Schroeder bails on Minnesota

Well that didn't take long. I am sure there are a lot of Gopher fans saying don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. it's pretty apparent that he had no intentions of playing with the Gophers next season. Who's next?

Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis announced today that the Canucks have signed their 2009 first round draft selection, centre Jordan Schroeder. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Schroeder, 20, spent the 2009-10 season with University of Minnesota, recording 28 points (9-19-28) in 37 games played. In his freshman season, Schroeder tallied 45 points (13-32-45) in 35 games.

Links to the story

Vancouver Sun; Canucks call up Michael Grabner, sign Jordan Schroeder

The Goal Crease:Canucks sign Jordan Schroeder

CBC: Canucks recall Grabner, sign Schroeder

TSN: Canucks sign 2009 1st rounder Schroeder

UND fans should see dry drive to St. Paul

This is good news for Sioux fans that are making the trip down to the Xcel Energy Center. Wow! What a bargin to travel to Sait Paul via air this weekend. No thanks we will drive. Someone needs to get Jet Blue up here to Grand Forks, ND.

UND hockey fans hitting the road this week for the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul shouldn’t run into any delays on North Dakota interstates.

Troy Gilbertson, highway maintenance coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said a stretch on Interstate 29 near Harwood N.D., has flooded in past years, but it shouldn’t be a problem anymore, though people might hit small stretches of overland flooding.

“That road has been raised up a foot or two,” Gilbertson said. “Our plan is to run motorists through any water southbound on I-29 unless it gets too deep. Then we’ll reroute them into single-lane traffic in the northbound lanes.”

The Red River Bridge on Interstate 94 that crosses into Minnesota should be high and dry, Gilbertson said. The Red is expected to crest in Fargo–Moorhead at 38 feet on Saturday.

“At 40.8 feet last year, the river wasn’t even close to that bridge,” Gilbertson said.

Motorists who still have doubts should know there are round-trip seats on four of five Delta Air Lines flights from Grand Forks to Minneapolis-St. Paul on Thursday through Saturday — for $784.40. [Grand Forks Herald]

Steve Downie hit on Sidney Crosby

[Click to see video]Here is the latest hit to cause a stir around the NHL. Forty seconds into the game Lightning hack Steve Downie takes a run at Sidney Crosby’s knees. Not one of Sidney's teammates challenged Steve Downie to a fight, check out the game box score, Downie was given a roughing minor.
It is unacceptable to let a player of Downie’s ilk take a run at one of the best players in the NHL and not challenge him.

The league has fined Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Steve Downie $1,000 for taking down Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby during Sunday's game. Downie said he spoke to league disciplinarian Colin Campbell on Tuesday morning. He said there will not be a suspension.

"He called it a dangerous play," Downie said.

The play happened early in the first period when the two got tangled up and Crosby fell awkwardly with his right leg pinned underneath Downie. Downie said there was no intent to injure. There was no penalty on the play, and Crosby played the rest of the game.

Downie, who has worked very hard this season to not take stupid penalties, did not want to speculate on if his reputation, based on past actions, might have played into the decision, saying he just wants to move on. But he did say, "If he (Crosby) didn't fall in an awkward position, it wouldn't even be talked about." [Tampabay.com]

UND can still get a number one seed.

Jayson Moy of USCHO says there is still a chance that UND can be a number one seed in the NCAA tourney. Personally, I would rather see the Sioux knock out UMD out of the Final Five with the possibility of ending their season, than to have the Fighting Sioux play one be done for the weekend. I think the Sioux are going to want to get some pay back for losing to the Bulldogs in last year’s Final Five. Looking at the various scenarios it looks like the chances of this happening are slim and none as well.

North Dakota gets the last number one seed. After losing on Thursday night in the WCHA Quarterfinal Game.

CCHA Semifinal #2: Northern Michigan defeats Ferris State
CCHA Semifinal #1: Michigan defeats Miami
CCHA Championship game: Northern Michigan defeats Michigan
CCHA Consolation game: Ferris State defeats Miami
ECAC Semifinal #2: Union defeats St. Lawrence
ECAC Semifinal #1: Brown defeats Cornell
ECAC Championship game: Union defeats Brown
ECAC Consolation game: St. Lawrence defeats Cornell
Hockey East Semifinal #2: Boston University defeats Maine
Hockey East Semifinal #1: Vermont defeats Boston College
Hockey East Championship game: Vermont defeats Boston University
WCHA Play-in #1: Minnesota-Duluth defeats North Dakota
WCHA Semifinal #2: Wisconsin defeats St. Cloud State
WCHA Semifinal #1: Minnesota-Duluth defeats Denver
WCHA Championship game: Wisconsin defeats Minnesota-Duluth
WCHA Consolation game: Denver defeats St. Cloud State
Atlantic Hockey Semifinal #2: Air Force defeats Sacred Heart
Atlantic Hockey Semifinal #1: RIT defeats Canisius
Atlantic Hockey Championship game: Air Force defeats RIT
[USCHO.COM]

Moron of the week.

Here is my candidate for moron of the week, I have to say that it was unanimous as well. I have read a lot of stupid stuff posted on line this week but this one is just too good and has to passed along. If you suffering from a bad day this one will pick you up. This beauty was found in the comments section of the Puck Daddy article that covered the Frattin hit. Stick slap to Sean Leahy for using my video that I posted on line at YouTube. Last time I checked my up loaded video had gotten 8,000+ views.

Well What ever spewed - Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:42 pm EDT: I watched this series and I am familiar with the history these two clubs have. Frattin is no-talent little punk which explains why he is in such great company playing at North Dakota. Everything else aside, this was, at the very least, a blatantly obvious attempt to injure an opponent!! A one game suspension is a joke and a waste of time. This useless tool should be gone for the rest of the year, but instead he is allowed to continue his "training" toward becoming yet another hockey problem child. There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing your heart out for your team but when it becomes the "violent episode" that Frattin is, it is time for major suspensions and psycho-therapy and this cheap f-ck is in need of both.

What is really puzzling is that ND is a team that would just need to "skate their game" and they could easily beat Minnesota...this year, anyway. But instead they resort to these barbaric tactics...why?? I thinking that Hakstol told certain players between periods to do "some damage" and not worry about the "cost" because he felt it was the only way for this seemingly apparent group of underachievers to beat the sub-.500 Gophers. Newsflash Dave....you're at home at Ralph Engelstad Arenea in front of your own unruly, barbaric, and largely simplistic fans and this season, the Fighting Sioux are a better team than the Gophers! Yet...you STILL felt it necessary to provide one more lousy example to hockey youth all over the country. Apparently the Fighting Sioux are NOT the great team THEY think they are or they would have simply let their skating ability do the speaking for them. Well, I can only wish UMD success in beating the hell out of those snot-nosed little punks from Grand Forks, It's a damn shame that Frattin will be able to use his suspension to avoid the beatdown he so righteously deserves.

Kudos to Coach Lucia for keeping his team's composure and not buying into the "Sioux sorry sportsmanship", but I must confess that I was angry the seniors were not "turned loose" on any and all Sioux players that talk a great game but are just as easily beat down as any other talentless group of cheapshots.

To the deadbeat who posted that ND running over Gopher goaltender Alex Kangas was simply a case of the Fighting Sioux "charging the net" listen up little one: Whenever you skate around a defenseman, leave him sprawling on the ice behind you, drive hard to the net, put your shoulder down, and plant it squarely on the chin of the goaltender, you have just provided a textbook example of "running over the goaltender" which is still a penalty in most arenas but apparently not "the Ralph". You would have to be a Fighting Sioux fan to make the observation you did about that play and that makes you equally as pathetic as that punk Frattin, that "soul-selling" coach Hakstol, and those steaming dogpile officials on the ice at the time.

A brief message to Frattin: You have now earned a name for yourself, son. On the ice, from this day forward, I would skate with your head up and on a swivel at all times. You may also want to stay out of the corners and away from the goalie's crease.

I hope this week's play-in game has on-ice officials who are not afraid to call penalties...both ways...and that they remember that their responsibility rests in "officiating the game"...not deciding it. That "crew" at the UM-UND game was about as useless as tits on a boar hog! I certainly hope that they are done putting on stripes for the year...or, for good for that matter.

Good luck to UMD...go Bulldogs! [Puck Daddy Comments]

Weekend Final 5 Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

The first round of WCHA playoffs have come and went, with all the home teams winning their series. DU and UW ended their series in 2 games, while SCSU, UND, UMD took 3 games to close out their first round home series. The national picture is looking like all 5 WCHA teams in St. Paul this weekend will also be playing next week in the NCAA tournament.

My predictions last weekend turned out really good, the only thing a missed was UND taking 3 games to dispatch the Gophers, and everything else was dead on. Speaking of that series, I hope, as well as everyone else, that UM defensemen Kevin Wehrs makes a quick recovery from the hit he took on Sunday, as well as UM defensemen Nick Leddy. (I missed Leddy getting hit, but I don’t think anybody missed the Wehrs hit)

Sunday’s Sioux-Gopher hockey game could have been the last of an era. Next season it might be "the team formerly know as the North Dakota Fighting Sioux” versus the Gophers. With that possibility, I took it upon myself to by another Sioux jersey (I got a home white one, in case you’re wondering) Sunday. If they don’t get permission to use the Sioux name, I have the feeling Sioux gear will be flying off the shelves across the region this summer. The powers that be, need to resolve the issue by November.

Speaking of flying the Goon and I will again be attending the Final 5. We are looking forward to meeting some of our old friends and making some new ones.

This will most likely be my last posting for a while. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading my ramblings this hockey season. I might post some predictions for the NCAA tournament...


THURSDAY (Play-in Game 7:07pm)

#11 Minnesota-Duluth vs #5 North Dakota (season series UND wins 3-1-0)
Last weekend the Sioux defeated the Gophers in 3 games in Grand Forks, and the Bulldogs beat the Tigers in 3 games in Duluth.

These teams met last year in the Final 5, with UMD taking that game (3-0) while riding a hot goalie named Stalock to the Broadmoor trophy. This year the Bulldogs don’t have a shut down net minder and have gotten things done offensively. However, a good portion of their goals have come on the power play, and the Sioux have the best defense in the league. UMD really needs to win this game to solidify a spot in the tourney; they’re still on the bubble. The Sioux are still hot going 9-1-0 in their last 10 games, and the Bulldogs are 5-5-0 over their last 10 games. Part of me wants the Sioux to throw this game, so they can rest up for the NCAA tourney and the other part says win this and the Final 5, to get the auto-bid and possibly a number one seed. Whoever wins this game will be playing 6-games in 9-days. SIOUX WIN


FRIDAY (Semi-final game 2pm)

#6 St. Cloud State vs #3 Wisconsin (season series tied 2-2-0)
Last weekend the Seawolves hosted the Bulldogs and split their series, and the Badgers and Gophers split a pair in Minneapolis.

The Badgers have not won more than three games in a row this season, and have not lost consecutive games. And after last weekend, they are now 2-0 heading into the Final 5. I wonder if the Badgers will want to get some measure of revenge against the Huskies Marvin in this game. I know the Sioux still want a piece of Marvin. UW is definitely the deeper team, where SCSU relies heavily on Roe & Lasch for most of their offense. If the Badgers blue-liners can live up to their NHL draft status and shut that line down, I see the Huskies going down. BADGERS WIN


FRIDAY (Semi-final game 7pm)

UND/UMD vs #1 Denver
Last weekend the Pioneers swept the MTU Huskies in Denver.
DU vs Bulldogs (season series tied 1-1-0)
DU vs Sioux (season series DU wins 4-0-0)
I’ll take UND over DU in that match-up. Or if the Bulldogs play DU, I’m going with the Pioneers over the Bulldogs.


SATURDAY (3rd Place game @ 2pm, Championship @ 7pm)

Possible match-ups on Saturday
DU vs UW (season series UW wins 1-0-1)
DU vs SCSU (season series tied 1-1-0)
I’ll take DU over SCSU, or UW over DU, depending on how Friday’s games shakes out.
UND vs UW (season series UW wins 1-0-1)
UND vs SCSU (season series tied 2-2-0)
I’ll take UND over either UW or SCSU.

UMD vs UW (season series --)
UMD vs SCSU (season series --)
I’ll take UW over UMD, or SCSU over UMD

Edit: Sioux7's prediction made the Rink and Run blog that is run by Kevin Pates. Kevin runs a pretty good beat writers hockey blog on UMD hockey.

Managers urge NHL to fast-track head shot regulations

After watching that gutless puke Matt Cooke end Marc Savard’s season with a dirty but legal hit, I wonder if this isn't such a bad idea. Someone is going to get killed on the ice with a vicious head shot. I think one thing the GM's might want to also do while they are at it, is get rid of the instigator rule to help police the game and respond to dirty acts such as the one above.

In the face of mounting public criticism, a group of general managers is pushing the NHL to adopt its proposed new rule on hits to the head before the end of the current season.

The group wants NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to bring the proposed rule, which calls for a minor or major penalty plus an automatic review by the league for any hit in which the head is the target, to the competition committee for a quick review. If the committee grants the necessary approval, the GMs want the governors to give the final approval in a fax vote in order for the rule to be put into force immediately, sources told The Globe and Mail. [Globe and Mail]

Where are they now... Tyler Bozak

Since it is Final Five week, I figured I would pass along a story that I found on line. Former DU star Tyler Bozak is making a good impression with the Toronto Maple Leafs. I can only imagine what kind of a team DU would be if Bozak was still in the line up. Bozak is playing with former Minnesota Golden Gopher and Boston Bruin Phil Kessel.

OTTAWA–Leaf rookie Tyler Bozak is making a name for himself these days as a speedy centre with playmaking skills.

But a year ago, the pivot who has found chemistry with Phil Kessel, was making his name in the NHL for his interviewing skills. As a highly touted forward with the University of Denver, Bozak was entertaining NHL offers while winding down his NCAA career in 2008-09.

Making the difficult decision wasn't easy, since he was already balancing school and hockey. He needed a plan after 27 NHL teams came to see him in a span of two months. In the end, it boiled down to two teams – the Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

Top Canucks prospect Jordan Schroeder promises NHL decision by week's end

Looks like the players leaving early season is about to begin, I don't think it will shock anyone when if Schroeder signs. Looks like Schroeder has one of the better players agents Family advisors in the business. Sounds like Gopher fans aren't all that sad to see him go as well.

VANCOUVER — A disappointing season came to an early end Sunday for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, and now Vancouver Canucks draft pick Jordan Schroeder has a decision to make.


Does he turn pro or return to Minnesota for a third season?


Schroeder said Monday he will make his decision by the end of this week. But in a telephone interview the 19-year-old centre sounded very much like a young man who is leaning toward turning pro.


"It's every kid's dream to be a professional hockey player," Schroeder said. "I am discussing my options right now and you never know what might happen here in the next few days. I am talking to my agent (Neil Sheehy) and my family."


Schroeder acknowledged the Canucks would very much like to sign him to a pro contract. He could then conceivably join the Manitoba Moose for the remainder of their American Hockey League season.


The Gophers were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs for only the second time in the last 33 years on Sunday when they dropped a 4-1 decision to North Dakota.

Frattin gets a one game suspension

The WCHA Wheel of Justice has given Frattin a one game suspension, that didn't take long. No word if UND will appeal.

MADISON, Wis. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association today (March 15, 2010) announced a one-game suspension to University of North Dakota hockey player Matt Frattin as a result of his actions in the March 13 game vs the University of Minnesota.

Frattin’s suspension was determined as a result of a review of the incident under the WCHA’s Supplementary Discipline Policy and Procedures.

Frattin will be required to serve this one-game suspension in his team’s next regularly scheduled game on Thursday, March 18 vs the University of Minnesota Duluth. [WCHA.COM]

Edit: First off the writers at Goon’s want to wish Kevin Wehrs a speedy recovery and that he will have no lingering affect from the hit. I don’t think any of us want to see a player from another team injured on the ice. There are those people that like to see players or race car drivers carried off the playing surface or track on a stretcher, no one that I know would take that point of view. Let’s hope that Wehrs will make a speedy recovery and be able to play next season with the Golden Gophers.

Moving forward, I kind of figured that a suspension from the league was coming for the hit in question. The focus will turn to the Sioux playing in the Final Five and the Sioux will have to play without Frattin for one game.

Links to the Story:

Goal Gophers; Wehrs has mild concussion; Frattin suspended for one game

Grand Forks Herald; Frattin suspended one game for big hit

Saint Cloud Times; WCHA suspends UND's Frattin for hit to the head

The Ciske Blog; Frattin Receives Suspension

North Dakota Hockey Blog; WCHA suspends Frattin for one game

Rink and Run; PairWise and Frattin

Puck Daddy; Video: Frattin's nasty hit leads to suspension in college hockey

60 Minutes, No Alibis, No Regrets;North Dakota's Matt Frattin Suspended 1 Game

Alex Kangas Hates Us

Here's the video of Alex Kangas saying that he hates North Dakota, UND, the Ralph Englestad Arena and fans of Sioux hockey.

I'm surprised that the U of M hasn't done any education on what a player should say in an interview and what they shouldn't.

Ovechkin suspended two games for Campbell hit

I would have to say that I am surprised that it wasn't longer. Campbell is going to be out for a long time with a broken collar bone. If this had been Derek Boogaard this would have probably been 5-10 games.

NHL.COM - Alex Ovechkin was suspended for two games without pay by the National Hockey League on Monday for his hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell early in Sunday's game in Chicago that reportedly has ended Campbell's regular season.

NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell ruled that it was a "reckless" hit by Ovechkin, who received a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct on the play that occurred 12:16 into the first period.

Ovechkin, now considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, forfeits $232,645.40 in salary, based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Versus is back on DIRECTV.

This is good news.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., and PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 2010 - DIRECTV and Comcast have reached an agreement to return VERSUS to the DIRECTV programming lineup today. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

VERSUS will return to the same DIRECTV programming packages it was in at the end of August 2009.

“We are pleased that both sides were able to work out a satisfactory deal to bring this programming back to our customers,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development, DIRECTV.

“We’re excited that we were able to come to a fair agreement that puts VERSUS back in millions of homes with DIRECTV in time for our busy spring programming schedule,” said Jamie Davis, president of VERSUS. “We look forward to super-serving these fans with NHL regular-season and playoff coverage, our first live UFC event and much more.”
[KuklasKorner]

Poll Monday (Sioux in the NCAA tourney)

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll
[March 15, 2010]
1 Denver (46) 27- 7-4 996 1
2 Miami ( 4) 26- 6-7 931 2
3 Wisconsin 24- 9-4 913 3
4 Boston College 23-10-3 833 4
5 North Dakota 22-12-5 792 5
6 St. Cloud State 22-12-5 726 7
7 Cornell 19- 8-4 699 9
8 Ferris State 21-11-6 610 13
9 Yale 20- 9-3 552 6
10 Bemidji State 23- 9-4 514 8
11 Minnesota-Duluth 22-16-1 503 14
12 Northern Michigan 19-11-8 454 16
13 New Hampshire 17-13-7 320 11
14 Vermont 17-13-7 298 19
15 Union 20-11-6 280 17
16 Michigan State 19-13-6 259 10
17 Michigan 23-17-1 234 NR
18 Alaska 18-11-9 224 12
19 Maine 18-16-3 107 NR
20 Boston University 18-16-3 80 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Colorado College 75, RIT 45, Nebraska-Omaha 19, Mass.-Lowell 15, St. Lawrence 11, Minnesota 6, Massachusetts 3, Minnesota State 1

-----------------------

USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
[March 15, 2009]
1. Denver (31)
2. Miami (3)
3. Wisconsin
4. Boston College
5. North Dakota
6. St. Cloud State
7. Cornell
8. Ferris State
9. Yale
10. Bemidji State
11. Minnesota-Duluth
12. Northern Michigan
13. New Hampshire
14. Vermont
15. Union

Here is what Jason Moy had to say about Bracketology and the NCAA tourney. Wow, the western school are really showing thier strenght this season.

- I Believe that the Top 7 are in. Denver, Miami, Wisconsin, Boston College, North Dakota, St. Cloud, Bemidji.
- I have been able to get Ferris State out of the tournament.
- I have not been able to get Cornell and Yale out of the tournament as of yet, but I think that there are scenarios that can leave either team out, I just have not found them. It may or may not be the case.

INCH Power Rankings

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings for something to talk about. The only ranking that really matters is the Pairwise Rankins. The head scratcher is Union is sitting at 18th in the power rankings and they have them ranked 8th.

1. Denver
2. Miami
3. Wisconsin
4. Boston College
5. North Dakota 1 The favorite to win WCHA Rookie of the Year honors, forward Danny Kristo had a goal and two assists in the Fighting Sioux's series win against Minnesota to extend his current point streak to a season-high 10 games. 22-12-5 LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota, 6-0; L vs. Minnesota, 4-2; W vs. Minnesota, 4-1 (WCHA First Round Series). THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota Duluth (WCHA Final Five)
6. Cornell
7. St. Cloud State
8. Union
9. Ferris State
10. Yale
11. Northern Michigan
12. Bemidji State
13. Minnesota Duluth
14. Michigan State
15. Alaska
16. New Hampshire
17. RIT
18. Michigan
19. St. Lawrence
20. Boston University

Dropped out: Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha, UMass Lowell

Bubble-licious: Maine, Vermont

Matt Frattin hit on Kevin Wehrs

The quality isn't very good I used my digital camera to record the hit from television. There has been a lot of discussion on the hit on the Internet. Frattin said in the post game comments that he was trying to fire his team up with a big hit. The crowd was fired up after the penalty kill was over. I do think the hit in question took the steam out of the Gophers and threw them off their game especially when they didn’t score on the five minute major. The Sioux were not very fun to play against tonight and this was one rough series across the board all three nights.

I want a preface this that I didn’t see the hit live I saw it ex post facto, my daughter had called me away from the television and when I got back from helping her my cell phone was ringing and my buddy Gary was chirping at me about the hit which hadn’t even seen as of yet. I had to review the video to get up to speed on the hit. This hit was a text book charge and maybe interference and I was surprised when I found out that Frattin hadn’t been kicked out of the game, I thought he had gotten the gate. Will the league review the hit? I would say they might, the WCHA Commissioner said that they review all major penalties to see if any additional discipline is needed. Will Frattin get suspended; he may. Nothing this league office does surprises me. That being said Matt Frattin was the best forward on the ice for the Fighting Sioux this past weekend, he scored four goals this weekend and the kid played like a beast, in my opinion Frattin is a prototypical power forward.

Watching the game from home

I unlike others I thought UND was going to dispatch of the Gophers in two games and didn't bother to line up a baby sitter for last night's game. I guess when they say three games series I should plan for the series to go three games. Any ways, I don't think I sat down the whole game between texting and pacing. I finally sat down once the game got to 3-1.

Cross posted at the Sin Bin.

Ovechkin hit on Brian Campbell

This is the hit that everyone is talking about in the NHL today, I was watching this game and it was kind of a buzzkill. I wonder if the league will suspend Ovechkin or not. Collin Campbell has proven in the past that there are different standards for different types of players.

Post game comments from the Fighting Sioux

Here is the post game comments from tonight's game.Matt Frattin said he tried to make a big hit to fire up his team. I am in the process of uploading video from the hit in question. It was a text book charging call; I think 5 minutes was the right call.

A Redwing77 Gopher Series Wrap-Up

The Game

This game couldn't have been more up and down. The Sioux dominate the first period yet I felt like the Gophers were the ones who left the period with the momentum. Lo and behold, the second period was just dominant by the Gophers on 5 on 5. It was not good for them on the Powerplay (more on that in the next section). I thought it was going to be just another close loss by the Sioux at one point, but luckily enough, we kill off Frattin's second penalty of the period (more on that in the next section) and Frattin makes amends by scoring in the third.

The big man of the evening is Jason Gregoire. He ends tonight with 1 goal and 2 assists. He was just obscene with the puck tonight and should've scored more than he did. He also was very selfless in giving the puck to Hextall, who should've scored last night.

My UND 3 Stars:

First Star: Jason Gregoire
Second Star: Ben Blood
Third Star: Brad Eidsness

I chose Blood because he was all over the ice and scored. Had he not scored, Trupp gets the nod at 3rd Star and Eids goes up to second. I did not give Frattin a Star (again, explanation upcoming).

My UMN 3 Stars:

First Star: Alex Kangas (yes, Alex Kangas)
Second Star: Nick Leddy
Third Star: Jake Larson

I chose Kangas because he really didn't play poorly at all. He got hung out to dry a lot. This brings me to the operative question: If the Gopher D left Kangas out to drive so much, why have a Dman as the second star? Because one player isn't the whole corps. I think Leddy played pretty well all things considered. Helgeson was outmatched.

The Hit

Ok, my take on the Frattin hit. Simply stated, the hit was illegal, but only for one reason and one reason alone: Frattin left his skates to make the hit. Sweeney stated that it was contact to the head and maybe it was. I thought I heard Looker call it a Charging Major. This Charging major is more to my line of thought. This was a stupid and dangerous hit that was the big note in what has to be the worst period for Matt Frattin since he returned. It was quite possibly the worst period of hockey for him in his entire Sioux career. He was a liability. Yes, you heard it. A liability. Over aggressive, reckless, and payed the price. He spent almost half of the second period (including the last minute 55 of the second) in the penalty box. He hit Wehrs hard and injured him, true enough.

Was it a cheap shot. NO. Frattin didn't come from behind or from the blind side. He came face to face with Wehrs. Wehrs saw it coming. He actually did the right thing, which was put his head up. Unfortunately, Frattin jumped and well... read the first part of this section.

Should he have been ejected. Wooo... I'm actually on the fence on this one, though my reason on the side of giving him an ejection is more of the fan perspective than the rule book. The reason why I would have been "ok" with a 5 minute and a game is because of how Wehrs left the ice. It was OBVIOUS he was injured. He wasn't Robbie Earl-like (he got checked from the behind, laid on the ice so long the trainer came out, he skated back to the bench asking the trainer if they called a major on the Sioux player, and then started out on the ice for the Powerplay). So, since injury occurred, Frattin could have gotten a game and I would have been "ok" with it. But he didn't... because I believe the rulebook gives that decision to the officials and the officials, who enjoy situational officiating, are very reluctant to eject a player when they are not absolutely forced to.

So I'm ok with him staying because now the Gopher fans see the officials through Green colored glasses. The Gophers didn't lose the game because of Frattin's lack of an ejection. Frankly, I was surprised they gave him a major. That was surprisingly what the rulebook said, something the officials only occasionally cite.

But anyways, if Frattin did the same thing but this time didn't leave his skates, at worst it would have been a 2 minute minor, at best, just a really hard hit.

Minnesota

They played better than Game 1 but not as good as Game 2. I'm stunned to say this but... Cepis actually played 90% of the game by the rule book. There were no overt dives I saw unlike in Game 2.

Alex Kangas wasn't the reason the Gophers lost. I think Game 2 and 3 was why Lucia started Kangas over Patterson. What I don't think was good was the fact that Lucia waited until the 3rd period to replace Kangas in Game 1.

The problem with Minnesota isn't Lucia folks. It's John Hill's incompetence and Grant Potulny's inexperience. This year was huge for Grant. If Lucia was serious about his job, this year should be Hill's last with Minnesota. I really think the "whiny" stance the Gopher players take is more Hill's influence than Lucia's. Lucia may say some stuff in the media. He may have hair that reminds some of a 1980's style plant toy. But he's won EVERYWHERE he's gone. You can't get that anywhere.

The Outlook

WCHA Conspiracy Theorists can relax now. McLeod will be in a panic as the superficial sports media morons in MSP will look to an overrated Gopher basketball team or perhaps the Minnesota Mild to occupy their time rather than some good hockey played by good teams.

I don't expect UND to win it all. I have them entering the NCAAs as a #2 seed. And that means that it is very likely we'll get BC in the regional. Yuck.

Update

I fixed a few errors I had in my original post and I'd like to add my 3 Stars of the Series:

First Star: Matt Frattin
Second Star: Jason Gregoire
Third Star: Brad Eidsness

Honorable Mention: Derrick LaPoint, Evan Trupp, Jake Marto, Danny Kristo

Jordan Schroeder watch...

Since the Gophers season will end tonight or next week in the latest, I wanted to start a Jordan Schroeder watch. Here is my question; if Schroeder’s team is eliminated tonight will he be on the plane to Vancouver from Grand Forks, ND. Will call on the cell phone come from his agent? Will the contract be sitting in the fax machine in the Gophers locker room when that elimination game is over. The Jordan Schroeder watch is officially on.

Jordan Schroeder's Golden Gopher squad is in tough tough in the playoffs against North Dakota, losing the first game in the best-of-three series 6-0, and may be available in a matter of days. His numbers have dropped between last year and this one (45 points to 27), but remember that this is University level hockey, and dramatic swings between seasons are commonplace as the teams change composition every year. Plus, even with the fall in scoring, he leads the Gophers in points despite missing two games this season; he has ten points in 34 games on the power play; he's over .500 in face offs and he was given an "A" this season.

The black mark against him is his size: but even at (a somewhat generous) 5'8", he's very strong on the puck and has a heavy wrist shot, even if he doesn't use it enough. He'll have to get his mindset away from passing and into scoring, but once he does he's going to be just deadly. Bring him up and let him try![Nuck Misconduct]

Cross posted first at the Sin Bin.