Two hockey games in Colorado Springs turned into opera's this weekend. We had some cannonade style action with both teams scoring goals via volley. There was a distinctively palpable rollercoasting aroma of fortune and fate. Momentum gained and suddenly lost. There were not one but two dramatic comebacks to force overtime. There were heroes on both sides and even a clown interjecting himself. And the weekend culminated in a final great crescendo of passion. What else could you want?
A split with a good team has some satisfaction but (and I bet you knew there'd be a but) it's greatly tempered by the interference call on UAA with a little over 90 seconds left in the game. Whatever. Some dipshit referee decides he'd like to have an impact instead of letting the players decide the game on the ice. Nothing you can do about it. We've seen across the league an increase in the tendency of linesmen to make calls. It was part of the points of emphasis that linesman would be required to make certain calls. I obviously didn't see the game but will stipulate that the "Too Many Men" call is one of those that linesman should be calling. Sure ... even in OT. But less than 20 seconds after killing that; referee "Mozart" Hunt hits the Seawolves with an "interference" penalty (when players are contesting the puck on a face off)? It wasn't the first "interference" penalty like that Hunt called on the night (at 16:36 of the 3rd period Billy Sweat of CC was called for "interference" on an almost identical situation during a faceoff). UAA scored on that power play to tie the game. But like I said ... whatever. It's not the first time in the WCHA that a ref has interjected himself like a clown in an opera and it won't be the last.
I noticed during the game that I was hearing three names in situations where I hadn't before. Peter Cartwright, Nick Lowe and Chris Tarkir either got themselves mentioned frequently through their outstanding playmaking or they were getting more ice time. But it sure seemed to me that they all killed penalties regularly and had regular PP shifts. We've mostly been seeing Beagle, Lunden, Crowder, Clark, Bourne and Kronschnabel. There's was bound to be some shuffling with Kronschnabel out injured and I was please to hear Tassone and Corrin's names often and on positive play. In any case, I think Peter Nick and Chris deserved a well done for their efforts. I'll go ahead and guess (since the box score isn't up yet) that Blair will probably be one player that will likely not be playing against DU this next Friday. It was his love for opera that filled him with the passion of a brawler tonight and our buddy "Mozart" Hunt is probably still pouring over the replays putting his final touches on his masterpiece. It's too bad our WCHA Mozart has none of the subtly of the real one.
It's 8:31pm here and there still is no boxscore posted.
Still no boxscore @ 8:59 ...
Ok ... 9:18pm and finally there's a boxscore.
The Seawolves received 6 Fighting Majors and 6 Game Disqualifications for the "passion" at the end of tonight's opera. Not playing the in the next UAA game will be: Tarkir, Anderson, Beagle, Tassone, Smith, And Clark. 5 CC players received the same penalties. I'll be looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say.
A split with a good team has some satisfaction but (and I bet you knew there'd be a but) it's greatly tempered by the interference call on UAA with a little over 90 seconds left in the game. Whatever. Some dipshit referee decides he'd like to have an impact instead of letting the players decide the game on the ice. Nothing you can do about it. We've seen across the league an increase in the tendency of linesmen to make calls. It was part of the points of emphasis that linesman would be required to make certain calls. I obviously didn't see the game but will stipulate that the "Too Many Men" call is one of those that linesman should be calling. Sure ... even in OT. But less than 20 seconds after killing that; referee "Mozart" Hunt hits the Seawolves with an "interference" penalty (when players are contesting the puck on a face off)? It wasn't the first "interference" penalty like that Hunt called on the night (at 16:36 of the 3rd period Billy Sweat of CC was called for "interference" on an almost identical situation during a faceoff). UAA scored on that power play to tie the game. But like I said ... whatever. It's not the first time in the WCHA that a ref has interjected himself like a clown in an opera and it won't be the last.
I noticed during the game that I was hearing three names in situations where I hadn't before. Peter Cartwright, Nick Lowe and Chris Tarkir either got themselves mentioned frequently through their outstanding playmaking or they were getting more ice time. But it sure seemed to me that they all killed penalties regularly and had regular PP shifts. We've mostly been seeing Beagle, Lunden, Crowder, Clark, Bourne and Kronschnabel. There's was bound to be some shuffling with Kronschnabel out injured and I was please to hear Tassone and Corrin's names often and on positive play. In any case, I think Peter Nick and Chris deserved a well done for their efforts. I'll go ahead and guess (since the box score isn't up yet) that Blair will probably be one player that will likely not be playing against DU this next Friday. It was his love for opera that filled him with the passion of a brawler tonight and our buddy "Mozart" Hunt is probably still pouring over the replays putting his final touches on his masterpiece. It's too bad our WCHA Mozart has none of the subtly of the real one.
It's 8:31pm here and there still is no boxscore posted.
Still no boxscore @ 8:59 ...
Ok ... 9:18pm and finally there's a boxscore.
The Seawolves received 6 Fighting Majors and 6 Game Disqualifications for the "passion" at the end of tonight's opera. Not playing the in the next UAA game will be: Tarkir, Anderson, Beagle, Tassone, Smith, And Clark. 5 CC players received the same penalties. I'll be looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say.
21 comments:
I was at the game tonight, and I gotta tell you, I was impressed. UAA dominated the first period--I'd be surprised if CC even got a shot off. CC took it to UAA in the second, but then UAA valiantly came back in the third to force overtime. You're right on about the penalty calls in overtime--both were absolute crap. It's still something to get excited about, though. I haven't followed the team for years now, and just by happenstance learned that they were playing here tonight. This isn't the team I grew up watching, though. I'll take a split in CC any day, and I'll tell you it's pretty fun being the only UAA fan in the joint when they tie it up with 90 seconds left in the third! I'll be back next time they're playing here for sure! I'll have to get some apparrel so I can properly represent next time, though!
I heard a lot of fans cheering for UAA tonight. I even heard a "GO WOLVES" chant.
Hunt sucked. CC had something like 17 or 18 power plays on the weekend, 3 coming in overtime.
Lawson shouldn't have been in net. He hasn't played consistently all season. Plus, Othlius was solid on Friday. Otherwise, UAA did pretty well this weekend and they should have a good matchup with Denver next weekend.
Box scores are there and it's going to be an odd game next week with that many players out. This Friday's game had everything you could want-the high and low and high again. I was hoping for a repeat win tonight but it just doesn't always happen the way you want. It was still exciting and that's what makes hockey a great game.
anon @ 9:19 - I agree with you about Lawson and made my feeling clear in the scores thread. Did he even have ONE spectacular save tonight? Olthuis had several huge back to back saves last night. Gotta blame that one on Shyiak. He also should have called a timeout when UAA got their second penalty in OT.
Wow, 5/6 of those players are huge assets to the team. Next weekend is going to be tough.
Lawson wasn't a "difference" tonight either way I have to think. I didn't hear anything negative from Kurt and he let in 3 regular time goals. That qualifies as giving your team a chance to win and they did have a chance to win. So Nathan should get credit in the coaches mind equal to Jonny O when thinking about their performances and who plays next week. Shyiak said that Olthuis "earned" a start "down the road" last night. DU is down the road. I feel (and I hope the team does) confident with either guy.
I'm running through the various possible combinations for Friday and it's just wide open. Do you keep Bourne, Crowder and Waldrop together and have a patchwork of other lines? Does another d-man move up to forward? All stuff to think about this week.
I'm most interested to hear what Shyiak has to say. I guess Channel 2 will be the most likely to have had an interview with Shyiak on the 10pm news.
Haider did indeed say several times that Lawson looked shaky. He said that Lawson sprawled out on the ice (missing the poke check like last Saturday) and his mistake led to the goal.
I'm getting really tired of the crap Lawson is getting lately. He's been playing well this season save 2 games where the entire team played like crap. It's just ridiculous.
That said I would love to see a video of this "brawl". Sounded like a total gongshow.
It was unfortunate to see the ref. seriously influencing the outcome of the game with questionable calls in OT... I'm sure the frustration of those calls and the subsequent GWG by CC directly led to the flaring of tempers at the end of the game. Now the shitty calls may cost us more than just one game.
Anon@10:06
I agree with you but also think that it can be a unifying and good thing for the team. This sort of post game stuff and the "apparently" strict enforcement of the fighting (i didn't see obviously) is something that a whole team shares. If they're all close then it will intensify their efforts and that will be a great place to go into a two week break before UAF and the second half of the season. I guess I'm sayin it should build more character. And that'll be good.
Well not to mention the fact that apparently Tarkir and Tassone kicked some serious ass in the brawl. Kurt said both of them were just wailing on guys.
Wailing on a few Tigers at the end of the game certainly takes the sting out of the OT loss...
It sounded that UAA kicked some ass I want to know what CC said to make our boys snap.
hey so does any 1 kno where i can get a video of the fight at the end of the game cuz i happened to be at a aces game at the time and bob lester said over the PA that we should all go home and watch it on the news becuz there was a bench clearing brawl so didnt quite get home in time so really interested in seeing it
Well there wasn't any video on the news tonight, which kind of sucks. They didn't even have the details of the DQ's, maybe tomorrow they'll have something.
How are we going to survive next Friday?
Numbers show us with about 16 players. That's not even four lines of boys. Tough night.
I am absolutly disgusted with what happened in the game on Sat. This team has played well and this brawl after the final buzzer is BS. After the MIAMI- FLA int. brawl the schools got involved and brought down heavy sanctions. This should be no different. What a disgrace. Where was the leadership to keep it under control. Heads should role after this black eye on a good start to this year.
And yet nothing has been done to the Gophers for all the NCAA rules they broke. I'm sure missing the next game and possibly costing the team 2 points will be quite hard on the guys involved. Nothing happened (other than DQ's) when this happened in Wisconsin under Coach Talafous.
A CC fan here. UAA played well over the weekend. Too bad about the melee at the end.
I am disappointed that some CC and UAA fans think the fight was OK - something to brag about - or a bonding method.
It was stupid and the officials did very little to stop it.
Good luck on the remainder of the season.
Why do people think that a ref shouldn't call the game the same way in the 3rd or in OT as in the first?
Yes, the penalty may be bogus, but if it was a penalty in the first, its a penalty in OT.
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