NCAA Tourney itself

[PierBridge]

Here we go Sioux Fans here we go!.

All we need now is a guest appearance by Foss.

I hope everybody realizes this game is going at least one overtime. ....

GO GOPHERS!

[Bear55]

I'm sorry Bear, i can't put a bet on this game. every time I pulled a Pete Rose my team loses.

But we are gambling on text in cyber space, what could go wrong?

Any other Sioux takers out there?

[CaptainMusky]

We have been a little inconsistent the past few weeks.

I think the gophers have been inconsistent all season. They seem to sleepwalk through the better part of many games. This will not work at this point in the season. I didnt catch any of the Robert Morris game, but it was probably the best thing that could have happened to them. Get a 4-0 lead, then 4-2 WAKE UP CALL and then pour it on again.

THe game against SCSU was pretty much total domination. Obvious sign of what the team is capable of when they play like are capable of.

UND is one of those teams that is always peaking at the end of the season. It wouldnt matter if they were full of juniors or seniors they seem to ALWAYS start slow only to come on the second half of the season.

Considering this match up and how they are probably the best "4" seed to ever enter the tourney it will be an interesting game. Gophers 7-1.

[Bryce]

Ess uva bee. Just realized our tickets to the Wild are on Thurday April 10th. Arrrr.

[Bear55]

Ess uva bee. Just realized our tickets to the Wild are on Thurday April 10th. Arrrr.

Whoops!

[Hester]

Ess uva bee. Just realized our tickets to the Wild are on Thurday April 10th. Arrrr.

Sell them now.

Gophers 4

Sioux 3 in ot.

[Superduty]

I see the gophers beating ND. Who are the Sioux?? They don't exist. Pick a mascot already. I think the gophers need something to get fired up about. Big ten rivals don't do it. No bigger rivalry than with ND.

As far as the finals, BC looks like the class of the field. BC 5-2 (with an empty net goal) over gophers unless Wilcox stands on his head.

[PierBridge]

Ess uva bee. Just realized our tickets to the Wild are on Thurday April 10th. Arrrr.

Are you serious? that's my Annual Entire World Tour that I go on.....Arrrrr-UGGGH!

[Hester]

My bad superduty.

I tend to agree on your bc take also.

As long as its not a NORTH DAKOTA vs BC finals.

I need to cheer for someone.

[cbrooks]

I'm hoping its Union vs UND

[CaptainMusky]

Im not convinced that BC is who we think they are. They, to me, appear heavily dependent on their top line. Gophers beat them once earlier this season.

They are tough to handle and I am very impressed with their 17 year old goalie, but I dont think they are some unbeatable team like the one that destroyed MN in the Frozen Four 2 years ago. That team was unreal.

So its settled then, we agree its Gophers vs Union in the Final right? :-)

[cbrooks]

Union is better than people think. UND is a wild card this year

[Bear55]

Its going to be a war, all teams are deep and good in all zones. BC might be a little top heavy with 1 big line but the rest of their team is still very solid. UND is probably light on the offense compared the rest of the field. MN is depending on a lot of freshmen which can be scary this time of the year. Union while being a great team will always have their strength of schedule questioned because of the conference they play in. You can make a argument for or against any one of these teams and you wouldn't be wrong.

[archerystud]

SCSU's Nic Dowd still in the running for Hobey!!!!!

Hey, that's the best I've got right now...

[archerystud]

Unless MN lays an egg or Gothberg stands on his head MN advances.

BC has a scary offense but Union is awfully good, especially on the blue line. That game should be a battle, go Union.

[CaptainMusky]

When the gophers and und meet all bets are off. Throw out the records, hot streaks, powerhouse scoring lines or great goal tending these games are usually very competitive.

There is no other team I hate to lose to more than und.

[Bear55]

SCSU's Nic Dowd still in the running for Hobey!!!!!

Hey, that's the best I've got right now...

I think the BC kid has this one locked up, no one has been this close to 80 points in at least a decade.

[solbes]

I think the BC kid has this one locked up, no one has been this close to 80 points in at least a decade.

Agreed. Andy Miele was the only winner in recent past with more than 70. 50-65 pts is more typical most years for the winner.

Plus Leblanc just won it last year. That shouldn't make a difference, but sometimes I think it does.

[Bear55]

Ya they have to throw one to the East every now and then.

[fishing tech]

If the Gophers play like they can and did against SCSU they win out. If they play like they did in the 2nd period against RM they are done. If the refs call all the cheap dump, UND has no chance. If they let it go UND stays close. BC has 1 line. Play the body against that line and let your other lines beat theirs. I don't know much about Union, but they had to win to be where they are.

Hot goalies, missed chance, and refereeing can all cost or win you a game.

Gophers 5-2 as und will fall to the power play goals.

Gophers 4-2 with an empty netter over BC

Ya I am a homer. Go Gophers!! RAH!

[solbes]

Since the NCAA doesn't want the Frozen Four to compete against Basketball, we have this weird 2 week break again. Too long if you ask me.

So here's the Hobey winners in the past 20 years (not a coincidence that I chose to start with a Bulldog, my freshman year in college):

'94 - Chris Marinucci - UMD - 13 games, 1G/4A

'95 - Brian Holzinger - Bowling Green - 13 years, 93G/145A

'96 - Brian Bonin - UofM - 12 games, 0G/0A

'97 - Brandon Morrison - Mich - 16 years, 200G/401A

'98 - Chris Drury - BU- 12 years, 255G/360A

'99 - Jason Krog - NH - 8 years, 22G/37A

'00 - Mike Mottau (D)- BC - 7 years, 9G/51A

'01 - Ryan Miller - Mich Stat - 11 seasons (current), .916 SV%

'02 - Jordan Leopold (D, current)- U of M - 12 years, 65G/139A

'03 - Peter Senja - CC - 49 games, 7G/4A

'04 - Junior Lessard - UMD - 27 games, 3G/1A

'05 - Marty Sertich - CC - 0 games

'06 - Matt Carle (D) - DU - 8 years (curent), 37G/187A

'07 - Ryan Duncan - UND - 0 games

'08 - Kevin Porter - Mich - 4 seasons (current) 35G/54A

'09 - Matt Gilroy (D) - BU - 4 years (current), 10G/36A

'10 - Blake Geoffrion - UW - 55 games, 8G/5A

'11 - Andy Miele - Miami - 7 games, 0G/0A

'12 - Jack Connolloy - UMD - 0 games, Europe so far

'13 - Drew Leblanc - SCSU - too early

So '94-'03 you have 5 very solid / great NHL players. 50% success rate. Two more that contributed to some NHL scoring. From '04-'13 you have one good player (Carle) and two that contributed to some scoring, but hardly NHL success stories. Now granted a couple of these guys are still developing, but there seems to be quite a difference in NHL success rate between the two periods in time.

Hobey Baker curse, or just smaller guys getting the scoring in college that don't transition well to the bigs?

[CaptainMusky]

Solbes, interesting post. We were just talking about this yesterday at work and the only person I could think of (off the top of my head) out of the past Hobey winners who had a dramatic impact in recent memory was Miller.

I have to wonder if the fact that so many of these guys leave early now has any role in this, but its definitely interesting to see it.

[Bear55]

College hockey as a whole is producing a lot more talent than ever before, but like CM mentioned the top end talent usually moves on after a year to two. If you look back at all the Hobey finalist you start to see more NHL names. Even then a lot of the stud NHL players never even get nominated for the Hobey while they are in college.

http://www.uscho.com/faq/hobey/

[Fowlmouth]

5-3 gophers over und

[Bear55]

75 hours and counting!!!!