30 October 2010

Another BREC in the Wall

tUMD 1, Those Still Yet to Win in Their New Arena 1

So, we made the drive up to Bemidji to see what we could see. And what do you think we saw? We saw the other side.

No, not really, I was getting us confused with the bear that went over the mountain. We saw a tie. And even though UMD got that power play goal late in the game, I knew that lead wouldn't hold. Granted, it was hard to get things going. This is my first time seeing Bemidji State play live and they did not play a style I expected them to play. These guys stomped on the Bulldogs last year and this year were struggling to find offense. It took someone named Bilbo Baggins or something almost the entire game to find the net. Most of the game seemed to be focused around stopping the Bulldogs rather than beating them.

Bemidji's goalie made some great saves including one on JT Brown in OT that I thought was a for sure game winner. Kenny did not make any brilliant saves that I noticed. Much of UMD's puck luck this weekend came from Bemidji players being a day late and a dollar short on rebounds. I am not sure Bemidji players knew they could play in the slot or camp out in front of the net. tUMD's defence played an outstanding game.

tUMD should have scored on the 5 on 3. Here's the deal with that play: once tUMD got the delayed penalty, a Bemidji player made an even worse hit on another Bulldog as if daring the refs to make the call. They did. Yay.

Overall the BREC is nice but lacks atmosphere. The students do not have a leader. They do even fewer cheers than UMD fans. And their mascot is named Bucky but looks like an ethnic Goldy. Get it a leather tail or something. Most students were in costume and there were some really funny ones, like a Rubik's Cube or Wooderson from Dazed and Confused.

Alcohol is for sale at the BREC. Unfortunately this led to some obnoxiousness. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that the biggest jerk of the night was a guy in a Sioux jersey who went down behind the Bulldog bench and started swearing at them and pounding on the glass, then tried to get by me to get out of the row. I told him to wait for a whistle and blocked his way. He took umbrage, swore at me, then climbed over a bunch of other seats and spent the rest of the time he was there swearing at me some more. Two students came up during the break between the 3rd period and overtime and screamed and swore at the UMD team and at Suz for almost the entire break before an usher came and led them, very slowly, away. I like to be a big jerk too but I am now sober while I do it. A Bemidji player grabbed JT Brown's facemask and it popped open, and no call was made. So Phil Loadholt can't do that to a Packer but Bemidji can get away with it? So I yelled "I know they haven't won yet but you don't have to give them the game." I'm mean.

I still had a great time despite the outcome. And now I'm chillin' in paradise at the Bjorneby homestead on Lake Bemidji.

Numbers
Wins until we reach last season's total: 13! (Ugly wins count the same!)
Points until we reach last season's total: 27! (Sweet!)

My Guys
Jack Connolly: 12!
JT Brown: 11
Brady Lamb: 4
Mike Seidel: 2
Drew Olson: 0

Freshmen
JT Brown: 11
Justin Faulk: 5!!! (Off notice!!! Tragically unable to see his goal as it was at the other end of the rink and they did not replay it!!!)
others: zeros

Connollys
Mikey: 13!
Jacky: 12!

Olsen/Olson
Dylan: 6
Drew: 0

Dan/Drew
Olson: 8
DeLisle: 2

On Notice
Wade Bergman
David Grun
Jake Hendrickson
Brady Lamb
Mike Montgomery
Max Tardy

Goals Only
Jack Connolly (WHAT??? JACKY, GET IT TOGETHER!!!)
Keegan Flaherty
Dylan Olsen
Mike Seidel

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