I was only able to attend the Saturday games due to extended holiday
obligations.  What I did see was plenty enough to make me sick to my stomach.
 
    I was thoroughly appalled by the quality of the officiating in both of the
Saturday games.  I know that the same officials worked Friday nights contests,
and that both are regular Michigan State officials.  How they ended up at this
showcase is a mystery to me.  The Shegos brothers and Piotrowski both have long
rap sheets of poor officiating in East Lansing.
 
    Therefore, it was no suprise when towards the end of the Michigan-Wisconsin
game, tempers flared up and a full scrum developed, followed by punches being
thrown by two players that were subsequently thrown out, and given game DQ's.
Of course the fans loved it,  but we'll get back to them later.
 
    Wisconsin appeared to be a smaller team than Michigan, so it must have been
an even tougher game for them.  The stickwork that was going on in both games
was a disgrace.  Not to say that we are angels, but Michigan State appeared
baffled by the hooking, tripping and stick-grabbing that was going on during
their game.  We were in the first couple of rows in the upper bowl for the
games, and I dont think Ive ever heard so many sticks hitting facemasks in my
life, and those were mostly occurring during the Wisconsin game.  Whatever
calls WERE made, were made so late that mini-scrums between two players ahd
chances to develop, resulting in wrestling matches in which Wisconsin players
had the helmets ripped right off their heads on two seperate occasions.(Both
incidences resulted in penalties solely to Wisconsin, meaning the Michigan
player who should have received a roughing 2 got to skate away clean)  A
non-call late in the third with State down by one to the Gophers
where Steve Guolla broke in on
a breakaway, only to have a Minnesota defenceman work his stick between his
legs and hook him right off the ground made me realize that eventually a fight
was going to develop.  I just hoped it wasnt any of our guys getting the game
DQ.
 
    Please dont consider these next few statements insulting, because they are
not meant that way at all!
 
First, I thought Minnesota was extremely dirty.  The above example was one of
many ugly incidents that occurred that game.  They grabbed opposing players
sticks at every oppurtunity, many times helping keep pressure in the State zone
by holding the sticks of the defensemen when he was desperately trying to clear
the puck.  Really, Minnesota was just taking advantage of poor officiating,
which they cant really be blamed for.  They realized stick-holding wasnt being
called, so they used that as part of their game plan.  Also, watching Moen in
the pre-game warmups, does he deliberately let 90% of the warmup shots go in
the net?  He looked terrible!  Is it some kind of reverse-psychology to get his
team or the other team under/overconfident?
 
Second, Michigan State was dead.  We could hear Buzak(our goalie) bellowing
"Move your feet, move your feet" and "Hit him, hit him" from the second period
on.  After State scored two quick goals, they totally died.
 
 
Third, Wisconsin did well to defeat Michigan.  They had it really tough,
Michigan was playing very dirty as well.  Punches or hacks behind the play,
many times with the ref watching.
 
Finally, I had the unfortunate fate of sitting one section away from general
admission.  Many of those fans tried to sneak into our section.  Many fans were
classless, although a couple can spoil it for many.  A lot of irritating
behavior came from young kids.
 
Oh well, Ive rambled on way to long.  I hope I dont offend anyone.  Anyways,
next year, it is being held in St. Paul, and the following year it is in
Wisconsin I believe.  Hopefully in Minnesota they can scare up a few quality
referees and we'll see hockey games instead of fight night!
 
                                                           Geoff Horvath
                                                           Michigan State