Sunday, January 17, 2010

Sunday Potpourri: Some WCHA Thoughts



I don't want to say that the Seawolves are on a roll.  No .. I want to say it.  But I can't quite justify using the word.  Nabbing 5 out of the last possible 8 WCHA points is certainly more success than we typically see over a 4 game stretch.  Additionally, it isn't often that we see the team move up a full place in the WCHA league table.  So in a relative sense, it's a roll.  But, I'm not going to go there even if it seems like I just did.  Let's just leave it at saying they got 5 out of 8 points and we've seen them play some fine hockey during that stretch. 

There is so so much left to happen.  Lots of other games will have some effects on UAA's "roll status" while at the same time the Seawolves have much of their destiny in their own hands.  Let's look at how some other future series will impact UAA first eh?

Next weekend, one series in particular has some importance with regard to UAA.  Minnesota and St. Cloud are playing a home and home series.  The Gophers are 3 points ahead of UAA in 7th place and have two games in hand.  If there was ever a weekend to cheer for St. Cloud this would be it.  The fewer points the Gophers get against SCSU the better for UAA.  Because two weeks from now those very same Gophers come to town. 

If UAA gets the majority (or all) of the points this weekend versus CC and if the Gophers get a minority (or none) fo the points versus SCSU, then the UAA v. Minnesota match-up in two weeks will be a battle for 7th place and a potentially very pivotal part of the season for both teams.  After facing UAA, the Gophers have nothing but big challenges on their schedule.  So this series with SCSU and their upcoming games against UAA are likely to go a long way in defining their season's success.

Mankato gets the pleasure of travelling to Houghton after a bye week.  After trudging back and forth to Houghton, they get back on the bus and head to Madison for a pair.  You already realize you're cheering for Tech and Wisconsin in both of those matchups ... no?  Well you are.  Because their next series at home is against UAA.  I don't know if Mankato can get 5 out of 8 points versus Tech and Bucky.  But whatever they do manage will likely make the mid-February series with UAA a pretty important one.

It's also very easy to cheer against UND at this point in the season.  For me, that's always an easy task.  At this point they're 7 points up on UAA in the standings tied with SCSU and Wisconsin.  Their next series is against DU at the Ralph and until they finish the season at MTU, they'll be playing either teams currently tied with them or teams ahead of them in the standings.  If they can live up to the all too often used "2nd-half team" moniker this season then they'll really have earned that designation.

Outside of those situations, I don't know that there's a lot of effect on where UAA finishes.  Obviously, the Seawolves have to take care of their own business first.  CC this week, then Minnesota the week after; then two weekends on the road at St. Cloud and Mankato before the final three games at home ... one versus UA_ and two hosting UMD.

Potentially some big and important stuff coming down the pike.  So everyone on board with this ... if all those words were confusing ... allow me to simplify.  Cheer for St. Cloud, Michigan Tech, Wisconsin ... Cheer against Mankato, Minnesota, UND.

_________________________


Duluth = Weak Sauce
I've got a question for UMD.  You guys are playing a home and home series against Buttmidji this weekend?  What the hell?  Whoever arranged that should be put in your doghouse.  Could there be a bigger pussy capitulation than that?  You're fucking do them a favor by playing them at all and whoever is in charge of scheduling the game didn't have the balls to make a CHA team come to your barn for both games?  What was Beminiji's threat there?  Um ... "Play us once in our barn or we just won't have the series."  OH NO ... "Buttmidji won't play us if we won't emasculate ourselves and go to their barn?"  Waaaaa ...

Seriously, um again .. you're doing them a favor by putting the on your schedule.  What part of that don't you get?  Did I call whoever the makes the UMD schedule a nancy-pants yet?  Come on Sally; sack up.  What a joke.  That really is a huge embarrassment to the integrity of the WCHA.  Those unworthy twats are going to be a part of the league next year but that wasn't soon enough for you?  You had to bend over and take one up the ass from them this season.  Pathetic.  The only thing I could think that could compare would be if Mankato captitulated to UNO and played a home and home.  Oh snap ... those pussies did exactly that too? 

What the fuck happened to WCHA arrogance?  Mankato and Duluth have embarrassed the league with that shite.  Let's boot them out of the WCHA.  Did the Gophers travel to Buttmidji?  Fuck no they didn't.  Did UND or SCSU or Tech or UAA or Wisconisn even schedule those unworthy teams?  Hells no.  Did DU make UNO come to it's rink?  Yes.  What's the deal?  Duluth and Mankato now officially disgust me.

11 comments:

DC said...

Last year we hosted Buttmidji for two games, but this is not the first time they've done a home/away (I don't call it home/home because it's not!) tUMD fans like the Bemidji road trip, from what I've heard.

Anonymous said...

New recruit coming in!

Suze said...

Heisenberg lists UAA's recruit as
Docken from Albert Lea of the NAHL.

Anyone know anything about him?

Suze said...

Derek Docken made the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. He's from Minnesota.

Suze said...

Me again. Here is the link to Docken's profile:

http://nahlthunder.stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=2538195&seasonid=4527

Plays defense, and he has 2 goals and 11 assists, but better yet he is a +14 on the ice.

Donald Dunlop said...

RWD,
I can't think of it as anything but capitulating to a lesser program. I'd normally want to see you guys beat the snot out of them. But in this case, if your team gets their hats handed to them, I'll find some ironic satisfaction. That said, the Bulldogs better fucking not lose either of the games to those snot-nosed twerps.

Donald Dunlop said...

Yes yes ... I check Heisenberg everyday folks! I was researching and writing a post while you were commenting!

LOL ... thanks for the heads up though, just in case I hadn't noticed.

DC said...

I said as much on the radio on Saturday. Did you listen? If not, I will send you the file once I get it from Ciskie.

I would imagine that the current Buttmidji/WCHA mandatory scheduling agreement has some sort of home game requirement as well. I would also add that tUMD was once a lesser team that was capitulated to.

Donald Dunlop said...

And once again it falls to the lesser team category simply because of it's capitulation to such a bottom feeding loser school.

I did not hear your radio bit ... you told me it would be on Friday ... so I listened on Friday between 2nd and 3rd as you instructed and heard Bruce's interview with Jess Myers.

She wasn't as interesting as you ... probably.

Anonymous said...

For those who bought the games from the Michigan Tech website, I complained about the quality and just received a refund.

puckdangler said...

I really don't understand the whole put down of UMD. I lived there the last the two years and was really impressed by the history, fan support and WCHA success of the Bulldogs. I love the UAA Seawolves, but the wolves don't have even a fraction of the Bulldogs' hockey success. Hopefully, UAA will finally make a deep run into the playoffs this spring and make some history of their own. GO SEAWOLVES!

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