> One question though from the weekend.  For anyone who knows Coach Blais
> someone tell me what he was thinking here.  This situation happened after
> a small pushing match after the whistle concerning Laakssonan(before the
> spearing incident)   The following face off after the whistle Blais put
> #6 O'Connell out at center to take the draw against Eric Andersson. All
> O'Connell did was rip Eric's helmet off and try to start a brawl. What is
> he thinkin here? Down 4-0 and on the brink of winning a championship
> outright?  It kind of reminded me of my sophmore year when Gino sent his
> whole bench over to our bench after Bombadir(sp) got tripped after the
> whistle. Lets just say a nice brawl started..
>
        well, this isn't the first time someone has asked such a
question. earlier in the year at st. cloud, the sioux visited st cloud
and in the second game, the sioux had a large lead. someone from st cloud
checked a sioux player from behind and he went down. soon after, blais
sent two players off the bench to go rough up the st cloud state player.
*sorry, i dont' have any names*
the two sioux players were suspended for a game and dq'ed. when
blais was asked by the grand forks herald if he sent them out there for
that reason, blais responded "if i told you, i would have to lie".
 
        i just think this goes a little too far. there is nothing wrong
with the players on the ice taking care of business, but when players are
sent off the bench, that is out of line. speaking of lines, i hope blais
stays in north dakota and doesn't come to minnesota. i like woog and the
job he has done. i take nothing away from blais, but for some of the
comments he has made about minnesota, i hope he never becomes part of the
team again.
 
Go gophers!!!
WCHA co-champs!!
Big Ten champs!!!
                                                aaron.
 
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