In response to Jim Emery's request for WCHA playoff info:
 
I attended the Friday night game.  ND came ready to play while UW was flat.  ND
got the better end of play for the first 10 minutes and scored a nice goal over
Carey's shoulder.  Wisconsin woke up thanks to some stupid penalties by ND.  UW
scored a semi-stinky multi-tip goal credited to Zent.  It was last touched by
ND's Bombardir and went thru Kvalavog's legs.  Mickey Elick set up the next goal
with a nice shot fake and pass to Tucker.  Tucker suckered the goalie and passed
to Doers for the easy tip in.  2-1 UW at the end of 1.
 
Wisconsin came out strong in the second.  Elick had a pretty home run pass to
Tucker for a breakaway goal.  ND again took penalties and Wisconsin converted.
Soon after UW made it 4-1, Gotziaman took a 5-minute boarding penalty.  UW
scored 1 goal, then took a penalty.  After the UW penalty was over, there was
still time on the major and Wisconsin scored again.  6-1 Wisconsin.  Things got
ugly after that.  ND's Landon Wilson was layed out by Doers, who got a penalty.
Wilson was down for several minutes.  Later, Wilson and Balkovec exchanged
pushes and Balkovec hit the ice.  Wilson kept him there for a bit while play
continued.  Balkovec finally broke free, only to be dumped again by Wilson.
Play was halted.  An ND player dumped a Badger near the bench area.  Mike
Strobel took exception and went after the ND player.  The Sioux player gave Stro
bel a stick in the face before he got there.  Wrestling ensued.  Wilson got 14
minutes, Balkovec 12, Strobel and unknown Sioux 4 minutes each.  After that the
refs called every touch until the end of the period.
 
The third period needn't be played.  Neither team seemed to care.  Final 6-1.
 
Landon Wilson is a powerful hitter.  If he sticks around, he'll be dangerous.  I
gotta thing Toronto is looking at him.
 
Jim Carey was spectacular in the net.  40 saves, some quite difficult.  He came
up big when needed.
 
I watched most of the Saturday game on tape-delay.  Wisconsin scored first in
the second period.  Elick took a slapper from just outside of the circles.  His
stick broke and the blade went to Kvalavog's left wide of the net.  Kvalavog was
fooled and followed the stick blade.  The puck meanwhile went to the goalies
lower right corner of the net for the goal.  Quite the fortunate Wisconsin
break. (Sorry for the pun.)  That's the way the second period ended.  So far,
much less penalties than Friday.
 
The third period was quite exciting.  One stretch of play continued for over 5
minutes without a stoppage until ND scored on a nice follow up by Zierhke.  He
shot, drove the net, knocked the puck out of Carey's pads and jammed home the
loose puck.  Tied at 1.  Wisconsin came right back.  Ulvis Katlaps took a hard
shot from the right circle that Kvalavog save, but overplayed.  The rebound went
to the opposite circle where Max Williams deposited the backhand in the mostly
empty net.  After a dumb penalty on UW, Nick Naumenko faked the Wisconsin
forward to the ice and used the 2 UW defensemen as screens and beat Carey.  Tied
at 2.  Again, UW came back.  Elick hit Shier with a semi-home run pass.  Shier
came in on the off-wing and broke to the center of the zone.  As soon as
Kvalavog started to move across, Shier shot to where the goalie was.  UW lead
3-2.  Tucker put in the empty netter for a 4-2 final.
 
ND played a much better game, giving only 3 power plays to Wisconsin (compared
to 14 power plays Friday.)  Wisconsin took more penalties than Friday.
 
Again Carey was huge.  39 saves.
 
Wisconsin looks pretty good going into Milwaukee.  Hot goaltender and balanced
scoring as of late.
 
I just heard that Wisconsin is the second highest rated western team in the NCAA
selection committees power rankings(sixth overall).  Michigan, UNH, Maine and BU
were ahead along with a team I can't remember.
 
Bob Mayville
Madison, WI