The Final Five
Despite Goon's attempts to get me to attend, I did not attend this year's Final Five. I think I should have. It sounded like a great time, even if Goon and his squad (The Goon Squad) may only remember parts of it. :D
The biggest surprise to me was Denver not even trying. What little attempts at winning they displayed against UND they completely abandoned against UW. Cheverie goes out having a terrible Final Five and questions become apparent about this team pulling a Craig Dahl-esque swoon job in the NCAAs.
The biggest disappointment for me was having my Sioux end the Bulldog's season. I really like the Bulldogs. They play a standup game. Sandelin is an amazing person and a great coach. He makes me think that he's the collegiate version of Andy Murray. Knows what he's doing, gets the best out of the players he can manage to recruit, despite not always being able to get the best of the best.
The All Tourney Team
The first thing that struck me on this list was that Evan Trupp made MVP but did not make the team as a whole. Now, I don't think there's a rule that says that the MVP must come from the All WCHA Tourney Team, nor do I think that it is a snub on Evan Trupp. I actually like the fact that Trupp isn't on the Tourney Team because it allows one more player to be added that could have been argued belonging on the list in the first place.
Here's the All Tourney Team:
Goaltender - Brad Eidsness (UND)
Defense - Garrett Raboin (SCSU)
Defense - Ben Blood (HA HA HATERS TAKE THAT!)
Forward - Blake Geoffrion (UW)*
Forward - Chris Vandevelde (UND)
Forward - Tony Mosey (SCSU)
MVP - Evan Trupp (UND)
Ok, right off the bat I can tell you Eidsness, Vandevelde, Trupp, and Mosey belong in the list. Geoffrion had 2 goals and no assists in the tourney. But let me put this on the table:
Drew Shore (DU) - This forward had 3 assists on the weekend.
Jesse Martin (DU) - Had 1 goal and 1 assist on the weekend
Ok, neither of these guys potted a Game Winning Goal this weekend, where Geoffrion did. So, I can see that weighing heavily in Blake's favor, but I think Drew Shore played fantastic on a team that seemed at times not to give a darn. The unfortunate thing for Drew is that he wasn't credited for the John Lee goal in the UND game. If he was, he'd've HAD to be named to the All Tourney Team. Anyways, if the rule stood that the MVP had to come from the All Tourney Team, then it is obvious to me that Geoffrion would've been the last one in and the first one out and Trupp would've been named in his stead.
Defense can be a bit more subjective and so I'll leave that be....mostly. All I can say, again, is HA HA! EAT THAT HATERS! Ben Blood all in your FACE! Ok, I'm not sure Ben was the best D on the ice this weekend, but he certainly stood out. And the officials knew it calling two phantom calls on him and one correct call.
The Title Game
I'll get to the "correct call" right away so I don't leave people scratching their heads, but first, a little back story.
SCSU lost the game because of Garrett Roe. You heard me. Roe didn't play. SCSU lost the game. Why didn't he play? He got injured, taken off on a stretcher (for precautionary measures I'm told) after he got hit in the game against Denver. Now, unfortunate? Maybe. WCHA USCHO correspondant Spisak even suggested that the severity of the hit in question was brought upon by Roe. Normally, I'd say "Wait a minute" but the Robbie Earl Memorial Trophy winner is KNOWN for such actions, so, I have to give Spisak the benefit of the doubt.
Had Roe been in the game, however, Lasch wouldn't have had to dive, letting Roe do the job for him and that would have gotten Blood a major and a game instead of a Boarding minor. You could clearly tell the inexperience of Lasch at the contest of Frozen Water Diving. Before Blood hit Lasch, Lasch looks right at Blood coming and turns his back. He does NOTHING with the puck, he simply waits to be hit. He had time to pass the puck or turn away. He could have skated towards the blue line.
When he was hit, I thought "That's a major and he doesn't deserve it." And then I thought "Well... at least give Lasch a diving penalty on top of it." No dice. Instead, Shepherd, situational official that he is such a pro for doing, called a boarding penalty on Blood. Had Roe been there, he'd've done a Earl impression, getting the trainer on the ice, and forcing Shepherd to use his gullible side and kick Blood out of the game.
SCSU had already embellished earlier in the game and had it work (Hextall knocked a stick out of the guy's hand). I'm sure Lasch was surprised and Roe corrected him after the game.
So, I call this a "correct call" solely based on the fact that Shepherd and *unt didn't kick Blood out of the game. Was it the correct call according to the rule book? Well, welcome gray area.
It was a Checking from Behind penalty set up by the voluntary action of Lasch. He knowingly turned his back on an oncoming defenseman and waited to get hit. That's unethical. Unfortunately, I don't think that's against the rules. There's no rule against being stupid along the boards.
But in any case, Mike Lee got chased, Dunn came in and showed that he was the real deal RIGHT NOW all along (I maintain Lee will become a good goaltender eventually) and that's all she wrote.
In other officiating news: Campion didn't make the WCHA playoff officiating roster but Don Adam and Marco *unt did. Sorry, inconsistent as he may be, I'll take Campion any day of the week over *unt and Adam.
Roe didn't get "hit" he went into the boards on his own trying to clear a puck. Now the hit Blood put on Lasch was a penalty and argueably could have been a 5 but thankfully was called a two. These players know you won't get away with plays like that into the boards but they still happen to often. You must not have seen the Roe injury to describe it as a hit. Go Sioux, bring home #8.
ReplyDeleteI made a mistake: I assumed something.
ReplyDeleteSo Roe didn't get hurt by diving into the boards much like Lasch could've been. I still remember the Robbie Earl dive nearly crystal clear (I only can't remember who it was that got ejected for hitting him). But he was not injured at all and simply waited for the hit with his back to the defender...just like Lasch did.
What Blood did was finish his check, with too much zeal perhaps, but that's it. What Lasch did was beyond stupid and, worse, dangerous to himself.
This wasn't a full bore hit where Lasch was just facing the wrong way at the wrong time. Lasch had options and he chose incorrectly. I'm relieved he wasn't injured.
Nevertheless, the main issue is that SCSU is developing a reputation for stretching the limits of embellishment and that overshadows the benefits of doubt.
seriously man...there is a line you just dont cross when it comes to injury and you are crossing it. People turn into the boards all the time, but it still the job of the aggresor (blood in this case) to notice and lay off the hit. To even compare this to a dive is just plain idiotic. And on the Roe front I fully admit that Roe dives on many occassions, but you would have to be insane to say the art of diving has been lost on the sioux as well. Every team does it. No matter the situation though you should always (no questions asked) give the benefit of doubt to the guy taken off on a stretcher (at least until you actually see the play first a hand).
ReplyDeleteIt's becoming more and more common for players taking any kind of a dubious hit to lay on the ice until a whistle blows and the trainer is skidded out to the scene, they're helped off the ice, a major penalty is assessed, and the victim misses maybe one shift. Hockey has joined the ranks of football with an overabundance of officiating and TOO MUCH PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. Helmets and face masks give players an unrealistic feeling of invincibility. They stick their head in places it doesn't belong, they skate with their head down, they dare other players to hit them. It looks like the only solution to checks that cause injuries is to take checking out of the game. Then the boys and girls can play together.
ReplyDeleteI agree pulverized, I am also concerned that the SCSU players who was hit with a questionable hit probably worthy of a major penalty, laid on the ice like he had been shot and then returned to the game about a shift lor two later and played on the power play for the Major Penalty.
ReplyDeleteEver notice in the NHL the players protect themselves. As long as the WCHA wants to keep playing babysitter and tighten up these calls, the players will keep making turns to the boards in the hopes of drawing a five minute major. There are situations where a player is vulnerable and the aggressor needs to lay off. I'm talking about the grinding in the corners, using your body to protect the puck and what really pisses me off is those last second turns that get guys thrown out of games.
ReplyDeleteJoe-
ReplyDeleteNormally I agree with you, but I just can't. No, I do not wish injury on anyone, even if I don't like the player, but you can CLEARLY see Lasch see Blood coming and then turn and wait.
I wasn't rooting for Lasch's injury. I was decrying his sheer stupidity. Yes, Blood's job was to recognize and hold up, and that's why I'm ok with the penalty as is. He did not and he should sit for it. And he did.
I will say it again: I don't recall ever stating UND as angels. I never said SCSU is the only team that dives.
I will say that SCSU excels in the act thanks to players like Garrett Roe. SCSU wouldn't dive any more than any other WCHA team if Roe wasn't on the team.
And the WCHA is more responsible for it than Roe or SCSU or UND or any player in the league. They said they'd crack down on it and they've yet to call it... at least in a game UND has been in.
And even though I despise diving, I also understand the reasons behind its occurrance. The officials aren't going to call it... so WHY stop doing it?
Diving near the boards is insanely stupid. It INVITES injury. Is a 5 minute major worth getting when it could mean you leaving the game on a stretcher? FOr Robbie Earl, though he never got injured, I got the impression that it was worth it. It's hard for me to think that Lasch wasn't trying to get Blood kicked out of the game by WAITING there for the hit. He had time to at least get rid of the puck. He had time to skate out rather than turn. He was going to get hit regardless. And I thank God that he wasn't injured. Lasch is a small guy and Blood is a giant. It doesn't take too much imagination to see how lucky Lasch got.
No, I don't have a "thing" against SCSU beyond the fact that SCSU has dove more often than any other team (mainly due to Roe). It will be interesting next year to see if Roe continues on this track or will he give up the diving crown to Minnesota's Cepis.
I'll say it again: What's the use of diving if it could result in serious injury? It's not worth it. Hence, why I'm so vocal about despising it.
A five minute major penalty and the consequent possibility of scoring two goals is definitely "worth it" when you're covered with protective plastic and padding. This would be a travesty if teams could actually run an effective power play, which is seldom seen recently.
ReplyDelete