I just returned to my office today (with about 120 messages awaiting me).  I
typed up the following info at home on Sunday, and much of it has already
been posted, so I apologize for the overlap.
 
I will add a few comments regarding recent posts.
 
  1) The SHOWCASE attendance was given at over 27,000 for the weekend, but
they must have counted everyone over 150 lbs. twice.
 
  2) I don't feel that Minnesota and Michigan were any "dirtier" than
Michigan State and Wisconsin.  There was a ton of stickwork and plenty of
clanks from sticks hitting helmets, but that happens ALL THE TIME in the
CCHA.  I thought that Minnesota and Wisconsin adjusted to it quite well.
 (Not seeing many WCHA games, I'm not sure how much of an adjustment, if
any, it was.)
 
  3) I actually thought that Piotrowski and Shegos squared had a fairly
decent weekend.  It was good to see Piotrowski back in action.  (Hey, he's
better than Rutherford...who is now scabbing in the NHL.)
 
  4) The Badgers need to get better chinstraps.  All four teams took some
serious hits, but about 80% of the helmets left lying on the ice were red.
 
  5) Once again, there were NO Minnesota fans.  What the?  Are there no
UMinn alums in greater Detroit?  (I did have my Goldy Gopher t-shirt on
underneath my turtleneck.)
 
  6) I neglected to mention Andrew Shier in my write-up.  He's a helluva
player (as is Rafalski).  And this from a card carrying Badger-hater.  :-)
 
And the following is my Sunday stuff...
 
SATURDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1993, THE PALACE, AUBURN HILLS MI
 
GAME 1: Minnesota 6 Michigan State 5
 
Goaltenders: UM Moen MSU Buzak
 
My mind and my body wandered during this game, so I don't have much
of a recap.  Minnesota looked horrid early (MSU took a 2-0 lead in
the first 10 minutes), but the Gophers came back and played strong,
taking a 3-2 lead early in the second.  The game remained close and
was 4-4 in the third when the Gophers scored to go up 5-4.  State
pulled Buzak in the final minute and UMinn pumped in the empty net
goal making it 6-4.  MSU then tallied in the waning seconds for the
6-5 final.
 
GAME 2: Wisconsin 5 Michigan 3
 
 3:18 M Knuble 8 (Morrison,Botterill) pp
 4:03 M Wiseman 3 (Oliver,Botterill) pp
19:14 W Shier 9 (Tucker,Strobel) pp
19:35 W Granato 4 (unassisted)
47:39 M Stone 5 (Schock,Halko)
51:35 W Shier 10 (Strobel,Rafalski)
56:22 W Rafalski 4 (Williams,Zent)
59:21 W Tucker 2 (unassisted) en
 
I'm not sure which of the Stobels were credited with the assists.
 
Goaltenders: UW Carey UM Shields
 
Attendance: 14,127
 
The Badgers were whistled for two early penalties which Michigan
converted on to take a 2-0 lead.  The Wolverines then killed 3-4 UW
power plays before allowing the goal to Shier in the last minute of
the first.  Then lightning struck as Granato scored 21 seconds
later.  The teams played a scoreless second and Mike Stone scored
midway through the third, seemingly turning the game to Michigan's
favor, but Wisconsin rallied with goals by Shier and Rafalski to
take the lead and capped the scoring with an empty netter.  (Shades
of Albany, 1992).
 
The Michigan defense suffered a few lapses and Carey played a
stronger game than Shields, which I feel was the difference in the
end.  I've seen eight of Michigan's games, and Wisconsin is the
best team the Wolverines have faced this season.  I can only hope
for a rematch in St Paul.
 
Notable: The game featured the usual high intensity seen when
Michigan faces the Badgers and, of course, a few hot tempers.
Michigan's Rick Willis and Wisconsin's Chris Tok exited the game
prematurely...which should net each of them a seat in the stands
this Friday.
 
1993 COLLEGE HOCKEY SHOWCASE RECORDS, SCORES AND MVPs:
(formerly known as the CCHA-WCHA Challenge, formerly known as the
Big Ten tournament, ...)
 
Actually, the 1993 COCA-COLA COLLEGE HOCKEY SHOWCASE...I'd *hate*
to neglect the corporate sponsor.  :-)
 
  Michigan Wolverines         1-1-0
  Michigan State Spartans     1-1-0
  Minnesota Golden Gophers    1-1-0
  Wisconsin Badgers           1-1-0
 
  Michigan 6 Minnesota 0
  Michigan State 4 Wisconsin 2
  Minnesota 6 Michigan State 5
  Wisconsin 5 Michigan 3
 
  Michigan MVP           David Oliver
  Michigan State MVP     Anson Carter
  Minnesota MVP          Justin McHugh
  Wisconsin MVP          Brian Rafalski
 
 
from The DETROIT NEWS & FREE PRESS (AP), 28 November 1993
 
MINNESOTA MIGHT HAVE TO EXPAND ITS BOUNDARIES
 
  Sacre bleu!  Has it really come to this?
  University of Minnesota hockey Coach Doug Woog says he might have
to go to Canada - as well as Europe, Massachusetts and Michigan -
to get the elite players that he always found in Minnesota.
  He said he'd rather be competitive with Minnesotans than win
championships with outsiders.
  "But not everybody agrees with that," said Woog, who in nine
seasons as coach has never recruited an out-of-state player.  "When
you lose four or five games, the critics come out.  And you start
thinking: Maybe we've got to be a little more aggressive with our
recruiting."
  His Gophers were 2-6-3 before Saturday's game against Michigan
State at The Palace, one of their worst starts ever.  They have the
beautiful new Mariucci Arena, but don't have the speed to take
advantage of its bigger ice surface.  They are the only game in
town, what with the NHL North Stars having moved to Dallas, but
don't have the talent to take advantage of the situation.
  "We want to maintain our tradition of excellence," Woog said.
"We still think Minnesota players can do it.  But we would not be
against entertaining quality players from elsewhere."
  It's the first time he has entertained such thoughts.
  "The advent of the major junior programs coming into Minnesota
and getting guys like Jamie Langenbrunner is a major concern," Woog
said, referring to the 1992-93 AP Player of the Year, who skipped
his senior season at Cloquet to play in the Ontario Hockey League.
  "This rink gives us different needs.  And with the junior teams
coming into Minnesota and offering money to the strongest
candidates...you need to find elite players somewhere."
  Woog, who has taken the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament every
season he has coached, has fewer elite players than ever.  He lost
forwards Darby Hendrickson and Craig Johnson to the U.S. Olympic
team.  Another forward, Joe Dziedzic, has a broken arm.
  "If we had those players, our lack of speed and offense wouldn't
be so noticeable," Woog said.  "Those are exactly the kinds of
players we might have to go outside to recruit."
  Why can't he simply reload with Minnesotans, as he has for almost
a decade?
  "We just don't have the volume of quality players available
anymore," Woog said.  "I'm worried that our supply line is
diminishing too much."
  That sound coming from St. Cloud is Craig Dahl playing the violin
for his distressed coaching colleague.
  "Instead of coming to the rink with a vastly superior team," Dahl
said, "now he has to coach."
  Dahl realized long ago that there is just so much in-state talent
and that the best Minnesotans usually want to be Gophers.  So
rather than settle for inferior talent, he recruits players from
Canada and elsewhere.
  A few years ago, Woog criticized Dahl, saying that St. Cloud
State's new, state-financed arena was built expressly for Minnesota
players.
  Dahl's response?  Mind your own business.
  Now, he's amused by Woog's sudden change of heart.
  "It's funny what a few losses does to one's principles," Dahl
said.  "I seem to remember him saying that John Mariucci would roll
over in his grave if he knew I was recruiting Canadians.  Well,
what would John be doing now?"
  Mariucci, the legendary former Gophers coach, was Woog's mentor
and fostered Woog's all-Minnesota philosophy.
  Dahl notes that even though Woog laments the state's lack of
talent, the Gophers have signed the state's top three prospects.
 
 
  John H
  U Mich