No griping about the polls for now, because who knows what the hell is
going on out there in Hockeyland. Over the weekdn, most of the top teams
turn in less than optimal performances. Crazy.
Are we reaching ubelieveable parity here? Is the talent pool so spread
apart they're all weak? Who cares -- this is fun!
5 of the top 10 teams blow leads multiple goal leads. 2 teams blow out
their opponents the first night, only to lose the next night. 7 times, top
10 teams put 34 or more shots on the opponent's net and still lose.
Meanwhile, Saint Cloud and Alaska-Anchorage sweep two of the best teams in
hockey over the last 5 years. Miami quietly makes its claim as the best
team in college hockey. MSU reminds fans that they've only lost once. North
Dakota has only won half of their games. To top it all off, only one
undefeated team remains in college hockey -- none other than the Big Red.
A quick capsule review of what happened this weekend: the underdog
victories, the "unperformances," the ups, the downs... "this is hockey!"
#1 North Dakota weekend: 1-1 home/home
Dominates, crushes, smears, shellacks Minn-Duluth 8-0 on friday, then plays
catch-up to the Bulldogs for 30 minutes of regulation before blowing a 3-2
by giving up 2 goals in a 30-second span to lose 4-3. Both Goehring and
Nicklin allow two third-period goals... but Goehring faces only 4 bulldog
shots while Nicklin faces 20. He and the dogs steal the "W" -- Yikes.
#2 Boston University weekend 1-1 away/home
Is shut out for the first time in over 60 years by UNH and is absolutely
destroyed -- and penalty ridden -- on Friday 5-0 at UNH. Comes back
saturday against an... uninspired? tired? confused? UNH squad with a
lackluster performance, somehow managing 4-2 win (hint: It's spelled
D-R-U-R-Y). Yech.
#3 Michgian State weekend 2-0 home/home
The Spartans easily dispatch Mankato State 5-2 and 4-0 without having to
leave the safe confines of East Lansing. Someone in the press actually said
that they phoned this one in? (apologies to Mankato fans) Egad.
#4 Colorado College wekend 0-2 home/home
Problems, problems, problems and a major fall from grace. Dropping their
record to 3-3-2 overall, it could be a long first half. On Saturday they
lose their second goalie and Todd Gustin, He Of The Four Total Playing
Minutes allows 5 goals on nine shots, and the Tigers lose 7-6 in overtime.
Sunday Gustin puts in a much better performance allowing only 3 goals on 26
shots, but SCSU's Brian Leitza steals the show with a 37 of 38 save
performance (including 19 of 20 in the 2nd) against a hot CC offense. Yowzer.
#5 Miami weekend 1-0 home
Miami over Notre Dame 5-4. Was it really that close? Haven't seen a box
score, read a description, so sorry, I know nothing. Actually I do know one
thing: Miami has the best record in Division I, at 7-1-0 (MSU 7-1-2). Groovy.
#6 Maine weekend 1-1 home/home
Merrimack travels to Maine in the Deron Tredwell vs Mike Machnik classic.
Merrimack comes back from a 4-1 deficit in Alfond to win 5-4. According to
the box, all 5 goals came from a Merrimack "line" of six players: Stringer,
Nelson, Porter, Cohen, Kesselring, and Laroche (GWG) -- only one of them on
the power play. Saturday Maine apparently focused on that group, as they
only put 3 goals on the board while Kariya and Wansborough each scored 2
goals in a not-as-close-as-it-appears 6-4 win.
#7 Cornell weekend 1-0-1 away/away
Cornell "comes from behind" after a 1-0 first period deficit to Dartmouth
to rattle off 4 unanswered over the next two periods in a 4-1 victory.
Saturday they hop over the state line to Vermont and score 38 seconds into
the game -- and pack up their scoring sticks for the weekend. UVM puts one
in midway through the first period but neglects to score for the remaining
52 minutes. The Cats and Big Red knotted at 1-1. Guess what fans? The Big
Red is rolling again as the ONLY UNDEFEATED TEAM IN DIVISION I.
#7 New Hampshire weekend 1-1 home/away
Destroys BU Friday, still can't win in Walter Brown Saturday (see above).
Mowers proves he's one of the best in Division 1. Both teams prove they're
inconsistent.
#9 Boston College weekend 1-1 away/home
At Northeastern manages a 5-2 win after being tied up at 2-2 with 5 minutes
left in the third. At home blows a 3-1, then a 4-2 lead, losing 5-4 in
overtime. Will the real BC Eagles please stand up?
#10 Michigan weekend 1-0-1 home/away
Michigan ekes out a 3-2 overtime victory over Ferris State after trailing
2-1 heading into the third stanza, then travels to Ewigleben Ice Arena (say
that three times fast) and blows a 3-0 lead in in a 5-minute span of the
second period (Ferris scores twice in 20 seconds). Marty?
(ranked in order of "others receiving votes" totals)
#11 Minnesota weekend 0-2 away/away
Beaten twice, 3-2 and 3-2 by the the UAA Seawolves. They never had a lead
in either game (closest they got was a 2-2 tie midway through 3rd period of
game 2). No W for the U.
#12 Wisconsin weekend 2-0 home/home
Playing at home, Sconnie crushes Michigan Tech 7-2 and holds on for an
overtime win of 4-3 after blowing the 3 goal lead. Look out fans, the
Badgers are 6-2.
greenie
S P O O N ! !
(go BU)
(go RAPIDS!!!!)
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