If You're Unhappy And You Know It...

...you're a 'Dogs fan. Yeah, it sucks. We pulled a "last year in the Final Four semis." I'm not too happy about it.

So I was at work and couldn't enjoy all the fun of hearing us blow it, but I did call my dad to find out that it was tied and we went into OT. I called later and he did not answer the phone. I crashed into my house, coat and shoes still on, checked the scores. OT LOSS. This is NOT the NHL. OTLs don't COUNT for CRAP.

The 'Dogs are off for a long time, and I hope they do a LOT of thinking about what they've done. Sitting in a corner. With no dessert. And early bedtimes.

As for me, I'll be sitting here with a bar of soap in my mouth.

Merry Stickmas and a Hockey New Year!

If You're Happy And You Know It, Clap Your Hands

*clap, clap*

Yeah I'm happy. I mean, I hate ties, probably more than most people, but I would like to see us rack up some points this weekend, and we racked up 1. Now we should whip out a win tonight, and then we'll have 3 shiny points to show for this weekend.

But let's back the truck up here.
Derek Shepard was the referee? What? We had only 4 penalties? We had less penalties than the other team? HUH?????
Have we gone through the Twilight Zone here?
We even got a power play goal. (Denver got a PPG and a SHG, but forget about that.)

We even had a lead. A lead!
Now I don't know about you, but I'd be happy with a 5-4 loss tonight, if only we'd gotten a win in the Frozen Four... but I'm focusing on the positives here.

The Hams (Hammond and Hambly) come up with a goal and an assist each.
For a team with an average of 21.1 PIM, we only had 8.
A win tonight puts us in a tie for 5th with Denver.

I want to listen! I hate working retail! I don't want to be at work til 11:30! I want to listen to the gaaaaame! I wish I was in Duluth!!!!
*end whining*

Let's Go 'Dogs!

An Early Christmas Present

So we squeaked out a win against NoDak in the final minute last Saturday.
I couldn't be happier! That hottie Evan Schwabe getting 2 goals, including the game winner!

I guess I could have been happier if we hadn't been pretty much thumped on Friday night. That was sort of embarrassing. And I wasn't listening on Saturday! Laaaaaaaaaaame.

Anyway, tonight we're facing Denver. This is a must-win. Every game is a must-win.
But we have to beat Denver to make up for last year's embarrassing come-from-ahead loss in the NCAAs. WE should have been kicking Maine's ass, not Denver. Isaac R. should have been a wall during that 5 on 3, not Adam B.

Tonight, let's bring out the broom.

Blowin' Up The Stat Counter

Holy crap! I was lying when I said there were naked pictures of me on this site! I didn't think anyone would actually believe that! But I guess how else do I explain over 100 new hits in just a few days, when I was lucky to get one hit some days? I guess it also explains why no one stayed more than 30 seconds.

On a sad note, I guess Rhino Lining doesn't sponsor all the hits anymore, so the joke doesn't make any sense. And they don't have those great Keyport Liquor commercials! Depressing.

You know, I started this site with grandiose hopes and dreams, but I Am Lazy, so now it's sort of unstructured. And UMDDogz never posts. And the Alleged Webmaster never designed me a nice site. And I have only seen one game so far this season.

But that's all well and good! Because I'm still having a good time keeping this site afloat.

The current goal is to go to Duluth on Friday.

DOES ANYONE HAVE AN EXTRA TICKET FOR THE UND-UMD FRIDAY NIGHT GAME? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE IT TO ME FOR FREE, EITHER. I AM NOT A DEADBEAT AND WILL PAY. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

Ahem. Thank you. That is all.

Drivin' With The Dogs

So, here I am in Buckyland, mourning the 'Dogs' defeat. But losing 3-2 against Wisconsin ain't too shabby. I think we're READY for next weekend and a win or two against the Sioux, who just lost to the Underwolves.

I sat behind a person I thought was going to be a total jerk, but he ended up being a pretty nice guy. I also embarrassed some BADger girl with my superior knowledge of hockey. So I had a nice time even if we lost. I was proud of our boys. We played hard and took shots. We played like the old 'Dogs. We even had a lead!

There were a few chances that Wisconsin failed to capitalize on where it could have been 4-2 or 5-2. Once a player had a great opportunity and the blade of his stick fell off. It probably would have been in the net otherwise.

Lots of power plays for both teams, but we couldn't get it together! We should have done more with our special teams, the penalty kill wasn't too great. I think we are ready for North Dakota next weekend. OH YEAH!!!!

I feel like a total internet geek because I was missing my family chat rooms and posting on Siouxsports. HELLO!!!! I was at LIVE HOCKEY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Oh how I've missed it. Gotta try for a game next weekend.

I'm being accused of looking at X-Rated pictures so I'd better go. LET'S GO DOGS!!!!

Runnin' with the Badgers

While I'm listening to the end of the Sioux game for my buddies at SiouxSports, I'll discuss the 'Dogs game from this evening.

Yes, we lost. Boooooo. That sucks.
BUT we played an AMAZING game. That buzzer beater power play goal by Stapleton in the first showed we weren't going to give up. When it was 3-1 Schwabe shot it to Anderson right off the faceoff and we came back within 1. It was a tough loss, but I think we stepped it up.

Tomorrow I'll be there. Tomorrow we'd better kill them. MacMurchy is going to be beaten to a bloody pulp by me. I will flick Robbie Earl lightly on the shoulder and he will crumple in pain. I will throw fans through the stands if they dare to insult my 'Dogs. I am hungry for Badger blood.

Of course, there were the usual non-calls and other bullshit, but it's to be expected, it's Wisconsin at home. Robbie Earl "accidentally" knocked the net off when the 'Dogs had a big chance. MacMurchy punched Rosehill three times but the zebra didn't see it. Kerry and Greg were on KissCam.

Guess who's excited for hockey tomorrow??????????????????
THIS GIRL!

This Is A Test, This Is Only A Test...

Only a test? Who am I kidding??? This is THE test, the yardstick to see where we measure up this season.

A win at Wisconsin will be a step in the right direction.

A s-s-s-sweep at Wisconsin (though very improbable) would be amazing.

My uncle told me I expect too much out of these puppies. "You've got to have a Twins attitude," he told me. I bow to his wisdom. "If you're there, they won't dare lose." And I will be there, tomorrow night! My first game of the season (too long in coming, if you ask me!) and it's going to be a tough one. Last year, under my watchful eyes, the 'Dogs were 2-0-1. (I didn't go to a lot of games.) Last year, I taunted the fans at the Kohl Center. This year I will sit there in my borrowed jersey (please please buy me one for Christmas? Youth XL) a bit more demurely. I am older and wiser, I have seen what should have been the season of 'Dogs fans' dreams crumble before it began, and I have witnessed the horribleness of Wisconsin fans.

I want to see you win tomorrow, boys. I want to hear you win tonight. Get out there and forget about the Catamounts (we'll never figure out what they are), forget about the Underwolves, and just kick some Bucky ass.

Dear People From Siouxsports.com,

Thank you for visiting. Sorry this is boring, but if the team does not win, then I don't have much to say. I just pat you guys on the back for your wins and then go cry and drink myself into oblivion.

Sincerely,
Donna (Runninwiththedogs, to you)

From The Bottom Of My Heart...

Crappity crap. This was a great post thanking the 'Dogs for a win and now it's gone??????????????????????

gasdufzbdisdhfjksfhbskjnbeasjtbis.

I almost typed "beast" in there. Whoa.

I Can Only Take So Much

If we do not win tonight then I refuse to go to Wisconsin next weekend. I would probably puke all over the ice, and puke bounces on ice.

I'm going to have to have a drink during tonight's game. Last night, we sounded like the old Bulldogs. The two quick goals from Steve Czech and Marco Peluso made me believe again. For a few minutes.

Evan Schwabe needs to score. Now. Immediately. He needs to step it up. This team has no leadership, no one to set the standard. I miss Lucien, Jr., and Beau. Are we going to even have one All-American? We never deserved to be ranked #1. We are going to have to earn our way to the NCAAs. It's going to be an uphill battle.

I thought about cruising down to St. Cloud tonight, but I didn't have a good enough reason. I would have settled for a tie last night. Something to build on, for crying out loud.

I'll be rockin' out on Siouxsports.com again tonight. Yeah!

I'm Back

Yeah, I was going to post last weekend. I mean, I was so pumped, we won on Friday!

And then Brown won with 0.1 seconds left and I was so crushed I curled into the fetal position and wept.

Off Week

The 'Dogs were off last week, so I took the liberty of giving myself some time off.

Plus tonight I'm going to see The Haunted tonight, and they RULE!

I Can't Find the Words

So I will write nothing. Or next to nothing. I have lost all my desire to write the Hater Report, or the WCHA action (even though I listened to the entire North Dakota-CC game on Saturday), or the penalty leaders.

I just want to wake the 'Dogs up and tell them they can't play like this anymore. They can make more shots than their opponent, they can have greater speed, they can put the pressure on, but it doesn't matter. If they can't put the puck in the net more times than their opponent, then I'm going to be very, very unhappy for a long, long time.

Ugh.

So remember when I used to support Alaska-Anchorage?

I'm starting to regret it.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

I'm frustrated. Very, very frustrated. Why? Because we aren't the top Dogs anymore!

I think what's killing us is the new penalty calling b.s., and our inability to adapt. Let's look at the WCHA Standings:

Penalty Minutes: Games PIM PIM/G
1 Minnesota-Duluth 9 241 26.8
2 Minnesota State 7 172 24.6
3 Denver 7 158 22.6
4 Minnesota 8 175 21.9
5 North Dakota 9 194 21.6
6 St. Cloud State 8 166 20.8
7 Alaska Anchorage 7 145 20.7
8 Michigan Tech 7 143 20.4
9 Wisconsin 7 126 18.0
10 Colorado College 5 76 15.2

Power Play: Totals SHA PCT
1 Colorado College 10/ 35 0 28.6
2 Wisconsin 14/ 57 1 24.6
3 Alaska Anchorage 9/ 43 1 20.9
4 Michigan Tech 11/ 53 1 20.8
5 Minnesota-Duluth 13/ 66 0 19.7
6 Minnesota 10/ 56 0 17.9
7 St. Cloud State 9/ 65 2 13.8
8 North Dakota 7/ 53 0 13.2
9 Denver 8/ 64 4 12.5
10 Minnesota State 6/ 50 4 12.0

Penalty Kill: Totals SHF PCT
1 St. Cloud State 64/ 68 3 94.1
2 Wisconsin 44/ 49 1 89.8
3 Minnesota 50/ 58 2 86.2
4 Colorado College 28/ 33 1 84.8
5 Minnesota-Duluth 67/ 79 5 84.8
6 North Dakota 56/ 67 0 83.6
7 Denver 45/ 54 2 83.3
8 Alaska Anchorage 39/ 47 0 83.0
9 Minnesota State 40/ 50 0 80.0
10 Michigan Tech 36/ 48 1 75.0

All right, I've highlighted some key stats for our little examination.
We're #1 in penalties. I know in the past I've gotten excited about penalties, but in this new era of zebras, we've got to stop taking so many penalties! We are spending over a period in the box! (I realize some are coincidental, but for crying out loud!) Now look at Colorado College, the team to beat so far: They're last in the conference in penalty minutes per game! They've obviously adapted well to the new officiating. With a team that relies so much on the game flow, on wearing down their opponents, on speed, we can not be taking so many penalties. It wears us out, and it keeps the other team more fresh, since we have to stop so often.

CC also has the top power play unit, which, coupled with the fewest penalty minutes per game, makes them a tough team to beat. We will not be beating CC any time soon with the amount of time we spend in the box. Our power play unit would be better, statistically speaking, if we didn't waste the power play 15 seconds in with a stupid penalty! Oh yeah, and that awful 5-on-3 where we couldn't get a f-ing goal. North Dakota is also struggling in the power play (Sioux fans are pissed about it, too), and it's showing in their record.

Our penalty kill would also be better, if not for the awful Vermont game where they got all their goals on the power play, and our defense was absolutely decimated by the crappy game DQs. However, five shorthanded goals is pretty freaking amazing. CC has the same penalty kill percentage as we do, so at least we're on par there.

I'm listening to the Sioux game right now while trying to pack for my journey down to Illinois, and I'm on the gamethread at Sioux Sports. Lots of hockey fans there. If you're coming here from the link on my posts on the message forum, then hi!

"Oh My God...

...they lost FIVE TO TWO!"

That was my response just a few seconds ago.

What the crap?

A loss! A palpable loss!

Good thing no one reads this site, or I might be concerned that I hadn't posted since last weekend. So this is sort of half-assed.

I understand that we are all hurting here. A tie and a loss to a team whose nickname has not yet been figured out (what is a Catamount?) should have us all hugging and having a group sing of Kum-By-Yah or We Shall Overcome or Pieces of Me. It should not have us yelling at the team we loved so much just a few days ago. We're out there for our guys, sink or swim, win or lose, etc. Booing your own team makes you no better than a Yankee fan.

Anyway, the team here on the bench was playing shorthanded as well, after the Alleged Webmaster (who has not mastered us a site) was given a weekend-long major and a game DQ for unsportsmanlike conduct. I'll lie and say this was why the post was late.

This post was actually late because I am just heartbroken that we could have lost this weekend. I am just heartbroken at the poor officiating that caused Jay and Neil to be thrown out of the game for checking from behind (and Neil's player turned at the last second!) while the guys they checked skated away, and then Ryan and Steve are checked from behind and are down on the ice while the Catamounts received only one penalty, a 2 min boarding penalty, for the two incidents! I am just heartbroken that our special teams could not come up with a goal on a 5 on 3 (I think Maine fans can feel my pain a bit here). I am heartbroken that someone was rude to me on the Sioux Sports forum. I am heartbroken that Ryan Potulny is the scoring leader. I am heartbroken that Derek Jeter won a Gold Glove.

Who else thought we were in it to win it when McKnight had a short-hander at 19:47 in the 2nd? Come on, come on! Let's see those hands! Where was Marco Peluso to say "Oh no you did NOT just go Bemidji State on us!"

So uh... yeah. We were unprepared. We were five starters short in the Friday game. We were full of ourselves.

WCHA Action:
Friday
Alaska Anchorage 1, Michigan Tech 5
Denver 3, Wisconsin 6
Minnesota State 2, Minnesota 9
North Dakota 3, Boston College 5
St. Cloud State 7, Princeton 2

Saturday
North Dakota 3, Northeastern 3
St. Cloud State 10, Yale 0
Vermont 2, Minnesota-Duluth 2
Denver 5, Wisconsin 3
Minnesota State 2, Minnesota 3
Alaska Anchorage 5, Michigan Tech 4

Polls:
USA Today
2. Minnesota-Duluth (3 first place votes)
4. Minnesota (2 first place votes? For a win over Minnesota State? Come on!)
5. Wisconsin (1 first place vote. Whatever.)
6. North Dakota
8. Colorado
10. Denver

USCHO
3. UMD (3 first place votes)
4. Minnesota
5. Wisconsin
6. North Dakota
7. Colorado College
10. Denver
SCSU received a vote. Just one.

INCH
2. UMD
3. Wisconsin
4. Colorado College
6. North Dakota
7. Minnesota
10. Denver

Happy Birthday to Me!

My birthday has come and gone without a post (too busy sleeping, carving pumpkins, and watching the Red Soxxxxx win the World Series), but I'm still awake.

Guess what UMDDogz has promised me for my birthday? BULLDOG HOCKEY!
Right now it looks like RWD will be covering the Wisconsin series at the Kohl Center, and the Denver series at the DECC. We'll see what happens. Possible interviews to follow. I've already written Kerry Rodd (c/o KDAL) to see if I can become a "fan in the stands." I'm sure we'll have to attend the 4th period show, too.

This weekend (against Vermont, zzzzzzzzzzzz) UMDDogz will be covering Friday's game, and I might be, too, but Saturday's game we're both working, so you're S.O.L.

Important news:

WCHA Player of the Week: MARCO PELUSO!
Marco beat out jerk-off Ryan Potulny (#1 on the Hater Report) and poor unfortunate soul Colby Genoway (I don't know why he'd even be nominated, considering the Saturday game.)

WCHA Action:
Though already covered by UMDDogz, I have a few comments of my own. I can't believe no one from the Sioux could step up and say "Not in our house!" I mean, that little weasel Potulny got three friggin points! Of course, according to Wally, every goal was a "beauty" and they only called penalties on the Gophers, but no one listens to him anyway. Also, I'm sad that the UAA unbeaten streak has ended, although they are unbeaten in the WCHA (due to no conference games.) Three WCHA teams (UND, UAA, and Tech) were blanked last weekend. That's tough!

Penalty Leaders:
Jay Rosehill: 10 penalties for 28 minutes
Mike Curry: 8 penalties for 19 minutes
Steve Czech: 8 penalties for 16 minutes
Neil Petruic: 7 penalties for 14 minutes

Steve leaps onto the list after taking a zillion penalties, back to back to back to back to back (ok, maybe not like that), and Marco Peluso evidently abandoned the Penalty Leaders for the Point Leaders. But that's okay. You should see Mike Vanelli: 3 penalties for 17 minutes! He got a 10 min misconduct on Saturday.

The Hater Report:
1. Ryan Potulny
Games: 5
Goals: 7
Assists: 2
Points: 9
Penalties: 2
Penalty Minutes: 4
Ok, so you had 3 points in one game... but no hat trick? Marco Peluso got a hat trick, and I bet you think you're better than him. Just like you think you're better than Grant. And Gretzky.

2. Robbie Earl
Games: 4
Goals: 2
Assists: 5
Points: 7
Penalties: 3
Penalty Minutes: 6
After Friday's game, I said "Robbie is a cheap player, so he must he hitting far enough behind the play that the refs aren't noticing. Oh yeah, but they were playing at the Kohl Center tonight, so that probably means he committed about 43498076498 real penalties, but only 2 were so blatant that the zebras would have been actually in trouble for not calling them." Ditto. Only one point on Saturday? What a hack!

Polls
USA Today
1. University of Minnesota-Duluth (26 first place votes!)
3. University of North Dakota (Only 2 first place votes!)
5. University of Wisconsin (I can't believe it, but they got 1 first place vote!)
6. University of Minnesota
8. Colorado College
11. University of Denver

USCHO
1. Minnesota-Duluth (31 first place votes!)
4. North Dakota (3 first place votes)
5. Wisconsin (1 vote, bleah)
6. Minnesota
8. Colorado College
10/11. Denver (tied with Miami)
UAA received votes. Yeah!

INCH
1.Minnesota-Duluth
3. Wisconsin
4. North Dakota
6. Colorado College
8. Minnesota
11. Denver
UAA is still on the bubble. Yeah Underwolves!

I have to be at work in 8 hours, so I'd better go. Here's to another unbeaten weekend!

The Land of the Free and The Home of the Bulldogs

Well folks, it was the season home opener for the 'Dogs tonight, and the whole team here at Runnin' With The Dogs was warming the bench. Yours truly, along with UMDDogz, the fluffy white BullKitty (known in some other spheres as Kittylove), and the Alleged Webmaster, who is supposed to eventually make this site look like something of which I can be proud. Three generations of 'Dogs fans (four if you count the BullKitty) were basking in the glow of their computer screeens, in a chat room discussing hockey, the *#$&! internet feed (two generations still have dial-up internet, I wasn't even sure that existed anymore!), and... colonoscopies. Don't ask.

I wasn't even going to post tonight, since I didn't expect collegehockeystats.com to be so up on things that I could get my official tallies. Things were a little confusing tonight. Many goals were scored in a small amount of time. Assists were changed. Penalties were served by people who still remain anonymous to me. Kerry Rodd referred to our goalie as Tim Reichmuth. So you can see why my head was spinning, and I decided to go watch Roseanne instead of creating a meaningful, thought-provoking essay on the game of hockey.

I'll be listening tomorrow night too, which is an unprecedented occurrence.

Anyway, the 'Dogs came out and just killed tonight. MSU took an early 1-0 lead, but never regained it, although after the 'Dogs went up 2-1, MSU came back to tie it. The final was 8-3, which is, you know, almost respectable for a team like MSU. Except for the fact that Marco Peluso scored as many goals as their whole team could muster. Well, they did try to get a 4th goal on the board, with a kick-in. I guess someone needs to tell the defensemen (Dubel, looking in your direction) that you have to use your stick. Kerry Rodd mentioned that "Pele would be happy."

The 'Dogs got "about 20 goals on the power play," according to Kerry, although he admitted "I sometimes embellish a little bit. 4 for 8 on the PP isn't too shabby. Oh yeah, and we went 2 for 4 (or so) on their PP.

Don't worry, I'm already on the phone with a hit man, Ryan Geris. You will be avenged. Rankin hit him on the head, and he just suffered a freaking concussion. Rankin got a 10 minute misconduct and left the game, but I just have to make sure it won't happen again. *Cracks whip*

The game recap isn't really my specialty. Wild claims that I can't back up and violent threats are my department. I'll leave you with my own "numbers crunch" and UMDDogz can fill you in on the rest.

Penalty Leaders:
Jay Rosehill: 9 penalties, 26 minutes (yut!)
Mike Curry: 7 penalties, 17 minutes
Neil Petruic: 6 penalties, 12 minutes
Marco Peluso: 5 penalties, 10 minutes
*someone needs to tell collegehockeystats that they need a new font, as the 5 and 6 are almost exactly the same*

WCHA ACTION:
Wisconsin 7, Tech 3. Tech had an early lead in this game, but couldn't hang on. Not that I was surprised, but I wanted them to. Wisconsin must die!

North Dakota 4, Minnesota 2. If there's one thing that divides the beat writers here at Runnin' With The 'Dogs, it's who we root for in a Gophers-Sioux matchup. I tend to root for the Gophers (I know I'm not supposed to, it's a big rivalry, blah blah) whereas my counterpart was pulling for the Sioux. It's just like last year during the Final Five Championship game, except I no longer drive a yellow truck and we weren't drinking Coors Lite at the Holiday Inn across from the Excel with some moron (Scotty) who put the box on his head and sang Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box" to anyone he encountered.

Colorado College 4, Air Force 1. Sorry, Elaine, but you knew your team would go down. I think CC will have a good year.

Denver 5, SCSU 2. Hey St. Cloud, weren't they saying your goalies had, um, improved their GAA?

UAA vs. UAF: evidently no one cared enough to see what the score is. It's 12:30, the game started 2 and half hours ago, the USAToday page I have open keeps popping into the foreground each time it refreshes, and they can't bother to update the Seawolves' score? BAH! (Collegehockeystats now has the game at UAA 5, UAF 2. YEAH SEAWOLVES!)

OTHER HOCKEY ACTION:
I don't usually report on games without at least one WCHA team involved (because they are boring and those other teams are weak), but I have some mocking to do.
MAINE lost to ST. LAWRENCE 1-0. We couldn't even figure out what CONFERENCE St. Lawrence was in (because we didn't care or try very hard.) Folks on the power rankings, look out below! Here comes Maine!
BOSTON COLLEGE lost to NOTRE DAME 3-2!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!! Yeah, there'd better be a new #1 at the top of the INCH list!

The Hater Report:

1. Ryan Potulny
Games: 4
Goals: 5
Assists: 1
Points: 6
Penalties: 2
Penalty Minutes: 4
Oh Ryan, I bet you were so excited when you scored that goal tonight...and then your team LOST at HOME to North Dakota. You think you're going to win at Ralph Engelstad? Hell no you aren't!

2. Robbie Earl
Games: 3
Goals: 2
Assists: 4
Points: 6
Penalties: 3
Penalty Minutes: 6
Robbie is a cheap player, so he must he hitting far enough behind the play that the refs aren't noticing. Oh yeah, but they were playing at the Kohl Center tonight, so that probably means he committed about 43498076498 real penalties, but only 2 were so blatant that the zebras would have been actually in trouble for not calling them.

You can take that poll and stick it right where....

I forgot there were other polls.

The USCHO poll is worthless. Why is it worthless? Because UND is above UMD, and they got 15 1st place votes to our 3. B.C. is #1 on the charts for them, followed by the Sioux and the 'Dogs. Minnesota and Wisconsin are tied for 7/8, CC is 11th, and Denver is 13th. Shows how much they know.

Oh yeah, and the USA today poll is pretty sucky, too. Same top 3, with BC receiving 18 first place votes, UND receiving 14, the 'Dogs receiving 2, and Michigan receiving.. what?????? THREE????????? ARE THEY ON CRACK???????
Anyway, Wisconsin is 6, Minnesota 7, CC is 11, and Denver is 13. How unoriginal.

Anyway, they certainly will shut the puck up once the 'Dogs start kicking some major WCHA butt.

The People I Hate Report

There are players I hate, and I like to see them do poorly. Therefore, I'll be keeping running tallies on their failures as players. Without Troy Riddle, the focus of most of my hockey hatred, and Zach Parise, who thinks he's so f-ing great, I only have two players on the list right now.

1. Ryan Potulny
Games: 3
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
Points: 5
+/-: +2
Penalties: 1
Penalty Minutes: 2
The penalty minutes is a real indicator of what a big baby Ryan is. What is he afraid of?

2. Robbie Earl
Games: 2
Goals: 1
Assists: 2
Points: 3
+/-: not available
Penalties: 1
Penalty Minutes: 2
Wimp! The Maple Leafs aren't going to be happy to see they've got a kid who's afraid of the big bad defensemen.

I might have to start hating Tom Pohl, as he is brother of Johnny Pohl, who I hated when he played for Red Wing. I'm sure there'll be more people added as the season continues.

Start Spreadin' the News

Did you hear? Minnesota lost to Alaska-Anchorage! HAHAAHAHHAHAH

First, I have to introduce the other rabid Bulldog fan on the bench for Runnin With The Dogs. My brother, Stew, aka UMDDogz, has been a 'Dogs fan for a mere year and five months more than I have, by virtue of birth order alone. However, he knows more about hockey, especially the technical aspects, than I, having played hockey himself for several years. More bench players might be added later.

Power Rankings Report
UMD sits in the #2 spot, remaining unbeaten. Boston College, with a 1-0-0 record, sits atop the rankings. It's my opinion that they should not have been at the top when they sat on their dainty little behinds while the 'Dogs were out there kicking some Fighting Irish ass, but for some reason, INCH likes to kiss up to Hockey East.
Other WCHA teams in the top 20:
North Dakota breathes down our neck at #3, but I think that's totally ridiculous. They tied Mankato State! Remember, I already laughed at them once. I'll do it again: HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Wisconsin's directly below them at #4. The top 6 spots have remained unchanged.
Speaking of the top 6, #6 is Colorado College, with good ol' Marty Sertich leading the pack. It helps to be a Sertich when you're playing hockey.
Minnesota drops one to the ten-spot, and if you think about it, they're lucky to have only dropped one! They lost to the Seawolves, for crying out loud!
Denver stays put at #15, as a loss to Boston College isn't real too shameful. A 1-2-0 record is a bit more shameful.
SCSU jumps on the board at #20. INCH is impressed with the numbers their goalies have put up this season, but I think it's a little premature to get excited.
2 wins this weekend puts UAA on the bubble. Yeah! Go Underwolves!

In other exciting news, Evan "Seven Points" Schwabe is the WCHA player of the week! Stew predicted it, and it came true. The other players of the week are both from the Seawolves. Way to go, guys! Their goalie shut down the Gophers (except the power play) and the rookie of the week was named Most Outstanding Player of the Nye Frontier Classic Tourney (Take THAT, Ryan Potulny!) I would like to see the Seawolves do well. Not as well as UMD, but maybe 2nd in the WCHA?

Get ready for a lot of WCHA-on-WCHA action this weekend!!! Home opener!!!!!

3-0-1

I didn't listen to tonight's game, nor did I listen to last night's game. This totally sucks. Baseball is sucking. Work is sucking. Hockey is rocking, but I can't listen to any of the games! This must be corrected. I don't even know what the lines are, or what the new announcers are like, or if there are any new exciting commercials!

Anyway, remember how last week I told Evan to get his goal on? FOUR GOALS! TWO ASSISTS! SO HOT!!! (That picture is just way cute. I heart him.) Two come-from-behind wins in two nights is great, but should we really ever be losing to Michigan Tech? They are Not Good. Chris Conner is good, but really, you can't build a team around one player.

Five unanswered goals in the third period. Bring on Minnesota State. (Look out, Brad Thompson! p.s. you were better looking in high school.)

Penalty Count:
Neil Petruic: 5 penalties, 12 minutes
Mike Curry: 4 penalties, 11 minutes
Marco Peluso: 4 penalties, 8 minutes
Justin Williams: 4 penalties, 8 minutes

Neil takes the lead! Marco did not get any penalties this series (he was too busy getting assists) but Mike C. and Neil P. are racking them up. Way to go!

WCHA Recap:
Friday:
Boston College 6, Denver 2
St. Cloud 2, Northern Michigan 1
Wisconsin 3, Mercyhurst 2
Minnesota 1, Massachusetts 0
North Dakota 2, Mankato State 2*
Alaska-Anchorage 3, Canisus 3 (ot)**

Saturday:
Denver 4, Northeastern 2
Wisconsin 8, Mercyhurst 0
Northern Michigan 4, St. Cloud 2
Colorado College 4, Union 2
North Dakota 2, Mankato State 1***
Minnesota and Alaska-Anchorage were still playing at press time.

*HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA THEY TIED MSU!!!!! THAT'S HILARIOUS!!!!!
** "Donna, how does a tournament game end in a tie?" Well, folks, Alaska-Anchorage won the shootout 2-1. Way to go, boys! Minnesota is going to slaughter you, but I'm proud that you won against a team I've never heard of!
***INCH has each team scoring -1 points in the second period. I didn't know this was possible. Also, 1 + -1 = 1 according to their "math." Check it out here.

(By the way, I watched Slap Shot 2 yesterday night. It starts one of the Baldwins, but on the bright side, the original "Hanson Brothers" are in it. It's not as good as the original, not that you should be surprised, but there are some funny parts.)

Pow-Pow-Power Rankings

How do you move up 2 slots to the number one rank when you haven't played a game?
Because Boston College did. Boston College? Twenty years ago, nobody cared about Boston College. My parents used to sit by some old guy who yelled "How's Boston College?" when they announced the scores of other games. Nobody cared then. Evidently this man was a visionary.

Anyway, UMD sits at #2 in the power rankings for the second week in a row.
Other WCHA teams:
North Dakota's sweep of Maine brings them up 4 to #3. I hate North Dakota, but if you sweep Maine (last year's runner up) then you've got something going on.
Wisconsin was off and didn't move. They're still at #4. I think they're ranked ridiculously high. I guess INCH really thinks their goaltender is somebody. Suter's gone, what are they gonna do?
Colorado College was off and stayed at #6, but I don't think they'll be there for long. A win against Union won't do anything for them.
The Gophers are up 1 to #9. "Who needs Potulny? We've got Potulny!" I'd like to right now declare myself President and Founding Member of the I Hate Ryan Potulny Club. I didn't mind Grant, but the only Gopher I've hated more is Troy Riddle, and that hatred goes back to HIGH SCHOOL and his arrogant locker room graffiti. "T.R. in state, '98," he wrote on the locker room walls at SLP. Except it was the '99 season.
Denver went down 1 to #15. Without Berkhoel... well, we all know that he saved their asses more than once. Let's see... 5 on 3 in the final minutes of the championship game? You think maybe his teammates could have avoided at least ONE of those penalties? Anyway, Denver's going to lose to B.C. later this week.
Evidently the Huskies are on the bubble. What do they think this is, March Madness? There is no bubble.

And where's Alaska-Anchorage?????
heheh.

Liar!

Ok, sorry. I lied. I won't be listening to EITHER game this weekend! I'm WORKING UNTIL 11! That's what happens when you work retail.

Anyway, a few details:
*I know the comments are annoying, but just post anonymously. I'm going to fix it soon.
*New commentators coming soon!
*GO DOGS!

I'm lazy. It's my day off and I got up at 9:30. BLEAH!

FOOTBALL??????????

To the roar of a seemingly pre-recorded crowd, mixed in with a few golf claps, the Bulldogs and the Fighting Irish took the ice on Thursday. Yes, on Thursday. Evidently, the games were scheduled so as not to interfere with football, and even with the odd scheduling, no one could really be bothered to attend. Evidently the whole little microcosm of Notre Dame revolves solely around football.

Football? Come on!! You know how I feel about football!!!

Oh right, you don't. Please excuse me.
I don't hate football. I hate futbol, and also basketball. I just can't get behind football. I'm a fair weather fan. I admit it. I'M A FAIR WEATHER FAN! I find it difficult to get excited about football, since it only happens once a week. It doesn't have continuous, exciting action the way hockey does, and it doesn't have the suspense and tension of baseball. A long drive can get exciting, but I just can't get excited about it. And if Notre Dame can't see that hockey is far superior to football, well, they just don't deserve to be on the same ice as the big Dogs.

Anyway, it's nice to see that the refs are getting practice blowing those whistles and making those silly arm movements to signal what penalties they're going to call. They haven't used those muscles in awhile so they've got to test them out, to get back in the swing of things. We don't want them to be rusty!

A tie in the first game wasn't really what I was hoping for. I was hoping for a blow out, a scoring explosion. I was hoping that, when Schwabe meets puck, particles would undergo fission, giving off extra neutrons, which would start a supercritical chain reaction of scoring. This did not happen. Evidently, this happens when Mike Curry meets puck. Isn't he just so cute!??!?!!? I should visit Alaska more often! But Evan, baby, you really need to start scoring. I know you've got an assist, but you're cute too, you should be scoring some points. You don't have Junior to set up anymore. You've got to break out from behind his shadow, just like Ashlee Simpson. She didn't let Jessica's success stop her, she went out and went platinum!! You, too, could be a Hobey Baker. (INCH thinks you could be in the top 10!)

It's nice to see Stapleton on the board with two points as well. I'm going to go ahead and predict he'll have a banner year. He was third on the team in point totals last year. This year I see him having a similar point total (41) but making more goals than assists. Miskovich was really a surprise, too. Didn't he have, like, one goal last year? I'm hoping this wasn't just a fluke. Misky and Hammond are two people I'd like to see make a significant improvement in their offensive numbers over the season. Tim Hambly, too. He had a fair number of points last year, but most of them came from assists. It's great to have assists, guys, but I'd like to see some GOALS, too!

Marco Peluso is absolutely my favorite. He already has four penalties for eight minutes! Smitty has two penalties for four minutes, which is disappointing. I expect more from him! I saw him escorted from the ice during the last regular season game! (I was sitting in the Wisconsin student section, screaming for the 'Dogs, to the chagrin of my friend/ticket procurer.) Justin Williams has three penalties for six minutes. Mike Curry has two penalties, but he got a whopping SEVEN MINUTES!!!! I'm so proud of him.

WCHA SCOREBOARD:
No conference games were played this weekend, but wins are wins.

Thursday:
UMD 2, Notre Dame 2

Friday:
UMD 4, Notre Dame 1
North Dakota 4, Maine 3

Saturday:
St. Cloud State 1, St. Lawrence 1
North Dakota 3, Maine 1
Minnesota 5, Denver 2

Look out for North Dakota, beating Maine twice! The Denver loss is unsurprising, because without Adam Berkhoel, well... I don't want to say they're nothing, but he was absolutely unstoppable in the NCAA Championship game. These other fellas seem more like chain-link fences than walls.

Next weekend, it's all about hockey, I promise!

I'm Sorry

This weekend's posting has been pre-empted for the Twins playoffs. I know, I should be ashamed of myself. I have been so excited for the start of the Bulldogs' season that I should have been on top of things, but that's the problem with the two sports with which I live and die overlapping in their seasons.

Alas, the overlapping has ended. I follow the BoSox, of course, but not with the zeal with which I follow the Twins.

Thus ends my babbling about baseball.

@$$%%!!!!

Bah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Windows Media Player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No hockey!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Could we please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top, take just ONE from North Dakota?????

Can You Feel It?

Today's Wednesday. I'll be at the Bulldog (coincidence??) in Uptown watching the Twins beat the Yankees in a few hours. I couldn't sleep last night, I was thinking about baseball.

But tomorrow is Thursday. There's no baseball (well, no Twins baseball), but it's an important day for all of us. Look, down at the bottom of the page. Do you see that countdown? Do you know that when I started that coundown, there were nearly two months to go??? It's a sight for sore eyes, let me tell you.

It hasn't been this exciting since the start of the season after that game we'd rather forget. (That game, however, is a game I do not remember, since I was still learning to form coherent sentences and could not form lasting memories. I do remember the 'Dogs kicking the everliving snot out of Bowling Green last January, so we'll just pretend that other game never happened. It's best for all of us.)

The team is ready. The fans are rabid. Keyport Liquor is stocked.

Sure, we don't have Junior Lessard. He's off in the NHL. We can't tarnish his memory, despite his defection to the forces of evil (Dallas). Living in Canada for so many years, and not even the part of Canada where they speak Semi-English, he might not be aware the Minnesota North Stars had deserted us so many years ago. I imagine Lucien, Jr. showing up to tour the Dallas Stars' arena, and saying something like "Mon Dieu! What are you talking aboot? Zees ees not Minnesota, eh?"

But tomorrow night ("Hockey on a Thursday? Well, I guess Must-See TV tanked, so we've got to put something on.") the 'Dogs are going to come out scoring. Notre Dame will not know what hit them. They will wish Rudy had played hockey, not football. They will wish they were French, instead of Indianan.

Are you ready?

Why I Don't Like Women's Hockey

NO CHECKING.
What the crap is that????

New Questions

I listened to KDAL all last year, and enjoyed the slightly bizarre banter between Kerry Rodd and Rik Jordan (two men with two first names, oddly spelled). However, after 26 years hard at it, Rik Jordan broadcast his last Bulldogs game. This leaves me to wonder who will be the color man now?

Do they need a color woman? I know someone who is available.

Anyway, Rik is the greatest. During his farewell speech, Rik commented that his eyesight was deteriorating to the point that he could almost be a ref in the WCHA. The fans roared. Kerry was speechless for a moment before bursting out laughing.

Absolutely brilliant. A Rhino Lining hit!

Old News

Since I didn't have this little blog last year, and therefore was unable to comment on some things, and because, as you can see from the countdown, there's still over a month to go before hockey returns to my life, I am going to occasionally look back rather than ahead.

First of all, it's hard to be a student athlete. It's hard enough to be a student. Therefore, the Academic All-Americans from the Bulldogs should be recognized. They played hockey nearly every weekend, sometimes travelling as far as Alaska, and were still able to maintain a 3.00 GPA or better. This is more than yours truly could do, and the farthest I went was Connecticut, for a weekend.
Here are the Academic All-American Bulldogs:
Tyler Brosz*
Steve Czech
Jay Hardwick
Josh Miskovich*
Neil Petruic
Evan Schwabe*
Luke Stauffacher
Jesse Unklesbay
(* denotes extra points for also being hot.)
This is truly an achievement, since hockey involves things like concussions and other head trauma. Also, some of these guys just don't look that bright (Jesse, Steve, etc.) so they have to overcome even more odds.
And I do realize that some of them have just throwaway majors. But if I kicked ass at hockey, I'd probably have a throwaway major, too, like underwater basketweaving.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SEASON

Junior Lessard signing with the Dallas Stars.
I hate the Dallas Stars.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Waiting for hockey to begin is unbearable. From that terrible April day when the 'Dogs let Denver roll on over them, I've been awaiting the puck drop in Notre Dame. Pro hockey doesn't do it for me. The Wild are superb in their own right, but I've been burned by pro hockey before (ahemNorthStarsahem) and haven't really been that trusting. Plus, I can't really afford the tickets. Bulldog hockey is where it's at. It's a family tradition. We'll be starting up the chat rooms and listening to the games pretty soon.

By the way, if you don't live in Duluth (as I don't), you can still get the 'Dogs on the radio if you have internet. Go to warpradio, and search for the call letters KDAL.

I've been distracted by Twins Baseball, which is my second sports passion. Baseball and hockey have a nearly seamless transition, unlike if I were, say, a basketball and football fan or something. And I'm really not.

I'm totally fired up about the season for several reasons:

1. Starting this blog. I was inspired by Bat-girl to create a similiar site, although she has more time on her hands, more wit, and more photoshop skills. I make no promises about this site, but I can tell you that I'm a smart ass, and I have a brother whom I plan on including on the staff here. However, I don't think there will be as many stories about what players did on their off days, or campaign slogans, and there won't be any Lego-vision. I'm not out to copy her, I'm just inspired.

2. Evan Schwabe is captain! He is really one of the best looking players on the team, which gives him that advantage over Junior Lessard, but beyond that, he's got some tough shoes to fill. He was second on the team in points, but most of his come from assists. "What do you expect when you're on the same line as Junior Lessard?" Big Brother reminded me. Right. So Evan's really got to step it up with the goals, and show some leadership. He doesn't just need to be a leader with the younger guys (who look pretty darned impressive), but with 11 seniors on the ice this year, someone's got to take charge of them. With Luke and Neil (only Bulldogs to have been drafted by the NHL! which is a shameful oversight) behind him, I think he'll really shine. He won't win the Hobey Baker, but I think he'll impress a lot of people.

3. Now that I'm living in Minnesota again, this means I can go to LOTS OF BULLDOG GAMES!!!!! (work schedule and funds permitting.) Last year, I saw two Bulldogs games in Madison (a tie and a win) while sitting in the second deck Madison student section and screaming my lungs out. I also saw the 'Dogs blow away Bowling Green in their series right after the New Year. I watched the WCHA Championship game, heartbroken over the loss from the night before (which I listened to while driving back from Illinois in my bizarro rented truck), but cheering the Gophers (minus the hated Troy Riddle, whom I refused to cheer for after he was such a dick while attending BSM) to victory over the Fighting Sioux, scourge of the conference. However, living in the Twin Cities gives me access to a multitude of games.
Games I will most likely attend:
Nov 26 at St. Cloud State
Nov 27 at St. Cloud State
Dec 3 at Wisconsin
Dec 4 at Wisconsin
Jan 28 at Minnesota
Jan 29 at Minnesota
Mar 17 WCHA Final Five
Mar 18 WCHA Final Five
Mar 19 WCHA Final Five

And of course I'm planning to drive up to Duluth at least once or twice, probably for the North Dakota and Wisconsin series. It's a shame they're not playing the Gophers at the DECC.

My main concern for the year is the 'Dogs really need to step up their physical play. With All-American Beau Geisler gone, along with Hardo, the big guys like Swanny and Steve Czech need to jump in there and knock the puck loose, break up those scoring chances, and put the hurt on. This new freshman, Jay Rosehill, is going to be the tallest guy on the team at 6'3" (tied with Freshman C Mike Curry), with another new freshman, Travis Gawryletz, just an inch shorter. Put a little meat on their bones (currently they both weigh in at 195) and they'll be bruisers for sure. Chippy teams like Wisconsin and North Dakota need to learn that the 'Dogs aren't going to be pushed around. The cheap shots Wisconsin took at players like Tyler Brosz last season shouldn't be put up with.

I'm excited, are you? LET'S GO 'DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!