The reason the Miller goal was waved off.

Kudos to the ND redfrog from Sioux Sports for posting this video. When this goal was first waved off I thought it was a brutal call (I was sober by the way not clouded by alcohol) but after reviewing this video I would say that video evidence proves that the refs made the right call. Far be it from me to want to compliment the refs.

Video replay shows that Kyle Radke definitely interfered with the MSU player in front of the net. I also wouldn't have been shocked if it had been ruled a good goal.

Two Ref System (EDIT)

This season the WCHA will be experimenting with the 2-and-2 officiating system during the 2007-08 season in about 60 games, in both the men's league and the women's league. (Thanks PCM for the correction) I personally think the two ref system is going to slow the flow of the game down and in essence your going to have a parade to the penalty box. Stay tuned as the season unfolds. I guess if the two ref system can work in the NHL, there is no reason this transition can't be successful in the WCHA/NCAA.

Speaking of horse bleep calls: here is the video of Oshie check from behind penalty while that should have been a penalty, it didn't warrent a 5 and a game in my opinion'.

Ode to the Bruins and Kessel with a hat trick

Former Gophers star/player Phil Kessel scoring a hat trick against the LA Kings. One could say that Kessel's hat trick is very good news since the Boston Bruins haven't really been scoring a lot of goals to start the season. However, there is hope in Boston as the Bruins recently went 3-2 in a western road trip. Incidently the Bruins will not leave the eastern time zone the rest of the season.

A weak attempt at Humor

Lastly, some fans think they are so funny (especially New Jersey Devils Fans), first off even though two former Sioux hockey players play on the Devils I am not a fan of their team; not to mention I think the Devils are going to be a punching bag in the east and have a down season. Sioux7 sent me this poem about the Boston Bruins.

Ode to the Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins,
Their Stanley Cup dreams are in ruins.
One cup in thirty-five years,
Has caused many tears,
Fans drown their sorrows in beers
As the players get jeers,
And the cup still avoids them.

Their players are all washed-up jocks,
They're even worse than the sox!
In the playoffs they choke,
And all their fans' hearts are broke.
Half the team is on coke,
The franchise is a joke.
So the cup still avoids them.

Each year the results are the same,
And Peter Chiarelli is the person to blame.
There are thirty-five more
Years of failure in store.
They can't even score,
From the cup they won't pour.
'Cause the cup still avoids them.

Hockey East on the Decline?

I found this post in my email from the hockey list last night: I wonder if this has anyone concerned on the east coast? Actually I had to take a double take to make sure it wasn't a miss print.

Hockey East did NOT fare very well last night. In eight games, Hockey East went 1-7 with the lone victory coming from Merrimack (4-2 over Niagara). There were some very surprising results too, such as New Hampshire losing an exhibition to New Brunswick and BU falling to Robert Morris. -Deron

Friday, October 12, 2007
Non-Conference
Vermont 1 at Miami 2 (L)
Providence 1 at St. Lawrence 4 (L)
Niagara 2 at Merrimack 4 (W)
Maine 0 at Denver 2
Massachusetts 1 at Clarkson 2 ot (L)

IceBreakerBoston College 3 vs. Michigan 4 ot (L)

Nye Frontier Classic

Robert Morris 3 vs. Boston University 2 (L)

Exhibition

New Brunswick 4 at New Hampshire 3 (L)

I believe the most stunning loses are New Hampshire losing to a Canadian University and Hockey East power house Boston University losing to Robert Morris.

Toews Score his first NHL Goal

I just watched this goal for the first time, man what a move. One could say that this is probably the first of many goals to come during his NHL career. Now I see what everyone was ranting and raving about.

Ballard and Backes Part 2.

These two guys are probably not going to be sending each other Christmas Cards or be going out to dinner any time soon. Incidently that was their second fight in two seasons of hockey. Last April Ballard and Backes got into a good tussel stay tuned to see how this match up shakes out.

Steve Downie is a hack

This was a significant incident that happened while my computer was in the Geek Squad shop. This incident is probably the first of many with this guy; its just the type of player Steve Downie is, a 20 game suspension although probably steep won't stop thugs like guy from striking again. This is the same guy that attacked a fellow teammate. I still believe that Jack Johnson should have been cheered in Vancouver instead of booed for his elbow on Downie.

This is the latest black mark for the National Hockey League Boulerice crosschecks Kesler, Flyers vs Canucks Oct 10, 2007
I can see another 10-20 game suspension.

Goon Back up and Running.

The Computer has landed

Finally I get my lap top computer back from the Best Buy Geek Squad tonight. This was after not having a computer for one day short of a month. I sent my computer in on the 14th of September 2007. I should be back up and running in the next couple of days. I have like 1500 emails to clean out of my inbox and my outlook express locked up on me. I don't know what it is with computers and me.

Sioux win exhibition game (by Sioux 7)

On Sunday night UND started the season, un-officially, with win over the U. of Manitoba. The Sioux trailed after the first period, 2-1, since Phil Lame-a-reaux failed to stop the first two shots that the Bisons took. Hopefully he gets that bad karma off of him that first period. In the second period the Sioux took control and would eventually run away with the game in the third period, winning 9 to 3. Rylan Kaip the new captian had a hat-trick in this game, to bad it doesn't officially count in the statistics columns since it is an exhibition game.

Next Saturday the #1 Sioux host the #2 Spartans of Michigan State. This should be a good game, not to often do #1 and #2 play each othere in the offical season opener. I have not gotten a new magic 8-ball since I broke my last one, but I'll take a stab at the final out come of this weekends game, Sioux win, 4-2.

USCHO preseson poll (by Sioux 7)

I know that poll was released a few days ago, but the Goon and I have been out duck hunting for the past 5-days.

The preseason poll from USCHO features 6 teams from the WCHA, they are:

1. North Dakota
5. Minnesota
11. Colorado College
13. Denver
15. Wisconsin
17. St. Cloud State

UND got 13 first place votes and Minnesota got 1 first place vote. This poll really shows the strenght of the conference as a whole. Six out of ten teams ranked in the top 20, not to bad. They only other conference with that many ranked teams is the CCHA with:

3. Michigan State
4. Miami (Ohio)
8. Notre Dame
10. Michigan
16. St. Lawrence
19. Ohio State

Hockey East has five teams in the poll.

2. Boston College
6. New Hampshire
9. Boston University
12. Maine
20. Vermont

The ECAC has three teams in the poll.

7. Clarkson
14. Quinnipiac
18. Cornell

The CHA and Atlantic Hockey do not have any teams ranked in this preseason poll.
(Remember this most likely be the last year of the CHA, since Wayne State will be dropping their mens hockey program.)

The breakdown of how many from each conference is not to shocking. Consider that the CHA and AH have gotten very little love from any pollsters in past years and that they haven't faired to well in non-conference games.

I wonder how close this ratio will be to the teams that make the NCAA tourney come March...5-WCHA, 5-CCHA, 4-HE, 2-ECAC...

WCHA to add teams, maybe? (by Sioux 7)

Wayne State University in Detroit announced today that they will be dropping their mens ice hockey team. This disaster will affect the remaining 4 teams in the CHA immeasurably, there will be no auto-bid to the ncaa tourney, and won't really be a league with only four teams, Niagara, Robert Morris, Huntsville-Alabama, and Bemidji State. Without a conference these fledgling D-I programs need to find a home or they might suffer the fate of WSU.

Bemidji State already plays a fair number of games against WCHA schools, for the 2007-2008 season they play: St. Cloud (2), Mankato (2), Duluth (2), CC (1), Denver (1), and UND (2). Looking at there schedule they could almost be considered an honorary member. It would make sense for them to join the WCHA for many reasons: location, they are literaly surrounded by the WCHA schools; track record, they have beaten WCHA teams, and they were outstanding at the D-3 level previously; college hockey, everyone needs teams to keep playing at the D-1 level, if teams fail that reflects on hockey as a whole, not just one team.

I hope the WCHA can look past itself and see the big picture and let BSU join our league. Some will complain that strains the recruiting and scheduling, but that can be overcome. Scheduling can be made to have more home-and-home series, with teams that are geographical close, so everyone can see these team every year. Recruiting, hey, the coaches should do what they have always done, that shouldn't be a factor.

As for Robert Morris and Niagara, since they are in Pennsylvania and New York respectively some of the east coast leagues should add these programs to their leagues. Huntsville-Alabama, uff-da, what to do with them... they are all by themselves down south. Is Omaha the closest D-1 team to them? I'm not sure, but maybe the WCHA could coherse UNO from the CCHA and the CCHA take on Huntsville... just a thought. Then would have 12 teams in the W and we could have a North-South subdivision or West-East one, still play everyone but change the playoff format.

College hockey needs these teams to keep playing, nobody, should be happy to see a team dissappear of the landscape.

Coaches Poll (by Sioux 7)

Today the Grand Forks Herald newspaper released its 37th annual WCHA pre-season poll.

Rank School Points

1 UND (7) 79
2 Minnesota (3) 74
3 Colorado Coll. 55
4 Denver 53
5 Wisconsin 52
6 St. Cloud St. 43
7 Michigan Tech 41
8 Minn.-Duluth 23
9 MSU-Mankato 19
10 Anchorage 11

The numbers in the ( ) represent first place votes and the other is the total points.

The poll also includes voting for pre-season rookie of the year and player of the year.

Pre-season Rookie of the Year

Kyle Turris, UW, 9
Evan Trupp, UND, 1

Pre-season Player of the Year

Ryan Duncan, UND, 5
T.J. Oshie, UND, 3
Taylor Chorney, UND, 1
Kyle Okposo, Minn., 1


This early pre-season poll does show some similarities to my earlier preseason predictions. Of course, it is not very often that a team predicted to finish first does win the league. The season doesn't get underway for a little over a week yet, but it is getting closer, we are almost into the month of October.

On a side note:

The Goon and Sioux 7 will be enjoying bird hunting this upcoming weekend along with UND's homecoming festivities. We'll be shooting ducks and other various fowl that are in season. And I be able to comfirm that "actual condition" of said "downed computer".

Going Down? by Sioux 7

Just a little FYI for all the dedicated GOON'S WORLD readers. The Goon's computer has gone down, I'm not sure if it was a standing 8-count or a TKO, but the Goon's computer is out of commission for a little while. I will keep everyone updated when I get more info from the Goon.

WCHA - Preseason Predictions - (by Sioux 7)

With the season bearing down on us, UND's first "game" which is an exhibition match is October 7th, just over 3 weeks away. But before that skates are sharpened, the sweaters doned, and the puck drops let me enlighten (or guessing as the case maybe) what the final standings will be in the WCHA this season.


Coming in at the bottom this year will be...Alaska. I believe there motto is "The Last Frontier" unfornately I think in hockey it is "The Last Place Frontier".

10 - Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves

Just avoiding the doubious distinction of finish last will be...Duluth. The license plates in Minnesota reads "Land of 10,000 Lakes" for the Bulldogs of Duluth it could be "Rink of 10,000 Loses" this year. They suffered a big blow when Matt Niskanen and Raymond Mason left early :(

9 - Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Moving up the preseason poll the "middle of the pack" is a little harder to estimate. Coming in at the 8-spot will be...Colorado. So much for the high peaks of the mountains, I think the Tigers are headed for the low lying valleys this season. The scoring by committee only goes so far, sooner or later you need a figure-head to lead the masses. The Tigers this year will be more roar than bite.

8 - Colorado College Tigers

Going to Vegas you want to get 7's but in a preaseason poll, but who knows it might be lucky in the end. Blowing on the dice and comin' up 7 is...Minnesota State. Maybe the bad luck Vikings purple has rubbed off somehow on the Mavericks. They have moments of being a contender, and then suddenly, BAM, down goes MSU. The Mavericks might go into a flat spin this year and goose (Jutting) will suffer a head injury, it will be sad, but they will find a new wingman.

7 - Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks (hey, I just notice but these guys could be 3-M)

Completing the bottom half of this years preaseason bracket and having to go on the road for the first round of the playoff will be...Wisconsin. The badgers did get a nice recruit in Turris, but the wall is gone (Elliott). Without him the badgers ship will leak water like a rusty bucket and they will not be able to fill that void completely, thus they won't win the close ones like they us too. TheBadger might suffer from the cold season leading the furry critter to "hibernate" a few times this winter season.

6 - Wisconsin Badgers

The "middle" teams in the WCHA will be the... Huskies. This will create a little more animosity between the 2 teams when they end up in a tie for 4-5 spot. SCSU lost there cork stopper too, with Geophart leaving, they do how ever have some fire power up front with Nodl and Dey. The MTU have it the other way, they have two exceptional goalies in Teslak and Nolan. These great work/sled dogs will do just work hard and be rewarded in the end with a juicy bone, home ice advantage.

4-tie - Huskies of Michigan Tech and St. Cloud State

The trey spot will belong to a team from the Rocky Mountain state...Denver. I'm not sure what has really led me to this finishing spot for this team. But, I do know that the Gwaz-man always seems to find a way to win games in the regular season. On a side note, what does a bird symbol have to do with being a pioneer, how about a covered wagon or something more Pioneer-ish?

3 - Denver Pioneers

The team coming in on the duece will be the "first loser" in the division, "the other big ten (11)" school...Minnesota Twin Cities. The gphers will have their usual high powered offense this year, but the back half of the ice will be their downfall. They have lost a group of defensemen that will be near impossible to replace in a season, and the goalie, Frazee, will have to stand on his head and make timely saves for the gophers to make a run in the playoffs. If the gophers collapse in the late season again look for the head-gopher to go down his gopher-hole and dissappear.

2 - Minnesota Twin Cities Golden Gophers

That leaves that top spot in the league for the remaining team (remember you are reading this on Goon's World) THE ONE THEE ONLY... FIGHTING SIOUX. Not that I'm biased, which I am, but the Sioux return a large portion of the team from last year. The most notable loss was Toews leaving early for the NHL. The offense will still be potent with Oshie and Duncan (Hobey Baker) and the starting goalie is back as well as most of the d-men.

1 - North Dakota Fighting Sioux

Interesting Read: Make or Break Season for the NHL

Ted Starky has some interesting points on the NHL and and some of the issues that could plague it's future success...

Sports Commentary

The National Hockey League is set to kick off its 90th season with a new look, a new defending champion, and some new stars in new locations.

This year will be a make-or-break season for the league, as after two seasons of trying to repair the damage from the 2004 lockout, the NHL now needs to make positive inroads into raising the sport's profile again. Record-low ratings have left the league with one year to convince NBC to extend its no-fee rights deal at the end of the season to remain on network television. After three years of mostly negative national press, the NHL urgently needs to cast itself in a more positive light to try and regain the sport's standing that was mostly lost in the work stoppage.

Of course, the league also has been plagued with some bad luck, as for three straight seasons, the league’s marquis showcase event has featured a small-market Canadian team against one from a sunbelt U.S. city, not exactly the formula for big U.S. television ratings. Big-market clubs like the Rangers and Flyers haven’t always performed up to expectations, and of the league’s marquis franchises, only Detroit has appeared in a conference final since the lockout ended. The league's partnership with Versus also took a hit when the network failed to land either an NFL or MLB package that would make it must-carry basic cable, and has left the league on a network that few of heard of and fewer will chase down to watch the league's top games.

Some of that could be changing this season, as New York and Philadelphia loaded up in the free-agent market, with stars such as Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Daniel Briere, respectively, heading to those two teams, which should help boost those sagging TV numbers. Another NHL ratings stronghold in Pittsburgh likely will keep improving as the Penguins should be even better after an improbable run into the playoffs, meaning more chances for the league to showcase Sidney Crosby deeper in the spring.

League-wide, every team is changing this year to the form-fitting Reebok Edge jerseys, which have garnered some decidedly mixed reviews from fans and critics, but likely will bring a windfall in merchandising money as fans looking to update their collection will need to purchase a pricer version of an NHL sweater, which include several new designs that should sell well.

The NHL is also in a rare position of not having to face the most daunting problems in pro sports, as the other major sports are facing serious questions about the very integrity of the game. A renegade referee put the NBA in the spotlight this summer, as the legitimacy of some of its contests were put in serious doubt thanks to one official's tie with the mafia. The NFL has one of its stars set to be sentenced in December for running a dogfighting ring, and other players also face serious legal implications in the upcoming months. And baseball has its most hallowed record in the possession of a player largely regarded as a cheat, and the appearance of rampant steroid use for both sluggers and pitchers.

In the end I think the NHL success relies on its television package and marketing scheme. Face it; Versus is a decent television channel however, it is not a top tier television channel like TSN, Rogers Sport Net, FSN, ESPN or even CBC for that matter. The NHL has to get back on the ESPN network where it will be more visible. Also, maybe the NHL needs to stop trying to sell hockey to people that will never be interested in hockey. Hockey is a regional game that is played in the north country.

The Media Experts Predictions on Bochenski and Kessel

I found this on Hockey Buzz a few weeks back and apparently the Ultimate Pool Guide making some predictions about former Fighting Sioux forward Brandon Bochenski might have a off year.



The Hockey News Ultimate Pool Guide 2007-08:

The increase in points for Phil Kessel is the second highest increase projected by the magazine (the first being Scott Gomez). The magazine lists Brandon Bochenski as a candidate to crash and burn this year (the piece is warning poolies about this).

Player projections: (for Kessel and Bochenski)
Kessel, 54 pts, 20 goals (+ 25 pts from last year)
Bochenski, 40 pts, 18 goals (+16 pts from last year)

I think that Bochenski is going to turn some heads with his play for the Bruins this season. I believe All It's going to take is Brandon getting a decent amount of playing time on a line with talented line mates. Last year on the right line Bochenski proved that he could score timely goals.

Jeremy Reich whoops Adam Mair

I found this video over on the Ghosts of the Garden This is what I would classify as a pretty good hockey fight, two guys come together and decide to square off.

The combantants in this incident and settle their difference like men, there is no turtling or hiding behind the refs, one of the players doesn’t whack the other with his stick or stick out his knee like a gutless puke named Ulfie Samuelson, these two players drop their gloves and have at it. When the fight is over the incident is settled and the players move on. This is why I like NHL hockey, the game of hockey polices itself, end of story.

This should get you in the mood for NHL hockey

Although Rick Jeanneret would probably be considered a homer by many fans, I really love listening to him, except the May Day May call, that one really sucked for me as a Bruins fan. My favorite Rick Jeanneret moment is the one where he says; tis the season fla La, La, La Fontaine.

Classic Commodore fights

This afternoon I was on line and I came across a bunch of Mike Commodore fights that are posted on You Tube. This first video is a pretty good fight between Brendan Witt and Commie. As I think to the days of Mike Commodore I will never forget the fight that Commie had with Alex Brooks, now that was a pretty one sided fight. Commie ended up re-arranging Brooks nose.

Commodore and Eager

Commie works Hollweg

I can't stand Janssen

Thorburn vs Commodore (great fight)

Commie Smokes Cheecho train

Commie can score too

Rick Jeanerette describes Commie's goal against Buffalo

Commie smacks Ovechkin

Hakstol Inks 5-Year Contract

Head coach Dave Hakstol will continue to be "The Man" at the reigns of UND hockey for the next five years.

From USCHO,
"Hakstol’s current contract is set to expire at the end of June next year. The new contract gives him a base salary of $210,000 a year, with incentives of up to 25 percent of the base if he and the team attain goals such as making the Frozen Four."

I think the numerous fans and pontificators might now let up on calling for his head on a platter. He has taken UND to the Frozen Four the last 3 seasons, his first 3 seasons as head coach. Not to shabby in my opinion, how many coaches have made 3 appearances in the frozen four, much less 3 in a row to start your head coaching career?

This should continue to add stability in an already solid program.

Here is a point that has to change

WCHA Dominant?

WCHA went 8-9-1 against HE last season (this includes holiday tourneys and NCAA play). BC, Maine and UNH beat the WCHA teams they saw last season, UML, Merrimack, Providence and UVT lost to/tied the WCHA teams they saw.

I saw this over on USCHO tonight, I guess I hadn't thought about it that much, however, he is right. I guess the Sioux are going to have to carry the torch for the WCHA to get the league's honor back. One way to start that would be to sweep the UNH Wild Cats in December when they come to the REA and to beat B.C. and Northeastern University when they make the trip out this October.