WCHA Final 5

[Jill]

Here are the match-ups for the tourney:

Thursday, March 15: No. 5 Wisconsin (17-17-4) vs No. 4 Michigan Tech (18-16-5), 7:07 pm CT.

Friday, March 16: No. 3 North Dakota (21-12-5) vs No. 2 St. Cloud State (22-8-7), 2:07 pm CT; Thursday's Winner vs No. 1 Minnesota (28-9-3), 7:07 pm CT.

Saturday, March 17: Third Place Game, 2:07 pm CT; Broadmoor Trophy Championship Game, 7:07 pm CT.

I think St. Cloud is going to have a tough time against the Sue, I hate to say. By the way, if anyone is looking to get rid of tickets for the 2pm game on Friday, let me know, I would like to go.

1. Go Huskies! and if that fails... 2. Go Gophers!

[snowman678]

I'm going for all 5 games (have been for about 10 years now), I can't wait. I'm a gopher fan, but think they're probably the 3rd best team in the tourney behind SCSU & UND. I can't wait for that friday afternoon game, could be the 2 best teams in the country right now. UND has really been on a tear lately & I think SCSU has been the best team since about the midway point in the season. I wouldn't be surprised if the winner of that game wins the NCAA title too.

[solbes]

Hmm, no trash talk yet? SCSU had a very tough time against UMD (proud of my Dog's for their effort). They played over 4 games worth of minutes in 3 days, so I would think SC will be a little fatigued. I think they are better than UND, but the Sioux are hot lately so I guess this one's a toss up.

My predictions are:

WI over MT

UM over WI

SC over UND (very close one though)

SC over UM (all MN final)

[Jill]

I love your predictions but I think UND is going to be hard to beat. They always turn it on at tournament time. I finally found some tickets for the SCSU/UND game, so I will cheering for the Huskies!!

[DEADhead]

kind of a toss up since they way all the teams are playing lately, anyone could win. here's what i think will go down, but I hope I'm wrong (go gophers).

Tech over 'Sconi

Tech over Gophs

Sioux over Huskies

Sioux over Tech

I'm looking at Tech for the upset. They gave the gophers and the sioux some trouble late in the season. the sioux always turn it up for the final 5, they will have a strong run. The Badgers aren't impressing anyone right now with dominant play. SCSU will be run down after last weekend, and will play hard but maybe not for all 3 periods; Goepfert will determine whether or not the team advances. The gophers have been playing poorly since January. It will take all they can give to beat Tech and advance. Inconsistent defensive play will lead to a goaltending collapse.

Should be a good weekend of hockey!

[snowman678]

I think your picks look pretty good, that's exactly how I'm picking it; even thought I'd like the final to go the other way.

[Jill]

Let's hope I am wrong, but here it goes:

Wisconsin over Tech

Souix over SCSU

Minnesota over Wisconsin

Souix over Minnesota

Go Huskies!

[snowman678]

Looks like I can't type as fast as some of the others. Just to make sure, I agree w/ solbes, not deadhead. BTW Jill, I hope the Huskies beat the Sioux, as long as it's a MN team winning, I'll be happy.

[Dock Boy]

Gophs get thier act together and win it. With the Play off final game with the Sea wolves they now know it takes grit to win those playoff games. They come out flying.

[Jill]

Quote:

---

BTW Jill, I hope the Huskies beat the Sioux, as long as it's a MN team winning, I'll be happy.

---

I totally agree, I would always go for a MN team over any others. So if the Huskies can't pull it out, I would prefer to see the Gophs win.

[PierBridge]

I have no idea what's going to happen!

I'm assuming the Friday 2:00pm game is on FSN? hope so!

[Team Otter]

Bring on the challenge. Go Gophers!

[Wallyeyes]

I also will be there Friday! Got tix to a Suite! Go Huskies! Both of them. SCSU rules....and the Souix drool! Yay for MN. teams. I don't like the Gophers, but at times, they can command your respect.

[Bryce]

Been flying my Sioux flag high and proud from the flagpole for quite a spell now. Sure would hate to have to take it down tomorrow.

North Dakota

North Dakota

North Dakota Fighting Sioux

Raise your glasses

Kick some a$$es

North Dakota Fighting Sioux

[Jarrod32]

With the Gophers, Huskies, and Sioux all pretty much assured of a spot in the playoffs, I wouldn't mind seeing Wisconsin win the Final Five tourney to put another WCHA team into the playoffs...

Of course, they would probably just end up bumping Michigan Tech or Denver, so it might just be a wash for the WCHA anyway...

[solbes]

Badgers looked real tough last night. If they can score goals, Elliott can take them deep. It might be a tough fight for the Goph's tonight.

I'm also assuming there are only 3 WCHA teams going to the big tourney, barring a Final 5 Bsdger title. I know Tech won't get in and I would doubt whether Denver will get in. Even with only 3 teams in the NCAA, it's probably even money that one of them will win it.

[snowman678]

The badgers played a very tough defensive game, they didn't give up too many good scoring chances & tech couldn't put the puck on net when they did have a chance. I was surprised w/ a couple of the goals that tech gave up; I thought their goalie was a little more solid than he was last night, but credit wisconsin for going hard to the net and getting traffic in front of him. should be interesting to see which team the gophers show up with tonight; hopefully it's the one from the 1st half of the season, but i think wisconsins is going to give them a heck of a game. i'm really looking forward to this afternoons game, like i said before i think it could be the 2 best teams in the country right now & i think whoever wins it has a great chance to go all the way to the ncaa title. i'm on the way out the door, headed to the game, have fun everyone, this is the best hockey time of the year.

[Dock Boy]

I also watch the game. In my opinion I thought it was more of a lack of play by Tech than it was a great defensive performance. Tech just never got thier feet moving. Tech really doesn't have any offense to begin with, so they made Wis defense look great. Tonight will be a different story. More of and offense and depth

[DEADhead]

I was wrong about my Tech prediction with the Badgers winning last night, so maybe there's hope after all of the Gophers advancing to the finals The Badgers looked tough last night

[Bryce]

Flag's still flying. Should be a good second place game tonight.

[870Express]

Quote:

---

have fun everyone, this is the best hockey time of the year.

---

Couldn't agree more

[icehole10]

Wow! even as a sioux fan I didn't think they would handle scsu the way they did. I didn't get a chance to watch the game, but listened to as much as I could while at work. Should be a great game tonight!

[Jarrod32]

I expect the Gophers to dominate and win tonight, then come out with a weak effort and fall flat on their face tomorrow.

That seems to be their pattern.

[Team Otter]

Next. Bring on the Sioux!

Nice to see Wheeler raise the bar tonight and really put the screws to Elliot. Should be a great game tomorrow night.

[fishing tech]

Wheeler player of the game, he didn't stand out in my eyes. Yes he got 3 goals but what about play away from the puck?

The GOPHERS need to turn it up a notch each game. Why on a 5 on 3 do you only get I think 2 shots on net? I know they are young but the early season raised my standards for them and it should help them down the line. Briggs looked good. could get the record tomorrow.

[Guest]

I wouldn't exactly say the Gophers were impressive but they got the job done. The Sioux look like a machine right now and I think they will win tonight. Although,with the Gophers having home ice (nice recruiting tool), you never know

[Team Otter]

Wheeler shines when he has the puck. His weakness is away from "the action" and I think he even knows that. Too bad he doesn't have the mentality of Eric Rasmussen. Last night, they needed each of those goals, just as they would any other night and I'm glad someone took the reigns. It will be a good game tonight either way. I expect to see a lot of goals, one-sided, with whichever team gets the ball rolling first.

[IFallsRon]

I didn't think this group of Gophers had the stones but this is one of the best college hockey games I've ever watched. I hope the seeding puts both teems in opposite brackets.

[Jarrod32]

This is a great game. Of course, the WCHA Final Five final should be a great game. The Gophers are showing me something tonight.

Gotta go...the overtime is about to start...what a game!!

[PierBridge]

Quote:

---

Go Gophers!

---

...... Great coaching tonight!