College Hockey Update:  In opening round action of the NCAA Tournament in Albany, N.Y. today, Boston University was very much in the game in the first period, even after going shorthanded as a result of a major penalty for a hit from behind on the boards (at this point I received a scolding text from a St. Cloud fan: “typical BU,” as if someone who would require a straightjacket to view a game that did not include two teams only from Minnesota would have any idea at all what is and is not “typical BU”).  St. Cloud State fired off fourteen shots in the period to BU’s ten, and the teams went into the first break knotted at zero apiece.  The second started with a fast break off the face-off, and an immediate goal by Wilmer Skoog to put BU up, 1-0.  It took a while, but at the twelve minute point, St. Cloud State made it clear they had figured it out when Michah Miller snuck one into the net to tie it up at one apiece, and then only a minute later, when Nick Perbix scored to give St. Cloud the 2-1 lead.  BU hung on and showed signs of life a couple of minutes later after Jami Kranilla was called for slashing penalty.  With the man advantage, a BU forward did some nice skating and fired in a wrister to tie it again at two apiece.  BU played terrifically for almost, but not quite, two periods.  Only half a minute later, Easton Brodzinski netted one and St. Cloud State had the 3-2 lead.  The wheels were starting to come off for BU, and St. Cloud was kicking them off.

The third started and BU was given a heck of a chance when Chase Brand was called for a major penalty as a result of a hit to the head (I texted my St. Cloud fan “typical St. Cloud?” and was immediately told this was wrong; it’s connected to an offside; the refs here are no good. Essentially, it’s ok for us to do that.  I remembered a video of some superior Minnesota sportsmanship, and decided I should perhaps agree — the video is at the end of this write up). But BU couldn’t contain the puck and Jami Kranilla made a fast break to the net, was tripped from behind, and scored on a penalty shot for the 4-2 St. Cloud lead.  This seemed to be the back breaker for BU.  BU didn’t convert on their opportunities during the remainder of the penalty, and four minutes later Easton Brodzinski netted another goal; five minutes later Veeti Miettinen netted another to make it 6-2, St. Cloud State, the final score of the game.  St. Cloud State advanced to play Boston College (which advanced on Notre Dame dropping out) tomorrow, March 28th at 2:30pm Pacific Time on ESPN2.  This shouldn’t be any problem for St. Cloud State, as they compiled a 15-3 margin of victory in their last three games against BC from 2017 to 2018, for a 3-1 all-time record against them.  St. Cloud has BC figured out.

I submit this video clip as proof positive that Minnesota players constantly demonstrate more class, far better define the nature of being a gentleman, and are the very essence of sportsmanship, compared to any others anywhere else.  This fine young man who was born and raised in Plymouth, MN., if I am not mistaken, won the Minnesota Humanitarian award for such actions as displayed in this heart-warming video (it’s only about twenty seconds long). Truly a lesson to others, and a standard to which others can only aspire:

Also, as regards comments about the bad refs in Albany, NY mentioned above, and also texted to me for their out-of-line actions of taking a couple of minutes to verify Easton Brodzinski’s second goal on video:  The four refs were Colin Kronfrost, of Chicago; Brett Desrosiers, of Detroit; Sam Shikowsky, of Minneapolis (a graduate of Mankato State); and Nick Bradshaw, of St. Paul.  These are Big Ten Refs; Kronfrost, Shikowsky, and Bradshaw have a history of working together quite a bit.  Anyone can see that it’s logical to expect a strong allegiance to BU from this group.  Actually, if they seem that bad, perhaps a letter to the NCAA demanding that all refs come from New England, so that they know what they’re doing, would be in order? Just a thought.

The outcome of this game is not an upset in our pool, as thirty-three of fifty-two participants picked St. Cloud State to win this game, and only nineteen of fifty-two picked Boston University. Not an upset, and surprisingly one of the most fun summaries I’ve ever written.

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

(but only if you learn that special Minnesota brand of sportsmanship, etc…)

— Tom