Something to ponder on Sunday morning; ECAC Hockey...

So after Union, Yale and RPI went an impressive 1-3 in the NCAA tourney this past weekend, can we now again call the ECAC the EZAC again? All season long we heard how tough the ECAC was top to bottom. The ECAC fans were upset with the rest of the college hockey world for rolling our eyes at this suggestion. We had seen this drill before. After watching Yale rack up wins against a list of unimpressive teams, we were lectured by the “Eastern college hockey pundits” that Yale was one of the best college teams in the country and they’re going to be punching their ticket to the Frozen Four in March. #epicfail #notwinning

I ask you, has anything actually changed? But I digress. After watching Yale play two games, I don’t think that Yale was even the best team in their conference. I had the opportunity to watch Union play three or four times this season, I believe that Union was best team in the ECAC. The Dutchmen gave UMD more of a fight that Yale did. Before someone jumps down my throat I saw the O’Neill hit on Jake Hendrickson that was a penalty and worthy of a major penalty and the refs made the right call in that situation.

Let’s think about this, Duluth (the fourth place team in the WCHA) rolled through Yale like a hot knife through butter. Almost true to form; and right on script, the ECAC teams were all gone by the end of the NCAA regionals. That right, the ECAC went 1-3 in their four NCAA games played. So I ask you college hockey fans, has anything really changed? NCAA titles are won and lost in March and April, there is no trophy for being number one in the pairwise during regular season nor is a there a trophy for having the most wins in January and February.

I had a debate recently with a person that had said top to bottom that the ECAC was most balanced league in all of college hockey. I immediately took issue with what this man had said; I told his argument was highly flawed and flat out wrong. Of course the man was perplexed that I would even question his logic.

Going forward I think my argument has been proven to be right with the results of this post season. All you have to do is look at what the WCHA has done this post season and what has transpired, the 10th place team in the WCHA took out the third place team and the fourth place team in the WCHA playoffs.

I honestly think after watching the tourney to this point that the WCHA has proved to be the toughest league top to bottom; think about this, how often does the 6th place team in any league take out the defending NCAA champion in the NCAA tourney? That doesn’t happen very often. Think about this, when the regular season ended the C.C. Tigers finished in 6th place in the WCHA standings and had to go to a third game against the Wisconsin Badgers to make the WCHA Final Five. The Tigers were also a bubble team and were one of the last teams in.

The Eagles were no cupcake and the Tiger took them down and hung an 8 spot on their team. Their goaltender had gone an impressive 8-0-0 in the NCAA tourney. That’s no small accomplishment in my opinion; the Eagles were the team that had won NCAA titles in two out the last three NCAA’s. The next night the Tigers played tough against Michigan. UMD took two of the anointed best teams that the ECAC had to offer and chewed them up and spit them out.

Sioux 6 RPI 0

Today was the first game of the Midwest Regional and the Fighting Sioux came out and put the woods to the RPI Engineers, the game was tight checking and close for the first period and the Sioux only led the game by one after one period, the Sioux eventually wore down the Engineers with their dept and broke open the game with four goals in the third period. The Sioux got one more goal in the third period to ice the game away. It was apparent as the game wore on that UND and RPI are no t on the same page are there is a huge difference between the two teams talent wise.

Nelson Knocked out of the game

There was one area of concern as RPI Josh Rabbani knocked Brock Nelson out literally and then Nelson was helped off of the ice by the trainer. In reviewing the video of the hit I would say that it could have been called a charge or interference. There was no penalty on the call and the Sioux went down the ice and scored. I do think that Brock Nelson has to keep his head up in that situation especially with a big physical team like RPI that tried to play physical against UND but to no avail.

Scoring for the Fighting Sioux were Brad Malone (2X), Danny Kristo, Jason Gregoire, Matt Frattin. Since coming back from frostbite, Danny Kristo has been on fire scoring (3g-2a-5tps) in his last three games. Kristo started out the season snake bitten and could hit water if he was standing in a boat in the middle of a lake. During the second half of the season, his fortunes have changed, Kristo has been on a scoring tear, if my math is right, Kristo had 1 goal, 4 assists and 5 points on November 26, since that date, Kristo has been red hot scoring (7g-15a-22pts).

Since coming back from his frostbite episode, It's almost like his frostbite incident has caused Kristo to refocus his efforts and play like a man that is possessed, his goal today was an awesome and the toe drag move was one for the highlight reels.

[Box Score]

Goon's three stars of the game
1.) Brad Malone (2g-0a-2pts)
2.) Danny Kristo (1g-1a-2pts)
3.) Aaron Dell shutout

Bracket Busting is legal

I think it would be an understatement if I said, “that my brackets are busted.” Actually, my brackets are now a piece of smoking rubble, I got one pick right the last two days. I am not doing very well I have only gotten on pick right and that was UND beating smoking RPI like a cheap cigar. I virtually have no chance of winning my pick-em contest that my buddy entered me into. #epicfail...

Controversy in St Louis

Last night there was a lot of controversy about the Michigan game winner against UNO, of course the ugly helmet fans are happy about this decision, why wouldn’t they be? Seriously, their team lives to fight reviewing everything that I have seen on the goal, I still think the refs made the wrong call on that goal review... That’s my opinion and I am not changing it. It should not take almost 10 minutes to review a goal, I am sorry if you can’t figure it out in 2-5 minutes it’s time to wave the goal off and get back to playing the game.

Ref that made call fired by the NHL

The ref that was part of controversial call is a disgraced and fired NHL/AHL referee. Harry Dumas who was fired by the NHL/AHL during the summer of 2006, I am not making that point up. So let me get this straight; in the biggest games of the year, the NCAA is using an on ice official that was fired by the NHL, that is not something to be proud of, that means this guy wasn’t very good, yet he is good enough to ref and NCAA Division 1 hockey game? How?!? I don’t like this precedent at all, you can’t tell me we don’t have other competent officials that haven’t been fired from the NHL or AHL that could call these regional games. [The Hockey Blog], [Hockey Refs] ... As a college hockey fan I find this to be unacceptable. But of course, Secretary Rules Editor Steve Piotrowski released this statement after the game.

"The officials' initial on-ice call was no goal. There was reasonable evidence to believe the puck had completely crossed the goal line. The play was stopped at the next non-advantage situation to allow an opportunity for the on-ice referees to review the video. Following video review, the on-ice referees determined through conclusive video evidence that the puck had completely crossed the goal line and exited the net by way of the goalie's leg pad."

What I find eve more puzzling is that Steve Piotrowski is from the CCHA so of course he is going to stick up for one of his member schools that benefited from the controversial ruling. The thing that really sticks in my craw is that it took the on ice officials almost 10 minutes to make the call, in my opinion that's unacceptable, if you don't see conclusive evidence that it's a goal in 2-5 minutes it's not there, no review should take that long, either there is visual evidence or there is not.

Ode to the Blown Bracket (Redwing77)

It's only the first day! But yup. My brackets shot to hell...sorta.

Union vs. UMD - Got this one right. Union shows that, though they are a good program, they haven't played anyone. UMD has had a tough schedule having to play teams like UND, DU, CC, UW, and UNO.

Yale vs. AFA - Unfortunately, I got this one right. I know I said unfortunately, because I know deep down AFA could have beat Yale. Yale is just like Union... Talented, but have played nobody. They're a lot like the SDSU of college hockey. Sure SDSU was something like 30 and 3 in this year's basketball season but they played nobody and UCONN destroyed them. The AHA somehow manages to be a weaker conference than the ECACHLMAO and they still took Yale to OT.

Yale vs. UMD - UMD easy. This will be the only bracket that will go according to my prediction. UMD will win because Yale hasn't played a team like UMD all season long. The Bulldogs of Yale bowing out to not even the best WCHA team would be epic and awesome.

UMich vs. UNO - I can't honestly remember who I picked for this matchup. However, I believe I picked UNO. When I went to the gym, UNO was up 2-0. And then they fell prey to the reason why I thought they would fall eventually: Not enough firepower to keep up with the big powers. Michigan is NOT a great team. They laid an egg to a slightly above average WMU team and it took the refs to give them the game vs. UNO. And I don't care about the blown call: UNO should have won this game so that the call wouldn't have had to be blown in the first place.

BC vs. CC - This game I went INCREDIBLY wrong and I let everyone who listened in to 1310 am this afternoon know how wrong I was. Who knew BC would score 4 goals and lose? Who thought CC would score EIGHT goals? You know what this reminds me of? Last year. UND vs. Yale. BC was totally looking forward to Michigan. Now they can look forward to Michigan without the pressure of actually having to play them. I guess Howe came up for them but 4 goals does not a great goaltender makes.

CC vs. Michigan - Well, I lose regardless in this bracket so I'm going to give the feel good props to CC. Michigan SHOULD win this game but BC SHOULD have won tonight so.. There you go.

This NCAA tourney isn't like the basketball tourney where #1s and #2s are dropping like flies... but year in and year out we learn that there is a reason why they play the games.

I just hope we don't pull a 2011 BC and RPI doesn't pull a 2011 CC. And maybe Goon wasn't smoking something when he predicted WMU beating DU. I don't know. I still have it UND vs. DU.

After further review the refs blow call, Michigan goal in O.T.

In reviewing this controversial goal it's my belief that the one ice officials Harry Dumas, Chip McDonald made the wrong call and in my opinion should never be allowed to ref a NCAA Division one tourney game ever again, it should not take 9 ½ minutes to review a goal. In my opinion this is a bitter pill for UNO to swallow and the refs are culpable in my opinion.

Former Badger Ryan Suter kicks puck into own net - video

Check it out

Friday afternoon Links - NCAA Hockey

Today is the opening day of the NCAA tourney and there is a lot of stuff going on.

Mile High City looks at the NCAA tourney from the Colorado Avalanche perspective. 

I have to question the timing of this article as Jesse Martin feels snubbed by Sioux ...

BC hockey takes new route toward NCAA title [ESPN.COM]

According to a tweet from Mike McMahon; Gustav Nyquist leaves Maine, signing with Detroit Red Wings last night. Here is the article to the signing.

UND Hockey; Gregoire, others still question marks [Click to read article]

Without a Peer looks at RPI's opponent the Fighting Sioux; WAP also looks at the Fighting Sioux logo as well. Here is the link to the Without a Peer podcast. [Click to listen]

INCH has their Midwest Regional preview, Mike Eidelbes picks the Sioux to win the regional.

Goon's in studio on 1310 KNOX - Friday from 4:15 – 5:00 PM

Listen to the Goon live at 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm on 1310 AM KNOX on Tuesday March 29th, 2011. R.J. and the Goon will be talking about last weekend NCAA Regional tourney and the up coming Frozen Four in the Xcel Energy Center April 7th and 9th ... If you live out of town you can listen live by clicking on this web link...[Click to Listen]

Call in 701-775-5559, 1-866-KNOX-1310, email: Live@KNOXRADIO.com

Brad Schlossman on Slap Schotts

If you haven't heard it yet Kevin Pates of the Duluth News Tribune and Brad Schlossman the Grand Forks Herald were on "Slap Schotts" [Fox Sports AM 980]Listen to Brad and Ken Schott break down the series between RPI and UND.

Jeff Jackson not a fan of the Big Ten Hockey Conference

Looks like you can mark down Notre Dame Fighting Irish head hockey coach Jeff Jackson as not being a fan of the Big Ten Hockey Conference. If you haven't seen it, WSBT.COM has good article that is worth taking a look at. I do think Jackson brings up some of the issues that others are concerned about.

SOUTH BEND -- And in Jackson’s opinion, the changes that will soon come are not a promising circumstance for the game at all.

"I think what the Big Ten is doing could potentially have a negative impact on college hockey," Jackson said. "I think it's great that Penn State is adding college hockey. I think it's great that the Big Ten is going to be allowed to play each other more often. I think that's great for college hockey. But separating themselves from our league and the WCHA could have a pretty profound effect on college hockey in general."

Jackson's worries are not so much about the effects on Notre Dame, so much they are about the impact the potential changes will have on smaller schools, and the overall health of the game at the college level.

"My roots are from a small school up in the (Michigan upper peninsula)," Jackson said. "I coached 10 years at Lake Superior State. And I think one of the worst things that could happen is that teams don't go up there and play anymore. Because it could be the death nail of their program. And I don't think anybody wants to see that.

"Notre Dame is going to be fine. It's just a matter of us reviewing everything, making sure what's in the best interest of our University and our hockey program."

NCAA 1st Round Match-Ups - (by Sioux 7)

The playoffs have reached the big show now with the start of the NCAA tournament this weekend. Let’s take a look at all the first round match-ups. Sorry these analyses are not very in depth, but I dont' have much first hand knowlegde of the non-WCHA teams.


EAST REGIONAL (Bridgeport, CT)
#1 Yale (27-6-1) vs #16 Air Force (20-11-6)The Bulldogs and the Falcons have played each other this year, back in mid-November. Yale led the game 3-0 before the Falcons rallied for a 4-3 win in Colorado Springs.

Many fans think that Yale is overrated, well, after this weekend they will know, win or lose. Last year the Bulldogs upended the Sioux in the first round, now the Falcons will be looking to upset the higher seed. YALE WINS 4-2


#8 Union (26-9-4) vs #9 Minnesota-Duluth (22-10-6)These teams have two common opponents this year, Minnesota and Bemidji State. The Dutchman beat the Gophers in Minneapolis with a 3-2 OT victory on New Year’s Eve, and then lost to BSU on New Year’s Day by a 3-1 score. The Bulldogs went 1-1-1 versus the Beavers on the season, winning and tying in Bemidji back in October and losing to them in the Final 5. UMD went 1-1-2 versus the Gophers on the season. Take that info for what it’s worth. Since this is the 8-vs-9 seed, whoever wins, it won’t be an upset. BULLDOGS WIN 5-4


REGION FINAL – YALE/AFA vs UNION/UMD winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with Yale over UMD.


NORTHEAST REGIONAL (Manchester, NH)
#6 Merrimack (25-9-4) vs #11 Notre DameMerrimack was excellent at home this season posting a 14-2-1 record, and they were good on the road too, 10-6-3. With this game only being about an hour from home, I like their odds of winning this game. The Irish are 9-5-2 away from South Bend this year. Since I haven’t seen either of these teams play this year, I’m taking the easy way out and going with the higher seed. MERRIMACK WINS 3-2.


#4 Miami (OH) vs #13 New Hampshire (21-10-6)The Wildcats are 11-4-4 at home this season and are 10-4-2 away, even though they are the host institution; it isn’t at their home arena. The RedHawks are 7-5-4 away from Oxford this season. I saw one of their games this year and they have speed and skill on their forward lines. I think Miami’s depth will be the key in this game, even though this will really be a “home game” for UNH. MIAMI WINS 4-2


REGION FINAL – MC/ND vs Miami/UNH winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with Miami over Merrimack.



MIDWEST REGIONAL (Green Bay, WI)
#2 North Dakota vs #15 RensselaerThe Sioux return to the tournament keeping their coach’s perfect attendance record at the NCAA intact (7 in a row). RPI has not been in the tourney since 1995, but they do have history, they have two national championships, ’54 and ’85. (UND has seven, ’59, ’63, ‘80, ‘82, ‘87, ’97, ’00.) The Sioux are led by the Magnificent Seven, their seven seniors. After an early exit from last year’s tournament, they are looking for some redemption. NORTH DAKOTA WINS 4-2


#7 Denver vs #10 Western MichiganWestern Michigan is only 5-6-7 away from Kalamazoo this season, and the Pioneers aren’t much better going 7-6-3 away from Denver. The Pioneers lost a heart-breaker to the Sioux in the Final 5 Championship game in double overtime. The question will be, how much do they have left in the tank after that? Last year DU was a number one seed and lost in the first round. The Broncos have been a pleasant surprise this year in the CCHA. No doubt both teams will come out swinging, and we’ll just have to wait and see who is still standing. WMU WINS 3-2


REGION FINAL – UNC/RPI vs DU/WMU winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with North Dakota over Western Michigan.


WEST REGIONAL (St. Louis, MO)
#5 Michigan vs #12 Nebraska-OmahaThese teams met earlier this season, mid-October, in Ann Arbor with the teams splitting that series 4-2 UNO in the opener and UM winning 6-1 in the closer. Obviously these two are familiar foes, since UNO played in the CCHA for about a decade. The Wolverines are 7-6-3 on the road this year and the Mavericks are 8-9-1 away from Omaha. Dean Blais know how to coach, as does Red Berenson, so this should be on helluva game to watch. MICHIGAN WINS 4-3.

#3 Boston College vs #14 Colorado CollegeThis is the Eagles time of year, they won it all last year in Detroit, and three years ago too. The Tigers are back to the tourney again this year, and their coach has been here many times before. CC has an excellent top line, as does BC. Looking after that, BC has the edge, especially in goal tending; their starter hasn’t lost a game in the NCAA tournament. That said, people may say he is due to have a bad game this year, and the Tigers are hoping it is this one. In the one and done format anything can happen, but I don’t think it will be in this round. BC WINS 4-2


REGION FINAL – UM/UNO vs BC/CC winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with Michigan over Boston College.

Bruce McLeod on the Fan 740.

Here is the interview in question [Click to listen]

Listen to what Bruce McLeod says he is basically saying in so many words, we aren't interested in adding Minnesota State University Moorhead. In a nice way he is saying don't call us, we'll call you.

NCAA has no shame, still selling Fighting Sioux logo

If you haven't seen this letter to the editor it’s worth a read, it was posted in today’s letters to the editor in the Grand Forks Herald. I think it's hypocritical as well, the NCAA want to ban the Fighting Sioux logo because the NCAA say it’s hostile and abusive but then NCAA is still making money off of the Fighting Sioux logo. Shameful!!!

GRAND FORKS — In 2005, the NCAA made a decision that schools with tribal logos and/or nicknames — including UND — were to be sanctioned, originally because they were deemed “hostile and abusive.”

Those sanctions would not allow UND or other schools like it to use tribal names or logos in post-season play nor could they host post-season championships.

Asking universities to do away with these logos — even suing schools and threatening them with sanctions — is a bold move. Therefore, the NCAA as an organization certainly should not be promoting let alone profiting off of the very logos it is against.

But the NCAA has not stopped selling the logoed wear of the schools that it has sanctioned. Hundreds of UND items are available on the NCAA’s website, www.shopncaasports.com. This at a time when the Sioux men’s hockey team will be participating in a prominent NCAA-sanctioned event.

Despite threats of the UND logo going away, the cost of Sioux apparel is up, and the rise doesn’t appear to be stopping. But go into any local retailer, and these items are flying off the shelves. Sioux apparel continues to rank among the hottest sellers.

It is interesting that the NCAA has not taken a hard stance on this and stated that regardless of the position of the school, the organization would be the first to stop selling the logoed apparel.

Has anyone associated with UND, the State Board of Higher Education or even the North Dakota attorney general’s office discussed this with the NCAA? Why is the organization profiting off of something it is so against?

Jennifer Dame

How are the Sioux supposed to act?

I am puzzled on how the Sioux are supposed to act when they win a conference trophy? Are they supposed to over celebrate? Dance around the arena, possibly go to the lobby of the Xcel Energy Center and sing their school song? The boys at INCH took issue with UND as well. From what I can tell is that the Fighting Sioux aren't satisfied with being the league regular season and post season champs, the Fighting Sioux want more, they want another trophy. Some programs might look at winning a Conference Trophy as successful season but I think for this team anything less than going to the Frozen Four will be seen as being unsuccessful season.

Without a Peer --- Let there be no doubt as to which team in this matchup has the pressure on them. Anything short of the national championship for North Dakota, especially given their dismissive demeanors after winning the MacNaughton and the Broadmoor, will be a failure. The Engineers, while they surely are going to go for the win, are merely happy to still be playing. That alone, or even combined with the elements above, isn't going to suddenly make RPI favorites, but there's something to be said for the freedom that comes with using house money.

Felger & Mazz: Mark Recchi On The Canadiens, Pacioretty

If you haven't heard this radio/audio clip it's worth a listen.

The hiring of Anastos is an interesting turn of events

I have been reading this story all day and into the night and my Bravo Sierra detector is in full force... The more I read this story the more it doesn't smell right. Who the hell hires a league commissioner to coach a high profile division one college hockey program? Especially, when the coach hasn't coached a hockey game in 20 years? This hiring makes no sense what-so-ever. I would think the game has changed in the last twenty years as well.

USCHO.COM --- In the press conference Wednesday announcing his hiring, Anastos said it himself: “It’s not every day a commissioner’s hired to come coach a team.”

I’d take that one step further. It’s not every day that someone whose last college coaching experience was nearly 20 years ago is hired as a head coach at a high-profile university.

That’s one question I have. Why did Michigan State choose someone with no recent direct college hockey coaching experience?

MSU athletic director Mark Hollis took everyone through his hiring process at the press conference. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet with so many people — people from the hockey world, people from the athletic world, and people from the business world, talking about what it takes to be a great leader, what it takes to be a great coach, and frankly what it takes to be a great Spartan. Through it all we started with 20-plus names.”

Twenty? Really?

“In the end,” said Hollis, “Tom Anastos jumped to the forefront on all the characteristics I believe take a true leader. I think when I step back and I look, any time I hire a coach I step back and look at my three children, and I think, ‘Who would I entrust my three children with to be a mentor?’ And that was a big factor in hiring Tom Anastos.”

Okay.

“I believe that we have to create a culture here,” said Hollis, “where folks in the NHL — scouts, general managers — believe that we’re giving our kids everything possible to train, develop not only to play in the NHL but for a life beyond, and that’s what Tom Anastos believes in.”

I am on board with this. There’s no question that NCAA hockey needs to compete harder with major junior Canadian hockey for college-eligible players. No question. From what Anastos has said on several occasions, I know that he’s passionate about keeping college-eligible players in college.

Final Five pictures from DU and UND

Again, I want to thank Corrie Block my photographe for the final five.

Canadiens embellished Pacioretty's concussion, says Recchi

Nothing like throwing some gas on the fire. This is a story that is breaking on the internet tonight, here is the audio to the interview in question that everyone is talking about, [click to listen]

Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff ---In an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub this afternoon, Mark Recchi emphasized how thankful he was that Max Pacioretty is recovering from the March 8 hit that left him with a fractured vertebra and a severe concussion. Pacioretty could play in the playoffs.
But Recchi speculated that the Canadiens embellished the nature of Pacioretty's concussion to prompt the league to suspend Zdeno Chara.

"He does obviously have a fractured vertebra, but the concussion is obviously really a non-factor," said Recchi, citing how Pacioretty attended a movie several days after the hit. "In maybe a day or two -- maybe a day he felt it -- but he was fine a couple days later. They were trying to get Zdeno suspended and they embellished it a little bit. In terms of that side, they're doing whatever they could to get him suspended. I think the league sent a message that it was a hockey play. That's the important thing and people have to understand. If they deemed it something that was serious, they suspended Matt Cooke up to 17 games for a head shot. They're serious about protecting the players now. That was an interference play at worst. The partitions got in the way. I don't think Zdeno is to blame for that."

Before everyone jumps on Boston Bruins forward Marc Recchi, just for the record Recchis isn’t known for being a dirty player and he is hardly a goon or a thug and Recchi does bring up some good points. I have to admit that I thought the same thing when I heard the announcement last week on Pacioretty. My first reaction was, I thought he was done for the season and that was a chance that his career was in jeopardy. Now we are hearing that Max Pacioretty has made this incredible recover in a very short period of time. Hum!

You can color me skeptical… That does sound a little fishy to me.

Edit; MSU plucks Anastos from the CCHA.

This has turned into a crazy story; apparently MSU went after Tom Anastos and he had no clue they were interested in hiring him as the head coach of the MSU Spartans. Personally, I can see how when this story first broke that some including me would look at this cynically… Look the CCHA isn’t a very attractive league minus Michigan State and Michigan. I could personally care less about tOSU because they have done nothing notable during their college hockey existence. I wouldn't have blamed him if he did in fact bail on the CCHA. I still wonder how the fans over at Save UAH Hockey  feel about this move; are they cheering Tom Anastos leaving the CCHA leadership post?

The State News --- MSU’s new hockey coach will be former Spartan and current CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos.

Anastos said in a release he is excited about returning to MSU.

“The expectations I have for our program will be to compete annually for conference and national championships,” Anastos said. “That was the expectation when I was here as a player and as an assistant coach, and I don’t believe it should be any different in my role as head coach. … I am excited to get started, to hire a staff, and to get myself re-acclimated within the MSU community.”

MSU has been looking for a new coach since Rick Comley announced his retirement on Jan. 25.

MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis said in a release Anastos brings the passion needed to coach a hockey program like MSU.

“He can attract high-caliber talent and develop those players into those who are attractive to the National Hockey League. He places a premium on education, and the drive and desire to compete for championships,” Hollis said. “Hockey is important in the state of Michigan, and it is also important to Michigan State. We will continue to provide the resources to appropriately support this program, and to best prepare our student-athletes for their personal future … in the NHL and the business world.”

They said what? Picture included

This was in the INCH first shift. Apparently the boys at INCH are not impressed with the UND Fighting Sioux hockey team not touching/picking up the Broadmoor trophy.

Here at INCH, we get mildly perturbed when teams refuse to take possession of championship trophies — such as North Dakota after winning the Broadmoor Trophy Saturday — based on some absurd hockey superstition stating that the only touchable hardware is handed out following the final game of the season. Nonsense! Winning a league championship is an impressive achievement and should be embraced, especially in the WCHA. We often hear how great the WCHA is and how difficult it is to win in that league. To turn around and act like it’s not that big a deal is inconsistent, at best.

Personally, I know why some teams do this, the last time the Sioux won the MacNaughton Cup they touched the cup and lost their next two games at the Final Five and then lost their first round game of the NCAA tourney to UNH. This season the Fighting Sioux didn't touch the MacNaughton Cup and they won the Broadmoor, some teams just don't touch the trophy. Just for the Record Sidney Crosby touched the league trophy and they cup. It seems that not touching is working for them so far.



photo by Corrie Block



INCH Power Rankings

gAs always I include the INCH Power Rankings, for a fifth week in a row the Fighting Sioux are on top of the rankings.

INCH Power Rankings
[March 23, 2011]
1. North Dakota — The Fighting Sioux have played 60 NCAA Tournament games in their program’s history. They’ve won 40 of them for a .667 winning percentage, tops among all schools, and only Minnesota (50), Michigan (47), and Boston College (41) have more total tournament victories. 30-8-3 LAST WEEK: W vs. Colorado College, 4-3; W vs. Denver, 3-2 2ot (WCHA Final Five). THIS WEEK: vs. Rensselaer (NCAA Midwest Regional)
2. Boston College
3. Miami
4. Yale
5. Michigan
6. Merrimack
7. Union
8. Denver
9. New Hampshire
10. Western Michigan
11. Colorado College
12. Minnesota Duluth
13. Notre Dame
14. Dartmouth
15. Nebraska-Omaha
16. Boston University
17. Air Force
18. RIT
19. Rensselaer
20. Wisconsin
Dropped out: None
Bubble-licious: None