Friday morning links.

Here are a couple of things that are floating out there that might be of interest to you.

Both Fighting Sioux hockey games this weekend will be on channel 617 on Direct TV as well as on the NHL channel. [Fighting Sioux]

Here is an awesome blog post detailing the Leafs beat down they took at the hands of the Boston Bruins last night. [Tea Party Throw Down]

If you fas forward to 26:10 you can hear the Shawn Thornton comments on his former teammate Phil Kessel. [Toucher and Rich podcast]

Here is a summary of a few of the things that Thornton said.

Question from the hosts: We heard that you were was proud of the crowd on Saturday night; Shawn enjoyed the constant booing of Kessel for jumping ship for a couple more dollars. Peter (Chiarelli) said they offered him a pretty good contract and Kessel still chose to leave, he (Peter Chiarelli) was painted into a corner.

When asked if Thornton liked him; Shawn we weren’t that tight. It was evident that Thornton really didn’t want to answer the question but when prodded by the hosts, ‘alright I don’t like him.’

Question from the hosts: Are the Bruins are we are better off without him on the team? Thornton: For our system I don’t know if we are better off without him. It wasn’t the best fit, he is better suited to be able to wheel and deal float around and take 10 shots a night and hope a lot of them go in.

The Wild's former first round bust Benoit Pouliot has finally recovered from his injury and has now been assigned to Hamilton Bulldogs for the purpose of reconditioning. [NHL.COM]

For some Wisconsin Badgers perspective you can go to this blog site. [60 Minutes, No Alibis, No Regrets]

Here is the Badgers Nation Series Preview: No.11 UW vs. No.3 N. Dakota.
[Scout.com]

Thursday Linkorama

The young Captials goalie Semyon Varlamov that lead them in the playoffs last season has a new goalie mask.

This is where Ovechkin stands on the 2014 Olympics. "I don't care... I'll go play in the Olympic Games for my country. If somebody says to me, 'You can't play,' see ya." [Puck Daddy] I think the best players in the world should be in the Olympic. That in my opinion is the NHL players.

Fargo Force player Colten St. Clair talks about his decommitment from C.C. and his commitment to the University of North Dakota. This article kind of puts the conspiracy theorist's charges to bed. [University of North Dakota Hockey] Check out these comments, "I think it is funny how Sioux fans always try to talk garbage about other coaches supposedly recruiting players after they have committed elsewhere but this is the 2nd time in the last year or so where a kid quickly decommits from a WCHA school and then suddenly commit to UND. Maybe we should be raising an eyebrow over Hakstol and Co? Something tells me if this happened at a rival school, we'd be reading a bunch of comments on how it is wrong, etc."

Brandon of Sioux Yeah Yeah gives his run down of last season.

Apparently the Philadelphia Flyers are Interested in Edmonton's Rob Schremp. You have to wonder if this kid is ever going to have an impact in the NHL? [Bleacher Report] Pesonally I think he is over rated.

Hockey Joe has a new blog site. [Gross Misconduct Hockey]

From walsha's Twitter: Penguins on way to the White House with their spouses to meet with Pres Obama. Clients MA Fleury, R. Fedotenko, P Dupuis and M Satan there.

You can vote here for the UND Fighting Sioux Hockey Jersey in the Hockey News Jersey Tourney. The Sioux are competing with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Stockton Thunder, Minnesota Wild, San Antonio Rampage, Calgary Flames, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Seattle Thunderbirds, Quad City Mallards, Vancouver Giants. The Fighting Sioux are currently Tied with the Calgary Flames.

Fast and Furious

There is all kinds of hockey news today.

Boston Bruins forward David Krejci (hip) has resumed skating and plans on playing in October. That is good news for the Bruins.
[Boston Globe]

Alexander Ovechkin has a tramp stamp, or what ever you call it on a dude. [Puck Daddy]

Yawn! Boring! Marco Sturm is staking with out limitations and should be fine for this season. [Boston Globe]

Former Badger Kyle Turris has added 10 pounds in the off season.

The Dany Heatly saga goes on. Sens consider drop-dead for Heatley trade: Murray [Ottawa Sun]

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Ryan Bayda hopes he can get a one way contract. Apparently the Canes want to give him a two way contract. [Roto World]

According to the Michael Russo Twitter page the Wild are interested in Jonathan Cheechoo. He would look good in the Wild's new third jersey.

Here is what Chara had to say on the Phil Kessel Matter.

On the Phil Kessel situation, Chara didn’t want to cause any controversy with his take on the restricted free agent’s ongoing contract situation.

“It’s part of the thing that every player has to realize and decide what he wants to do,” Chara said. “And obviously the rest of it is up to the management and Phil. So as a player I can’t really wish anything more than have both sides be happy. But we’ll see what’s going to happen.” [The Bruins Blog]

Is the Kessel Saga ending a conclusion? [NESN.COM]

But last Friday, we may have seen the gates open once again. San Jose is rumored to be a suitor for both players and cleared some cap space by trading defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich to the Canucks. Many around the league feel this may be a precursor to a bigger deal, possibly for Heatley or Kessel.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported Sunday that the Sharks could actually be preparing to make an offer sheet to Kessel. The Bruins are on record as saying they would match any offer sheets made to the restricted free agent -- though, on occasion, general manager Peter Chiarelli has slipped in the “within reason” when saying he would match. So unless Sharks GM Doug Wilson decides to throw a ridiculous contract at Kessel, expect the Bruins to match any offer sheet thrown down by him.

There were also rumors this past week that the Rangers and Devils have interest in Kessel, but sources with both teams denied that. Chiarelli was on vacation last week and unavailable for comment while a call to Kessel’s agent, Wade Arnott, went unreturned through the weekend.

Friday Linkorama.

Mike Russo the Minnesota Wild beat writer has an interesting article on whether the Wild would be interested in Nikolai Zherdev. I am going to say no don't do it.

Bruins forward David Krejci is ranked second in the top 10 Czechs in the game. Martin Havlat of the Minnesota Wild is ranked seventh.

Former Wisconsin Badgers goalie Brian Elliott has a new two year deal.

Props NHL.COM Former Fighting Sioux hockey coach and current UNO Maverick and USA WJC coach Dean Blais is looking for the right mix of players for Team USA.

"They've got questionnaires on them, you have all the stats on these guys, but we want to see how they get along with teammates. Can they jell? Can they be team players? Can they do the little things to win that we ask them to do?

Sidney Crosby had his day with the Stanley Cup.

More on the Dany Heatley Saga: Dany Heatley's Ottawa Senators teammates could/would accept Heatley back this season but they want an explanation. This is what Chris Neil had to say.

Everyone's in the dark here. I think guys would want an explanation.
"But, if Dany shows up at camp and he's ready to go, we'd welcome him back.

Boxing Day addition. (Linkorama)

Boxing Day in Winnipeg

When I got up this morning I said its December 26th Boxing day in Canada. Obviously I am an American but I do live in a border state. If the Winnipeg Manitoba still had an NHL team I could have the opportunity to watch NHL hockey 150 miles from my front door, but I digress. The Jets folded up shop and moved to Phoenix Arizona after the 1995-1995 season and that team is now known as the Coyotes who are now floundering in the desert southwest poised to lose millions of dollars. There has been some question wether they will be able to make payroll or not.

I believe to this day that it was a huge mistake to take a NHL hockey team out of Canada and put it in a city that doesn’t appreciate hockey. There are even suggestions that the Coyotes should move back to Winnipeg. I am crossing my fingers.

I remember back to the Winnipeg Jets 1992-1993 season and my father, brother and sisters attended a hockey game in Winnipeg Manitoba at the Winnipeg Arena to watch an NHL hockey game between the Jets and the L.A. Kings.


Fighting in the NHL up again

The incidence of fighting is up in the NHL. My first response is good. Usually we hear the hue and cry from some fair weather hockey fans how fighting has lost its place in the NHL and the league needs to ban it immediately. The usual claim is that incidence of holding fans back fan or keeping the NHL from having more fans follow the NHL. I say B.S.

First off, hockey is a regional sport and we don't need a lot of clueless fans that we have to explain the game of hockey too every step of the way. Go watch basket brawl. If these novice hockey fans don't understand the reason for fighting in hockey we don’t need them to be fans they are probably the same people that like the Fox Glow Puck.

Fighting in hockey is a tool and keeps the agitators and cheap shot artists in check. The thought of having to pay for you transgressions keeps players honest. If I am one of these punks that hides behind a half shield runs around the ice running players and hacking the opposition with my stick I am going to pay for my actions eventually.

Goons/tough guys protect players like Sidney Crosby or Marian Gaborik. I know that if I take a run at Marian Gaborik I am going to have to look over my shoulder for the Boogey man, because he is coming. If fighting is taken out of hockey there is no checks and balance to cheap shot and the league will putting a star player’s health in jeopardy.

Detractors of hockey say that fighting keeps the sport away from a broader fan base and continues to leave the sport in relative obscurity. In the past, efforts to curtail fighting have set hockey back on several occasions. I’m not talking about taking the sport back to the reckless style of the 1970’s, but critics have to recognize the unbreakable link between fighting and the popularity of hockey with its fans.

Penguins Coach on a the rampage

The Penguins coach Michel Therrien let his team have it after loosing to a crappy Tampa Bay Lightning team. As a hockey fan I would like to see more coaches have press conferences like this one. Team plays bad let them know it. These guys make too much money to be dogging it.

Penguins coach Michel Therrien was critical of his team's effort.

"The schedule is pretty tough. We just played four games in six days. Those are excuses," he said. "We don't have the right attitude. We like to complain about each other on the bench and on the ice. They better wake up pretty quick. ... I'm really disappointed with their work ethic and the concentration. Until they change their attitude, we are going to have the same results."

A couple of things.

Here is an interesting piece that I found in the Bleacher Report. While Avery is an ass people are probably interested in what he is doing.

Avery right about the NHL: Let me make something clear: I would have NO interest in watching the basement-dwelling Stars play against a team located in a desolate place like Calgary. But you better believe that I will check out this matchup the next time it happens, as I want to see Dion Phaneuf beat the daylights out of Avery. Or vice-versa, I don't really care. I want a fight. I want to tell my friends about it the next day at work.

The Sharks have the cup wrapped up, so please give me some other reason to watch this sport! A flat-faced Sean Avery would be delightful, thank you.

I hope that the next time a team owner or NHL official uses the word "integrity" to describe their goals, they think about the cost of that very concept. Integrity is swell. But not at the cost of millions, perhaps billions, in future revenue.

Sean Avery will be famous, and therefore rich, well after his undistinguished career reaches its conclusion.

I can't wait to see what other stunts NHL players pull when they realize this truth.

Brian Burke was asked about the Sean Avery saga.

Suspension is not surprising: "I will say this, as a generic overview, this type of commentary has never been acceptable in our League and I'm not surprised Sean Avery was suspended and I don't think it should be acceptable. I found it personally offensive and since he was immediately suspended doesn't surprise me one bit and I'll be surprised if they don't take this very seriously at the League level and that will be reflected in what happened.

So now we are to believe that Sean Avery is sorry for his objectionable comments. Hey Sean, it is probably a little to late for that. Talk about open mouth insert foot.

Avery: "I would like to sincerely apologize for my off-color remarks to the press yesterday from Calgary," Avery said in a statement before leaving for New York and a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that's scheduled for Thursday.

"I should not have made those comments and I recognize that they were inappropriate. It was a bad attempt to build excitement for the game, but I am now acutely aware of how hurtful my actions were. I caused unnecessary embarrassment to my peers as well as people I have been close with in the past.

"I apologize for offending the great fans of the NHL, the commissioner, my teammates, my coaching staff and the Dallas Stars management and ownership. As many of you know, I like to mix it up on and off the ice from time to time, but understand that this time I took it too far."

Linkorama.

~So far this season the Air Force Falcons have trailed in only two of their 14 games. Are we to be impressed with that stat based who they have played this season?

~After starting out the season slow UNH star James van Riemsdyk is on a seven-game scoring streak. You wonder if the Flyers will come calling after the season is over?

~According to Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy the first KHL's all-star game will be played outdoors in Moscow's Red Square.

~Hero one day, sitting in the press box the next. Wild Forward Cal Clutterbuck was a hero last week after scoring two goals in a game ended up being a healthy scratch after Wild coach Jacques Lemaire thought Clutterbuck was acting complacent.

~Jacques Lemaire says the Wild lack focus. Also the Wild known for being a strong team at home went 2-4 in their last 6 games at the Xcel Energy Center.

~Former Sioux star T.J. Oshie is going to make the road trip with the Blues. Oshie will not play against the Wild tomorow night, but he is listed as day to day.

~Dallas Punk Sean Avery has been suspended by the league for his "sloppy seconds" comment this morning at the skate. Sean Avery had made waves by calling Jarome Iginla boring. I was always told if you can't say anthing nice don't say anything at all.

Blues 1-4-1 since Sarah Palin dropped the puck.

Thank God she didn't drop the puck for the Boston Bruins or the Minnesota Wild. Check out Elliot Olshansky's latest article. Who said you can't mix sports and politics? How does this article fit with the current theme? This article fits because the Fighting Sioux are playing UAA and Palin is the Governor of the Great state of Alaska and I am fan of Elliot's work, if he sends it to me its going to get posted.

Elliot is right, Sarah has gotten people talking about hockey but also she has people excited about her and she isn't going to go away any time soon, Palin is going to be player on the political scene. I don't have a problem with her promoting hockey. Love her or hate her she is an exciting and refreshing person.

Lastly, Goon is a huge Sarah Palin fan and she has my vote in 2012 if she decides to run for president of the United States of America. Also, she can go hunting with me any time.

One thing's certain: Palin didn't do much for the teams who hosted her. The Philadelphia Flyer's lost their first six games after hosting Palin at their season opener. When they finally won, on October 24, Palin was dropping the puck at a St. Louis Blues game, and Blues goaltender Manny Legace injured himself tripping on the Alaska governor's red carpet. With Legace out of the lineup, the Blues have gone 1-4-1.
------snip-------
Given that Palin's values-based conservatism resonates loudest in many of the areas where hockey has traditionally struggled to gain traction, her ability to bring national news media attention to hockey during her run on the GOP ticket was a plus for the sport.

"I think where we're at as a sport, any time we can get any mention in things nationally, I think it's a positive," said Danton Cole, in his second year as head coach at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. "I thought when that first came out at the convention, and she mentioned it in her speech, that was outstanding. We look at that as a definite positive thing for the sport of hockey."

Cole knows a thing or two about high-profile hockey moms - Chargers goaltender Wyatt Russell is the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn - and as the head coach at the only NCAA Division I hockey program in the South, he could recognize the impact Palin made in communities where the sport takes a backseat.

"We are a bit of a cult sport," Cole said. "We're off the beaten path. Around here, it definitely came up in the arenas, and certainly a few people in the neighborhood brought up the 'hockey mom' thing. It was something that people in hockey and out of hockey definitely commented on."

Sioux and Tigers, Lets stop the Tiger roar.

The Sioux travel to Colorado Springs to play the top ranked Colorado College Tigers. The Sioux have had a tough start and are 2-4-0, (2-2-0 WCHA) and face the top ranked team in the country 5-0-3, (4-0-1 WCHA).

The Tigers are 5-0-0 at home so far this season and were almost unbeatable at the world Arena last season the Tigers went 18-3-0. On the road the Tigers have yet to win and are 0-0-3.

Since the 2005-2006 season the Sioux are 5-4 against the Tigers.

I don't want to make any grand predictions for this weekend's series. Personally, I don't want to spread any of my bad karma around this weekend. I personally believe this series could go two ways; 1.) The series could get really ugly and the Sioux could be on the receiving end of two lopsided games. 2.) The Sioux could step it up, bottom down the hatch and gain a split. It this happen the Sioux will gain some needed confidence. I don't see the Sioux sweeping the Tigers this weekend.

Defensively, the Fighting Sioux need to play better on defense if they want to gain a split. The Fighting Sioux defense can not get caught up ice if they want to win. Last weekend Chay Genoway was a minus 4 in the third period. That can not happen if they want to be successful this weekend.

For the Season the Tigers aren't going to go 40-0-3 on the season so the Tigers better not get over confident or the opportunistic Sioux could sting the. Also, I have been a major jinx as of late.


Check out this week's Match up.

Linkorama

Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald --- The task is tall this weekend for the Sioux (2-4 overall, 2-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association).

They have to go to World Arena, where Colorado College was 18-3 last season and 5-0 so far this year. And they have to play a Tigers team that boasts the WCHA’s No. 2 goal scorer in Rau, the league’s top defense (1.5 goals allowed per game), top penalty kill (96.8 percent), top special teams units (plus-six) and top goaltender in Richard Bachman (1.24 goals-against average, .960 save percentage).

Uncaged Colorad College Hockey.

The Tigers' opponent this week is the once mighty North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The Sioux are currently 2-4 (2-2WCHA) and are coming off a 5-2 loss to Wisconsin. Judging from the lack of posts on Goon's Sioux site, it's been a bad year already. I can't remember the last time the Sioux weren't in the top 10, let alone unranked! Doesn't mean it won't be a tough series, but the Tigers need to sweep North Dakota for points and because, at least in terms of current records, the Sioux are apparently a "should win" series. The biggest key is to get some points and avoid injuries...oh yea and score!

Linkorama: a few things.

There is an interesting twist to the Taylor Chorney story it appears that the Oiler are low balling Taylor. Hey most of us would love to see Chorney return for his senior year. Come on Oilers keep low balling Taylor.

The Oilers announced the roster for their annual prospect camp starting June 1st, and there was one name noticeably absent. North Dakota D-man Taylor Chorney, who did attend last year wasn't listed.

Now Chorney did injure his knee in the Fighting Sioux's final game during the NCAA Frozen Four tournament, but at the time it wasn't considered a serious injury and I'm told it's pretty much healed by now, so we should be able to rule that out.

I have spoken to several sources on this issue and have been told it is a contract issue, and that the agent is using whether Chorney comes to camp as a negotiating tactic.

I have also been told the first offer made was a little high and surprised the Oilers quite a bit.

I inadvertently snubbed a fellow Sioux blogger and I must bring attention to his new blog that first made its debut on the blog-sphere in February of 2008. Mikey Pat from MPH (Sioux) has some suggestions for the person that runs the music at the REA. Mike is right the music at the Ralph is bad and there needs to be some changes. Apparently Adam Burrish has a Good music selection.

So there has been many talk in the past couple weeks about improvements that can be made the the Fighting Sioux's home ice at the Ralph Englestad Arena. While surfing the Blackhawks website I came across iMixes which I've with celebrities from time to time. In that section you can find various players iMixes and what they have and listen to on their iPod. Just looking through them I found Adam Burish has the best lineup by far, but I found something else that was intriguing.

In the same section they had the music lineup for the home games at the United Center. Now I'm sure that not all the songs are on their, but their were a lot of good songs that I saw that might keep the crowd going. The REA needs to desperately change the music at the Ralph and I personally believe that this could be accomplished if REA management simply took a weekend trip to other NHL arenas around the country. People will complain that this is a college arena so you cannot hold them to NHL standards, but in my opinion the technology that we have at the Ralph requires it to be held to NHL standards. To catch the mix, check it out here

Also posted in the blog article is a pretty great video with some good music and awesome highlights from the Blackhawks this past season. With the some of the young stars Kane and Toews and mix of free agents the Hawks will be a force to be reckoned with next season. I just hope it isn't at the expense of the Wild.

Linkorama...

Here is a new blog that I found while checking out the stats for this blog. Check it out, it has a nice story on the NCAA playoffs. Welcome back Ryan?

Dave Hakstol on the officials this weekend.

On the officials for games this weekend:
We won’t have any officials from either the WCHA or ECAC. We’ll probably have Hockey East or CCHA officials. There’s a pre-game meeting between the referee and the captains from each team. You need to pay attention and listen to the referee’s expectations and the things he’s going to key on. Hopefully, we’ll discover the level that the game’s going to be called in the first 10 minutes. He’ll say what his points of emphasis are. He’ll give the guys an idea of what to expect.

This might be a case of be careful what you ask for. I just hope that UND isn't going to be in trouble after playing in the WCHA all season long where the refs won't call the obstruction and then having play a game where there are officials from other leagues. Last weekend during the Final Five the refs were calling the games more tightly and I didn't hear or have a lot of complaints for the way the games were called.

The Blog that Yost Built had a really good link to clip from the 2002 Michigan and SCSU game. You know the game with the Molly incident. There is also a really good clip to a hit Jed Ortmeyer leveling St. Cloud State’s Matt Hendricks during the 2002 NCAA Midwest Regional. Ouch! If you listen closely you will here FSN's Doug Woog doing color for the broadcast. Nice!

C.C. coach Scott Owens on Richard Bachman: "At the rate he's playing, I don't know how long we're going to have him at Colorado College," Owens said.

Hum, didn't I say some close to this not too long ago: Oh, the heck with it: Kevin Porter won the award months ago, and everyone else is playing for second…and third. Honestly, I agree with what Elliot has said, this award is Porters unless he really screws up. The award is not going to a player from the WCHA and it is definitely not going to a player from UND.

Linkorama

Check out RWD's letter that she wrote to Chris Simon on Wild Puck Banter. I think this is how a lot of Wild Fans feel.

Here is Chris Simon's letter to Wild Fans I am all about forgiveness and giving people a second chance but the next time this guy does something stupid it could be the end of his career. This guys has over the course of a career spent 30 hours in the penalty box.

By Chris Simon
As Told to Chris Snow

I want to leave the game as a respected player. I think I am that, to coaches who coached me, and managers who managed me, and players who played with me. But I know that's going to take time to build back with the fans. And I know now, this is it. Anything else happens, I’m done. I know that.

I have played almost 800 games in 16 seasons. I have played in three Stanley Cup Finals, winning one, in Colorado. I have scored goals, 144 of them. One year I scored 29. And I've piled up a lot of penalty minutes, more than 1,800. I have been suspended eight times. The last two were long; 25 games for putting a stick to the face of a Rangers player, Ryan Hollweg. And 30 games this year for stepping on the skate of a Penguins player, Jarkko Ruutu. I am 36, with a wife and four children (ages 13, 6, 5 and 3).

And I keep playing. I want to keep playing, not only for the rest of this season but beyond. Someone asked me yesterday: Why keep playing?

I think it's because I love hockey. I love the friendships. I love the idea of having teammates. I love going to the rink. I love the competitive nature, and how hockey is about the team. Even if a guy plays 5-6 minutes, you need him. You're important no matter how much you play. And you need to give your best for the team to be successful.

That's why I was really happy to be traded to the Wild. It put a big smile on my face to hear that somebody that’s looking to challenge for the Stanley Cup would want me. I had always heard great things about the organization. I follow all of the teams and their style of play. I saw this team and its approach: skill players, but also, big physical players.

And, when I met with Jacques, it was a great thing, the way he explained my role. We had a meeting, and he said: "You're a hockey player first. You've scored goals in the past. I want you to play smart, physical. None of the other bull that has nothing to do with the game. If someone wants you to fight, you fight. You stand up for your teammates. No yapping."

That’s what in the past got me into trouble, the antagonizing, the verbalizing.

Once, during a game, I called Mike Grier a word I should never have used. I crossed the line. As soon as I said it, I knew I made a big mistake. Of anything I've ever done, that's the one that will stay with me always, the one that bothers me. It still does.

I apologized. He accepted my apology. And later, we were teammates in Washington. But, it's something that doesn't leave me.

I have heard those kinds of words in my own life. My Dad is Native Canadian, 100% Ojibwe. My Mom is Anglo Canadian.

Teams I have played for have wanted to give publicity to the good things I do. But I didn't want to. I know I've done good things in my lifetime. That helps me get through the adversity. If I was a bad person and didn't respect myself, I would have retired and run away.

The one thing I will talk about is the Native hockey schools. I do a lot of them. I go to places a lot of people won't go, remote reservations in northern Ontario and Quebec where there are only two ways in: fly, or take a winter road. You have to drive on the ice. In the summertime, you can't get in.

When I was suspended this year I went to visit children at a young offenders prison in Winnipeg. I think 80 percent of the kids in there are Native. I spoke to two groups, boys and girls. I told them my life story. I told them, sometimes you need to get help. I told them how Ted Nolan, my coach in junior, helped me when I had trouble with alcohol in junior hockey.

It was hard to leave those kids. When I was leaving, I got interviewed, and it was a funny thing. The writer wanted to know how much we talked about hockey. I don’t think we spent two minutes on hockey. It was about life. The kids were really good. I was really impressed with how interested they were and the questions they asked.

Some questions people ask me, it's hard to explain. Like: Why did I do what I did to get those suspensions?

Before I hit Hollweg with that stick he ran me into the glass. In that instant I didn't even know who hit me. I knew I'd gotten hit hard, and, instinctually, I knew if I got hit hard again, I was going to get knocked out. I just knew I couldn't get hit again. And I used my stick. That was my mistake. And it was a big mistake.

The day I stepped on Ruutu's skate, I knew exactly what I was doing. Since I was young, I never liked to see anybody picked on. I never liked to see that. I wanted to protect people I cared for. I have to stand up for my teammates against players like him. But I did it the wrong way. Next time, I will do it differently. Or, there won't be another next time for me.

I just hope for a fair chance to prove to you that I can play hard within the rules and stand up for my teammates and myself. I do know I have to play a physical game, but within the rules.

I would like to keep going in this game. I want a last chance. To prove I can play within the rules of the game. To prove that I’ve done a lot of good things in my life, opposed to a few bad things. I want to be respected. But I have to earn respect. That’s what I’m prepared to do.

Here is another article that I thought was pretty good, it is actually how I feel about the WCHA and the current state of the game, I am not sure if it could get any lower. The officials will not call the hooking, holding, slashing and obstruction, it is almost like thuggery is being rewarded. It has become unwatchable. While I don't believe that the NHL is quite as bad, hockey at a higher level is going to have to make some changes to the game or they risk losing a lot of fans.

By JIM SOUHAN, Star Tribune


Item: Even in a down year for the Gophers, the WCHA frequently offers high-scoring games in which both teams create constant chances.

Item: Wild prospect Benoit Pouliot gets his teeth knocked to the back of his throat by a minor league thug, who picks him up by the neck and smashes his face in the ice while an official does nothing.

Item: The Wild trades for Chris Simon, giving the team three tough guys -- Simon, Todd Fedoruk and Derek Boogaard -- who contribute little to the scoring column (or any column) even when healthy.

Item: The Wild, despite spending much of its payroll on skilled players, can't score more than your average soccer team.

The conclusion: The higher the level of hockey, the worse the quality of play, and the more thuggery and defensive systems are rewarded.
(Red the whole article here)

Linkorama: SCSU gets Hosed by the Refs.

More popular and funny pictures at Popular-Pics.com
Western College Hockey: "That Shouldn't Be A Goal" Now we know how DU swept the Huskies. Chris had this posted over on his blog. If I was the SCSU coach I would have gone postal and snapped. This is the crap that I have been talking about for years. This should not be a goal this is a disgrace and Schmidt should be fired, not suspended from his job he should be fired. I also believe it will be a travesty if Randy Schmidt should ever be allowed to ref another game in this league.

Linkorama: UND and UofW

There are a few links to the Weekend Hockey series with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Todd Milewski the Beat Writer for the Capital Times.

The Badger backers blog is also a place to read some good Badger intelligence but he hasn't updated his blog as of late but there is still a lot of time yet...

Another great source is the Hockey In Wisconsin Blog this site has a lot of great information on hockey happenings in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin series is going to be a tough series as the Badger never play very well in the Kohl Center. For all those people that say the Badgers don't play a TRAP are delusional. Good news for Sioux fans Elliot is no longer with the Badgers and Shane Connelly isn't going to be confused with the second coming of Brian Elliot. Connelly is 5-3-2 with a GAA of 2.60 and a save percentage of .897. I am excited to see how Kyle Turris looks for the Badgers. Below are the Badgers lines according to Todd Milewski

Street-Turris-P. Johnson
Engel-Geoffrion-Grotting
Mitchell-Dolan-Ford
Davies-Bendickson-Turnbull
Gorowsky-Bohmbach-Bearson

Drewiske-Goloubef
Smith-Klubertanz
McDonagh-McBain
C. Johnson-Bardis