Ah yes... the misery that is offseason. It continues on. So I thought I would reminisce on the awesome moments of the past season. Here are my picks for the best games of the season.
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WHAT: Minnesota State Mavericks @ Home
WHEN: 19-20 October 2007
WHY: This marked our first sweep of the season, and our ONLY sweep against a WCHA team. This game put our record at 3-1 for the season, making it look very promising.
It isn't all too often when Husky fans are rewarded with a sweep... And this was one of those rare moments... making it worthy of being on this list.
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WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ Wisconsin Badgers
WHEN: Friday 2 November 2007
WHY: Eh? Why not! It's always great to get a win in the Kohl Center. This one was especially sweet. You see, we came out playing like absolute garbage. We were getting outshot pretty badly and we weren't playing like we should've been.
About an hour away in the children's hospital in Milwaukee, Coach Russell's son, Ben, lay very ill, listening to the game on the radio. Besides health, Ben is hoping that his father's team can get a win for him against the Badgers.
Wisconsin scores a goal and things seem out of control. If Michigan Tech doesn't change the way they play, the game could be over. Here's where I come and save the day.
I made three large signs that say "WIN IT FOR BEN." I made three because I knew the Kohl Center staff would try to take them away. So I am sitting behind Connelly, UW's goaltender. I hold one of my signs up and I KNOW the guys can see it. They can read it. Starting on the next play, it seemed like a different team to me. They completely took over the game and made it theirs. They scored an extra attacker and power play goal before the first period's end (both courtesy of Captain Kerr). Early in the 2nd, Tech strikes again. Geoff Kinrade skates around a bunch of guys in red with a feed from Michael-Lee Teslak and puts yet another away on a 4-on-3.
By this time, the Kohl Center staff was going crazy trying to take away my signs. They managed to get one, but that was it.
I should also mention that I turned down a FREE trip to Vegas AND a free show at Michigan Tech of one of my favorite bands, Mustard Plug. Was it worth it though? Probably not. Oh well. :)
The final of this game was 4-2, with a W in the win column of the Huskies.
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WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ Minnesota Golden Gophers
WHEN: Friday 30 November 2007
WHY: An OT win over the Gophers IN the Mariucci. Need I really say more than that? No, but you know I'm going to.
This game was certainly something special. After one period, we were down 2-0. Boosh's all-time favorite, Ryan Flynn scored a goal. It was a real bummer.
The second period came around though and Michigan Tech came out firing. We outshot the Gophers 15-6 that period... and cut their lead in half.
With less than 6 minutes left in regulation, freshman Deron Cousens scored his first collegiate goal. And what a great time it came at! That goal was enough to push this one into OT.
In the extra session, Tech had control of the puck. Gagne was at the blueline, going to shoot it into the zone. He aimed it toward Kangas. Clearly, it was not meant to be a shot. When the puck left his stick, NO ONE in the building thought anything of it. This is including Alex Gagne.
The person in the building that REALLY wasn't thinking anything about it was Alex Kangas. Somehow he just let the puck go right past him and into the net. Victory for the Huskies.
It was definitely a crappy goal, but I'll take it. Whether it was a good goal or a crappy goal like that one in OT, the feeling is pretty identical. OT victories in the Mooch are always great.
And as a side note, I surrendered my FRONT AND CENTER ticket to They Might Be Giants in Houghton to make this series. Was that worth it? BARELY. But only because TMBG are soon coming to the Cities and I'll have another chance to see them. :)
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ North Dakota Fighting Sioux
WHEN: Saturday 15 March 2008, First Round WCHA Playoffs, Game 2
WHY: What an absolute roller coaster that series was! On Friday, we didn't manage one stinkin' shot on goal during the first period. After that, we cheered for every shot on goal we had. At least we had something to cheer about since we didn't score a goal on Friday.
Now Saturday...! As usual, the game starts out all UND. After two periods, Michigan Tech finds them going into the last period with a two goal deficit of what could and probably will be their last game of the 2007-2008 season.
Begin third period. Things were started off right. Less than a minute and a half in, the Huskies score a PPG. Tech plays hard in the last period. But again, they find themselves in trouble. There's less than a minute left in the game, they're on the penalty kill, and the faceoff is in their defensive zone. This faceoff could be their last of the season.
The Sioux fans bring out their keys. There are keys ringing EVERYWHERE throughout the Ralph... a common tradition when the Sioux are going to sweep. *jingle jingle jingle*
Here's where crazy stuff starts happening. Tech wins the faceoff. Shorthanded, they take the puck down into the offensive end. The seconds are ticking down... 10...9... Somehow, and I still to this day do now know how... Shelast gets the puck past Lammy... with a mere 5.5 seconds left in what should've been the rest of their season.
The game was tied. With 5.5 seconds left, there was another period of hockey on the way. The keys were no where to be seen or heard.
When that puck crossed the goal line, it was the most amazing feeling. My team's hockey season was allowed to carry on for just a bit longer. Sigh. And apparently I was crying tears of joy or something. Apparently it was on the jumbotron and apparently it was broadcast across Grand Forks and wherever else the Fighting Sioux Sports Network comes in. Lovely.
So the extra session starts. And less than two minutes later... the extra session ends. I can't even remember the play that led up to the OT goal. I can't even remember the OT goal itself. But we won. Michigan Tech had come back to score 3 unanswered to win in Grand Forks and extend their hockey season for at least one more day.
Sadly, the next day didn't bring us the results we had hoped for... but we were SO CLOSE. After the loss, it was fun leaving Grand Forks around midnight and driving straight to Houghton... missing all Monday classes. Ah, good times.
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans
WHEN: Friday 28 December 2007 at the GLI
WHY: You'd think the that the first win in some eight or so years would be the entire reason why. Well, it's not. Reason enough, yes, but there is more. Being that this is MY blog and I hate Michigan State with a passion... This is the perfect #1 moment from last season.
The Huskies played a COMPLETE game. The power play was 100% (yay for 1 out of 1!). Goaltending was solid... and the results were everything I have always hoped for.
This was the win that felt the best. Tech got to be in the championship game for the first time in YEARS. Not only that, MSU was forced to play in the consolation game the next night, where they were dominated by a very good Providence College team.
And Tech's championship game... Probably our best game of the season. We lost it by an inch to the right, unfortunately... but it was still a fantastic game.
- - - - - -
And there you have it... the moments from the past season that I regard as the best. As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged.
- - - - - -
WHAT: Minnesota State Mavericks @ Home
WHEN: 19-20 October 2007
WHY: This marked our first sweep of the season, and our ONLY sweep against a WCHA team. This game put our record at 3-1 for the season, making it look very promising.
It isn't all too often when Husky fans are rewarded with a sweep... And this was one of those rare moments... making it worthy of being on this list.
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ Wisconsin Badgers
WHEN: Friday 2 November 2007
WHY: Eh? Why not! It's always great to get a win in the Kohl Center. This one was especially sweet. You see, we came out playing like absolute garbage. We were getting outshot pretty badly and we weren't playing like we should've been.
About an hour away in the children's hospital in Milwaukee, Coach Russell's son, Ben, lay very ill, listening to the game on the radio. Besides health, Ben is hoping that his father's team can get a win for him against the Badgers.
Wisconsin scores a goal and things seem out of control. If Michigan Tech doesn't change the way they play, the game could be over. Here's where I come and save the day.
I made three large signs that say "WIN IT FOR BEN." I made three because I knew the Kohl Center staff would try to take them away. So I am sitting behind Connelly, UW's goaltender. I hold one of my signs up and I KNOW the guys can see it. They can read it. Starting on the next play, it seemed like a different team to me. They completely took over the game and made it theirs. They scored an extra attacker and power play goal before the first period's end (both courtesy of Captain Kerr). Early in the 2nd, Tech strikes again. Geoff Kinrade skates around a bunch of guys in red with a feed from Michael-Lee Teslak and puts yet another away on a 4-on-3.
By this time, the Kohl Center staff was going crazy trying to take away my signs. They managed to get one, but that was it.
I should also mention that I turned down a FREE trip to Vegas AND a free show at Michigan Tech of one of my favorite bands, Mustard Plug. Was it worth it though? Probably not. Oh well. :)
The final of this game was 4-2, with a W in the win column of the Huskies.
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ Minnesota Golden Gophers
WHEN: Friday 30 November 2007
WHY: An OT win over the Gophers IN the Mariucci. Need I really say more than that? No, but you know I'm going to.
This game was certainly something special. After one period, we were down 2-0. Boosh's all-time favorite, Ryan Flynn scored a goal. It was a real bummer.
The second period came around though and Michigan Tech came out firing. We outshot the Gophers 15-6 that period... and cut their lead in half.
With less than 6 minutes left in regulation, freshman Deron Cousens scored his first collegiate goal. And what a great time it came at! That goal was enough to push this one into OT.
In the extra session, Tech had control of the puck. Gagne was at the blueline, going to shoot it into the zone. He aimed it toward Kangas. Clearly, it was not meant to be a shot. When the puck left his stick, NO ONE in the building thought anything of it. This is including Alex Gagne.
The person in the building that REALLY wasn't thinking anything about it was Alex Kangas. Somehow he just let the puck go right past him and into the net. Victory for the Huskies.
It was definitely a crappy goal, but I'll take it. Whether it was a good goal or a crappy goal like that one in OT, the feeling is pretty identical. OT victories in the Mooch are always great.
And as a side note, I surrendered my FRONT AND CENTER ticket to They Might Be Giants in Houghton to make this series. Was that worth it? BARELY. But only because TMBG are soon coming to the Cities and I'll have another chance to see them. :)
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies @ North Dakota Fighting Sioux
WHEN: Saturday 15 March 2008, First Round WCHA Playoffs, Game 2
WHY: What an absolute roller coaster that series was! On Friday, we didn't manage one stinkin' shot on goal during the first period. After that, we cheered for every shot on goal we had. At least we had something to cheer about since we didn't score a goal on Friday.
Now Saturday...! As usual, the game starts out all UND. After two periods, Michigan Tech finds them going into the last period with a two goal deficit of what could and probably will be their last game of the 2007-2008 season.
Begin third period. Things were started off right. Less than a minute and a half in, the Huskies score a PPG. Tech plays hard in the last period. But again, they find themselves in trouble. There's less than a minute left in the game, they're on the penalty kill, and the faceoff is in their defensive zone. This faceoff could be their last of the season.
The Sioux fans bring out their keys. There are keys ringing EVERYWHERE throughout the Ralph... a common tradition when the Sioux are going to sweep. *jingle jingle jingle*
Here's where crazy stuff starts happening. Tech wins the faceoff. Shorthanded, they take the puck down into the offensive end. The seconds are ticking down... 10...9... Somehow, and I still to this day do now know how... Shelast gets the puck past Lammy... with a mere 5.5 seconds left in what should've been the rest of their season.
The game was tied. With 5.5 seconds left, there was another period of hockey on the way. The keys were no where to be seen or heard.
When that puck crossed the goal line, it was the most amazing feeling. My team's hockey season was allowed to carry on for just a bit longer. Sigh. And apparently I was crying tears of joy or something. Apparently it was on the jumbotron and apparently it was broadcast across Grand Forks and wherever else the Fighting Sioux Sports Network comes in. Lovely.
So the extra session starts. And less than two minutes later... the extra session ends. I can't even remember the play that led up to the OT goal. I can't even remember the OT goal itself. But we won. Michigan Tech had come back to score 3 unanswered to win in Grand Forks and extend their hockey season for at least one more day.
Sadly, the next day didn't bring us the results we had hoped for... but we were SO CLOSE. After the loss, it was fun leaving Grand Forks around midnight and driving straight to Houghton... missing all Monday classes. Ah, good times.
- - - - - -
WHAT: Michigan Tech Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans
WHEN: Friday 28 December 2007 at the GLI
WHY: You'd think the that the first win in some eight or so years would be the entire reason why. Well, it's not. Reason enough, yes, but there is more. Being that this is MY blog and I hate Michigan State with a passion... This is the perfect #1 moment from last season.
The Huskies played a COMPLETE game. The power play was 100% (yay for 1 out of 1!). Goaltending was solid... and the results were everything I have always hoped for.
This was the win that felt the best. Tech got to be in the championship game for the first time in YEARS. Not only that, MSU was forced to play in the consolation game the next night, where they were dominated by a very good Providence College team.
And Tech's championship game... Probably our best game of the season. We lost it by an inch to the right, unfortunately... but it was still a fantastic game.
- - - - - -
And there you have it... the moments from the past season that I regard as the best. As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged.
8 comments:
MTU 4, MSU 1
One of the best birthday presents I ever got. :)
That series in the REA for the trip to the final five was nerve racking.
"a very good Providence College team"
Sigh.
I know... it's depressing to think of what could've been for your team at the GLI. They should've won the game against Michigan, for sure.
It's also depressing to think of what could've been for Michigan Tech at the GLI.
I am glad that both of our teams were able to pull through and beat crappy Michigan State though. :) PC's come from behind win over MSUcks was absolutely delicious.
I don't think we were beating Michigan at GLI and I think your team would have given us headaches (I love Tyler Sims, but he had this awful habit of being at the wrong place at the wrong time). I was more or less sighing over what happened AFTER GLI. Stupid Merrimack!
If you guys had beat Michigan like you should've, Tech would've destroyed you. :)
Are you kidding me? That game would have gone on for longer than 2 OT's. I'm thinking I might still be in Detroit right now if that matchup had taken place...
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