Michigan Wolverines Hockey

[Rob F]

Just watched some of the highlights by skipping around on the replay, Jamie---WOW! 40 saves for Hunwick----that's called stepping up BIG-TIME at the most important time of the season!!!

[Rob F]

On paper, Minn-Duluth shouldn't be as tough, and they were somewhat a struggling hockey team leading up to the NCAA's---but for them to have gotten this far, they've obviously found a way to win when it counts, too. I think I read they were 4-4 over their last 8 games , then the NCAA Tourney started, so they've won 3 in a row since.

This is a bit like the 1980 Olympics, in that we have already beaten the heavily favored team (N Dakota) in the semi-finals, and now have to keep our focus on a not-as-highly-regarded foe in the finals, like the USA team had to to win the Gold in '80.

[Hannibal]

Damn, how many times have we watched Michigan or the Red Wings outshoot someone 40-20 and lose over the years? Nice to see US have the unbeatable goalie for a change!

EFZ. I feel lucky that we won, but how many times have we been on the other end? If we win the national championship, I'll consider it karmic payback for the 1997 team not winning it. That North Dakota team that we beat was similar to the mid-1990s Michigan juggernauts.

God the officiating in college hockey sucks. It reminds me so much of pre-lockout NHL. In the first period, North Dakota had a blatant interference, but the refs gave Michigan a bullshit diving call to avoid giving us a power play.

Also -- LOL Barry Melrose and Garry Thorne. Good reminder of how lucky we are that the NHL is now on Versus and NBC instead of Disney.

[lineygoblue]

Did Barry Melrose really say, "This victory will come back to haunt Michigan", or was that someone just blowing steam over at Rivals?

[Mike]

Damn, how many times have we watched Michigan or the Red Wings outshoot someone 40-20 and lose over the years? Nice to see US have the unbeatable goalie for a change!

Absolutely! This meme has been repeated among my circle of friends who are Michigan hockey fans all night/morning. Brendan Morrison was right! The best team doesn't always win.:-D I vividly remember watching us lose to Air Force a couple years ago despite outshooting them 46-11 or something ridiculous. I'm enjoying being on the other end for once.

[Mike]

Hunwick is living every American kid's dream right now. Told he was not good enough over and over again, not even given a scholarship, now he is one win away from winning a national title. And he isn't riding a great team to easy victory either, he's leading the charge!

He had a great line in his post-game interview that he just wanted to be part of the team and accepted by his teammates. I think he can put a check mark next to each of those.

My biggest concern now is a letdown. They just beat the best team in the tournament. I don't care that UND was the overall "#2" seed. They received all 34 first place votes in the final human poll and were a heavy favorite to beat us.

This was also brought to my attention this morning: Michigan has defeated 3 WCHA teams en route to the final where they will meet a fourth. How awesome would it be to win 4 straight against the WCHA to win it all? CCHA champs, WCHA champs?, National champs?

[lineygoblue]

I was kind of hoping for a Mich v ND championship matchup.

Good point about being more lucky than good. Just get into the show, and play your hearts out. Anything can happen.

Anyone here have Butler v Yukon in the final in basketball?

[Michael Pitts]

This was also brought to my attention this morning: Michigan has defeated 3 WCHA teams en route to the final where they will meet a fourth. How awesome would it be to win 4 straight against the WCHA to win it all? CCHA champs, WCHA champs?, National champs?

You have an excellent research staff. ;)

[Mike]

That's why they are compensated so well!

[Jamie H]

UMD is basically playing at home in Minnesota. You CANNOT take them lightly.

We are 29-10-4. They are 25-10-6. We've scored 144 and given up 95. They've scored 140 and given up 106. With them playing at home, this is a toss-up or even a slight edge to them I would say.

[*JD*]

Did Barry Melrose really say, "This victory will come back to haunt Michigan", or was that someone just blowing steam over at Rivals?

I don't recall him saying that. That makes no sense.

[Jamie H]

He did say repeatedly that Michigan was the less talented team. As if ND was 80-0 and Michigan was 0-80 or something. I mean, good grief, ND was 32-8-3 and Michigan was 28-10-4. Yeah, ND had a huge goal advantage, but that was built on the back of 8-0 wins over Robert Morris and a 28-4 goal total vs Michigan Tech (4-30-4) in 4 games. Neither of those results mean very much. They proved they could blow out bad teams more than Michigan did. Big deal.

[lineygoblue]

What is this guy trying to do? Become an OhNo State fan?

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/693156/northdakotabird.gif

[geo weidl]

thanks for the video Liney, I had heard about this guy last night, but only saw asmall pic.

[lineygoblue]

Well, they didn't beat us in hockey .... maybe they'd like a shot at our football team...