Saturday was an even better night of hockey.
 
Game 1 Western Michigan vs. Yale
 
I was curious to see who would win this match-up, as it was hard to
tell who was the better team from the play the night before.
 
But Western Michigan took it to Yale pretty early on, and dominated
early. The real difference between the two teams, however, was the
goalie. WMU once again had Brian Renfrew. Yale managed to make the
shots on goal pretty even after they were somewhat weighted towards
WMU in the first, and yet no one could get much past Renfrew. He was
obviously the best goaltender in the tournament, and deserved his
selection to the tournament team (even if the forwards are under some
deliberation).
 
All in all, it seemed like a bit of a yawner. But I keep hearing
myself say that about games not involving a team that I am rooting
for. Of course, it may be a coincidence that I like all the
interesting teams. ;-)
 
Game 2 Boston University vs. Minnesota
 
This game had all the earmarks of a classic. It was a beautifully
played hockey game (except for a brief period of time when BU kept
icing the puck over and over).
 
Both teams rose to the occasion. But rather than describe the game in
detail (as it has already been, and better, by others), I will just
make a few personal comments about how I saw the game.
 
I was wearing my red BU sweatshirt in the middle of the Gopher
student section, so I got an awful lot of heckling from the hometown
fans. I even went so far as to run out and buy a cowbell to play when
BU scored a goal, and between periods, since there was no BU band,
but I was informed midway through the game on Friday that I couldn't
ring it any longer.
 
After Minnesota went up 2-0, there were a lot of jeers thrown my way.
In fact, soon after the second goal, BU had a shorthanded breakaway
that Minnesota narrowly avoided having in the net, and one of the
young ladies behind me said, quite loudly, "Gee, BU can't even score
on a breakaway against CALLINAN!" Which goes to show the Minnesota
fans opinion of the senior netminder. I replied, "Just wait,
Minnesota will need those two goals." But it sounded feeble and weak,
even to me.
 
But it was true. BU scored a PPG near the end of the first, and I
attracted the attention of five sections on either side of me for
whopping and hollering in pleasure.
 
I realized that it was going to be okay to cheer for BU while they
were behind, but a bad idea to do it if they lead. And sure enough, I
was put to the test in the third, when BU went up 3-2. I stood up and
clapped, but kept the noise level down, thus prolonging my life.
 
But the best part of the night was Goldy Gopher, the mascot. He came
by and bothered me several times. We got into a fake (and fun!)
tussle early in the first, and later when he game by, as he looked
out at the game, I quickly donned the Minnesota sweatshirt I had
brought, just in case of such an emergency. As he turned around, he
was shocked, and no doubt pleased, to see me appropriately attired.
 
As he left, I quickly switched back to my BU sweatshirt, and Goldy
came over to give me the business again. As he was doing so,
Minnesota scored their shorthanded goal to tie up the game, and I
missed it, as Goldy was blocking my view. But I saw it on the
replay--no harm done.
 
Goldy was also nice enough to go and retrieve (with the help of a
kindly gentleman) my red BU megaphone, which some disruptive student
threw into the crowd.
 
The overtime period, with BU winning, was the best outcome I could
have imagined. Being a BU and Minnesota fan, I didn't want either to
lose, but a tight finish was almost as good.
 
Who knows? With the quality of hockey these two teams displayed this
weekend, we may have seen an early championship matchup. Of course, I
suppose a few other teams may have something to say about that... ;-)
 
I don't want to add fuel to the fire about the tournament team
debate, but I don't see how the team could have been chosen any
differently. Goaltender was obvious--Renfrew played outstandingly
well. In forward, where the debate lies, I don't see who can be
replaced. Kraft not only got the hat trick the previous night against
Yale, but also played exceptionally well against BU. Bonin looked
like, IMHO, the best player on the ice. He skates around players of
any team, from Duluth to CC to Michigan to Brynas to BU. An
exceptional player, he was the heart and soul of Minnesota on
Saturday against BU (scoring two goals in the process), and had three
assists against Yale (one on each of Kraft's hat trick goals--what is
the argument on assists?). Those two were a lock. O'Sullivan also had
a couple of great games. Did he have two better games than Rausch? I
don't know if I can say for sure, but they both should be
congratulated, whether they made the tournament team or not.
 
Callinan was irritating in goal once again, as he was directly
responsible for the second goal. He DID make some big saves, but the
three he let in were not the highest quality shots.
 
I hope Bell, #10 for Minnesota, is not out for any serious length of
time. He seemed to go down with a knee injury in the overtime, and I
haven't heard a word since. It would be nice to be at full strength
some time this month. Some BU players went off as well, and I hope
that they are all right as well (I am afraid that while BU is my
team, I know more about the Minnesota players, having Minnesota
season tickets, and not BU).
 
 
BU should be proud of themselves. I believe that in the championship
game, Minnesota gave up a lead for the first time this season (not
counting the exhibition game with the Swedish team). As a subset of
this, Minnesota failed to win after scoring first, for the first time
in 3 games. It is remarkable that the Gophers have been able to keep
a record of 11-6-1 when the opposition has scored first in 15 of
those games.
 
It is a tribute to the quality of teams in the Mariucci classic that
Minnesota has won it only once in its four year history. And I
understand that there is quite a waiting line to be included in
future years.
 
I was just about hockey-ed out after the weekend. I saw Denver play
twice (on TV, in the Denver cup--congratulations to them for winning
their tournament), all four games of the Mariucci classic, the
Swedish team, and Michigan-Michigan State in the final of the GLI for
a record (for me) of 8 games in 4 days.
 
With that said, I am ready for the four possible games on TV this
weekend: two Minnesota, Ferris-Mich. State, Denver-St. Cloud.
 
Minnesota starts the toughest month of their schedule: in January,
the Gophers have three away series in traditionally very tough
places: Northern Michigan, Alaska-Anchorage, and Wisconsin. And
sandwiched in-between is a home series with country and league
leading Colorado College. I just hope they come out of the month
okay.
 
BU doesn't have an easy time of it either. They face UNH, one of the
top teams in Hockey East, three times in short order.
 
Okay, I'm ready for the second half!
 
                                                Lee-nerd
                                                [log in to unmask]
 
"Violence is the last resort of the incompetent." --Isaac Asimov