The excuses are coming in from the NoDak fans fast and furious. Yes UND was suspension depleted. Still No. 2 team in country, right? Yep.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) October 21, 2012
As most college hockey fans know by now, North Dakota lost in the championship game of the Brice Goal Rush Tourney last night in Fairbanks, Alaska. Obviously, UND was "favored" to win the game and after they lost twitter and a few of the fan message boards were a buzz.
Actually, it happens a lot after UND loses just ask @UNDSID
I mean, it is, what it is. UND lost a hockey game that most thought they should have won. It's not like this loss is of the Holy Cross level. To quote a former Michigan player, "the best team doesn't always win." That's hockey and that's sports in general.
From the fun fact department. No team other than a team from Alaska has won the Brice Goal Rush Tourney, UA has won the tourney in 2009, 2010 and 2012. UAA won it in 2008 and 2011. That streak is in tact after this past weekend.
@chrismpeters they aren't #2 w/o their first line. Its an upset but if you've paid any attention to UND in Hak era they always start slow.
— Peter Christian (@Peter_Christian) October 21, 2012
These were some of the tweets that I found in my twitter feed today. I have to give credit, where credit is due, UND lost a game to a team that wanted the game more. UND didn't cash in on their opportunities and UA did, that's hockey. UND wasn't going to go 42-0-0, there will be a few more losses before the season is over and I bet they will lose a game to a team that they should've beaten.
@peter_christian It's still an upset. Alaska isn't very good.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) October 21, 2012
@chrismpeters I don't think anyone denies that. Its not "huge" as you've described it. Nobody wins trophies in October.
— Peter Christian (@Peter_Christian) October 21, 2012
Here is the list of teams that have played in the Alaska Goal Rush Tourney.
2008: Mercyhurst, Maine, UAA and UA
2009: Robert Morris, Rennselaer, UAA and UA
2010: Colorado College, Union, UAA and UA
2011: Mercyhurst, Omaha Nebraska, UAA and UA
2012: Merimack, North Dakota, UAA and UA
This is a blog post that I found on the subject today.
Alaska Nanooks Hockey blog --- Efforts like we saw tonight show exactly what the Nanooks are capable of. Tonight they outskated, and outworked a good North Dakota team. It's amazing the number of excuses that are out there online that the only reason that the Nanooks won was because of the suspensions to North Dakota players. My answer: those players made the choice to have the party, and getting caught was part of the risk and you have to live with those consequences. But that excuse can't be used to cope with the loss, nor take away anything from this victory for Alaska. The fact is UND was outplayed by the Nanooks tonight.
