Let's Play
Sioux vs. Gophers this weekend in Grand Forks.
Only two people out there will get this one, but ... after UND scores on will against Gophers, forcing Don Lucia to make a goaltender change; I can just hear Doug Woog saying: "The Sioux have sent Frazee packing for Vergas!"
On a note so strange that I can't decide if it's funny, fun, or just weird - Dean Blais and Woog will be playing each other in bubble hockey tonight. If coaching talent (and/or recruiting talent and/or motivating talent) is directly related to bubble hockey talent, then Blais wins in a laugher.
Update: Blais does win in a laugher: the homers at FSN didn't give a final score, but in the recap I saw Blais score at least four goals. Woog admitted he only got one shot on goal.
Update #2: Okay they gave the score later during the game. Blais 4, Woog 0.
Update #3: After being outplayed for forty minutes, the Sioux take over third period and win the game 4-2. I can see why Homersota.com refers to FSN as the "Friendly Sports Network." Tonight in the pregame and early in the game they went on and on about the Gophers' winning record vs. the Sioux in UND's new arena. Funny - they never mentioned the Gophers' postseason record in that building. I do have to give props to Frank Mazzacco for (correctly) referring to the fans at Mariucci Arena as "mild-mannered." Also, why does the Twin Cities media constantly refer to Jeff Frazee as a "big-game goaltender"? Outside of last season's WCHA Frozen Five championship, what big games has he won? He got burned big-time in the Sioux's game-winner in the West Regional final last season. What big games (PLURAL) has he won?
One More Thing: I predicted it to a couple of Gopher fans earlier this week and now I am doubling down. (If that is the correct gambling term to use.) In Saturday night's game there will be fisticuffs between UND and UM and players will be tossed from the game and suspended for a future game. My guess is Rylan Kaip for the Sioux vs. whoever the least-soft Gopher is. Both teams face off against nonconference opponents in their next games after Saturday, so there will be players willing to be suspended for a game.