After speaking with Greg Shepherd QuickFacts does not expect any further discipline against Alaska's Portwood on for his hit on Nick Leddy.I think the Gophers coach Don Lucia is a hypocrite in this instance after what Brian Schack did to MSU-M Maverick defenseman Channing Boe last season with his Todd Bertuzzi style attack and now wants the league to look at the Portwood hit on Leddy and possibly level a game or two suspension for something that is about ten times less serious. The first question I have to ask is, “are you kidding me?” Why doen’t Lucia suggest that the league also suspend the league officials working that game as well?
In fact Lucia basically condoned the Brian Schack attack on Channing Boe and called it sticking up for a teammate when the refs wouldn’t protect the Gophers players. I think this set a horrible precedence and it isn't good. If Brian Schack wasn't suspended by the University of Minnesota, coach Lucia or the WCHA for that brutal attack, I don’t see how they can in this situation. I saw the hit in question and I watched it no less than ten times and I see no reason for Portwood to be suspended. Was the hit in question questionable? Maybe. However, I don’t’ think there was malicious intent, especially when Portwood didn't lead with his elbow; he kept his shoulder down and into his body and didn't leave his feet to check the Gopher defender. It's unfortunate that Leddy got hit and suffered an injury nobody wants to see anyone get hurt ever. In fact being a Wild draft choice I want him to develop into a top of the line player that will contribute to the Minnesota Wild, however, what happened last year and Lucia’s inaction in dealing with his own player and now wanting a suspension in this instance is troublesome and very hypocritical. What if a Maverick player had done that to one of his Gopher players? I bet Lucia would have asked for a suspension in that case as well. You can’t have it both ways Donny.
Lastly, I know the WCHA officials are God awful I have been railing on them for years but if they can’t make the proper calls on the ice maybe they should be on the ice in the first place. In this case I think they made the right decision
Hate to really start a crapstorm here but Boe had it coming last year after almost taking Barriballs head off in a nasty check from behind, if I remember correct. That was a game where the refs had lost all control of the game, lots of checking from behind calls that could have been called that were not. With that said though the way Schack went about the attack was very bad. I can see where Lucia thought it was good to stand up for his player but the way Schack went about it was all wrong and very bush league.....ah hell it was downright dirty.
ReplyDeleteGood post Goonster! You hit the nail on the head with your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteFHG- seriously, stop drinking the Maroon and Gold Kool-Aid. Anyone that thinks any part of Schack's actions were ok need to check themselves. He was totally out of line, and Lucia was even more out of line to defend him. Boe's hit on Barribal was only a CFB because Barribal saw him coming and turned into it (even noted by your homers Doug and Ruf). There was ZERO malicious intent on him or to even attempt a CFB. Barriball and Boe are friends from playing Juniors together and I know FOR A FACT that Boe had zero ill will against Barriball.
Hell, I think even Barriball and the other Gopher players were like "WTF?!?" about Schack and didn't support his actions. That crap is uncalled for and not in the hockey code. If he was so pissed at Boe, then the next night is when he should have said "fight, now" and the gloves would have been dropped. Hell, even the dirty player from UND got that right with Bruess last year.
Schack is worthless and Lucia is even more worthless. I used to have respect for Lucia but was losing respect for him last year and completely lost respect for him with his comments of support for Schack.
It's time for tDon to go away and take his whining with him.
One last thing as I ramble on, I totally agree with Goon in that the refs need to start calling games consistently because they're to blame in some of these circumstances. The horrid CFB on Irwin in the MSU/WI series was due to WI getting away with way too many dirty shots all night long. The player got too big for his breezers and obviously thought he could do a hit like that since most of the other stuff wasn't being called all night long.
I'll wrap it up with also pointing out, what the hell is up with some of the refs letting the goalie get beat on non-stop too? That crap needs to end.
Oh, and if Lucia was a stand up guy he would have handled the situation with Boe/Schack like Eaves did with his player the other week. He apologized and acknowledged that it was wrong.
ReplyDeleteHell, even stupid Jutting is capable of that! He showed it last year when dealing with the Bruess situation and publically acknowledged that his antics were wrong. It's pretty bad when Jutting does something more upstanding and on an educated level than someone. Cripes, tDon has hit an all time low in the past year.
I didn't say what Schack did was ok, I said it was dirty and was a bush league hit. What I was trying to say is that I think the refs let that game get way out of control which is why what happened with Schack and Boe happened. Had Schack tangled with Boe head to head it would be different but to hit him laying down headfirst on the ice was not right at all.
ReplyDeleteFHG- you started it out though with "Boe had it coming"...that would indicate too much Kool Aid consumption on your part! :)
ReplyDeleteAdmit it, even the Gopher faithful are doubting their players, program and coach. Time to jump on another team's bandwagon and burn your Gopher stuff!
I prefer the term "maroon and gold Diamond Cutter".....Oh wait, McGoffs closed!!!! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's tough to say what will happen if Lucia has a bad season again. I don't think they can afford to let him go because I think he still has 3 years left on his contract. I think he's a good coach and a good recruiter but obviously something isn't clicking. For one thing they need to quit bringing in some of these kids right outta high school, I'd like to see them develop in the junior a bit before making the jump.
I'll agree with you on the high school thing. Kids should have to play at least a year of Juniors before going to D-1.
ReplyDeleteHave no fear on the Diamond cutters. They were nothing. The Dirty Girl Scout shots at BWW is where it's at.
FHG26 as a Sioux fan I think you're right on Lucia, I don't think he is going anywhere especially after the UofMN ate a few contracts in the past with teh basketball coach and the ex-football coach.
ReplyDeleteKeith I don't care if you start a crap storm or not, I am cool with it.
ReplyDeleteGoon loves "crapstorms" on his blog!! DRAMA!! Ha ha. Just remember that Goon drinks just as much Green Kool Aid as FHG does Maroon and Gold. Deep down we all know though, you want the Maverick Purple and Gold WOP...we're beyond Kool Aid:)
ReplyDeleteI think Charlie has gophers coming out of his butt!! :)
If Shack is on the ice the first weekend of December, I guarentee Channing is going to beat the snot out of him.
Amy, I just like a good debate and don't see anything with cool gopher fans like Keith aka FHG26.
ReplyDeleteI think Schack is going to have to play they really are down to the bare minimum. Also, Schack is listed as being hurt lower body injury. I would have loved to see him start against UND when there were up for their yearly beat down. :)
Gerbils, LGM, Gerbils...
ReplyDeleteI disagree about Lucia being a good recruiter. Just because he can get the "best" players sometimes does not mean that he is a good recruiter. The U attracts good players just because it is the U, has nothing to do with the coach. He does not recruit the right players and takes too many kids out of high school, maybe he should advise them to play a year in juniors before jumping into college hockey. He did a good coaching job with Woog's kids but I think it has been so-so with his own recruits.
ReplyDeleteAlso Schack sucks and Coach Brooks wouldn't have tolerated such a loser on his team, he'd still be skating herbies right now. That said, I am really tired of hearing about it and all the other questionable hits, that is all that seems to get media attention anymore from junior all the way to the NHL.
ReplyDeleteThe Gophers youth makes it extra special when a predominantly fresh out of h.s. gophers have a great year. Having said that, I am sure it is hard for kids who should be in their senior year of h.s.(ness, schroeder, and next year's bjugstad) to play with 'kids' 4-6 years older than they are.
ReplyDeleteRegarding recruiting, I think he needs to pick a few kids that are workhorses as opposed to h.s. 'stars' that are used to being the 'go to guy; in h.s.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is, anytime he does not land a 'star' the star likely plays for UW or UND and he hears from UofM alumni & boosters that are concerned that he let a 'star' get away.
Charlie not everyone is impressed with your teams short sided recruiting practices. One could make the argument that UMN isn't even getting the best recruits from Minnesota UND has take a few out of the Gophers back yard recently that I am sure Donny would have liked to have.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteYou mean 'short-sighted'. (Forgive me, my dad was an english major...)
THANKS Charlie, that is what I meant to say. :)
ReplyDeleteUND has been getting more MN recruits outside of Shattuck which really doesn't count as a MN high school, it is more of a UND pipeline. But the Sioux continue to get players from the western burbs.
ReplyDelete