WCHA RACE IS HEATING UP!
 
The race for the WCHA Title is red hot right now.  North Dakota is in
first place at 27 points, followed by St. Cloud and Wisconsin tied for
second at 25 points.  Colorado College is a distant fourth at 19 points
and will need lots of help just to stay in contention.  Meanwhile, the
race for the fifth and final home playoff spot is heating up as well.
Minn-Duluth currently holds that spot with 15 points.  Michigan Tech is
just 2 points back at 13 points.  A resurgent Minnesota team is tied with
Alaska-Anchorage with 12 points.  The only team that is out of contention
for anything is poor old Denver, which occupies the cellar with 8
points.  It should be interesting as we head down the stretch.
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                            WCHA OFFICIATING OUT OF HAND!!!
 
Everyone is complaining about it, so I will too.  The officiating in this
league is absolutely outrageous.  I have never seen so many bad calls in
my life as I've seen this season.  Let's examine this issue point by
point.
 
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COMPLAINT #1---CALL THE PENALTIES!!!
 
In this year's WCHA, it's anything goes.  Interference, clutching,
grabbing, crosschecking, slashing, pulling players down in breakaway
situations....it's now all "part of the game".  Pull-eez!!!  One of the
advantages that College Hockey has over the NHL is the pure form of
hockey that is played in college.  The NHL is being plagued by "clutch
and grab" coaches who want a team full of 6'4" 220 lb giants so that
they can impliment the "neutral-zone trap" and beat the tar out of the
other team.  Pretty soon, all NHL games are going to end up 0-0 and the
fans will be leaving the pro game in droves.  Now, thanks to
non-existant officiating, D-1 College Hockey is in danger of becoming
more like the NHL, which means less fun for both the players and fans.
 
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COMPLAINT #2---GET THE OFFSIDES CALLS RIGHT!!!
 
This year, if it's offsides it's called offsides.  If it's close to being
offsides, it's also called offsides.  This has been a problem for the
officials the last few years and it's even worse this year.  I've lost
count of how many 3-1 rushes have been screwed up because the official
"just felt like blowing the whistle".  The official stands right on the
blue line for goodness sakes! GET IT RIGHT FOR ONCE!!!
 
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COMPLAINT #3---DROP THE PUCK!!!
 
The officials are obsessed with getting the faceoffs perfect.  NO ROOM
FOR ERROR!  It takes up to 3 minutes sometimes just to get the game going
after a stoppage.  A lot of rules and restrictions have been placed on
the players and coaches to speed up the game.  Mabye our officials need
some as well.
 
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I could go on and on, but I'll stop here and let you soak all of this
in.  Something needs to be done about the lack of quality officiating in
the league.  Greg Sheppard, where the heck are you?!?!
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                  UNVARNISHED TRUTH WCHA POLL (1/28/98)
 
TEAM (FIRST PLACE VOTES)         POINTS              PREVIOUS RANKING
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1. North Dakota (5 1/2)              61.5                           1
 
2. Wisconsin (1)                     55                             2
 
3. St. Cloud (1/2)                   51.5                           4
 
4. Colorado College                  38                             3
 
5. Minnesota                         31                             9
 
6. (tie) Minn-Duluth                 26                             5
Michigan Tech                                                       6
 
8. Denver                            15                             8
 
9. Alaska-Anchorage                  11                             7
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Minnesota soars from 9th to 5th as a result of their home sweep of
Duluth.  Everyone else moves only a little up or down.
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That's all for today.  I'll be back tommorrow with weekend
predictions.  Until then, later everyone!!!
 
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