Alexandre Burrows is a hack.

After watching the Wild and the Canucks play the past 7-8 games I must say that Alexandre Burrows has to be one of the biggest hacks in the NHL, right next to Steve Downie and should have been suspended for his latest act of thuggery. Seriously folk, the spear is one of the most gutless/cheap acts in all of hockey and there is no room in hockey for this type of crap or these type of players that run around delivering cheap shots at people and hiding behind a face shield, all under the guise of being "an agitator."

I predict that one day Alexandre Burrows is going to get what is coming to him. This is the same guy that Brian Rolston got into a fight with only the second of his NHL career.

Kozy's goal send UND to Denver.

I could watch this video all day and it wouldn't get old. At the beginning of the season I thought Andrew Kozek had the potential score 20 goals, I guess I wasn't too far off on his goal total. I suppose Andrew Kozek is going to have to score a couple more of those highlite reel goals during the Frozen Four because he is currently sitting at 18 goals on the season and surpassed his career total of 12 goals his first two seasons. The kid has a quick release and has been working on getting his shots off faster all season long.

Sioux fans are spoiled?

I think as Sioux fans sometimes we take for granted that our team is going to be there in the playoffs year after year. Four Frozen Fours in four years, that is unprecidented. Michigan hasn't been to the Frozen Four since 2003. Maybe we don't realize how good we have it as Sioux hockey fans. I think it makes living up here in the frozen tundra more tolerable.

Maybe she is a Sioux fan.

Jake sent me this in my email. I like here fighting attiude; maybe she is a Sioux fan? I have seen this one before it is funny.



Here is also a funny hockey picture making fun of Blake Wheeler that another person from the Mpls area sent me.

Sioux 3 Badgers 2 OT

Tim Brule Jean-Philippe Lamoureux made his case for the Hobey Baker Memorial award as he stopped 79 of 83 shots he faced this weekend and gave his team a chance to win both games. To start the game the Badgers had the Sioux on their heels and looked as if they were going to take control of this game but Lamoureux stood tall and made some big saves like the one where he stopped Michael Davies on a clean break away.

ESPNU Sucks

As most of you know tonight's game was not on cable in Grand Forks, damn ESPNU, so a couple of friends and I decided to watch the game at Sugar's bar at the Holiday INN in Grand Forks. Every bar in town tonight that had ESPNU was packed from what I heard. I guess there is one way to pump up the local economy on a Sunday night, just don't carry the channel ESPNU on the local cable package. Sugars bar was packed to the gills, especially for a Sunday night; shall we say it was standing room only. As the Sioux got going the place got louder and louder, and when the Sioux scored the place erupted. Midco it is time for you and your over priced cable package to carry ESPNU. I pay $155.00 for Digital III, Phone and Internet, I will pay few extra dollars to get ESPNU without even blinking an eye.

Lamoureux tops in the nation?

There have been a few naysayers in media that said Jean-Philippe Lamoureux is not as good as his numbers. So as fans are we to believe Lamoureux the number one ranked goalie in division hockey one with a .936 save percentage and a 1.64 goals against average isn't very good or is over-rated? In fact this same radio host went as far as to say that Lamoureux is the third best goalie in the WCHA. I suppose if you weare maroon and gold goggles. Well of all the WCHA goalies there is only one still standing; Jean-Philippe Lamoureux. How do you like him now?

Michelle Stocker/The Capital Times

Four for Four

Dave Hakstol has been the coach for the Fighting Sioux for four season and has made the Frozen Four an impressive 4 years in a row. Almost as impressive the Boston College Eagles have made the Frozen Four 4 out of the last 5 years. The Sioux play the Boston College Eagles again.

The Badgers played tough

Kudos for Badgers Coach Mike Eaves for getting his team ready to play this weekend after being bounced out of the first round of the WCHA playoffs by the SCSU Huskies. It had to be tough sitting around for a week wondering if you're going to be in the NCAA tournament or not. Once the Wisconsin Badgers found out they were in the NCAA tourney they were able to come back get back into game shape and knock off Denver University in impressive fashion.

The next night the Badgers come back and take UND Fighting Sioux to the wire, that is an impressive feat to; especially after not playing very many games in the month of March. Even though they are the Fighting Sioux's bitter rivals you have to respect what the Badgers did. While some felt that Badgers didn't belong in the tourney with there losing record, me included, I felt the Badgers played like champions this past weekend, you have to tip your hat to them. This just shows how balanced the WCHA really is. The Badger's top line of Turris, Davies and Blake Geoffrion was nothing short of amazing this weekend.

Scoring

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WIS-1 Kyle Turris (2-O-HOLDING) NDK 0x1 5:41
NDK-1 Matt Watkins (2-O-HOLDING) WIS 0x1 9:28
WIS-2 Ben Grotting (2-HIGH-STICKING) 18:23
NDK-2 Joe Finley (2-HIGH-STICKING) 18:23

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK-3 Kyle Radke (2-Charging) WIS 0x2 3:36
WIS 1 - 0 6x6 Jamie McBain (5) (Kyle Turris, Davis Drewiske) 5:38
WIS (+): 2,19,4,5,9,G35 NDK (-): 26,17,20,4,28,G1
NDK-4 Kyle Radke (2-CTH ROUGHING) WIS 0x3 12:54
NDK-5 Brad Miller (2-Tripping) WIS 1x4 17:25
WIS 2 - 0 6x5 PP Cody Goloubef (4) (Patrick Johnson, Kyle Klubertanz) 19:21
WIS: 22,27,10,20,18,G35 NDK: 17,21,4,28,G1
WIS-3 Kyle Klubertanz (2-Holding the Stick) NDK 0x2 19:50

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK 1 - 2 6x6 Rylan Kaip (8) (Matt Frattin, Matt Watkins) 3:33
NDK (+): 17,21,20,4,28,G1 WIS (-): 17,2,10,22,18,G35
NDK 2 - 2 6x6 Ryan Duncan (18) (T.J. Oshie) 4:20
NDK (+): 16,7,28,10,5,G1 WIS (-): 7,4,11,27,16,G35
WIS-4 Ryan McDonagh (2-CTH ROUGHING) NDK 0x3 8:24
Timeout - Wisconsin 19:26.4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overtime (1:47)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK 3 - 2 6x6 GW LL Andrew Kozek (18) (Robbie Bina, T.J. Oshie) 1:47
NDK (+): 10,28,7,4,16,G1 WIS (-): 9,20,5,19,4,G35

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game

WCHA refs at it again.

Now the rest of college hockey gets to see how bad the officials in the WCHA are. I hope that finally someone in the NCAA office the WCHA commissioner to task for the quality of it's on ice officials. Yesterday Derek Shepherd had another rough game in the third period and in the over-time of the Miami and Air Force game. Shepherd misses a blatant interference call by Miami but calls Air Force for a on a ticky tacky minor call. There is no reason Shepherd deserves to be calling games on the national stage. If any one should be calling games in the national tourney it should be WCHA offical Brian Thul.

-INCH’s criticism of referee Derek Shepherd during the NCAA tournament is turning into an annual affair, as you can see in last year’s Northeast Regional Final notebook. Shepherd made the right call on the too-many-men penalty, but he should have swallowed the whistle instead of sending Falcon Derrick Burnett into the box for a really ticky-tack slashing penalty 1:49 into overtime. Later in the extra session, there were two infractions far worse on Miami’s end that Shepherd chose to ignore.

Badgers and Sioux for the Midwest Region title.

Wisconsin Badgers
Record: 16-16-7 (back door Badgers)
Head-to-Head 1-1-0
Avg. Height / Weight 6'0.46" / 189.96 lbs.
Latest Results
3/29 vs. Denver ... 6-2 W
3/15 vs. St. Cloud State ... 3-4 L
3/14 vs. St. Cloud State ...0-3 L

Team Scoring Leaders
K. Turris 11-23-34
B. Geoffrion 10-20-30
B. Street 13-17-30
M. Davies 13-11-24
J. McBain 4-19-23

Team Goaltenders
S. Connelly 15-15-5 2.43
S. Gudmandson 1-1-2 2.63

Injuries
Brendan Smith (back)















UND Fighting Sioux
Record: 27-10-4
Head-to-Head 1-1-0
Avg. Height / Weight 5'11.68" / 186.32 lbs.

Latest Results
3/29 vs. Princeton ... 5-1 W
3/22 vs. Colorado College ... 4-2 W
3/21 vs. Denver ... 1-3 L
3/16 vs. Michigan Tech ... 2-1 W

Injuries
Evan Trupp (leg (fracture))

Team Scoring Leaders
T. Oshie 18-25-43
R. Duncan 17-22-39
C. VandeVelde 15-17-32
C. Genoway 8-21-29
R. Bina 2-22-24

Team Goaltenders
A. Walski 1-0-0 0.00
J. Lamoureux 26-10-4 1.63

This is the match up that will determine who goes to the Denver from the Midwest region. The last time these two teams met there was a lot of stuff going especially after the wistle stuff. Heck even the coaches got into it at the end of the game.

BADgers 6 Pioneers 2

I said this earlier today: (I hope you know it was tongue in cheek?)

Not many have made the NCAA tourney with a losing record. Personally; I don't have anything against the BADgers other than they are our heated rival in fact I hate Denver more, but there is no way I see them beating the Pioneers today. I think they are in over their head. I also believe that Wisconsin has no chance of winning this game. Hey! Prove me wrong.

While I am happy the Pioneers were beat tonight, I still have night mares of them winning the national title against the Sioux in the 2005 title game, however, I am also not that crazy about the prospects of the Fighting Sioux having to play the red menace along with 15,000 BADgers fans cheering their team on. I think it would be nice to have the Fighting Sioux play the BADgers in a nice quite regional with no one cheering; say like the one in Colorado Springs or Albany, NY.

This sounds like a bad dream to me. Alright, lets Go Fighting Sioux beat the dirty BADgers. Lets send Kyle Turris to the NHL where the Great one has a contract waiting for him.

The BADgers proved me wrong as they beat the DU Pioneers 6-2. Color me surprised because I thought after losing to SCSU the BADgers were done, boy was I wrong.

Fighting Sioux 5, Princeton 1

Photo by Tim Brule
The Fighting Sioux may not played their "A" game today but it was good enough to beat the scrappy upstart Princeton Tigers 5-1. The Fighting Sioux received a strong effort in goal from Hobey Baker candidate Jean-Philippe Lamoureux as he stop 38 of 39shots; many of theses shots were grade "A" scoring opportunities. For the game Princeton (21-14) outshot No. 1 seed North Dakota 39-18. The Sioux can not let that happen tomorrow if UND is to win the regional championship.

Last years Hobey Baker winner comes through

Ryan Duncan the Hobey Baker winner from last season picked the national stage to have one of his best games of the season as he scored a big hat trick. Also, Sophomore Defenseman Chay Genoway also had a pretty big game as he chipped in a goal and an assist and T.J. Oshie UND’s other Hobey Baker candidate chipped in two assists as the Sioux scrapped and clawed their way to hard fought 5-1 victory...


The latest remark from Bob Norton

I wonder if there comes a time when maybe ESPN/ESPNU college hockey analyist Bob Norton should hang up the skates and find something else to do. Norton's hockey east/east coast bias was showing it's true colors today when he said; that the Fighting Sioux got all of the breaks from officials and scored big goals on the power play. Come on Bob! You can not say the officials had a hand in Princeton's loss today.

Box Score

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRN-1 Mark Magnowski (2-Tripping) NDK 1x1 12:11
NDK 1 - 0 6x5 PP LL Andrew Kozek (17) (Chay Genoway, Jake Marto) 13:39
NDK: 10,5,25,14,8,G1 PRN: 10,25,2,15,G32
PRN-2 Taylor Fedun (2-Hooking) NDK 1x2 14:37

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRN-3 Mike Moore (2-Holding) NDK 1x3 14:15
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 GW Ryan Duncan (15) (T.J. Oshie, Matt Watkins) 16:18
NDK (+): 16,7,20,25,28,G1 PRN (-): 25,15,12,2,21,G32
NDK-1 Taylor Chorney (2-Checking from Behind) PRN 0x1 19:25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRN-4 Brett Wilson (2-Interference) NDK 2x4 6:23
NDK 3 - 0 6x5 PP Ryan Duncan (16) (Ryan Martens, Chay Genoway) 8:13
NDK: 16,8,5,20,25,G1 PRN: 17,19,4,21,G32
PRN-5 Kevin Kaiser (2-Slashing) 13:54
NDK-2 Chay Genoway (2-HITTING AFTER WHISTLE) 13:54
NDK 4 - 0 5x5 EN HT Ryan Duncan (17) (T.J. Oshie) 14:48
NDK (+): 16,7,2,4,G1 PRN (-): 16,21,27,6,4
NDK-3 Matt Frattin (2-CTH ROUGHING) PRN 0x2 16:19
NDK 5 - 0 5x6 SH EN Chay Genoway (8) (unassisted) 16:28
NDK (+): 5,16,2,7,G1 PRN (-): 4,21,22,6,16,27
PRN 1 - 5 6x6 Cam MacIntyre (13) (Lee Jubinville) 19:27
PRN (+): 27,6,2,15,16,G32 NDK (-): 4,28,10,8,21,G1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game

Its official Jon Kalinski gone at MSU-M

I heard about this last night from Amy of LGMs Blog. This is a big loss for the Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks. This clip is the last thing that I will remember about Jon Kalinski while wearing a Maverick's jersey. Wouldn't you know it Kalinski is assisting on a big goal short handed in over-time to beat the dirty Gophers in Mankato. This kid was always dangerous especially on the penalty kill... Good luck in Philly Jon...

CHN Staff Report

Minnesota State junior forward Jon Kalinski will forgo his remaining eligibility and has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Mankato Free Press is reporting.

Kalinski was sixth-round pick of the Flyers in 2007.

Kalinski had eight goals and 18 points in 39 games this season. That was a dropoff from his 17-goal season in 2006-07. He had no goals and six assists in the Mavericks' last eight games.

For his college career, Kalinski finishes with 29 goals and 56 points in 106 games.

Some think the BADgers don't belong.

Here is an interesting article by Andy Baggot on the BADgers backing into the NCAA tourney.

It probably qualifies as an exaggeration, but not by much.

In the process of outlining why the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team is worthy of its NCAA tournament berth, junior goaltender Shane Connelly acknowledged that the line of detractors is a long one. (yep I would say it is)

"Everyone in the country basically doesn't think we belong here," he said. (your probably right)

Not everyone believes third-seeded UW will be in over its head when it takes on second-seeded Denver in the Midwest Regional semifinals Saturday at the Kohl Center, but based on Internet rhetoric, e-mail volume and casual conversations with those in the college hockey world, the consensus seems very one-sided.

Not many have made the NCAA tourney with a losing record. Personally; I don't have anything against the BADgers other than they are our heated rival in fact I hate Denver more, but there is no way I see them beating the Pioneers today. I think they are in over their head. I also believe that Wisconsin has no chance of winning this game. Hey! Prove me wrong.

The BADgers (15-16-7) are the first losing team to get an at-large berth for the NCAA tournament since the field was expanded from 12 to 16 teams in 2003. You can count on one hand the number of schools to previously qualify with a record under .500 since the tournament began in 1948: Alabama-Huntsville (13-19-3) in 2007; Colorado College (18-21-1) in 1978; Minnesota (13-16-2) in 1971.

Phil Kessel goes down town to help Bruins win.

Check out this really sweet goal by current Bruins and former Gophers player Phil Kessel, upon further review; it appears that the young Kessel was a tad bit off sides. As long as it is not against my team right? Regardless, it was still a nice goal and with the win Bruins knocked the Make Me Laughs out of the playoffs.

Day one NCAA hockey...

Here is the league break down for day one of the NCAA hockey tourney. Not a good day for the WCHA, hey you can't win them all...

WCHA 0-2
HE 0-1
EZAC 1-0
CCHA 3-0
CHA 0-1

Scores:

Michigan 5 Niagara 1 (no shocker here)
Clarkson 3 SCSU 1 (still oh for the NCAA tourney)
ND 7 UNH 3 (semi-big shocker)
MSU 3 C.C. 1 (I am not shocked by it)

To win games in the NCAA tourney your team has to have gritty players doing gritty things between the faceoff dots. In the three games that UNH, SCSU and C.C. lost you had three teams that were beaten physically in my opinion. If these teams had got down low in the dirty areas they could have won these games. MSU plays a good defensive game and Comley had the Spartans playing the systems perfectly today, God is that boring hockey to watch, but effective.

The MSU game was a perfect example of keeping the shots to the outside. All star/conference goalies like Jeff Lerg will stop 99% if the shots taken from the perimeter all day long. To score on a goalie like Lerg you have to crash the net and get screens. Lerg is also a short goalie and you have to catch him moving from side to side, then he is toast. Make no mistake about it; C.C. much like SCSU are nice offensive teams but until they get some gritty players like a Hextal or Kaip they will never advance past the 1st or second round.

I predict the Sun will come up tomorrow and It will be a better day for the WCHA, the most dominating conference in college hockey the last 10 seasons. Take care and enjoy NCAA hockey...

Is Air Force the next Holy Cross?

Here is an interesting pick in tomorrow's Miami and Air Force game. The Blog that Yost Built is picking Air Force to beat the RedHawks. I think it would be a fitting end to the RedHawks season. It won't happen though and I would be willing to bet Packerbacker a case of beer on that one.

Northeast Regional: 4. Air Force over 1. Miami:
I'm going to take crap for this--since I've argued all year with the WCHA fans that Miami actually is a very good team--but I'm taking Air Force. The Falcons are a good hockey team, and I'm surprised they've been as good as they have been without the services of Eric Ehn. Indications are that Ehn could be back for this game, and his return would help, even if he's not close to 100%. History says that the games between Miami/Air Force and Michigan/Niagara will be very close, and Miami has puckered in the big games this season. Air Force is battle-tested.

They've played Boston College, Colorado College, Minnesota, and Denver this season, so a highly-skilled opponent will be nothing new to them. They took Minnesota to the brink last season in the tournament. And they've got a goalie that I've heard of, which is always a plus for a team that isn't from one of the major conferences. They also come in riding the longest unbeaten streak in the country (9 games).

Miami is a good team. Would it shock me if they won this game--or even the Regional? Absolutely not. They're a skilled bunch. Davis, Jones, Miele, Camper, Cannone, Mercier, Martinez...they've got some guns, and they've got a really good goalie. For all I know, this could be 7-0 in Miami's favor. History suggests otherwise, and I'm taking the upset in this one.

ESPN on UND's two Hobey Baker candidates

Here is a nice read on the The UND Fighting Sioux's Hobey Baker Candidates. First off; Phil Lamoureux and T.J. Oshie are legitimate Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominees and no matter how the votes turn out these players are deserving of this award.

Senior goalie Lamoureux has lost only one game in the past 20, while allowing opponents one goal or less in 15 of those outings. He sports the nation's best goals-against average at 1.63, along with the second- best save percentage at .934.

There is no doubt that if Oshie had decided to sign with St. Louis the Fighting Sioux would have been a little thin on offense and probably would have been displaying the trap every night. I am just glad as a Sioux fan we have a few more games before Oshie is off to the NHL.

North Dakota's Oshie boasts five game winners this season and a career total of 16 clinchers, placing him second all-time in Fighting Sioux history. Named to the WCHA First Team, Oshie finished fifth in WCHA scoring, producing a team-high 39 points in 37 games. Michigan senior forward Porter is the nation's leading scorer, producing points in all but six of the 38 games he's played. Porter helped guide his team to the CCHA regular season title and is a finalist for the league's player of the year award and best defensive forward award.

More Linkorama.

Here is an interesting article on the NCAA hockey tourney from ESPN. I think the EZAC has a lot to prove this weekend.

2. Which conference has the most to prove?
Let's see … the WCHA has won five of the past six national championships. Hockey East has had at least one team in the title game in 10 of the past 11 years. The Central Collegiate Hockey Association has the No. 1 overall seed, Michigan, and the defending champion, Michigan State. For the purposes of this argument, we'll exclude Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America and leave them at the kids' table.

That leaves the ECAC. The league hasn't won a title since Harvard in 1989. And if you remove Cornell from the discussion, the last team to win a game, any game, in the NCAA tournament was St. Lawrence back in 2000. It took the Saints four overtimes to send Boston University home in the longest game in NCAA tourney history. To be fair, Cornell advanced to the Frozen Four in 2003 and has won five NCAA games in this decade. But where's the rest of the conference?

Clarkson was a No. 1 seed last year and lost to UMass in the first round. This year, the Golden Knights are a No. 3 seed and will face St. Cloud State in Albany. That seems eminently more winnable than Princeton's 4-versus-1 matchup against the Fighting Sioux on Saturday in Madison. Either way, the conference needs to find a way to advance a team or two if it wants to shed its second-tier status behind the three big leagues.

Michigan happy to not have to play UND again...

JERRY S. MENDOZA/Associated Press

It sounds like the Michigan Wolverines are relieved they do not have to play UND Fighting Sioux in the first round for a third year in a row. I guess the Wolverines are tired of getting beat by the Fighting Sioux. Honesly; I could have seen Red snapping if the Sioux or the Gophers ended up in the same regional bracket as the Wolverines for third year in a row. It is not impossible for the Wolverines and Sioux to meet, the Sioux could meet the Wolverines if both teams win their next three playoff games.

The Wolverines gathered at Yost Arena on Sunday morning and let out a roar when the East Regional was announced. They were glad to be facing any team other than the North Dakota Fighting Sioux to start the tournament.

"To play Niagara in our first game is great," said senior forward Kevin Porter, "especially having to play North Dakota the past two years. They're going to be a good team, but it's nice not having to play North Dakota the first game." The Wolverines were also happy to avoid playing Wisconsin or Colorado College, lower-seeded teams that are hosting regionals this season.

"You don't want to play a team on their home ice first game, second game, whatever," Porter said. "It's nice we didn't end up in one of those brackets."

Michigan was proclaimed the favorite to win the tournament by analysts Bob Norton and Sean Ritchlin during the NCAA tournament selection show.

The kiss of death from Bob Norton, I wonder if there is any way we can get him to predict that DU is going to win the Midwest regional.

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.

DU is happy to be in Madison

This should answer Kevin Gorg's question on wether DU is unhappy or happy to be playing in Madison. The DU Pioneers have owned the Badgers as of late in Madison and I think that DU is going to make short work of the Badgers this weekend.

It's not likely you'll hear Denver coach George Gwozdecky offering much in the way of complaints this weekend. He said he had no issue whatsoever with being sent to play Wisconsin at the Kohl Center in the first round.

"You like to play in venues that you know and that you're comfortable with," Gwozdecky said.

The best evidence of the Pioneers' comfort in playing at the Kohl Center: They're (DU) 11-1-2 here since the building opened for hockey in 1998, including five straight victories.

Wisconsin hopes it has a bigger advantage on Saturday. It doesn't have to travel. It has a familiar locker room. It has a familiar ice surface.

"To me, it's more exciting to be here playing in the NCAA tournament," Badgers senior defenseman Josh Engel said. "Obviously, everyone's excited to be in the tournament. But there's something about being at home when you're in the tournament that's special."

Gorg is whining now...

When your team gets to the NCAA tourney you get who the NCAA hockey tourney committee picks for you, UND has made it through two regions of death with Michigan and Minnesota two years in a row. Not everone is going to be happy with their draws, it is just a fact of life.

I have heard/read no less than about 10 people complain about DU winning the WCHA Final Five and then having to go to Wisconsin to play the BADgers on their home ice. While most of us agree Wisconsin getting in the tourney probably isn't right, it is a travesty actually, that being said the BADgers are not world beaters and couldn't even win a single playoff game and they are 15-16-7, however, listening to the pundants you would have thought that DU just suffered a huge socia injustice and was playing Michigan.

You have to hear Gorg's rant about Denver University having to play in Wisconsin after winning the WCHA playoff title. It is the 3/25 Kevin Gorg podcast.

It is a travesty is that Minnesota State Mankato is not in this tourney and Wisconsin is. The one thing that opened up the committee for some criticism by putting Wisconsin in is a three seed and hosting a regional. The team that really got the shaft other than Minnesota State is Denver; you are going to tell me that Denver wins the WCHA playoffs and they have to play a road game against Wisconsin and if they are fortunate to win they have to play a North Dakota team who is probably the best team in college hokey the last five weeks of the season. This is the same team that they eked out a win against in the conference tournament who is looking for payback the following week, the DU coach can’t be happy right now.

If there is a travesty at all its the fact that the NCAA stuck three WCHA teams in the same regional, that is kind of a thumb in the eye to our league. The bigger travesty is the fact that two of these teams have to play a conference opponent in their first round match up and if you win you more than likely get to play a conference opponent in the second round for the right to go to the frozen four. You know the NCAA doesn't want anymore all WCHA frozen fours.

The experts don't give UND much a chance.

I was checking out ESPNU/INCH's seems as if the Fighting Sioux aren't being given much of a chance of getting out of their Midwest regional this weekend only Jess Myers (INCH)and David Duffey (ESPN.com) are the only ones giving the Fighting Sioux a chance.

Apparently the Sioux's loss against DU in the semis of the WCHA Final Five has basically given people the impression that UND has NO CHANCE of winning the regional. I just hope the Fighting Sioux hockey team is looking at this and will use this as an extra motivational piece. Lets not forget that UND beat DU 3 out of 4 games sweeping them in Grand Forks during the regular season. I guess that means nothing now. Actually UND owes Denver University for stealing a couple of rings off their fingers.

Sweet 16 (Sioux 7)

The first round of NCAA playoffs get underway this weekend with the four regionals.
I'm not going to go into who got into the tourney and who did not, I'm going to give you my "predictions" as to each brackets outcome.


WEST

1. New Hampshire v 4. Notre Dame

I've seen the Wildcats play at Grand Forks this year, so I got that little bit of insight. UNH has played well against the top teams in the country this year, and the Fighting Irish have not faired so well against the top teams in the CCHA. I thing the Irish should stick to something they do better, like drinking. And after this game they might feel punch drunk. Wildcats 4-1

2. Colorado College v 3. Michigan St.

MSU plays a defensive style hockey game and tries to capitalize off of other teams mistakes. BUT, they are now going to have to play on the BIG sheet of ice (200x100) compared to the standard NHL size (200x85). MSU has a 2-2-0 record on the big sheets, with wins at Alaska and loses at Northern Michigan U. Both teams have good goalies, but I think CC has too much speed on the big sheet for Sparty to handle. The Tigers maul Sparty, mmm, Sparty the other white meat, 3-1 Tigers.

West Championship Game -
UNH v CC - I think the bigger felines will win this battle Tigers 3, Wildcats 2.


MIDWEST

1. North Dakota v 4. Princeton

I don't think people are giving the Tigers much of chance in this game... It's Princeton's second appearance in the tourney and UND's 23rd appearance (Engelstad's old number). The Ivy Leaguers will play to their best abilities, but unfortunately that won't cut the cheese in Wisconsin-land. Sioux 3-0.

2. Denver v 3. Wisconsin

I bet UW is loving this, a shot at DU again, after that goal incident earlier this year. DU has been playing well the past month or so, but haven't had any down time. UW had a week of rest, could be good, could be bad, but they are rested. Since the Badgers have home ice and DU has owned the Kohl Center (11-1-2 v UW) I have consulted the magic snowman. He said global warming has forced him to lose weight and that the Pioneers are going to Denver, THIS Sunday. UW 3-1.

Midwest Championship Game
UND v UW - The Sioux head to Denver, too try for NCAA title No. 8 in '08.


EAST

1. Michigan v 4. Niagara

Honestly, do I have to say anything on this match-up... Okay, the Purple Eagles should be placed on the endangered species list, 'cause the Wolverines are going to make them extinct from this tourney. UM 6-1 winners.

2. St. Cloud State v 3. Clarkson

The Huskies suffered a minor set back by losing in the play-in game to Minnesota. But, that also allowed them rest and time to re-focus their efforts. Clarkson needs to stay out of the sin-bin if they want to win the game. This will be SCSU 7th appearence in the tourney, with no wins to show for it. All that changes this year as the Huskies bite turns out to be worse than their bark. SCSU 4-2

East Championship Game
UM v SCSU - The Huskies got one win, but as Porky Pig says, "That's All Folks", UM moves on 3-2.


NORTHEAST

1. Miami v 4. Air Force
People say UM is a team that eats up cupcakes, but they are playing a non-cupcake team this week. AFA has given some top teams runs for their money and taken some cash from a few of them, can lighting strike twice... YES The Falcons will take out the RedHawks, in a battle of birds, in my upset special. AFA 3-2

2. Boston College v 3. Minnesota
(Ah, both teams a Sioux fan loves to hate, UM our WCHA arch-rival, and BC our out of conference arch-rival.) Both teams have been playing better hockey as of late, but I have a favorite in this game. UM has still struggled to score goals, and BC has some scoring prowess. I say this is like nature, Eagles kill gophers, hey, that's just the way it is. BC wins 3-2

Northeast Championship Game
BC v AFA - The second battle of the birds, the Eagles fly off to Colorado


THE FROZEN FINAL FOUR
MICHIGAN, NORTH DAKOTA, BOSTON COLLEGE, COLORADO COLLEGE