WCHA...start your engines!

[so haaad]

It starts tonight! Gophers at SCSU tonight. NoDak at MSU. WI at DU.

Any predictions on who will win the WCHA this year? I hate to do it, but I'll predict NoDak finishing first, followed by CC, Denver and the Gophers finishing fourth.

[maros91]

Gophers have 12 Fr., 6 So., 7 Jr., and 2 Sr.

Very young squad

[PierBridge]

I'll predict the Gophers finish ahead of the Sioux for sure somewhere around 2nd or 3rd place.

[mrklean]

SCSU thats all i gotta say

[so haaad]

Gophers have 12 Fr., 6 So., 7 Jr., and 2 Sr.

Very young squad

Young indeed. That's why I'm saying 4th.

[Hockey Guy]

Probably SCSU finishing 1st. I'm a gopher fan but I have to say I wouldn't mind seeing them do it either. I like motzko and every year SCSU looks like they are going to be good, they have 5-6 guys bail-out to the pros.

[KMR85]

MSU

[DEADhead]

It could be anybody's game this season. SCSU has a good chance to be up at the top. Maybe it's the year of a sleeper team like MSUM or even the bulldogs? Stalock is still looking as good as ever after last week's series. Could be a tough squad to beat if he stays on his game this season. The youth of the Gophers this year could be interesting; I definitely think they have more of a chance to do well this season than last years' team, but an unlikely shot at the McNaughton cup. It wouldn't surprise me if the Sioux-age fall apart and take a steamy dump on the ice this year. If Hakstol can keep from giving refs the finger, and wean his team from the bottle and pampers, maybe they'll have a late season shot at the playoffs, per the usual.

[iafish4fun]

OK, I was watching the game and our FSN channel has the voice delayed by about 3 sec. Does that happen up there too? I really like watching MN hockey. The boy and I are North Stars/Wild fans.

[PierBridge]

I can't believe we "Gophs" outplayed them as bad as we did tonight.

Impressive to say the least.

[DEADhead]

good showing tonight by the gophs. I hope they can keep it up.

[8-Ball]

I'll be there tomorrow night-looking forward to a good tilt!

[tjbassmaster]

Everyone has seem to forgoten the Mavericks beat North Dakota 5 to 1. Mavs are going to be the team to watch this year.

[DHanson]

I was at the husky/gopher game last night. The gophers looked pretty good. Some really fast and sharp skaters out there. They outplayed the huskies big time, but at least the score remained close to keep the game interesting. I hope the huskies come to play tonight.

[8-Ball]

I was at tonights Gophs/Huskies game. I was very impressed w/the speed and puckhandling abilities of the two freshman kids-Ness and Schroeder. Both are bullets on the ice and kind of remind me (I know, it's one game) of Larry Olimb. They both appear to have the puck on a string attached to their sticks. I know Donny-Loo want/needs more pucks buried and I agree-but if Kangas plays like this the entire season, we won't need to score 4 or 5 a game...

[yakfisher]

Kangas was looking great towards the end of last season, if he stepped it up a notch this year he could easily be the hottest goalie in the WCHA.

[archerystud]

Gophers looked very good on Friday. They pretty much dominated. Saturday was a better game. I'm a Husky fan and I would say the Gophers will do better than I thought this year.

[so haaad]

A very nice weekend by the Gophs. They looked good, especially for the beginning of the year like this.

[solbes]

You have to have a real goalie to win deep into the play-offs and the Gophers have that now. They are young, but I think they will always be a younger squad. Most of the top talent goes pro now after their freshman or sophmore year. I wouldn't pick them at the top, but certainly in the top 4.

MSU has some very good returning players. I'm hoping the Bulldogs can improve their record a little this year; only big departure was Jason Garrison. Wisconsin's blue line is stacked, but I'm not sure how potent they are going to be otherwise. Oshie left UND, but Duncan's still there.

I'm very excited for the season. Anyone ever try to see all the WCHA arenas? I'm only 4 schools in, but I'd like to keep expanding to new ones; maybe try the Kohl center this year.

[jwhjr]

I only caught a few minutes of each game, but I liked what I saw. I hope they can keep the shots on Kangas down as he won't be able to stand on his head all year

[archerystud]

Solbes,

I didn't really like the Kohl Center, too big and I felt too far away from the ice. Madison is fun town, you have to get out on the town.

I haven't made them all but the Ralph (nicest) and the DECC (smallest I've seen) are my favorites.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

I haven't made them all but the Ralph (nicest)

no doubt...the Ralph is the best college hockey arena I've been to! I love their preshow before announcing the starting lines for UND. I'll miss Oshie in these highlights!

[solbes]

We went to the Ralph a few years back. Bulldogs got handed a huge loss, but we had a blast anyway. I was certainly wowed by that arena.

The DECC is my favorite, but am looking forward to the 2010-2011 season when the new arena opens up in Canal Park.

It's either Kohl center, MSU, or a trip up to the U.P this winter.

[yakfisher]

The Ralph is the best in hockey, at least until a new pro rink gets built.

[Dock Boy]

I'm orginally from East Grand Forks and have been to the Ralph many times. My dad has season tickets for the sue that he calls expensive Gopher tickets. We are both big Gopher fans. The atmosphere at the Ralph is not the same as it used to be in the old rink. Now games are more like a social event with many fans in the seats have no idea how the game is played. Just my two cents.