@ St. Thomas (2/16-2/17)

[pdt1081]

3-1 Final. 3 way tie for 2nd.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Rather undisciplined play on our part at the end. Thought maybe we were going to give it away. We need to be better mentally.

Tech next weekend. Heal up and get after it.

[pdt1081]

Rather undisciplined play on our part at the end. Thought maybe we were going to give it away. We need to be better mentally.

Tech next weekend. Heal up and get after it.

How often you see an extra 2 handed out for a scrum in front the net? Better yet, when have you ever known a Rico team to give the other team 1 powerplay, two games in a row.

[mbenecke]

This team rose to the occasion. 5 of 6 points is just huge.

Absolutely massive home weekend against Michigan Tech next weekend now. Beyond the Swankler madness (whether he plays or not), there’s also Senior Night and the 1984 national champs reunion. Energy is going to be high. The Slate will be rocking.

Cannot wait. Another huge opportunity.

[mbenecke]

Am I seeing correctly that the CCHA Championship game is going to be on Friday, March 22 this year? Feels weird that it’s not on a Saturday, but that’s the date I am seeing everywhere.

Trying to figure out if I can buy a month of Flo on Friday (2/23) and get myself through the playoffs. Yes, pdt, I’m invested again. Lol

[pdt1081]

The Cole Moore show.
https://youtu.be/yr5Fdqyil4Q?si=GajlB937hya6bpGR

[pdt1081]

Am I seeing correctly that the CCHA Championship game is going to be on Friday, March 22 this year? Feels weird that it’s not on a Saturday, but that’s the date I am seeing everywhere.

Trying to figure out if I can buy a month of Flo on Friday (2/23) and get myself through the playoffs. Yes, pdt, I’m invested again. Lol

I was about to comment "Welcome Back," but, you know....


That optimism you were questioning early on, this is why. It only takes a couple weeks to completely flip a season. Sometimes for the good, sometimes what we're used to. That same optimism I have means I haven't looked ahead for those dates. I know better and will just live in the moment IF it happens. BG Hockey is an emotional ride every season. You're optimistic and hopeful, but in the back of your mind you're waiting for the collapse and disappointment yet again. I'm surrounded by enough negative and miserable people that I refuse to be that. I still know it's there, just not going to focus on it. It makes times like these past few weeks so much better.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Am I seeing correctly that the CCHA Championship game is going to be on Friday, March 22 this year? Feels weird that it’s not on a Saturday, but that’s the date I am seeing everywhere.

I participate on Tech Hockey Guide's Discord server conversations. Some heavy hitters can be found there (Harrison Watt, former Ferris pxp guy, Jack Hittinger, CCHA beat writer for USCHO, Perry Laskaris, Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement for the CCHA). You learn all kinds of interesting things, one being why the CCHA Championship game is on a Friday. Per Perry:

MNSportsGuy — Yesterday at 4:17 PM
To have our champion first and be the only one playing that night
I believe is the reasoning.

I'm not defending it, I'm reporting it. I also learned that, depending on how this next weekend shakes out, the MacNaughton Cup will likely be in Bemidji for the Beaver/Mav series. What happens if BG or St. Thomas win the cup? The winning team will get to skate around with a celebratory banner and the league will get the trophy there "as soon as possible." That's realistically the best they can do, but at least they've thought through the scenario.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Am I seeing correctly that the CCHA Championship game is going to be on Friday, March 22 this year? Feels weird that it’s not on a Saturday, but that’s the date I am seeing everywhere.

Trying to figure out if I can buy a month of Flo on Friday (2/23) and get myself through the playoffs. Yes, pdt, I’m invested again. Lol

I was about to comment "Welcome Back," but, you know....


That optimism you were questioning early on, this is why. It only takes a couple weeks to completely flip a season. Sometimes for the good, sometimes what we're used to. That same optimism I have means I haven't looked ahead for those dates. I know better and will just live in the moment IF it happens. BG Hockey is an emotional ride every season. You're optimistic and hopeful, but in the back of your mind you're waiting for the collapse and disappointment yet again. I'm surrounded by enough negative and miserable people that I refuse to be that. I still know it's there, just not going to focus on it. It makes times like these past few weeks so much better.

Yep. That's where I'm at. We've done exceptionally well lately but I fear the collapse is right around the corner. Regardless as to what happens the final two weeks, Eigner has done a heckuva a job given the hand he was dealt at the start of the season.

[mbenecke]

To be fair, I was only looking at the date for the championship because I didn’t want to pay for 2 months of Flo if I didn’t have to. Lol. Very much still taking it one game at a time, just feel like we’re playing well enough that it’s worth investing $30 to see the end of the season, however it goes.

I’ve been planning to be in attendance for the last home game of the year since the schedule game out last spring, and I’m still going to be there for it. If we play a home series after that, I’ll be spending my birthday weekend at the Slate for the first round of the playoffs.

I want this team to do well. I appreciate the wisdom on the topic of optimism. I’ll give that a try here.

[pdt1081]

To be fair, I was only looking at the date for the championship because I didn’t want to pay for 2 months of Flo if I didn’t have to. Lol. Very much still taking it one game at a time, just feel like we’re playing well enough that it’s worth investing $30 to see the end of the season, however it goes.

I’ve been planning to be in attendance for the last home game of the year since the schedule game out last spring, and I’m still going to be there for it. If we play a home series after that, I’ll be spending my birthday weekend at the Slate for the first round of the playoffs.

I want this team to do well. I appreciate the wisdom on the topic of optimism. I’ll give that a try here.

Wait a minute. Aren't you the one that's 0-fer while in attendance?

[pdt1081]

I'm not defending it, I'm reporting it. I also learned that, depending on how this next weekend shakes out, the MacNaughton Cup will likely be in Bemidji for the Beaver/Mav series. What happens if BG or St. Thomas win the cup? The winning team will get to skate around with a celebratory banner and the league will get the trophy there "as soon as possible." That's realistically the best they can do, but at least they've thought through the scenario.

Someone on Twitter may have mentioned a particularly obvious bias towards Minnesota teams when it comes to the Plays of the Week. I stopped watching for most of the season once I realized no matter how good BG played, only games against Minnesota/SD teams are considered.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I'm not defending it, I'm reporting it. I also learned that, depending on how this next weekend shakes out, the MacNaughton Cup will likely be in Bemidji for the Beaver/Mav series. What happens if BG or St. Thomas win the cup? The winning team will get to skate around with a celebratory banner and the league will get the trophy there "as soon as possible." That's realistically the best they can do, but at least they've thought through the scenario.

Someone on Twitter may have mentioned a particularly obvious bias towards Minnesota teams when it comes to the Plays of the Week. I stopped watching for most of the season once I realized no matter how good BG played, only games against Minnesota/SD teams are considered.

LOL. That incident was briefly discussed. I felt you should be awarded hero status for that comment but since I'm vastly outnumbered over there I stayed quiet.

[mbenecke]

To be fair, I was only looking at the date for the championship because I didn’t want to pay for 2 months of Flo if I didn’t have to. Lol. Very much still taking it one game at a time, just feel like we’re playing well enough that it’s worth investing $30 to see the end of the season, however it goes.

I’ve been planning to be in attendance for the last home game of the year since the schedule game out last spring, and I’m still going to be there for it. If we play a home series after that, I’ll be spending my birthday weekend at the Slate for the first round of the playoffs.

I want this team to do well. I appreciate the wisdom on the topic of optimism. I’ll give that a try here.

Wait a minute. Aren't you the one that's 0-fer while in attendance?

Yes. 5 in a row and 13 of the last 14 games I have attended have been losses. That’s part of why this has beaten me down so much. Lol. I’m typically an optimist, man, but this stretch has been TOUGH.

Since the Slate opened back up to fans after the pandemic, this is what I have seen in person:

W 6-4 vs. Miami
W 4-2 vs. St. Thomas
W 6-2 vs. LSSU
L 6-3 vs. Ferris
L 3-2 vs. Ohio State
L 5-3 vs. Bemidji
L 5-0 vs. Minnesota State
L 6-3 vs. Northern Michigan
L 4-2 vs. Northern Michigan
L 2-1 vs. Michigan State
L 3-2 vs. Michigan Tech
W 3-2 vs. St. Thomas
L 5-2 vs. Ohio State
L 4-2 vs. Northern Michigan
L 2-1 vs. Ferris State
L 4-3 vs. Mercyhurst
L 4-2 vs. Ohio State

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

For someone who is still telling himself the past 8 games have been a mirage and that there's no possibility for hope or joy in Mudville, I did a brief analysis on what has to happen for us to bring home the hardware. Mankato has the easiest path as they have 2 games against the Lakers (almost an automatic 6 points right there) then 2 against the Beavers. St. Thomas has the toughest road as they face both the Beavers and Huskies with a depleted team. I figure 9 points keeps us in the hunt while 10 gives us an excellent shot. We'll still need a couple of things to break our way but we need to cheer raucously for the Lakers as every point they take from Mankato helps the rest of us then root for splits betwixt the Beavers, Tommies, and Mavs. Oh, and try to cheer for the Huskies the last series. Take 'em one at a time.

Gawd I hope I didn't just jinx us. Never mind; ignore all this. We're doomed no matter what happens and we have no chance whatsoever. There, that oughta satisfy the gods.

Tech is officially still in the hunt but they need a miracle. They need every one of the below to happen:
o Tech sweeps BG and St. Thomas, 12 points
o St. Thomas wins 5-of-6 points from Bemidji
o Lakers win 3 points from Mankato
o Mankato and Bemidji split 3-3 points each

Edit: Oh, and Ferris has locked up road ice for the playoffs.