Lucia says there's not enough respect between players

Props to 60 minutes for this great article from Todd D. Milewski. Hum, I wonder which team Don Lucia is referring to in this article? I will give you a couple of clues. This will some how come back to being UND fault. Mark my words. Funny when an NHL scout is disgusted with the play in the WCHA our league has degraded to an unacceptable level. Funny that one of the teams that tries to pride its self in being above the fray and having a clean image is part of the problem.

MINNEAPOLIS -- How ugly did things get last Friday night at the Alltel Center in Mankato, Minn? Minnesota coach Don Lucia, whose team got thumped 6-2 by Minnesota State in a game featuring 94 penalty minutes, four major penalties and two disqualifications, said a member of his coaching staff heard afterward from an NHL scout who told of being disgusted watching the game.

"That's not a good indictment," Lucia said.

Nor was this assessment of the state of the college game by Lucia: "I don't think we're protecting the players," he said. "I don't think there's enough respect between players in how they play the game. And I think that has to be looked at."
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"What we have to do is look at, as a league, do we have repeat offenders? Are there certain guys that have multiple major penalties on certain teams? And if they do, it should be addressed from a league standpoint with multiple-game suspensions."

In each of the last four weekends, there has been some form of multiple-player scuffle in a WCHA game.

On Jan. 23, with host North Dakota pulling away from Denver in the third period, a scrap resulted in 42 penalty minutes.

At the end of the first period at the Kohl Center on Jan. 17, Wisconsin's John Mitchell was penalized for igniting a brawl that resulted in 38 penalty minutes.

And on Jan. 10, with host North Dakota on the verge of a sweep of the Gophers, Sioux defenseman Zach Jones, with his helmet and gloves off, appeared ready to throw punches before being restrained by linesman -- and former Michigan Tech captain -- Matt Ulwelling. That resulted in 48 penalty minutes.

I am going to cut Todd some slack because he forgot to mention that Even Trupp was butt ended by a Gopher’s player Tony Luica in front of the Gophers bench. This was the same event that Gopher Coach John Hill said Trupp was acting on. So, Lucia and Jones agreed to fight per the code face to face before Tony Lucia decided he wanted nothing to do with Jones and decided to turtle. Funny how that fact Lucia agreed to fight Jones keeps getting left out of the discussion when Zach Jones actions are mentioned.

Here is the deal I have no problem with Lucia whining about the officiating in the WCHA, the fans, the players and the coaches know the officiating in this leagues sucks but all ten teams have to put up with the same officiating. Last night the game between the Badgers and the Gophers was called tight, when I switched over to the DU and UMD game I saw more of the same, holding, obstruction and slashing. It is about consistency in the officiating and the WCHA is not calling their games in consistent manner, other than in a consistently horrible manner.

On the respect issue your teams seems to have been the most deficient this season. Attacking a player Todd Bertuzzi style because he hit one of your players from behind has nothing to do with respect. At least have enough respect to let the player you’re fighting defend himself. Antithesis of lack of respect is what Shack did to Boe. If your players come in with their sticks high and face wash the opposition how do you expect the other players in the league to respond to your players act? Your offending player is going to get a bow tie cross check or popped back. Don’t stand there amazed that some one dared respond to a bush league tactic. If I am a player and you cross check me in the face I am going to hit you back. That is hockey.

No matter how Lucia or Gwozdecky spin this it isn’t about the big bad Sioux. It’s about players that don’t have respect for the opposition players and haven’t played in a league where if you cheap shot someone during the play or after the whistle you’re going to pay for it. Lucia can recruit all the junior hockey players the USA and Canada that he wants his players are going to have to learn what is acceptable and not acceptable. Butt ending a player in front of a players bench, attacking an opposition player from behind, cross checks and face washes after the whistle are not acceptable and teams are going to respond to your players.

When Bruce M. McLeod's contract comes up for renewal it is time for the WCHA schools to go in a different directions. Shepherd and McLeod need to be gone, the league needs to have a house cleaning starting at the top. There is no way this will change until the people at the top are gone and the member schools decide that the status quo is no longer acceptable. To take a phrase from an old platoon sergeant of mine; "good enough isn't good enough." We are constantly seeking excellence.