The University Of Denver extended the Friday night woes for the #2 Gophers, finishing off Minnesota 5-3.
The 14th-ranked Pioneers put on a show for their hometown fans as they peppered Minnesota goaltender Kent Patterson with 34 shots, including 19 in the first period. They also staked themselves to an early 3-1 lead, beating him up stick-side, five-hole and glove-side in a span of just over eight minutes.
28 comments:
Nate Dewhurst 1 goal, 1 assist +3
Shawn Ostrow 1 goal 2 assists +4
Dusty Jackson 1 goal 1 assist +3
Difference in the game tonight.
Minnesota had no answer for DU's third lime. Denver also worked to create some good bounces. The Pios could really help themselves if they can sweep.
The game looked good on national TV, too.
DU looked good. On the Rau hit, not sure if it deserves a suspension, but if you look at how the NHL is trying to clean up head shots, the NHL would give this a suspension. Classic case of a defenseless player and Rau went for the head. This needs to be cleaned up in hockey.
Rau was trying to send a message. He had plenty of time to adjust where he hit Zucker I don't think it was intent to injure, but it was intent to intimidate. The refs made the right call. Players need to control themselves
So tonight's gameplan for DU? Forget Rau's hit - DO NOT try to payback; and play like they did in the first, and play harder than they did in the third. Heed this advice.... and UM leaves Colorado with back to back losses..... guaranteed
Great win last night for DU. The Pios started well and finished well. I was really happy to see those guys moving their feet and playing hard for 60 minutes. I thought Dusty Jackson had one of his best games as a Pioneer. We need that effort from him the rest of the way.
Rau's hit on Zucker was bush league. What the hell was that kid thinking? Drilling a former USA teammate up high into the boards--that was piss poor.
Paybacks a bitch for Zucker. Got away with one last week against CC with his hit on Dineen. As long as he continues to run his mouth and take shots at guys, there will be guys taking runs at him, and not all of them will be 5 feet 7
If they put Rau on the ice tonight, who is going to take him out?
3 goalies suited up lasted night, none of them named Murray. What's up with that?
Helgeson will take down any DU player who takes a shot at Rau guaranteed
Minnesota 5 DU 2 Saturday final UM is a Saturday team and i dont think we will come with the same intensity without Jay-Z
Rau should not be suspended it was a late hit and near the chin but i have saw worse this year that didn't result in a game. Zucker also talks a lot which may be a reason why he was put on his back and sent to the locker room by rau
wow. Was that the same team on the ice as last weekend? Congrats to line 3, esp Jackson for breaking his maiden. Rau hit definitely deserves a suspension. (and no, i'm not being a homer). Count the # of strides he took before the hit, look where the puck was when the hit occured, look at where his stick was and where he contacted Zucker, look where Zucker was in relation to the boards. If he steps on the ice tonite we s/go NoDak on him.
Great game. Agreed that Dusty had a solid game. I thought 15 was all over the ice as well.
Love Jay Z and it was a dirty hit. He does draw that attention with he's talk and he's chippy. No excuse and hope he's ok!
Rau SHOULD be suspended. As ScottA points out, the number of strides, the puck was FAR gone by the time of the hit and Rau went for the head and neck area.
The hit was extremely dirty. And, I also think that 11:12's last sentence is correct. I think Zucker probably did talk shit to Rau and this was Rau's premediated retaliation. This wasn't a random act of violence, it was intentional. And, what happened is exactly what Rau wanted to happen.
If you want there to be fewer instances of broken necks and other horrible injuries, these are the EXACT type of hits that need to be eliminated and punished severely. These hits are exactly described in the NCAA points of emphasis memos that get sent to the referees and the leagues each year. The WCHA needs to send a message that this type of shit won't be tolerated.
If you are okay with the status quo, then 11:12 has a valid argument. This argument also means that you will see a player on your favorite team get cheap shotted and suffer a horrible injury one day.
Perhaps I'm more sensitive to the issue because I have seen two players have their necks broken in Denver games in the past 7 years or so (Bina for UND and Martin for DU). Both of these hits were dirty and unneccesary. Why not try and do something about it? This isn't some stupid hockey bravado thing, this is the lives of real people being ruined.
Doink,
I think you make a valid point about Zucker and his chirping (although I can't say I've seen Zucker throw any cheap hits--doesn't mean it hasn't happened, though). Quite frankly, I don't know why Zucker feels the need to chirp out there. He's certainly a good enough player to let his actions speak for themselves. Still, you can't honestly believe that Rau's hit is a proper response to some chirping. The high hits to the head/neck have to be eliminated from the game.
I believe Murray was back home in Alaska for a funeral.
As for retaliation, I'm all for it. Retaliate on the score board and sweep the Gophers. As for physical retailiation, you can't really do it in college hockey. Anything you do will end up harming you more than anything. All you can do is play clean and physical hockey like Ryder, not dumb and reckless like Rau.
As for Rau, he should really learn from his older brother. Chad killed DU for years with his talent and scoring ability. Kyle wasn't even on the ice to try and even up the score in the game because of his actions. Pathetic.
Rau is a little bitch for taking a cheap shot with intent to injure a USA teammate and captain. He deserves a long suspension, or a shift with Ryder on the ice. Id be ok with either. Awesome win, though. Third line was amazing, and brittain was great. He should play again tonight.
I think the solution to these horrendous hits in college hockey is - allow fighting. Now sure, running someone from behind is still cheap, and there's little you can do about it while it's happening; but maybe over time, the overall mindset with these kids would shift, to where instead of thinking "I'm gonna knock him into tomorrow"....perhaps if someone pisses them off, they'd instead think, "you wanna' go, tough guy?"
Off go the gloves and helmet, you throw a couple jabs, fall to the ice, then get thrown in the box. Maybe you need the trainer so sew you up or something.
But atleast you're not on a stretcher, on your way to a hospital. Would it stop dangerous hits? No. Wold it help shift the intensity in other ways? I believe so. Will it ever happen? Unfortunately, hell no. I guess the alternative, is a major equipment change.... make them wear Hans Devices or something like that
I suppose if I were big boss man that I would have "two words" for chickenchit rau...and for a portion of the goofer fan base...
Per a VERY good source - Rau has been suspended by the WCHA for the game tonight.
No word on Zucker's availability...
Official confirmation...
http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1112/201202/feb11wcm.php
Still haven't heard on Zucker.
The WCHA is a joke. It all depends on who you are. I have seen the video of Zucker's hit on Dineen last week, and he CLEARLY left his feet, which by rule in the WCHA means you are targeting the head. He should have been suspended. And don't think for a second it wasn't rtaliation for Dineen shutting him down all last weekend.
WCHA is a joke i agree they are so inconsitent with there calls and suspensions zucker deserved one last week if you give rau one this week but that is a direct reason why UM is off to the Big Ten conf. Im sure he cares if zucker was the US captain look where he lead them 7th place shitty captain.
@ Doink.
Re-read the rule.
Actually, no. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, so I'll go ahead and post it here to save you all that stressful google-ing and reading.
The new "Contact to the Head" rule says, in part, that officials are to, "...pay particular attention to these examples when applying this rule. These are intended as guidance and include, but are not limited to,
the following:
....
A player that leaves the skates or launches in order to deliver a blow to the head or neck area of the opposing player.
....
As additional guidance, when the initial force of the contact is a shoulder to the body of the opponent and slides up to the head or neck area, this is not classified as contact to the head. This type of action may still be penalized, at the referee’s discretion, as another penalty (e.g., charging, roughing,
elbowing, etc.)."
NO WHERE in that rule does it state that leaving one's feet in the action of delivering a check is a de facto "targeting of the head". All leaving one's feet does is present a situation where the referees must pay closer attention to the hit to determine whether or not the head was targeted.
Now, not having seen video of the Dineen hit, I can't speculate on the veracity of your claims against Zucker. However, the nature of the game of hockey means that these things will ALWAYS be judgement calls.
If Zucker obviously left his feet and targeted Dineen's head, then, yes...he should have been suspended. However, if your rule reading comprehension skills are any indication of your critical judgement skills when it comes to watching hockey, you'll pardon me for taking your account of the Dineen hit with a grain - nay, a freaking huge boulder - of salt.
@ anon 3:10 -
Wrong.
The WCHA officiating consistency (or lack there-of) has precisely nothing to do with Minnesota's flight to the BTHC.
Minnesota doesn't have a choice.
The Big Ten does not allow associate memberships. If a member institution competes in a Division 1 sport that the league sponsors, it MUST do so under the umbrella of the Big Ten.
As such, once the Big Ten decided to sponsor hockey, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State HAD TO JOIN.
Ring of fire, I'm sick of your "facts" and "logic". Let's stick to unsubstaniated accusations and classless insults.
FWIW, I heard from a very reliable source that Ring of Fire is Bruce McLeod and he hates puppies.
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