unless you have a body on each of the other team's skill guys. Considering how physical the Sioux defensemen are, I wouldn't be hoping for a game to be called too closely. The line between "tight checking" and "clutch and grab" can be hard to pin down, and usually moves about depending on which team one is cheering for. I guess what I mean is that, when it comes to hockey, ugly is in the eye of the beholder.

Bochenski 34 plus Parise 26. Parise has hard-lucked his way out of about five more, with pipes and referees, while Bochenski has probably gotten about that many extra to go in on deflections and good bounces. We lose sight of how big the numbers have been for these guys this year. Maybe this will help. Following is the number of goals scored **in the best year of his career** for a few recent players of note: Blake 28 Goren 34 Panzer 26 Lundbohm 32 Bonin 34 Pohl 27 Taffe 34 Wow. This freshman and sophomore have had big years.

Congrats, PCM, on having your game story published by the Rocky Mountain News. Seems like kind of a big deal to me.

I will hope for the best also, against both UMD and CC, if they meet. CC has a little payback to deliver, though, as they have been on the tired side of several "tired/rested" playoff matchups with the Sioux. Two years ago, they got it twice in two weeks, losing to UND in the WCHA playoffs after the play-in game (I think), then losing to bye-team UND in the NCAA quarterfinals after going to OT the day before. All signs point to CC winning a potential matchup with UND. But, of course, they bother to play the games for a reason.

Also, for your daily dose, check out the usual spot.

dagies, does your wife know you were there with a blonde? and does she read the board?

bert's a Gopher fan. He doesn't seem to like UND's chances this weekend, which is the rational thing to think at this point. Fortunately, they do go through the motions and play the games.

Jake Brandt #1 star this weekend. Without him the Sioux are probably done for the year. I hope all the out-of-town season ticket holders drive carefully on the way home tonight. Long drive late at night that they usually take Sunday afternoon. You know who you are. The feed was just rotten tonight. The worst this year, except when the guy in the horn-rimmed glasses forgot to flip the switch earlier this year. UND's chances of competing in the NCAA tourney just got a lot better. Sioux have won four of five. Yeah, I know who they were against and where, but it's still 4 of 5. Building character. Building home ice in the new rink. Keep it going, Sioux.

10 to go in the third. it's a death match right now.

I was just about to type that I thought maybe Prpich shouldn't be on the top PP unit. He seems a step behind the other guys in moving the puck around. Glad I didn't type that one... OK, win a third period at home and go to the final five plus have a pretty decent chance of playing the next weekend as well.

It's not the ref's fault the Sioux seem to have stopped skating. Sometimes you have to kill a penalty from a bad call. Now it's back to gut-check time again. And back to Denver's game-plan.

So much for my idea. Get the flippin' matches. Somehow the Sioux need to get the momentum back and get the jump back in their skates. When they're moving, I get the impression DU can't quite keep up with them.

Here's the recipe for success tonight. Score the next goal, get the two-goal lead. Get Denver, a team that can be dangerous, to start pushing to score. Although they can be dangerous, pushing on offense isn't their game, and they will make mistakes. Make 'em pay for their mistakes, and put it out of reach.

Agree on Marvin. I didn't think he'd see much ice this year. Penalty on Greene. TH disappointed with the call.

I didn't see it so I can't say for sure, but what happened with Lundbohm's penalty is one of the risks of using a forward on the point on the PP. It sounded like he needed to hook the Pioneer to prevent a chance. He also got beat to start the third period at Mariucci on Saturday by Waibel, who set up the tying goal. Not ragging on Lundbohm, just pointing out the risk of using a forward at a D spot. PP's over, still 1-0 Sioux. Good chances by the Sioux. Sounds like they are really bringing it. They key now is to translate the dominant play onto the scoreboard, because they won't dominate a good team all game long.

I would definitely play Prpich tonight. Fatigue is going to be a big factor tonight, and the only thing Prpich will be tired from is fending off adoring admirers in the stands on Saturday. I would also consider playing Palmiscno for the same reason. I think the most tired groups will be, in order: Denver's top defense pair UND's top line The rest of the defensemen Denver's forwards UND's forwards The Sioux should have an edge in the second, third and fourth line play. Some of those guys haven't scored much. Now would be a nice time for some of them to chip one in. (Legally) throw the body around in the first and wear them down by the end of the game.

Unfortunately so will Berkoel (sp?). Brandt has to go for the Sioux. I was thinking of Denver's fatigue as well, especially since MacKenzie and Caldwell play a ton. It wasn't a shock to me that McMahon scored when MacKenzie was in the box, as he's usually out there killing the penalty otherwise.

I'm not a PWR expert, but I looked into it a bit tonight. I don't think MSUM's win over Wisconsin was posted when I looked so that might skew things a bit. When I looked, this is where some teams were: 8. BC 9. Michigan 10. UND MSUM 12. OSU 13. SCSU Michigan State (MSU) 15. Harvard 16. Providence 17. Denver The NCAA tourney field is fourteen teams deep, after the CHA and MAAC bids. The way I understand the selection process for bubble teams, the NCAA looks at the direct PWR comparisons of the teams on the bubble when they figure out who gets the last few spots. Following are UND's comparisons right now. One absolutely key feature that I don't know is how sensitive RPI is to results this late in the year. If it's no longer very sensitive, then I have a pretty good idea what will happen to certain comparisons. If it is, then a lot of what follows isn't very useful. BC - BC wins 3-0, with no chance of UND flipping it. Mi. - UND wins 2-2 with RPI breaking the tie, but the RPI is very close. If it flips to MI, then MI will win the comparison. MSUM - MSUM wins 3-2. If the Sioux were to meet MSUM and win, that would flip it to the Sioux. OSU - UND wins 2-1, and it's probably not going to change. SCSU - UND wins 4-2, and it's probably not going to change. MSU - UND wins 2-1, and it's probably not going to change. Harv. - UND wins 3-0, and it's probably not going to change. Prov. - Prov. wins 2-1. If UND beats SCSU, they flip this one and win it. Denver - UND wins 4-2, and it's probably not going to change. If the Sioux lose to Denver, they probably lose the Michigan comparison. The key feature that I'm not sure of, as I mentioned, is the RPI. I believe that in all of those close comparisons, UND has a higher RPI. If a Sioux loss really drops their RPI, and good performance by their competitors really strengthens their's, then those "probably not going to change" comparisons might. I am a big Cornell fan. We need to keep the field 14 teams deep. If Cornell loses in the ECAC playoffs, there are only 13 spots. Hockey East is decided, with UNH winning. I am a big fan of Ferris State, then Michigan (even though we are in a tight comparison with them). I really want to see OSU and MSU lose, as they are close pursuers. Obviously most important of all is for the Sioux to win. A win over Denver followed by a win over SCSU locks up a bid, I think. Losing to Denver makes it just a matter of fate and faith.

Save Maroosh's pennant for a Final Four game. That thing's got to have some serious mystical power. This is just a riot, you burning bad luck garments just before they score. Seriously for a moment. I think Blais's tactic of going 6-on-4, and even 6-on-5 in the last minute, is riskier on a big rink than a small one. With six guys out there, chances are someone will get to the puck at about the same time as a defender, disrupting a clearing attempt. On the big rink, though, there's so much more space to cover that if the puck bounces to a defender, he's more likely to have room to chuck it out of the zone. I haven't studied it, and probably won't, but I wonder if pulling the goalie statistically works better on a small rink. Lately, I know it worked for the Sioux against SCSU in the Final Five, against BC in the title game, and tonight. All small rinks. It didn't work at Mariucci's frozen ocean earlier this year.

We know the Sioux are a flawed team this year. They have just seemed to not get over the edge that gets you to greatness. So in noting the following I'm not suggesting it's some sign of greatness. However, in any circumstance, it's pretty darn impressive that they have allowed only 34 shots to Denver in six periods of hockey. The Sioux have had trouble winning, but they don't stink.

Not exactly a sparkling first 7 minutes for the Sioux here in the third. Just get the puck bouncing around in front of the net and get an ugly one.

Let's see a captain put one in. Or Notermann, sort of a captain. I don't like Ryan Hale's chances of scoring this year, but maybe he's due.

I tend to think that everything goes next period, which will work in Denver's favor. I think Shepard's going to put the whistle away unless someone gets a lead, then he'll give the trailing team a shot on the PP. Brandt playing a solid game. He needs to be rewarded.

Even though the 5-on-3's didn't result in goals, they seem to have loosened up the game a bit. It would be contrary to Denver's game plan, but with shots at 17-12 after two, it appears that a hockey game may be breaking out. Sioux need the next goal. Slipping behind, against a good defensive team with a good goalie, would not be good.