Rough Play
During the post game interview of last weekends series with Michigan
Tech on KCNN Sioux Forward Matt Henderson was critical of the Huskies dirty
play during the weekend series. Tim Hennessy said that Matt had steam rolling
off his sholders, Henderson who is a physical player himself said that he
did not like the style of play that Michigan Tech displayed. Henderson was
concerned if play like that is tolerated by game officals someone could get
hurt. I agree. Luckily no one was hurt. It was evident that once Tech
discovered that they could not skate with the quicker, smaller Sioux, Tech
tried to play cheap, this tactic ended up costing the Huskies two power play
goals in the waning moments of a close game. On the weekend the officals
missed a lot of calls, but in the end had to call penalties because some of
the Huskie penalities were so blatant, this ended killing the Huskie
effort. I now wonder is the rest of the league is going to miss Michigan
Tech, if and when they move to the CCHA. I would say not, if they continue
to play this way. Over the last year and a half UND is 8-0-0 against
Michigan Tech.
The Gophers Situation
On Sunday I was reading the sports page of the Minneapolis Star
Tribune, when I came across an humerous editorial in the sports page. A
disgrunted fan had written in to complain about the current situation of the
Gopher Hockey Team.
(Some stuff not included) So coach Doug Woog is having a down year,
so what So what if year after year his recruiting pulls into the cream
of the crop and he squanders it? So what if you're paying $19.00 per
ticket and $6.00 for parking. (Some more deleted) So what if the fan are
fashionably late, leave in the middle of play to stand in concession lines,
and lean on thier knees obstructing the views of others? So the team
can't win in Grand Forks. Big Deal. So what Wisconsin was won more NCAA titles
(he didn't mention that North Dakota has more too) than the Gophers they didn't
have all
Minnesotans on their team,did they. So what if Michigan loses half its team
and still is 18-4this season? We are not in the Wolverines league, so it
doesn't matter. What matters is that Gophers fans consider winning the
Hobey Baker Award more valuable than a piece of hardware sitting on a
shelf or a banner hanging from the rafters...
Author Dan Ondick
Folks this is classic stuff. To me this is down right funny, (well not for
Gopher fans, but for the Sioux fans it is) these letters to the sports
editor have been appearing in the column since the Gophers started losing.
It didn't take to long for the once proud fans to start calling for the end
of the all Minnesota era. I know why. The Gopher fans are tired of watching
Minnesota choke in the playoffs year after year, While other WCHA teams have
won titles in the 1980's and 1990's, most recently the Fighting Sioux. Folks
if you think things are going to stay like this for long in Mpls think
again. The homies are not enjoying losing or watching their Gophers take a
beating week after week. Look for Woog to be gracefully shoved out at
Minnesota. Stay tuned the soap opera continues.
The Goons Ice Chips
*David Hoogsteen on Andy Sutton: He is a good player but he is kind of a
goon. A quote from the post game show on KCNN.
*Look for Karl Goerhing to get both starts against SCSU this weekend.
However, Schwitzer made a solid case for his playing time. Look for
Schweitzer to play both games against MSU the following weekend.
*Preditions for the weekend. UND and SCSU if the real Sioux hockey team
shows up to play and doesn't get caught up in the antics they could sweep,
however, look for a split. Sioux Win 4-2 on Friday and 4-3 on saturday.
(O.K. but I don't want to sound to overconfident). Wisconsin and C.C. look
for the Tigers to come out smooking as they open the new world arena Tigers
sweep the Baders 5-1 and 4-2. Look for UMD to sweep the not so Golden
Gophers 5-1 and 10-2. Denver sweeps their two ECAC opponents.
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