An Ugly Mankato Weekend (again)

In 4 games against MSU-M this season the Seawolves managed one tie. The other three games were lost by a combined score of 15 - 3. Ouch. You look at the similar placement of these two teams prior to both series and you'd have expected the crucial WCHA points to be something that would be bitterly contested. Why weren't they? One team gave up on at least 2 of those games. The 5-1 loss in Anchorage and the 7-2 loss in Mankato were both games that the Seawolves gave up on ... right in the middle of playing them. While one positive is that the guys weren't as physically sore the next day as they would have been had they actually played a hockey game. "Back in the day" those were the kind of losses that would have earned the team some skating drills right after the game. Unfortunately that sort of thing doesn't seem to go over well with the D-1 brass. If I'd ever seen a case of a team needing exactly that thing it was so Saturday evening.

It all started well enough; UAA was getting good chances, the physical play was dramatically improved from the night before, and in a matter of moments they all basically quit playing. Yep, Shea Hamilton took a "bad" penalty ... and Mankato built a bigger lead because of that but no other team in this league gives up. Not one other team. Year after year in this league there are dramatic come from behind victories and they aren't limited to upper tier teams fighting back against lower tier teams. Giving up when there is still more than 24 minutes to play and your down by 3 goals? It doesn't seem that there is any obvious explanation other than they sure look like a team with zero confidence. The massive difference in the level of play from one game to another (or period to another) is obvious to everyone though regardless of the cause. This team thoughh has played inspired and to its full potential (albeit not often) so it seems that the problem must be confidence.

Will a trip to Michigan Tech be some medicine? It's unlikely ... Tech is a team that probably has a bit of confidence; they split with Mankato, had two close losses to Michigan and Michigan State in holiday tournament action and just swept UMD in Duluth this past weekend. Nothing less than a total effort will bring any success this coming weekend.

Lastly;
Mr. Hamilton,
There aren't that many referees in this league and it doesn't take long to establish a reputation and once you get that kind of rep, those zebra eyes will be on you like flies on shit and if you don't smell just right they're gonna send you to the box. Play hard. Quit retaliating. Score a couple of times. It's the ONLY cure that will clear that kind of rep. If Marty Sertich didn't score so many goals do you think he'd get away with all the stickwork? Put the puck in the net. It shuts a lot of people up.