NCAA Tourney itself

[hugonian1]

Shorthanded goal with .6 seconds to go.

You can't make that up.

[BuckSutherland]

I thought ND owned the Gophers for about 19:30 secs of that third period. Luckiest goal I ever saw.

[CaptainMusky]

Gophers got lucky big time and I'm a gopher fan. This is why I love these rivalries.

[PierBridge]

What great game Nodak as we expected played there hearts out!

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Gophers did not play well at all. ND did what they had to do to be in it at the end of the game. Both goalies were the best players on the ice IMO. Thank god Wilcox was the best player on the ice... should have had a shut out if not for a weird bank- it- off- the- side -of -the - net -to - yourself and chip it in from behind the goal line goal.

Gotta give ND credit, they played well. I think its pretty clear that team shouldn't have been a bubble team and should have been seeded higher. They must have had a terrible start to the year..

[Superduty]

ND looked better than expected. Nice to see a goofy bounce go in favor of the gophers for a change! Wilcox was the difference. (even though he gave up the one bad goal from behind the goal line).

[Bear55]

Wow what a game, Sioux really played a perfect game all night until the end. Still in shock!!!! woo gophers!!!

[yakfisher]

Sweet game! Cleanest hockey I have ever seen between these two teams. Wow. Too bad they missed Holl's high stick on Grimaldi just before he put it in Still a well officiated game.

[RumRiverRat]

Sounds like I missed a good game.

[Hester]

Sounds like I missed a good game.

Nope, you missed an unbelievable game.

But it wont matter if we don't seal the deal on Saturday.

[archerystud]

I did think ND and their tenacious checking controlled the game. Gophers looked a step slow IMO and will need to turn it up on Saturday if they want to win, but they do have Wilcox back there to back them up.

I watched Union up in St. Cloud in December. I thought the Huskies played one of their best games all year and only eeked out a tie in the final seconds. Union doesn't give you much and they are very opportunistic.

[Superduty]

Sweet game! Cleanest hockey I have ever seen between these two teams. Wow. Too bad they missed Holl's high stick on Grimaldi just before he put it in Still a well officiated game.

Grimaldi can dangle for sure! I think there is an unwritten rule in hockey that a guy has to be taller than 5'6" to be mentioned in the same sentence as a "high stick".

[yakfisher]

Grimaldi can dangle for sure! I think there is an unwritten rule in hockey that a guy has to be taller than 5'6" to be mentioned in the same sentence as a "high stick".

Then no guy over 6'4" should be called for elbowing either.

Good call on the Dinkytown riots Pier, you nailed that one.

[Bear55]

Man still in shock, I was preparing for at least double OT since the first period.

Some eye candy...

[Guest]

UND bottled the Gophs up pretty good on that smaller sheet employing almost a smothering man to man defense giving little space to anyone and UND was much faster than projected. Wilcox won that game and if Union plays the same game plan as UND it will be another nail-biter, if they just try to skate with the gophs it will be a blow-out IMO.

[wormdunker]

Really a high stick?? Shall we discuss the frequent too many men on the ice infractions by the Sue? The Sue did what was required of them to keep this game close. Grit and hard work can do amazing things on the ice and the Sue proved that last night. It was pretty obvious the Gopher skill was far superior to the Sue. I can recall pass attempts or individual efforts nearly every shift that were narrowly defended by ND, credit to them. Games like this are the best matchups. Skill vs Will. The right team won that is for sure. the GOAL was NOT lucky. It was the result of a perfectly played 3 on 3 (or maybe I should say 3 on 2.5). Had the shot not been deflected it likely would have gotten to the net where Ambroz could have tucked it away. The 3 Gophers could not have set that goal up any better. Puck carrier wide, one man going hard to the net and a trailer waiting for the Juicy stuff. Holl did not wildly wind up and shoot from panic, he tucked it in the only piece of open net there was. the result was a HOLL IN WON!

It is however too bad Grimaldi's face is so close to his skate laces!

[wormdunker]

Man still in shock, I was preparing for at least double OT since the first period.

Some eye candy...

Look at the position of the 3 gophers at all times. Triangle. Always on different planes. Rau's shot gets through and Ambroz (who woudl have been behind the D) would have grabbed the rebound and tucked it in far side of a sprawling goaltender. All this in 9.0 seconds.....they really only needed the .6 to celebrate! hehehehe

[Bear55]

Shall we discuss the frequent too many men on the ice infractions by the Sue?

I think this was a brilliant tactic by the Sioux, had to play 6 men to bottle us up.

Have to say Union scares me a little bit, would rather take on a one line BC team then a deep and extremely defensive Union. UND just showed Union how to beat us, might take another big time Wilcox performance to win it all.

[Bear55]

Look at the position of the 3 gophers at all times. Triangle.

Reverse flying V, quack quack quack...

[wormdunker]

Reverse flying V, quack quack quack...

[nolte]

It was pretty obvious the Gopher skill was far superior to the Sue. I can recall pass attempts or individual efforts nearly every shift that were narrowly defended by ND, credit to them. Games like this are the best matchups. Skill vs Will. The right team won that is for sure. the GOAL was NOT lucky.

I was a neutral college hockey fan in this game. In fact I wanted both teams to lose. But you need to take off the maroon glasses. It was a great college hockey game and a classic win, but gophers were owned in the third by the Sioux. ND controlled play and the gophers couldn't hardly get out of their own zone the entire third. ND found so many creases and gaps to make passes to breakout and then gain the zone. If Wilcox isn't lights out, ND puts in at least a couple. I do give the gophers credit for blocking shots, they were terrific at that.

The last play had some luck to it. Holl cleared out his defender by hitting him up high, while the puck bounced to him off a skate. He grabbed it, used the screen and fired it on net. He didn't even have time to see where the goalie was set up before the shot, don't talk us that it was some sort of snipe. The guy isn't exactly a big scorer, it was his first of the year. Your classic 3 set up isn't accurate either. If it was, the off guy should be driving to the far post, not mid net. That makes the goalie think about the cross ice pass and still be able to get to a rebound. Gothberg was out pretty far to cut the angle on the shot.

Tight hockey games are usually decided by bounces. This time it went the gophs way and it was a great win. If they don't come out with a little more juice on sat, they could easily lose.

[harvey lee]

Yes, the Souix played a very good game and I thought this was going to be the Goph's last game.

I sure hope that Union does not have the same game plan as the Souix or it will be a nail bitter for sure.

I would hope it would be a game of speed but I highly doubt that Union after watching the game footage will play speed but rather a Soiux game.

Good luck to the Goph's.

[fishing tech]

Holl put the shot on net giving it a chance to go in. And it did.

Lucia had a perfect game plan. Keep the game close so it stays clean and none of his players get nodaked (cheap shotted). Then score late to win.

Perfect.

Plus the Gophers will be fresh for the Championship Game!!!!

[wormdunker]

So exactly where is BUCKY today? hmmmm......Where they belong.

Pretty sure I never called it a snipe, But put words in my mouth if you want. What does "tucked" mean to you. Does it mean he utilized his amazing scoring prowess and wound up and ripped twine top titty? Am I wrong? Did Holl drive it into the goalies mid section? Did he rip crossbar? No, he TUCKED it in the net.

A shot was blocked from Rau.

It bounced to Holl's feet.

He had the presence of mind to react to the puck and kick it forward. Reaction play but not one that lesser skilled players could react too.

Ambroz did pull the defender with him to near side both created the screen.

Were there 3 guys abreast entering the zone? NOPE, the key is not to send a guy to this post or that post, rather create lanes by pulling defenders with you thus creating opportunity by NOT making a 3 man group easily defensed. I have coached a lot of teams, many kids like to watch the puck carrier do the work. In this case Ambroz drove to the net Holl supported.

Bottom line is 3 guys entered the zone from 2 different teams. One team won. And another was home watching.

I gave ND credit for their game plan and hard work. However, the gophers played at half speed in the third. I never felt like they looked like they were panicking. I do think they got a bit nervous after the flurry in the second when they buzzed the ND goalie and came away with nothing after several point plank shots. Which may have led to their less than inspired play later.

I love My Maroon and Gold glasses today.

[nolte]

Badges are at home like 57 other teams. They played like carp against ND and lost on a fluky goal late in the third. But they should have lost because they didn't play with any intensity. Only once in awhile is someone's team one of the last standing.

You said "Holl did not wildly wind up and shoot from panic, he tucked it in the only piece of open net there was." Which infers to me that "tucked" it in an open spot that he saw. This probably wasn't the case. The puck got deflected back to him, he got a handle on it and then ripped it towards the net and found an open space. Many, many goals are simply scored because they are put on net quickly before the tender can react. All you try to do is get it on net and hopefully something good happens.

I can't say that I see 3 guys abreast in any competitive hockey above bantams. They didn't really have any time to make a more creative play. They just tried to get the puck to the net and hope for the best. It worked.

The Gophs should feel very fortunate to be in the position they are. The entire tourney was laid out great for them but they have done what it takes since then to take care of business. They haven't played sharp consistent hockey since Mid-Feb.

[wormdunker]

It just amazes me that the Gophers did not quit at all on that play. Only 9 seconds left and they played to and through the final buzzer. That shows me something. Unlike a certain #28 Pattyn who can be seen on a Cell phone video on Youtube gliding from the red line in. By the time Holl took the shot Pattyn could have been there to lift the stick and avoid any of this.

If that kid sees that video I don't think he will be too proud.

[Bear55]

Nothing wrong with admitting the Sioux were the better team last night, it wasn't by a wide margin but they were. We got the lucky bounce last night and it ended the game, the puck clearly had eyes after a fortunate bounce off of Schmaltz shin pad. I will give Holl some credit for a great move to get the puck on his stick and get the shot off but I think he was just as shocked as the rest of us that it went in.

The Gophs should feel very fortunate to be in the position they are. The entire tourney was laid out great for them but they have done what it takes since then to take care of business. They haven't played sharp consistent hockey since Mid-Feb.

Not sure about this, the Gophs aren't playing as bad as you think dispite the end of year hiccups. I will admit St. Cloud was a nice draw because Notre Dame was on a roll, we did earn Robert Morris by getting the #1 overall seed. A hot UND team is no cake walk and top to bottom Union might be the best team in the NCAA this year, would have rather faced BC.

[yakfisher]

Holl created his space at around 2.5 seconds with a high stick to Grimaldi's face. Without that Grimaldi is there to lift Holl's stick. It's the nature of the game in college it's a non call, in the NHL that guy is wearing a half shield and crumples to the ice bleeding. If that had happened to Granlund or Parise last night and the wild lost you guys would be upset too. All in all it was an awesome game but Holl was lucky to score that and the Gophers were lucky not to be starting OT down two men.

[nolte]

Not sure about this, the Gophs aren't playing as bad as you think dispite the end of year hiccups. I will admit St. Cloud was a nice draw because Notre Dame was on a roll, we did earn Robert Morris by getting the #1 overall seed. A hot UND team is no cake walk and top to bottom Union might be the best team in the NCAA this year, would have rather faced BC.

I'll agree on the frozen four draw. Those are never easy, but the path to there wasn't overly tough. Morris was most likely a win and the Gophs usually have St. Cloud's number. I like St. Cloud and they had a good year, but the Gophs are usually the favorite. Especially at Xcel. Gophs were 7-4-0-2 counting the last series in Jan before the NCAA tourney. One of those series was Penn State (which actually was starting to look pretty scrappy at the end of the year). Pull that weekend out and you're looking at 6-4-0-2. That isn't exactly tearing it up for the team that gets the #1 overall seed.

I also think ND was a bit better than a #14 seed.

[PierBridge]

We certainly have to play better. No offense to Nodak but Union is a much better team. They pretty much dominated BC and their conference which almost nobody here could even name is going for back to back National Ice Hockey titles.

Im not a big who allegedly out plays who kind of guy. The bottom line is the Gophers one of the youngest if not the youngest team in the country are in the National Championship Game and that is all that matters.

If you guys want to talk about luck how Nodak getting into the tourney because the nchc was the only conference that a 3rd place game for some odd reason. Nodak after losing in the conference tourney dropped out and because of stupid 3rd place conference tourney game that no other team in the country had a chance to play in they leep frogged Michigan into the dance. So luck that.

Bear how is the brackett looking I cant log in again.

Go Gophers!