Brice Alaskan Goal Rush Preview

This weekend the Seawolves face an opponent they've never played.  And also one they've played 87 times.  The newly competent Union Dutchmen and the Seawolves have never played.  CC and UAA play each other 5 times this season.  But before we get too deep into the preview, I'm going to describe my automatic association anytime I hear the word Dutchmen.

There is a film you've never seen that is quite simply the best war-courtroom drama ever put to celluloid (do they still use celluloid?).  Breaker Morant is a film I first saw in about 1982.  I probably watched it ten times.  Yes, I found it that good.  There are so many really great scenes in this movie that I could do a whole dissertation.  But I won't.    

I've placed the last scene in the movie above because it contains the poem I associate with the word "Dutchmen" ... 

"It really ain't the place nor time
to reel off rhyming diction,

But yet we'll write a final rhyme
while waiting crucifixion.

For we bequeath a parting tip
of sound advice for such men,
who come across in transport ships
to polish off the Dutchmen.

If you encounter any Boers
you really must not loot em.

And if you wish to leave these shores
for pity's sake don't shoot em.

Lets toss a bumper down our throat
before we pass to heaven
and toast a trim set petticoat
we leave behind in Devon."

The film's setting is the Boer War in South Africa at the close of the 19th Century.  In effect, the British and Dutch empires tried to have an unofficial but polite little war (over the vast mineral wealth).  Most wars have been because of resources even when they pretend it's something else.  The area was just one small part of the vast British Empire at the time.  The government was British but Dutch people had been settling there for a long time.  Hence the conflict.

This war was the first modern conflict that included a civilian insurgency.  The term guerilla warfare originated there.  Harry "Breaker" Morant was a British expat living in Australia when he enlisted.  During the course of their anti-insurgent efforts the British used some questionable tactics (executing guerilla combatants rather than imprisoning them).  Breaker and two fellow soldiers were put on trial (as a conciliatory move to advance peace talks) for murder; then convicted and executed. Scapegoats of the empire.

My favorite lines from the movie comes during one of the courtroom scenes where the Bryan Brown character is lying about having an alibi for one of the "murders".  He indicates that he was "visiting" a married Boer woman and the prosecutor is taken aback by the scurrilous admission.  He's makes a comment about the woman's marital status and Hancock says, "Nobody ever missed a slice from a cut loaf."

The movie covers all those events and so is a demi-fictionalized account of a true story.  The courtroom scenes in the film are jaw dropping awesome.  The dialogue is spot on, funny and compelling.  The directing and editing are beyond reproach.  I could not recommend another movie to add to your must see list more than this one.  It's that good.  Yes, you just saw the ending if you watched the clip.  Doesn't matter.  Knowing the end ruins nothing in this movie.  Put it on your NetFlix list today ... and invite me over to watch it.

Sorry that was longer than I first imagined.  But that's what I think of whenever I hear "Dutchmen".

No doubt Union College was founded by some old Dutch guy forever ago (1795).  How's that for a succinct and concentrated history of the place?  

The school is in Schenectady, New York.  They play on an NHL sized rink (200x85).  Collective pollster wisdom puts them at 16th currently.  They are led offensively by a couple of former BCHL'rs in Kelly Zajac (Mrs. Zajac was a hockey player factory) and Adam Presizniuk and the current ECAC Rookie of the Week Jason Jooris who has 3 goals and 2 assists.  Their roster looks much like a typical UAA or UAF roster with good representation from the BCHL and AJHL.  

They went 21-12-6 last season finishing 3rd behind Yale and Cornell.  Significant wins came against Maine (2 wins); they tied (3-3) and lost (3-1) to St. Cloud early last season.  The rest of their wins came against ECAC and Atlantic Hockey teams.  None of that means they won't be a tough opponent for the young Seawolves.  They're neither a big nor small squad.  I'll assume that they're a competitively skating team.  They'll likely work hard.  

I can't imagine that they've ever had a longer road trip than this one.  But decent preparation from the coaching staff should preclude that from being any factor.  It's late Tuesday night as I post this.  If they aren't in Fairbanks by tomorrow they've fucked up.

As for CC, this season it looks to be the Schwartz show.  Sophomore Rylan is joined by phenom brother freshman Jaden.  Additional threats will come from Gabe Guentzel and Anchorage boy William Rapuzzi.  They'e currently ranked 18th.  Last year virtually everyone figured CC would have a down year.  They didn't.  This year virtually everyone figures CC will have a bit of a down year.  So who really knows?  That predicting shit has some big flaws.

I'll be back with something (probably) on Thursday and you'll find qualitatively excellent Game Day posts (with loads of links) and CoverItLive chats for both the 5:05 Friday and 4:05 Saturday games.  So until then I have but one thing to say to the Seawolves ... "Shoot straight ya bastards ... don't make a mess of it."