No Excuses

[streakygopher]

To win this tournament, a team needs luck and goaltending. UND didn't have much luck, because they couldn't score...but then, Denver HAD the goaltending. To call them chokers because they lost a single game to a solid team is ridiculous. Give Denver credit for finding a way to play the game they needed to win. UMD did the same thing...they held Minnesota to less than 25 shots. Briggs played well enough, but the young D gave up too many good chances.

If you would have told me that UND and Minnesota would COMBINE for 1 goal in their last games, I would have thought you were crazy.

[JWG]

Gwozdecky thought that missing the Final Five was the best thing that could have happened to Denver. He explained in the pregame last night that they were emotionally spent & physically beat up & the 2-week rest couldn't have come at a better time.

He speaks the truth. For a team that has locked up their tournament seeding (as Denver had), not playing in the conference tournament isn't a bad gig. For example, had Duluth been upset they would have remained a #2 seed and not had to worry about Lessard's status. It didn't end up mattering, but I'm sure the extra rest would of only of helped.

The conference tournament is nice, but would most teams give it up to advance to the Frozen Four? Probably. 6 conference champions, only 1 makes it to the Frozen Four this year. The ups and downs of hockey.

[nodakvindy]

[ For example, had Duluth been upset they would have remained a #2 seed and not had to worry about Lessard's status. It didn't end up mattering, but I'm sure the extra rest would of only of helped.

Actually, had Minnesota-Duluth lost, they would have been a #1 seed, as Minnesota wouldn't have been able to get the head-to-head win need to flip their comparison. Crazy how those things work.

[sagard]

Gwozdecky thought that missing the Final Five was the best thing that could have happened to Denver. He explained in the pregame last night that they were emotionally spent & physically beat up & the 2-week rest couldn't have come at a better time.

We will see if it was a freak occurance this year or if missing the conference tourney really is a blessing. I think it will happen more frequently with the larger draw.

UW took Maine to the limit and seriously outplayed them for large portions of the game. BC got their act together, got healthy and outlasted Michigan. And DU.

I know the Gophs played far and away their best hockey of the season at the X, just wish it could have been this weekend.

[Sandman]

No excuses, but watching the Sioux last night in the third period looked like they were kinda gasping for air. They couldn't put anything together in the last few minutes which they can normally get some good pressure on their opponent when they're in desparation. If the game wasn't so wide open and both teams didn't have to scrap for the first goal the whole game I think it could've been different. I think that thin air started to get to the Sioux in the third period and gave Denver somewhat of an advantage. No excuses though, Denver did a great job on beating us and good luck to them in the Frozen Four.

[cavedurtis]

I agree with PCM, I thought the Sioux played very well defensively and JP was solid between the pipes. Berkhoel was a stone wall. I don't know that I have seen a more composed and confident tender. He made difficult saves look easy. I was expecting UND's speed up front on the big sheet to present more problems for Denver, but it seemed that they sat back and clogged the passing lanes.

In the Gopher game I thought Isaac was the difference. I found it interesting that all three Bulldog goals were counter-attacks. The Goph's played their game of puck control and attack but couldn't finish, Isaac was fantastic stopping multiple point-blank opportunities. I tip my hat to the Dogs, they earned it. I will be cheering for them in Boston to end their drought.

[cavedurtis]

We will see if it was a freak occurance this year or if missing the conference tourney really is a blessing. I think it will happen more frequently with the larger draw.

UW took Maine to the limit and seriously outplayed them for large portions of the game. BC got their act together, got healthy and outlasted Michigan. And DU.

I know the Gophs played far and away their best hockey of the season at the X, just wish it could have been this weekend.

With ya there brother!

[squirtcoach]

Gwozdecky thought that missing the Final Five was the best thing that could have happened to Denver. He explained in the pregame last night that they were emotionally spent & physically beat up & the 2-week rest couldn't have come at a better time.

I was wondering about his myself on my trip back from Chicago. Is it beneficial (and therefore a good idea) for a team to pass on the league playoffs to rest and prepare for the NCAA's. If it is, it worked for BC, too.

I understand the Final Five was put together to aid more teams from the WCHA to get into the NCAA's. With the expanded NCAA invitations, does the august field of Hockey Guru's at Siouxsports.com feel it is time to re-examine the necessity (or wisdom) of having our best teams pound each other the weekend before the NCAA's, when their invitations are, for all intents and purposes, guaranteed?

[PCM]

I was wondering about his myself on my trip back from Chicago. Is it beneficial (and therefore a good idea) for a team to pass on the league playoffs to rest and prepare for the NCAA's. If it is, it worked for BC, too.

I thought that last season, the Sioux probably would have been better off missing the Final Five tournament. Having to play three games against a tough Denver team -- two of them in overtime -- just to make the tournament seemed to drain too much energy from the team.

[The Sicatoka]

Dump the league tournament and you are two weekends closer to actually playing a full league schedule (everyone twice road, twice home).

[dagies]

In recent years, while a fun tourney, I've come around to realizing the Final Five has little serious import.

At the same time, I would wonder how well a team that has had a weekend off can turn it back on when the time comes. Seems around Christmas time there are always discussions about teams who have had a weekend off taking a game or 2 to get back into synch.

So I think if we got rid of the Final Five but allowed for more conference games that would be ok with me.

And I can see the benefit of 2 weeks off for a team that is beat up, I wonder if they all would benefit as much or if it would hurt teams going into the tourney.

Interesting discussion.

[Fighting Sioux Fan]

This team was loaded with talent, but it appears to me that some of the uppr classmen on the team were invisible this year, notably Massen and Canady! Massen had a great year last year but where was he this year. Canady to was not a very big part of the team. I heard an interview with him saying that he was better then some of the players on the team that were starting more often then he was; he said he was better because he had more points in the juniors then ohters did. Well, this is not the juniors Canady! With the depth that this team had, ND should not have had to depend on Parise and Bochenski as much as it did and where would we be without freshmen like Murray, Porter, and Stafford? If these guys want to play and win a national title, they need to perform to the levels that they were brought in to play. No one is just going to hand ND the title, they have to go out and earn it! North Dakota fans have very high expectations! The McNaughton was cool to win, but we want national titles! I felt sick when ND lost to Denver, the returning players better remember that feeling next year. I figured that they would have learned thier lesson against Ferris State last year, but I guess not...

[sagard]

In recent years, while a fun tourney, I've come around to realizing the Final Five has little serious import. 

I don't completely agree with you here. Many years the last #1 seed is at stake in that Final game. Had the Gophers no beaten CC at the X last year, they would have likely had to face them again the following week at Mariucci.

So I think if we got rid of the Final Five but allowed for more conference games that would be ok with me. 

I'd really like to see if someday they can get back to a balanced schedule. With ten teams that would mean playing everyone three times. I think they could pull it off, if they wanted to. It just might mean some Friday/Sunday games, and potentially being creative with AA scheduling.

And I can see the benefit of 2 weeks off for a team that is beat up, I wonder if they all would benefit as much or if it would hurt teams going into the tourney. 

It didn't help SCSU much last year, but that may be due to Dahl as much as anything. Giving two weeks to most WCHA coaches to prepare, I think will help that team more often than not. I think we will get a better handle on this after a few more years.

[Smoggy]

I think it would be interesting to have a tourney at the beginning of the year. I'm sure the hockey would be a little worse, but then you don't drain for the NCAAs. The possiblities are endless as far as set up. I wouldn't take two weekends to do it.

Of course, we'll never lose the tourney because of the $$$$$$$$$$$$.

It would be nice to have a balanced schedule.