Curses!

Okay, so evidently, whenever a fan from another team goes to a Tech game and cheers for Tech, they lose. So, sorry guys, it's my fault. I take full responsibility.

MEg asked me, "Why do other fans always want to be Tech fans?" Well, that's not a direct quote, but I've been up since like 6:30, so forgive me for not recalling it exactly.

I think, historically, the answer isn't exactly complimentary. I think people cheered for Tech because they figured they were pretty harmless, or even because they felt bad for them. I also think people have cheered for Tech because they want to hook up with MEg. I also know I will be killed for writing that, but I've lived a good life. Tonight, I cheered for Tech because 1. I was sitting with Tech fans 2. MEg forced me to cheer for Tech 3. Tech is very similar to TDogs and 4. They were playing TStinkin' Gophers!

I'd like to apologize to Tech fans for the crappy conditions of the roads. I mean, there wasn't THAT much snow, and it's not like we live in freaking HAWAII or something. We SHOULD know how to clear our MAJOR HIGHWAYS. And the city streets were disastrous: I almost got stuck about 50 million times, probably because I drive a Saturn and not, oh, a Patton Tank.

It took me quite awhile to get to the arena, which majorly sucked, and my "date" for the evening had ditched me to go save lives or fight fires or something. Oh well, his loss, as Gopher wins seem to be hard to come by. There were plenty of other ticketholders missing, and our entire group (approx. 10 people) managed to sit behind the Tech bench (key for viewing my favorite Huskies, RN and JR!) for the whole game. Those ticketholders? Literally fair-weather fans.

MEg is a very popular person. I don't like this, as I love attention and she was TOTALLY ignoring me for people like Melmac, Flagguy, Flagguy's tall friend, her "boyfriend" from last year's Old Chicago Schmooze 'n' Booze, BPH, Shirtless Guy, etc. NOT COOL. Also, I really wish she had given me a Cliff's Notes on Misfits cheers, as there were very few I could participate in, since there were so many words. I just clapped along in my ill-fitting Huskies windbreakers and Mardi Gras beads, and waved and blew kisses to the Gopher student section when they chanted "Husky Women." I pointed out that MEg, the three girls behind us, and I equalled probably one St. Cloud fan. And that's being polite to St. Cloud!

(I should point out that MEg is a slave driver when it comes to posting. I VOLUNTEERED to write this article and she is breathing down my neck pestering me to finish it. Therefore, if you think it sucks, just remember it was written under duress. And if I get crap grades in Accounting, it will be because she is making me do this article RIGHT NOW instead of studying.)

So, the game was rather disappointing. It looked good, as the Huskies put the puck in the net first, but it was overruled by Goon's BFF Don Adam. Kinrade (the goal scorer, and also a Hottie) was the only player (other than MLT and LIF) on the ice at the time, and when it was waved off, I could swear there was a tear in his eye. The Gophers scored soon after, but the Huskies came back to tie it on a goal from Seth Green. Oops, I mean Peter Rouleau. SHAVE YOUR BEARD, DUDE. Then the powers-that-be started hyperventilating at the though of the Mighty Mighty Gophers getting swept by the lowly Huskies, so Mr. Belding got on the phone to Mikey, and then Malcolm Gwilliam was called for a CFB 5/10. The Huskies killed off the entire penalty, which was totally sweet, but then things just kind of... sucked. There were some not-so-fantastic defensive breakdowns that led to a few breakaways by random Gopher players, but MLT is a genius (no, he doesn't "stand on his head" to make those amazing saves... he just makes them because he is THAT GOOD you idiots!) and kept the game within reach. Sadly, the Huskies were never able to get much going offensively, and in the 3rd period only had 2 SOG, which is quite a depressing number. I was surprised that JR didn't pull MLT, since he pulled him against TUMD and then left the net empty after the first ENG, but you never know what's going on inside that handsome head of his.

Watching this game was especially frustrating because I was getting text messages of TUMD game, and they were losing as well. The sad thing was, I was pretty sure that, by watching how Tech played, I was watching how T'Dogs played, except we got a SHG. However, I can also guarantee you that the Mavs looked NOTHING like the Gophers, but that's self-evident.

I guess this is my way of making up for missing TInvasion, which sounds like SO MUCH FUN, and we all know I am the Anti-Fun. I'll now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.

An Ode To Jamie Russell

Hello, I'm RunninwiThThedogs. You may remember me from such blogs as, The one you'd beTTer already be reading, biTch!

GreaT, I goT The blog pimp ouT of The way immediaTely. LeT's geT This show on The road. This is a very exciTing Time in my young life. As you may already be aware, I am SMITTEN wiTh MTU Head Coach Jamie Russell (unless he is sporTing ThaT misguided Beard of NasTiness). And THIS WEEKEND, I am going To MEET HIM. I Think. If I can geT up The courage.

I mean, hello. Rrrar.

Aside from The issue ThaT he has The Thousand-yard sTare of a major sToner (and who am I To judge?) he is a Major HoTTie. AcTually, he is a Five-STar General HoTTie, and Five-STar Generals are hard To come by.

I hope you didn'T come To This siTe looking for acTual hockey conTenT, because you're going To be sad. And Then you'll cry like a NorTh DakoTa fan afTer a loss To Michigan Tech.

Okay, okay, dry your Tears. I'll Talk abouT JR's mad recruiTing skillz.

I mean, look aT some of The people he's recruiTed:

Seriously. Michigan Tech has a long TradiTion of recruiTing ToTally HoT HoTTies. And I am definiTely in favor of This pracTice. And I have definiTely undermined any credibiliTy I may have once had (alThough I'm jusT deluding myself To Think ThaT I ever had any!) by wriTing This jersey-chasing (well, suiT-chasing, as JR doesn'T wear a jersey) arTicle. AND JR is probably Taking ouT a resTraining order on me as we speak, but ThaT's cool. All I wanT is Two BULLDOG WINS, and Then I'll be around To console any Techies ThaT may need me. HEAR THAT! I'LL BE IN DULUTH! GLORY, GLORY HALLELUJAH! LET'S GO BULLDOGS!

*note* There are no small Ts in This arTicle aT all!

Remembering October 18, 2003

Friday 17 October 2003... it was this writer's first road trip, first college hockey game, first hockey game period. That night was also Coach Jamie Russell's first regular season game as head coach of the Michigan Tech Huskies.

The place... Northern Michigan University's Berry Events Center, located in the craphole that is Marquette, Michigan. When the Huskies and Wildcats get together, you KNOW you can expect one hell of a game. This night was no different. And like every Tech-NMU game, it was a close one throughout. Unfortunately, Michigan Tech had two players in the penalty box during overtime, which eventually lead to a 5 on 3 game winner for the 'Cats.

Heartbreaking, indeed. Not what Coach Russell was looking for in his first game as head coach.

Now onto the next night. The night I, and many others like me, will never forget. This is the night that made me who I am today. This is the night that changed my life forever.

The game was started off the right way, with a Chris Conner (Colin Murphy, John Scott) goal coming at 5:46 of the first. The lead didn't last long though, as NMU struck back less than 3 minutes later.

In the second period, Tech scored twice with goals from Brandon Schwartz and Colin Murphy to make the score 3-1. The Huskies thought they were sitting comfortably with a two goal lead; however, NMU wasn't done yet. In fact, they were only getting started. Those pesky Wildcats scored 5 more unanswered goals, 4 of those coming in the 3rd period with the last one at 15:22. Unfortunately, when NMU's 6th goal came around with less than 5 minutes left in regulation, many of the Tech fans decided that there were more important things to do than perhaps witness one of the greatest comeback games ever played in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Not only did fans leave after NMU's 6th goal, but this awful, horrible, ugly and fat Wildcat fan took off his shirt and started waving it around. Maybe that was actually why the Tech fans left. Who knows.

This night isn't looking good for the Huskies, who were desperately seeking revenge for the previous night's game. Four and a half minutes is plenty of time to stage a comeback though, right?

Nick Anderson, with a little help from Jon Pittis, got things moving in the right direction with his goal at 17:55. Two goals to go to force OT... just over 2 minutes left. I looked at my friend with eyes that said, "...well... maybe it can happen..." And although he was happy about the goal we just got, he doubtfully shook his head no. For some reason, I wanted to keep the hope.

18:34 of the third: score one for Colin Murphy, his second of the game. One more goal to go. One minute and twenty six seconds left to do this. Coach Russell thought it would be a good time to call a timeout here to make up a play to push this one into overtime.

Play started back up, and as soon as it was okay to do so, goaltender Cam Ellsworth rushed to the team bench and a sixth skater scurried to the ice. Time was ticking down, but the Huskies kept on throwing shot after shot on NMU netminder Craig Kowalski. With just 28 seconds remaining, assistant captain Colin Murphy completes his hat trick and ties up the game.

What a great feeling that was! In response to NMU's fat, ugly guy who earlier removed his shirt, Michigan Tech had a fatter, hairier guy remove his shirt and start swinging it around. It was disgusting, but it was absolutely sweet.

Going into overtime, MTU held a 44-31 SOG advantage over NMU, with 18 of those coming in the 3rd period.

With the bonus hockey beginning, there was no other option for Michigan Tech other than to win this game. They had come too far to make it a tie or a loss.

And sure enough, at 2:58 in, Colin Murphy, with a little help from Jon Pittis, put the game away for Michigan Tech.

Now, my team has never won a National Championship since I've been following them or even since I've been alive... but I have a pretty good idea of what it might feel like. The feelings that I experienced when this game was said and done have to be at least similar to those one may experience when their team wins a national championship. The euphoria was SO INTENSE. Nothing had ever made me feel the way I felt at that moment.

And do you remember that fat, gross, hairy shirtless Tech fan I spoke about earlier? Oh yeah, he was definitely going nuts waving his shirt around... rubbing it right back in the faces of the NMU fans who were taunting us earlier. Ladies and gentleman, this is the night when the lengendary Shirtless Guy was born.

October 18, 2003 is a night that Michigan Tech fans will never forget. It was a game that it looked like for sure we were going to lose... but with the persevering attitudes of the Huskies and the great coaching by Jamie Russell, a great story was made for the history books. Welcome aboard, Coach Russell.

USCHO Box Score
USCHO Recap