Congratulations Fighting Sioux! 2008-2009 WCHA Regular Season Cha

[jk]

Here are a couple items of interest:

Vandevelde bookended the run to the Cup with big third-period game-winners. He had the first GWG of the season when he scored arguably the most important goal of the year. Limping along with an 0-3 record and trailing 2-0 after two periods in Mankato, VV broke a 3-3 tie with an unassisted SHG with 9 seconds left, securing UND's first win. Last night he finished the Cup run with a late third-period PP goal.

Watkins' SHG last night in a late-season game in Madison, ending in a 2-1 Sioux win, rung a bell in my airy brain. It turns out that, on January 31, 1987 in Madison, Scott Dub scored a shorty in the third period to help UND beat Wisconsin 2-1. Dub and Watkins are different players, but similar in that they are heart-and-soul guys who do anything to win. (BTW, Ed Belfour made 43 saves to outduel Mike Richter in the other net; couple pretty good goalies.)