Matt Watkins interview on Hockey Buzz.

Julie Robenhymer from Hockey Buzz interviewed Matt Watkins Some good stuff here and Watty's opinion on who should be the next host of Miller Time.

Here is what Julie had to say about the UND Fighting Sioux and the fan support at the Xcel. Pretty accurate assessment of this past weekend.

In the second semifinal, the Bulldogs took on the Fighting Sioux, who's fans showed up in full force. No joke, you might have thought this tournament was being held in Grand Forks there was so much green in the crowd. Too bad it didn't help the Sioux as the crowd was taken out of the game early on a big time boo boo by their goaltender, Brad Eidsness. He went behind the net to corral the puck coming around the boards and then left it there for his defenseman and skated around the long way to the front of the net, but was unaware of McGreggor Sharp, who has been Johnny on the Spot for the Bulldogs this weekend, coming up around the other side who scooped up the puck and tapped it into an essentially empty net. Did I mention that was shorthanded?? The Sioux finally got their act together in the middle of the second and started playing to their potential, but Stalock put up another solid performance and didn't let anything by as the Bulldogs advanced to the Championship Game.

Julie Robenhymer on the Frozen Four...

Check out Julie Robenhymer's blog on hockeybuzz and her take on the Frozen Four. The only problem with the article that I saw was that she said the Sioux were in the CCHA.

In a 40-ish game schedule (depending on in-season tournaments), a team will play about 10 non-conference opponents. The top tier teams often take on other top tier teams from different conferences to guage their abilities on a national level and improve thier strength of schedule. So it was a big deal when two-time National Runner-Up Boston College (Hockey East) hosted North Dakota (CCHA), the team they had beaten both times to advance to the National Title game, earlier this season...but more on this later...

Here is another interesting point on the Sioux and the Eagles.

I have loved the Fighting Sioux ever since the off season when current Hobey Baker winner - Ryan Duncan and teammates TJ Oshie, Taylor Chorney and Joe Finley decided not to follow former teammate, Jonathan Towes, to the NHL and stick together to hopefully finish what they started and make another run at the National Championship. They started the season ranked #1, but quickly fell after a rather mediocre start. In fact, they split every series in the first half of the season and didn't kick things into high gear until after thier holiday tournament (Click here to read my blog about it from earlier this year). Since then, they have found their groove. Backstopped by Jean-Phillippe Lamoureux and his 1.64 GGA and led by Oshie and Duncan and their 45 and 40 points respectively, they roll all four lines and boast 14 skaters with double digits in points.

On the flipside...I've not been a fan of BC ever since my time at UMass, but I've gotten over it...this team ROCKS! Talk about overcoming adversity...there was a time this season when they weren't even in the nation's Top 15!! But much like the Sioux, they kicked it into high gear mid-way through the season. They won their holiday tourny and then the Beanpot in February followed by the Hockey East Tournament. Led by Hobey Baker Finalist, Nathan Gerbe and his 60 points, these Eagles might be on the smaller side, but man are they FAST. Thier PP converts at 21.7% led by freshman and last week's OT hero, Joe Whitney and his 28 man-advantage points. Another freshman stand-out (much like Michigan, this was a rebuilding year for BC), goaltender John Muse has started all 42 games in goal with a 2.26 GGA, but stepping it up in the post season he has a 1.60 GGA in the last six games. Yet another freshman to keep your eye on is San Jose defensive prospect Nick Petrecki - an absolute stud at the blueline.

I also like the way she is thinking...

Personally, I'm hoping for a North Dakota victory, but most importantly a GREAT game and of that I am assured. :)