Sorry about the bad subject in the last post....
 
 
 
Minnesota came out victorious over North Dakota in a thriller Friday night, 6-5.
 
 
North Dakota came out rather flat in the first period, showing thier "this is
our first game" uncertainties.  The relatively more practiced Minnesota team
put two on the board by the end of the first stanza.   UMN 2, UND 0
 
The second period saw some good and bad play by both teams.  North Dakota, in
showing some of the magic from last year, put together 2 quick goals within
about a minute's time to tie it up.  In both cases, the Gopher defense appeared
to fall asleep while Sioux players simply skated past them for point-blank
shots.  The first goal was somewhat of a fluke, as goalie Steve DeBus lost his
feet as he shifted to the left to face the attacker, and simply fell down.  The
goal was basically an empty netter.  The second goal wasn't spectacular either
as DeBus seemed to just wave a leg at the biscuit as it went by him from the
left circle.  He had the goal blocked, it just got by him in an apparant moment
of "that last goal killed me" syndrom.
 
The Sioux then got an extended power play as a Minnesota player was given a 5
minute Major.  However, the Sioux power play sucked (as it did the entire night,
with something like 13 minutes of power play and only 8 or 9 shots).
Minnesota's power play kill looked awesome (like it did last year) all night
long, and during this long stretch they came away with a short-handed tally as a
breakaway slithered through Sweitzer's 5-hole.   End of 2 periods...UMN 3, UND 2
 
The third period continued the back and forth good/bad play on both sides, with
each team occasionally looking brilliant, and occasionally awful.  Minnesota
notched another goal to make it 4-2, and then the Sioux answered to make it 4-3.
But Minnesota slammed the door with another goal to make it 5-3 very late in the
third.  UND pulled Sweitzer to gain the advantage and try to close the gap, but
it resulted in an empty-netter.  UMN 6, UND 3 with only about 2 minutes to play.
Head for the exits...right?  WRONG!!  UND quickly answered as Minnesota quit
playing to celebrate their victory with the departing fans.  The Sioux tallyed
2 goals withing 8 seconds to make it 6-5!   But...alas that's how it ended.
 
What does all this say?   First, I think Minnesota is a better team than most of
the WCHA fans have given them credit.  They will be in the hunt.  But, even in
the loss, one has to be impressed with the Sioux.  In only their second match of
the year, and the first in 2 weeks, they came out and really played!  At times,
it looked just like last March.  Don't ever give the Sioux a minute where you
wanna rest...they'll kill ya.  Ask BU in the Final last year, and ask the
Gophers tonight when it happened twice to them.
 
Should be a fun season!  Can't wait for tonight's game!
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.