Final 5 ?

[Fetch]

Ive been to a few - but last time was a couple yrs ago & we used to stay across the street at the Holiday Inn (I didn't like the rooms but sure was convenient - but not near the best bars/food etc.)

Anyone ever bought tickets from the scalpers out front ?

Are they real expensive ?

Hard to get 4 together ?

I bet at this late date they have better seats (lower bowl) than thru normal sources ?

Any suggestions on best place to stay (that still has rooms) Nearest the Excel or within reasonable taxi ride ?

[siouxnami]

Ive been to a few - but last time was a couple yrs ago & we used to stay across the street at the Holiday Inn (I didn't like the rooms but sure was convenient - but not near the best bars/food etc.)

Anyone ever bought tickets from the scalpers out front ?

Are they real expensive ?

Hard to get 4 together ?

I bet at this late date they have better seats (lower bowl) than thru normal sources ?

Any suggestions on best place to stay (that still has rooms) Nearest the Excel or within reasonable taxi ride ?

I think you can get face value (or less) unless the Gophers are playing. My tip, find fans from the team that loses Thursday night. Some, not all will be looking to cash out. Also, not all games will be sold out.

[Fetch]

Yeah I remember one yr selling the rest of our tickets (to scalpers) & we will not be there until Friday (if we go)....thanks !!!

[Upper Deck]

Ive been to a few - but last time was a couple yrs ago & we used to stay across the street at the Holiday Inn (I didn't like the rooms but sure was convenient - but not near the best bars/food etc.)

Anyone ever bought tickets from the scalpers out front ?

Are they real expensive ?

Hard to get 4 together ?

I bet at this late date they have better seats (lower bowl) than thru normal sources ?

Any suggestions on best place to stay (that still has rooms) Nearest the Excel or within reasonable taxi ride ?

There's quite a few hotels in Eagan, which is about a 10 minute drive to the X. Just do a Google for Eagan, MN hotels and you'll have plenty to choose from. As far a s tickets go, getting them isnt a problem, epecially after Thursday night. Getting four together may be harder to get, but not impossible.

[BisonSuck]

Ive been to a few - but last time was a couple yrs ago & we used to stay across the street at the Holiday Inn (I didn't like the rooms but sure was convenient - but not near the best bars/food etc.)

Anyone ever bought tickets from the scalpers out front ?

Are they real expensive ?

Hard to get 4 together ?

I bet at this late date they have better seats (lower bowl) than thru normal sources ?

Any suggestions on best place to stay (that still has rooms) Nearest the Excel or within reasonable taxi ride ?

Rooms--- It will be nearly impossible to find hotel rooms in downtown St. Paul right now. Remember, it is St. Patty's day on Saturday. St. Paul is one of the best places in the nation for that party... combined with with the best hockey in the nation... it's going to be frickin' CRAZY down there. The only hope you might have is a few teams/fans may have hotel rooms reserved through this weekend to see what happens in the first round. I would call around Saturday night through Sunday to see if any rooms open up.

Tickets--- We bought Championship game tickets a couple of days ago... 5 together (upperdeck)... I would get those right away... if you still can. If UofM makes it... be prepared for standing room only and scalping prices will be high. If UofM is out of it... it should be pretty easy to find tickets... and prices should be reasonable.

[siouxguyinstpaul]

I think you can get face value (or less) unless the Gophers are playing. My tip, find fans from the team that loses Thursday night. Some, not all will be looking to cash out. Also, not all games will be sold out.

and alot of Saturday afternoon as well as night tickets will be available as if the gophs lose Friday night - most of their fans won't go to a meaningless game and of course won't show at all for the championship game that they are not in it - even in their home town

[Sioux Traveler]

I wonder why the friday nite game is not sold out yet?

[Fetch]

After Holy Cross they are waiting to be sure they get there .....? Oh thats right they get in for winning the league They spent all their $$$ on Police tickets ? http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/Ticket...px?evtid=529246

[Southernmn]

After Holy Cross they are waiting to be sure they get there .....? Oh thats right they get in for winning the league They spent all their $$$ on Police tickets ? http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/Ticket...px?evtid=529246

What league are you refering to ?

[UMhockey]

and alot of Saturday afternoon as well as night tickets will be available as if the gophs lose Friday night - most of their fans won't go to a meaningless game and of course won't show at all for the championship game that they are not in it - even in their home town

Interesting. Last year's championship game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a sold out crowd of 19,282. The Thursday night game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowd of 16,312. The Friday afternoon game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowd of 16,468. And the third place game you mention that Gopher fans won't go to drew another record crowd of 16,164. Facts are annoying aren't they?

[Fetch]

I get cornfused sometimes

The WCHA / McNaughton Cup - I thought that got you in the F5 is that the F4 ?

[HockeyMom]

Interesting. Last year's championship game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a sold out crowd of 19,282. The Thursday night game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowdof 16,312. The Friday afternoon game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowd of 16,468. And the third place game you mention that Gopher fans won't go to drew another record crowd of 16,164. Facts are annoying aren't they?

Depends on what the actual count was. Usually the attendance is the number if tickets sold, and not the people that come in through the doors. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[UMhockey]

siouxguyinstpaul's claim that Gopher fans don't support WCHA Final Five games that Minnesota isn't playing in is absurd, to say the least.

[Siouxman]

Interesting. Last year's championship game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a sold out crowd of 19,282. The Thursday night game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowd of 16,312. The Friday afternoon game, which the Gophers were NOT in, drew a record crowd of 16,468. And the third place game you mention that Gopher fans won't go to drew another record crowd of 16,164. Facts are annoying aren't they?

Facts show exactly what he is saying. Last year's championship game was between UND and St. Cloud. Those fans are the ones that filled the seats. The other examples demonstrate the fact that if the Gophers are not in the game, there are tickets available. The games were not sold out. The attendance numbers do not state Gopher fans filled the seats. They could easily have sold their tickets to someone else. As for the 3rd place game, the Gophers were in that game and it was not a sell out. That is his point.

[sagard]

siouxguyinstpaul's claim that Gopher fans don't support WCHA Final Five games that Minnesota isn't playing in is absurd, to say the least.

It's his shtick. Let him run with it. There are lots of other really bad things that Gophers fans do to him as well.

[Southernmn]

I get cornfused sometimes

The WCHA / McNaughton Cup - I thought that got you in the F5 is that the F4 ?

The McNaughton Cup gets you exactly nowhere.

The only teams that get into the F5 are the teams that win 2 games this week-end.

The team that wins the F5 (and other league championships) get an "autobid" into the NCAA tourny. In the history of the F5, this has not mattered, as every team that has won the F5, was already in the NCAA tourny by virtue of their standing in the Pairwise. That will hold true this year as well, unless CC, or one of the teams in the bottom 5 spots of the WCHA wins the F5.

[dead_rabbit]

siouxguyinstpaul's claim that Gopher fans don't support WCHA Final Five games that Minnesota isn't playing in is absurd, to say the least.

If by absurd, you mean totally accurate, you'd be correct. I'm sure not all gopher fan's are fair weather, but I didn't see half of the gopher fans at last years F5 Saturday's games, as I did on Friday.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

It's his shtick. Let him run with it. There are lots of other really bad things that Gophers fans do to him as well.

Like frequent this site

[NorthDakotaHockey]

siouxguyinstpaul's claim that Gopher fans don't support WCHA Final Five games that Minnesota isn't playing in is absurd, to say the least.

Disagree. There are plenty of so-called Gopher fans who will not take the time, make the effort, nor spend the money to see Final Five games in which the Gophers are not playing. While there is obviously a solid core of Gopher fans who are also fans of the game, many Gopher fans will simply not go if their fair-haired boys are not skating. Both of you may be at fault for painting with broad brushes.

What will always amaze me is this. Several years back, West Regional, The John. Sioux, much to the delight of Gopher fans, get beat by a tough Ferris State club. No Holy Cross collapse there. Gophers beat someone, I do not recall who.

My kids and I, having a full pocket of series tickets, go down to the Regional final. Because I always think that I have more friends that I actually do, I had some extra tickets. No problem, I thought. Gophers playing their last game at home. Just off a National Championship year, maybe two. Great spring day. No television, as I recall, I might be wrong.

The Gopher fans will be out in full force to see their team play its final game of the year at The John. Send them off to the Frozen Four. Well, no deal. There were hundreds of tickets on the street that day. I was stunned that fans were not out in droves looking for tickets that could be had for a song.

Here is my broad brush. Gopher fans are finnicky, fickle, self-righteous, condescending, unsophisticated, generally unlearned in the finer details of the game, cry to the heavens for penalties every time their boys fall to the ice, and are the first to desert when things are looking bad. They are unwilling, or unable, to stand up and cheer for the Browser at the end of a period if their team is getting drilled, they think that the world revolves around DaDonny, and their jerseys are often taut to the seams and stained with gravy. Oh yes, and they are envious of the pride, the tradition, the focus, the class, and the determination of the Fighting Sioux hockey program, from its players, to its coaches, and its fans. They also have little more to do than to surf SiouxSports.com in their never ending search for wisdom and knowledge as to the finer points of the game and the sport.

By the way UMHockey, you have Hakstol's name misspelled in your signature line. I do agree with you though that

Lucia greatly surpasses Hakstol in both arrogance and in idiocy, and in his general inability to properly school the boys under his tutelage.

See you in St. Louis. I am pretty sure that you won't be in the Ex on Saturday night.

[UMhockey]

Facts show exactly what he is saying. Last year's championship game was between UND and St. Cloud. Those fans are the ones that filled the seats. The other examples demonstrate the fact that if the Gophers are not in the game, there are tickets available. The games were not sold out. The attendance numbers do not state Gopher fans filled the seats. They could easily have sold their tickets to someone else. As for the 3rd place game, the Gophers were in that game and it was not a sell out. That is his point.

Gopher fans can't win no matter what they do. Last year's attendance for the Final Five broke the all-time record even with the gophers losing both games. And first Sioux fans complain about the advantages of all the Gopher fans in the building and how unfair it is, yet then come back and say it was all Sioux and St. Cloud fans who attended the championship game. Which is it Sioux fans? Is the Final Five unfair due to it being like a home game for the Gophers? Or are there enough Sioux fans there to sell out the "X" in games not involving Minnesota? Can't have it both ways.

But I finally get it now... when there's only 16,000 fans for a third place game involving the Gophers, it's our fault. But when the championship game sells out, all the credit goes to the SCSU and UND fans. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[You In Reverse]

I was able to book a hotel room on priceline for $40 a night at the Holiday Inn Select for the weekend. (bid $40 for a 3* in the Airport/Mall of America area). I've stayed there before and have been very happy, especially for $40. It isn't real close to downtown St. Paul, but the 54 bus is a great option as it runs from within a block or two of the hotel to the front doors of the Xcel. And metro transit buses are free on Sat. for St. Patrick's day. check the schedule at metrotransit.org Also, a cab ride wouldn't be too expensive, around $20.

[HockeyMom]

Anybody know when the St. Patrick's Day parade starts?

[Sioux Hockey Fanatic]

Anybody know when the St. Patrick's Day parade starts?

As soon as the bars open! haha No I think it starts areound 10:30 or 11 its usually over close to noon. I'm sure there will be info on that in the Pioneer Press later this week. But Don't try to drive anywhere in downtown during the parade.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Anybody know when the St. Patrick's Day parade starts?

As soon as the Kelly Green dominates the city.

[Fetch]

The team that wins the F5 (and other league championships) get an "autobid" into the NCAA tourny. In the history of the F5, this has not mattered, as every team that has won the F5, was already in the NCAA tourny by virtue of their standing in the Pairwise. That will hold true this year as well, unless CC, or one of the teams in the bottom 5 spots of the WCHA wins the F5

thats what I was thinking of