The sound of brooms echoed across the Northland last night as the Bulldogs
swept the Seawolves of Alaska-Anchorage by the scores of 7-2 and 4-0.  Hobey
Baker candidate Derek Plante had 7 points on the weekend including 3 goals
and 4 assists with a point on all 4 goals Saturday night.  The Dogs started
fast on Friday scoring 4 times in the first period.  Brett Hauer, the leading
scorer among defensemen in the WCHA with 45 pts. had 3 assists on the first 3
goals.  Plante had one goal and an assist in the first as Brad Penner, Jon
Rohloff and one other Bulldog (sorry, I can't recall right now) scored too.
The Dogs got one more in the second from Plante and the Dogs led 5-0 after 2.
The teams split 4 goals in the 3rd as Joe Tamminen and Penner scored for the
Dogs.  Things started getting chippy in the first period Friday as the first
scuffle occured before intermission.  Things got really bad in the 3rd.  At
one point, the Dogs had 4 men in the box and the Seawolves had 5.  I sat
right next to the UAA box and it was pretty funny trying to get those 5 guys
in there along with the attendant.  Things finally started settling down
after the Seawolves scored, but it still wasn't very pretty.
                1   2   3   T
#10 Seawolves   0   0   2   2
# 1 Bulldogs    4   1   2   7
The Dogs had 52 shots on goal to the Seawolves 32.(Unofficial)
 
Saturday was a totally different game.  One of the Seawolves was benched
after an obscene gesture to the crowd after Fridays game and had to write
apology to the Bulldogs.  At the pregame captains meeting, the Seawolves'
captain also apologized to Plante.  You could definitely tell a difference in
how the game was played as well.  Much cleaner.  The Dogs looked horrible,
though.  Missing passes, losing the puck, etc.  They were lucky to be leading
after the first (1-0) on a goal by Chris Marinucci from Plante and Hauer. The
same combination hooked up in the 2nd for the Dogs 2nd goal and Hauer picked
up his 8th of the year from Plante in the 2nd.  Plante waited until the last
minute of the game to extend his goal scoring streak to 7 games as he scored
at 19:37.  The crowd erupted and after the school song, the "Hobey Baker"
chant started once again.  As Anchorage poured on the pressure in the last 23
seconds, the crowd was on its feet for Taras Lendzyk to complete the shutout.
As the final horn sounded, the crowd erupted yet again as the Maroon Loon
went around the arena with his broom after the Dogs 10th sweep of the season.
The Dogs set records for the best record at home for the Regular Season
(15-1, .938) and overall (17-1, .944) this season.
                1    2    3    T
#10 Seawolves   0    0    0    0
# 1 Bulldogs    1    2    1    4
 
After Saturday's game was the presentation of the McNaughton Cup, the most
valuable prize in all of amateur sports.  The Cup was skated around the rink
twice as each Bulldog took their turn holding it.  Finally, the Dogs hoisted
Coach Sertich on their shoulders and he took his turn at the Cup.  The fans
showed their appreciation one last time (at least, the last time for the ones
not going to St. Paul) for the WCHA Champions and the night ended with an
impromptu photo session.
Next weekend, the Dogs face the winner of the Northern Michigan/Michigan Tech
game(Thursday) on Friday night at the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul.  Good luck
to the Dogs on the road to the NCAAs!!
 
--
Tony Frolik                                        [log in to unmask]
                      UMD Bulldogs-WCHA Champions
          23-9-2 WCHA 25-9-2 Overall   Beat the Huskies/Wildcats!!!!!
Derek Plante for Hobey Baker!!!!                         GO DOGS!!!!!!