Wheels coming off in Minnesota?

I am not sure what to make out of last weekends UNO Maverick sweep of the Minnesota Golden Gophers? The Gophers looked horrible on defense and their goaltending also looked suspect. My first question would be are the Gophers as bad as they looked on television or are the Mavericks that good? That question will be answered in a few weeks after we play a few more series. One thing was evident; Dean Blais and his staff were prepared for the Gophers this past weekend. If it hadn’t been for the life line from the refs on Friday; (Box Score) the refs called UNO for five straight penalties after UNO scored their fourth goal. So; we will never know if the game would have been as close, if the Gophers hadn't gotten a bunch of power plays.

I am also considering suggesting that the Minnesota Gophers hockey team change their team colors to orange and white to so they would resemble big orange road cones, as the opposition blows by them on defense.

TOUGH LOSSES FOR LUCIA

Gophers coach Don Lucia probably took the sweep hard. He knows all three UNO coaches well.

Mavericks coach Dean Blais said he has been friends with Don for 30 years. But it's Blais that critics of Lucia most often mention as the best candidate to succeed him if he gets fired. WCHA finishes of seventh, fifth and seventh have left Lucia a little vulnerable even with two NCAA titles on his resume in 2002 and '03.

Fans have short memories and all the empty seats at Mariucci have to be troubling. Crowds were better for the UNO series, but every section still had open seats in most rows.

Joel Maturi, the Gophers' athletric director stopped by the press box in the middle of the game but didn't stay long. He had the Tim Brewster issue to deal with.

But it was not a good day in hockey for the U of M either. The North Dakota women's hockey team completes a sweep of the Gophers at Ridder Arena, then the UNO men sweep the Gophers at Mariucci. Who would have thunk it?