Yes, as you may have heard we got it again!!! Only a mere 14.3 inches this
 time but it all fell in about nine hours. Despite the weather, the Gophers had
 two excellent games against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
 
 On Friday night, before the national anthem, we had a few moments of silence
 in remembrance of Bob Johnson and his great contributions to the sport of
 hockey. I have NEVER heard Mariucci Arena that quiet. You could have heard a
 pin drop. (very trite, but true)
 
 The Gophers had a very interesting first period. I don't remember how long we
 went without a shot on goal, but it was a while. We scored on our first shot
 on goal and had TWO total shots on goal for the whole period! North Dakota was
 really into the game and had 11 shots on goal. The difference was Jeff Stolp.
 Our senior goaltender was unbelieveable! He made so many incredible saves that
 we lost count. "The puck Stolps here!" was flashed up on the scoreboard
 several times in each game this weekend. (Usually it only happens once a
 game!) I really can't say enough about how fantastic Stolper played, hard to
 believe that two years ago he lost his starting job to a Freshman and a
 walk-on Senior!!
 
 Also on Friday night, after a Sioux power play in which they didn't get a
 single shot on goal the student section ("NEE") started chanting "Power Play!"
 over and over as their advantage wore down.  Very funny!
 
 Saturday night we were without our faithful (and very mutant) Goldie Gopher to
 lead the cheers.  The crowd did surprisingly well ALL BY THEMSELVES!!!  The
 Pep Band started the MINN - NEE - SO - TA cheer and the crowd followed right
 away.  We don't know why Goldie wasn't there, but I didn't miss him playing
 with all his dolls (Fred and Dino, Beetlegeuse, Gumby and Pokey, etc.) Actually
  he had dropped his Gumby onto the ice Friday night and probably got a DQ for
 that slip up!  :-)
 
 The games were what I expected, although Greg Shepherd who was the Ref seemed
 to have left his contacts at home. He missed a lot of calls and seemed intent
 on only calling the MOST obvious penalties....quite a switch from what we've
 become used to this season.  His favorite penalty is "cross-checking" and I'll
 let you know that if you punch a player in the head at the end of the game....
 you'll get a 5 minute major for.....CROSS-CHECKING!!!!  Saturday night's game
 got very chippy at the end and there were many multiple penalties. In fact
 Shepherd stopped the game with FOUR SECONDS left in the third to call a
 bunch of penalties.  The last 4 minutes of the game took over 15 actual minutes
  to play. (Groan)
 
 I was keeping track of the penalties because I have noticed a certain pattern
 in our games. (And I believe someone on the list raised this point not too long
  ago.)  At the end of the game, each team has the same or almost the same
 number of penalties called.  Now this cannot be a coincidence! So, if it's not
  a coincidence, how do they DO IT??? It was distracting enough for me to put my
  little hatch-marks on my program...I can't imagine the ref actually trying to
 keep track like that, but....??????
 
 Here's the proof:  on 11/29 Minnesota had 3-6-1 = 10
                             N Dakota  had 1-7-2 = 10
 
                    on 11/30 Minnesota had 3-4-7 = 14
                             N Dakota  had 2-4-8 = 14
 
 I also checked last weeks games in Alaska and on Friday Minn had 10 and Alaska
 had 10, on Saturday night Minn had 6 and Alaska had 5.   So what gives???
 
 I'd be interested in knowing if this is peculiar to the WCHA or is happening
 nation-wide.  Also, what do you think about this?  And for you refs out there,
 please enlighten us if you can!!  These are things that make you go HMMMMM????
 
 On a lighter note, from the stats sheet handed out at the Blue Line luncheon
 last Friday under "Credential requests":"CoSIDA and Hockey Writers Association
 rules regarding cheerleading in the press box will be enforced, violaters will
 be warned and then escorted from the press box."  Sounds like a REALLY SERIOUS
 problem!  ;-) :-) *:-)  (Guess you'll never find ME in the press box!)
 
 And lastly, credit where credit is due...sophomore winger Joe Dziedzic's dad
 who is a member of the Minneapolis City Council took on the cable-TV gods this
 week and has temporarily arranged to have Midwest Sports Channel broadcast on
 a city-access channel until further notice.  The Mpls cable company and MSC
 have been at odds for at least 15 months and maybe NOW they'll get a contract
 worked out.  I FINALLY can watch some NHL hockey and my Gophers!!! YAY!!!
 Way to go WALT!  Minnesota STILL has the 'Toughest Dads in Town'
 
 Carol
 U of M
 GO Gophers!!!