February 17, 2010

Well Here We Are...
In 1987, Prince released a song on his album Sign O' the Times with the lyric "well here we here...ladies and gentlemen, the dream we all dream of."  In the song, they refer to the dream as "boy vs. girl in the world series of love."  Where is he going with all this I'm sure you're asking yourself by now.  Well, here we are.  The second season.  Playoffs.  The reason we play the game.  The chance to win a national title, or the dream we all dream of.  But how did we get here?  As you probably know by now, the 'Jackets finished seventh out of seven teams in the NCHA.  They now hold the dubious distinction of being the first team in league history to win the league one season and finish last the next.  Of all the years for Lake Forest not to be in the league. 

But I digress.  It's a shame, especially when you consider the way they played down the stretch.  There were times during the season when people could question the team's effort, their heart, and their level of interest in whether or not they really wanted to play the game.  Not the case down the stretch.  They went only 1-4-3 in that span, but the effort was there and they played progressively better each weekend.  Most nights they just couldn't get a bounce.  Simply put, this team deserved better than the record they got in the last eight games.  I'm as critical as anyone, but I can look all of them in the eye right now and say that they deserve better than the finish they got.  But the fact is they didn't so now they face an uphill battle.

That battle starts this weekend with a road series at St. Scholastica.  They haven't played well in that building and the Saints did sweep the season series.  They had one of their best regular seasons in school history and they have been progressively getting better every year that Mark Wick has been the head coach.  In other words, the 'Jackets are the underdogs, something they haven't been in a long time.  They are now in a position that so many other teams have been in the past.  They have the chance to ruin someone else's season in one weekend.

And they only have to win one game to do it.  True that it is a two-game series, but you only have to win one.  You can win one game and tie the other.  You can split and let it all ride in the mini-game on Saturday.  Point being, win one and put yourself in great shape to advance.  After that it is all one-game shots, and a team is only a hot goaltender away from making a long run when it all rides on one game.

The playoffs are a great time, and if you get on a roll anything can happen.  All you have to do is look back one year for evidence of that.  Last season, Neumann got on a roll in the post-season and knocked off many teams who were ranked ahead of them - Elmira, Hobart, Elmira again, Plattsburgh, Hobart again and Gustavus - on the way to a national championship.  They played the underdog role to perfection and became champions.  Who's to say that it can't happen again?  Who's to say that the 'Jackets can't be this season's Neumann?

Let the games begin!

See you at the rink!

JG

February 7, 2010

This Is Hockey!
During one scene in the movie Slapshot, sportscaster Jim Carr, in the excitement of the moment, screams out "THIS IS HOCKEY!"  I had the good fortune to broadcast the high school game between Duluth Denfeld and Duluth Marshall on Thursday night, a great game between two local schools that ended in a tie.  Then today, in a prelude to the Super Bowl, I watched Pittsburgh and Washington in a battle of two of the NHL's best.  Ovechkin and the Caps prevailed in overtime, coming back from three goals down to beat Crosby, Malkin and company.  In between, I got to see the Yellowjackets finally get out of the loss column and pick up three of four points on the weekend.  Yes, Jim Carr was right, THIS IS HOCKEY!  And I was very happy to be able to see so many good games in a row.  But we'll leave the hockey right there for now.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday.  I think the pre-game show is in about its eighth hour by now, but I'm still looking forward to it.  It's taken two weeks, but the period of mourning over the Vikings' loss to the Saints has finally subsided, so I'll be able to enjoy the game.  I'm inclined to root for the Saints because 1) they are a great story and 2) they are an NFC club.  But I also like the Colts because of Peyton Manning.  I got to meet him at the 2007 Indy 500 and spent some time chatting with him.  This was on the heels of his first Super Bowl win, and all he wanted to talk about was hockey, the USHL (where I worked at the time) and where I came from and what my background was.  He is every bit the good person that he comes off as in his commercials.  So after that I'll probably find myself rooting for the Colts.  I have a hunch that it will be a pretty high scoring game, as each team features a high-powered offense that focus on the passing attack.

Prediction: Colts 34  Saints 24

I'm sure I'm not even close on that, but hey it's worth a shot.

And sticking with football, did anyone see the recent story about the 13-year old who committed to USC?  Absolutely amazing that a kid that young has already made that decision.  But even more amazing is that Steve Kirk, the manager of Wessman Arena, has already made it known his son Ryan, age four, has committed to play football at Notre Dame.  So we here at jackethockey.com would like to congratulate Ryan on his decision to play for the Fighting Irish, starting in the fall of 2024.  Of course, we are just joking here folks!

We'll talk more hockey later in the week.

See you at the rink!

JG 

February 3, 2010

Home At Last & Last At Home
So how big of a hockey rube am I?  I spent my Tuesday night watching Minnesota and Dallas play on the tube with the mute on so I could listen to the Middlebury/Plattsburgh matchup on the web.  We don't get much chance to watch/listen to games involving teams from out east, and this is one of those games that you just don't want to miss.  Plus it's always a pleasure to listen to WIRY's Ducky Drake, the voice of Plattsburgh hockey, call a game.  Middlebury emerged victorious with the 5-3 win.  The Panthers were fueled by scoring three first period goals on just four shots.  Almost the same thing Plattsburgh did to us in the NCAA semifinals in 2001.  Regardless, there's a strong possibility that we will see both of these teams in the NCAA tournament when all is said and done.

OK, so here we are, returning to Wessman Arena for a pair of games this weekend.  This is the building where we have played twice in the last two months.  The next three games are at home, and then after that, done...finis...kaput.  The 'Jackets have been all but eliminated from contention for home ice in the playoffs, so if they are going to proceed down the playoff road, they will have to do it where they have spent the majority of their season - away from home.

Saturday's loss to River Falls hurt.  They did some good things.  They had a lead.  That doesn't seem like much, but the fact that they'd held a lead in just one of the previous ten games means that having the lead was big.  If not for a bad stretch in the third period, where they surrendered a pair of goals, they were very much in the game and on track to pick up at least one point.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen and they remain mired in the conference basement.  The upside is that they are still within striking distance of both Eau Claire and Stevens Point and could finish as high as fifth place.  Victories over those teams, whom they still play one time each, would go a long way in getting them out of the basement.

The 'Jackets are now winless in their last seven games.  I wouldn't be doing my journalistic duty if I didn't do a little research and find out the last time that happened, so here it is - 1987-88.  That season, the team lost nine games in a row at one point.  So it's been 22 years since we've seen a winless streak this long.  To put it in perspective, some of the players on this year's team weren't even born yet!

Friday is the first chance to put this streak behind us, when we host Stevens Point.  The Pointers, who started the season in last place in the NCHA have consistently been playing better hockey.  It will be a tough test, but a winnable game that the 'Jackets desperately need.  I think it is safe to say that they need the win more than the Pointers do, so hopefully they come out and play with the urgency necessary to get the win and put the streak behind them.  And the Pointers will have a familiar face, as #26 in purple is former Yellowjacket Kent Detlefsen.

Saturday will be the second annual Pink the Rink night, where proceeds will go toward raising awareness of breast cancer and breast cancer research.  Last season's night was a huge success, as UWS raised over $5,000 for local charities tied to breast cancer.  It's a great cause, so there is no better game to attend than Saturday's matchup with St. Norbert.  Don't forget to wear pink!

Lastly, a personal note.  I've come to the harsh realization that my supply of Tim Horton's coffee is low...too low for my comfort.  So if any parents are heading down this way in the coming weeks, I'll gladly pay up for a few tins of Canada's finest coffee!

See you at the rink!

JG

January 30, 2010

Full Moon Fever
In 1989, Tom Petty released an album called Full Moon Fever, arguably his best work.  Last night there was a full moon over Menomonie, and hopefully the resulting fever is just what the 'Jackets needed to get themselves going.  It was their best effort in a long time, and for the last three games they have gotten progressively better.  Here's to hoping the improvement continues.

The team is still one game under .500 after 20 games, but they did pick up their first point since December 4.  This got me to thinking about how the team's fortunes changed between the first ten games of the season compared to the most recent ten games.  A look at the numbers explains a lot.

So as you can see, the numbers show why the struggles have been as tough as they have been over the last month or so.  Some of it can be attributed to the fact that the team has been on the road for most of that period, and some of it may lie in the fact that the majority of those games on the first half were played against non-conference opponents.  Regardless, the numbers need to get better in the final five than they've been in the last ten.

It all starts tonight in River Falls.

See you at the rink!

JG

January 27, 2010

Rainy Days And Mondays
I think it was The Carpenters who sang "hangin' around, nothing to do but frown, rainy days and Monday's always get me down."  And so it is this week....or this year for that matter.  It's a downer because my beloved Vikings once again found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and once again have driven a dagger into the hearts of their fans.  We are to NFL fandom what Chicago Cubs fans are to baseball - the most tortured fan base in the league. 

It's also a downer because the 'Jackets continue to lose games.  Friday was another tough one, but Saturday was a different story.  On Saturday, the 'Jackets showed an effort, a true team effort, that we haven't seen in a long time.  Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to see the team come through.  You see, this was one of those games where the 'Jackets were playing six-on-nine.  I suppose that could be said for the weekend as a whole.  The 'Jackets got six power plays, while St. Norbert got 17.

I always preface things like this, both in print and on the air, by saying that I'm not one fond of tearing into referees.  I try to do it as little as possible because they are human, they do make mistakes, and rarely are they the main reason for a loss.  They are just contributors.  The team usually does too much, or too little, and that is the major reason for the defeat.  Saturday was different, though.

This officiating crew consists of two referees - Karl Olm and Steve Olson.  We've had them four times this year and in the four games a total of 80 penalties (that's not a misprint) have been called, 41 of them on the Yellowjackets.  That doesn't seem totally out of line, as generally these things come out even.  However, this weekend was a different story.  True the 'Jackets entered the weekend as one of the most penalized teams in Division III hockey.  But the disparity between the number called on the 'Jackets and the number called on St. Norbert was out of line.  On Friday, after a penalty free first period, the first five penalties called were on the Yellowjackets.  In the game six more penalties were called on the 'Jackets than the Green Knights.  Then on Saturday, the 'Jackets held the edge by four penalties, although one of the calls on St. Norbert was a ten-minute misconduct in the third period because their guy couldn't stop yapping after a call.  St. Norbert scored on a power play to open the scoring.  Following the goal, there was a melee in the Superior crease that saw all nine skaters on the ice involved.  The result, an extra penalty on the 'Jackets and another St. Norbert power play.  Situations such as that always even out, but not this time.  Then another penalty was called during that power play so the Green Knights had a five-on-three advantage.  An odd call toward the end of the period gave St. Norbert another power play and they scored again to go up two before the period was done.

You get the picture. 

When all was said and done, the effort the 'Jackets put forth, the effort that we've been waiting to see, wasn't, rather couldn't be rewarded, because the stripes got too involved.  They became too big a part of the game and only gave one team the opportunity to win.  It's a real shame that it has to be that way.  It's a shame that at the Division III level, officials aren't held accountable for bad games/bad calls but instead are just given more assignments.  It's a shame that supervisors turn a blind eye to these kinds of things, and when coaches blow up about them they are told to just worry about coaching or that they are just upset because they lost the game.  It's a shame that Division III hockey isn't included in a program like USA Hockey's Officials Development Program, where they are held accountable and sent packing if they don't do things right on the ice.  Maybe someday Division III hockey will finally make these guys accountable, but until that's the case we'll occasionally have to watch displays like we saw last weekend.

I'm not saying that the 'Jackets weren't in the wrong, because they were.  They committed some fouls during the game, but some of the calls were of the phantom variety and it cost them the chance to truly fight for a victory that they so sorely needed. 

See you at the rink!

JG

January 22, 2010

All-Decade Team
OK, so putting together this all-decade team was a little bit tougher than I originally thought it would be.  But looking back over all the teams and reliving some of the great performances that we had during that time was a lot of fun.  When I built this team, I didn’t take into account just numbers.  I wanted guys who could score, but I also looked at things like the ability to check, kill penalties, leadership, etc.  So what I tried to do is build a true “team,” not just a list of top scorers from the decade.

But please don’t ask me to go back and do the same thing for the previous decades!

Below are my choices for the all-decade team, complete with a brief statement about each player.  They are in alphabetical order by last name, so being at the bottom of the list is in no way an indictment that they are the worst player at the position or anything like that.  I know some people will see this differently, and others will agree.  But just make sure you take it in the spirit that it’s intended – to be something fun and something that takes us back a little bit.

So without any further hesitation, here are my thoughts on an All-Decade Team for the “Aughts.”

Goaltender
Chad Beiswenger – played nearly every game in his three years.  NCHA POY.
Nate Ziemski – simply the best, backbone of the national championship team.

Defense
Dustin Cosgrove – multiple year captain was a steadying influence on blue line.
Randy Currie – other half of towering pair.  Huge physical presence every night.
Bruce Leonard – half of towering defense pair and captain of national title team.
Dale Lupul – so many awards, possibly the best defenseman of all-time at UWS (pictured).
Derek Miller – former captain scored many big goals from the blue line.
Steve Rodberg – only played one season but impact was significant.  All-American.

Forward
Jeff Glowa – one of the most complete two-way players we’ve seen.
Chris Hackett – all about speed up front, and a pretty good offensive threat, too.
Colin Kendall – game tying and game winning goals in national title game.  ‘nuff said.
Josh Liebenow – consistent two-way player and top scorer on 2002 title team.
Kyle Nosan – two-way standout who was money on faceoffs.  A top scorer and All-American, too.
Ivan Prokic – possibly the most talented player in school history.
Randall Smisko – big, power forward provided consistent offense throughout career.
Rob Turville – could play it any way you wanted and the perfect captain for 2009 NCHA champ.
Rob Whidden – every team needs a guy who will take a drink out of the opposing goaltender’s water bottle.
Mike Wiggins – 30-goal season in 2004-05 and NCHA POY.
Chris Wilson – only here for two seasons, but one of the most electrifying players ever to suit up in black and gold.
Kris Wilson – because one Wilson on the team isn’t enough…plus he gave any team he played on attitude, swagger and intimidation.

So there it is.  Let the questioning of my judgment begin.

See you at the rink!

JG

 
January 20, 2010

Rock Bottom
In the 70's, Kiss had a closet classic tune called Rock Bottom (I'm sure Kirky will like this musical reference).  Have we hit rock bottom in Superior, or is there still more free fall to come?  Welcome to the land of the Yellowjackets.  The losses are piling up rapidly, attendance is dwindling and apathy is setting in among the locals.  In other words, things ain't good!

Let's recap.  The 'Jackets lost twice last weekend.  And to quote Forrest Gump, "that's all I'm going to say about that."

There are just so many things that, for those of us that have been around the program for a while, are hard to swallow.  To name just a few:

1) Dating back to last season, the 'Jackets are 4-6-1 at Wessman Arena in their last 11 games.
2) The 'Jackets have been swept three times in a season for the first time since 1997-98.
3) The 'Jackets are in last place in the NCHA, a place they haven't been this late in the season since 1983-84.
4) The 'Jackets have won just once in their last seven games, a stretch of futility not seen in these parts since the 1992-93 team had a stretch where they went 1-6-0.
5) The 'Jackets are giving up over three goals per game and the goaltenders have posted a combined save percentage of .878.

Like I said, these are just a few things.  We could go on for a long time looking at every little thing that ails this team, but the minutiae would give all of us a headache.  And frankly, I don't want to dive that deeply into problems.  That's the job of the coaches.  And hopefully they, or the team, or both can figure out the root of some of the major problems and get them fixed.  Otherwise, we'll be looking for places to golf by mid-February.  The process of correction begins this weekend with a pair at St. Norbert.  Not the ideal setting when you are trying to eradicate some issues from your club, but also no better time or place to make a statement that all of that is in the past and we're focused on the road ahead. 

On a different note, last week someone asked me why I didn't put together an all-decade team for the 2000's.  My answer was that I guess I didn't realize that the decade ended when it did.  Just bad calendar monitoring by me.  So, while on the trip out to St. Norbert, I'll give it a little thought and before the puck drops on Friday night, I will have an all-decade team for the "aughts" posted.

See you at the rink!

JG


January 11, 2010

Home Sweet Home
Motley Crue had a hit in the mid-1980's called Home Sweet Home.  And this weekend, that's exactly where we'll be for the first time since the day after Thanksgiving.  It's going to be so nice to play at home, even if it is just for one weekend.  The most recent road swing saw the 'Jackets play their most dominating game of the year on Friday against Bethel, a 5-1 win.  All four lines, all six defensemen and the goaltender were on top of their games on Friday.  As for Bethel, the best performers for them were in their student section.  Hats off to them for being awfully creative.  In the waning seconds of the second period, they started counting down the clock.  Only problem was they were early.  They started the countdown and hit zero when there were still eight seconds on the clock.  All ten players on the ice pulled up while time kept ticking away.  Both coaches screamed for their players to keep playing, and they did start up again after a lull of a few seconds.  Kudos to them for a great, and hilarious maneuver.  Nothing like putting together a chant like that and having it work!  This makes me wonder again, what has happened to our student section?  Years ago the student section at UWS (pictured)was a strong one, with students coming to games in togas, Kiss makeup or full hockey gear.  They chanted and cheered, and after the first UWS goal would lob a squid, yes a real squid, on the ice.  It didn't smell pleasant, but scoring that goal and being the one to pick up the squid and lob it off the ice was somewhat of a badge of honor.  Where have the students gone?  Why don't they support 'Jacket Hockey like they used to?  If you know the answer let me know because it would be great to once again have a full and active student section.

Saturday we got a chance to see one of the best comebacks in school history.  Down three goals heading into the third period, the 'Jackets scored three times in just about eight minutes to tie the game.  What a great feeling it was to see the team display some intestinal fortitude that we haven't always seen in situations like this in the past.  You could see the air slowly coming out of Hamline and if the game would have gone about three minutes longer, we would have had two victories on the weekend.

Also, please let me now officially start the petition to never have to play at Hamline again.  I'm not one who gets cold at games too often, but this place is freezing.  The broadcast vantage point is awful - stuck in a corner and having to peer around an office to see one of the corners.  And there was a high school game prior to ours.  The visiting team was using one of the locker rooms that we were supposed to be in, so all 21 skaters had to cram into one small room until after the warm-up, at which time the visiting high school team was gone and the guys could move in.  Not to mention the restroom situation.  The only restroom is in the lobby, and the team has to share it with the public.  That's just not right.  People may knock Wessman Arena for one reason or another, but teams that come in there have it pretty good and are pretty well taken care of.  If their biggest gripe about the building is that they are no longer allowed to do their pre-game stretching in the lobby, they don't have much to gripe about.

Greetings to Kris Wilson, Kevin Huck and Nate Ziemski, all of whom dropped us a line or stopped by during the games.  It's always good to chat with former players, so if you are at a game, please do not hesitate to stop by the press box/table and say hello.  We love to hear from you and it would be nice to talk to you on the air a little bit and catch up.  The fans always like to hear these things, too.

See you at the rink!

JG


January 4, 2010

For Auld Lang Syne, My Dear
OK, let's get a little housekeeping out of the way.  All the best of the season, albeit belated, to all of you.  I hope that the holidays have left you safe, healthy and recharged for a great 2010.

Second, a big ol' New Year's THANK YOU to the Dallas Cowboys.  I never thought those words would cross my lips, but they did the faithful of the Vikings a favor on Sunday by knocking off Philadelphia, assuring the Vikings of the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs and giving them a very important bye next week!  So thanks again to "America's Team."

Now back to business.  Auld Lang Syne, the song that we all sing on New Years, asks "should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?"  Put into a context that speaks of the most recent outings for the 'Jackets, the answer needs to be yes.  We don't want the latest contests ever coming to mind...again.  Let's recap.

The last time we heard from the boys of winter, they were getting their collective lunch handed to them by St. Scholastica.  I hate to be so blunt and slanted toward the negative, but there really is no way to put a positive spin on what happened over in Duluth.  They knew that the weekend was big, they knew they had to at least get three of four points in the standings so that they could start to make up some ground, and they knew that they were going to have to play their best games of the year so far.  Instead, they came out horribly flat and trailed 4-0 after one period on Friday, on their way to getting swept and falling even further back in the NCHA race.  Was it attitude?  Effort?  Preparation?  A bout of bad luck?  For those of us on the other side of the glass it could have been any one of those things.  Only the guys in the locker room know for certain.  But one thing we do know for sure is that if this team has their sights set on the NCAA tournament, they have to get better...quickly.  Games like we saw before the break can't happen anymore.  And they will have to win to get in.  With five losses already, an at-large bid, like the one they got last season, is out the window unless parity sets in and everyone in the west region loses 2-4 games in the second half.  It's highly unlikely that will happen, so they need to take care of their own business and win out so that anything subjective can be taken out of the equation.

It won't be easy.  After this weekend's non-conference games (which will be tough in their own right), the 'Jackets face a rugged conference schedule, one that sees them play first place St. Norbert and pre-season favorite Stout three times apiece.  In addition they have single games against River Falls and St. Scholastica, each of whom has already swept them.  So the 'Jackets will undoubtedly have to earn their way to play on in February and March.

But there is good news.  In case you missed it, the calendar recently did a flip and 2009 is gone and we can look forward to 2010.  The slate is clean.  History is just that, history.  We can all look forward to a fresh start, and that includes the boys of winter.  Let's hope they take advantage and go on one of those patented second half Yellowjacket runs.  What a welcome way to ring in the new year, eh?

See you at the rink!

JG


December 7, 2009

Everybody Hurts
Last decade, R.E.M. had a hit song called "Everybody Hurts."  Now I'm not making reference to any lyrics in particular, just the song's title.  Last night I was watching my Vikings get thumped by Arizona when I saw something that nobody who is a fan of sports wants to see.  A player get hurt.  Just about every game in the NFL, players get hurt.  But last night, Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson was hurt...bad.  It was one of the most gruesome injuries I have ever seen.  Going to make a tackle, Henderson collided with one of his teammates and broke his femur.  For those that don't know, the femur (or thigh bone) is one of the biggest, strongest and hardest bones in the human body to break.  And Henderson's was broken...badly.  He had surgery today to repair the injury and is out for the remainder of this season and beyond.  It's a true shame, as he missed most of last season with a foot injury and was only recently getting back to the level that he was at prior to that injury when this one occurred.

This got me to thinking how fortunate we are that we don't see more of this in sports, particularly in hockey and football, which are centered around contact and trying to separate participants from the puck or ball.  They're contact sports, and can be violent at times.  As fans, we derive enjoyment from seeing a big hit as much as a goal being scored.  When I was working in junior hockey, it was clear that two things got people out of their seats - goals and fights.  Now don't get me wrong - I love the physical aspect of hockey.  I am not in favor of seeing hitting and fighting eradicated from the sport (in fact, I think there actually is a place for fighting in college hockey, but that's for another time).  What we need to do is remember that the human body just can't withstand some of the things that we put it through, and from time to time injuries occur.  We also need to remember that these injuries, including the gruesome ones such as the one Henderson went through Sunday night, will happen and we are extremely fortunate that they don't happen more often.  When they do, it is always possible that we may be seeing someone play the game they love for the last time.

See you at the rink!

JG


December 4, 2009

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!
We've arrived in Stevens Point for the weekend series, and before we head off to do all the usual pre-game minutiae, I just wanted to post a note thanking everyone who donated to my March of Dimes cause and helped me get out of jail yesterday.  My goal was to raise $1000 of bail money for the event, and we hit the mark...and then some.  In total, we raised $1400, the largest individual total raised in the last two years in the Twin Ports.  So thank you again everyone.  I couldn't have done it without your help!

See you at the rink!

JG


November 30, 2009

And Away We Go
OK, I'm catching some flack for not updating the site quick enough.  For those out there that took the time to send me a note, I sincerely apologize.  The Thanksgiving holiday week kind of messed up my timing and with all the family around, it took away from my updates.  So I'll use tonight to provide you with a mishmash of items to chew on until the next time.  Here we go.

1) Does everyone realize that there are only five home games left this season, not including playoffs?  Seven of the first eight were played on home ice, and now this team will not be at home again until mid-January.  I'm no expert on creating schedules, but to me, this schedule just doesn't make sense.  A season this short is not a tough one to schedule and you would think they would be able to spread the games out a little bit better to balance the home and road games on the front and back of the schedule. 

2) Over the weekend, after we announced the score of the Norwich/Stout game, someone asked me why they were out there and how come we never go out east to play.  Simply stated, it's about money.  The Primelink Tournament takes three of the best teams in the east - Norwich, Middlebury and Plattsburgh and puts them in one tournament every year, rotating between those three cities from year to year.  They invite a team from the west to come out as the fourth team.  This year, Stout made the trip, and got smoked twice, but isn't necessarily a big deal because all three are among the best in the country.  Regardless of the result, they spent a lot of money to go there.  I asked Coach Stauber and he said that the 'Jackets have been invited, but have declined the invitation because of the expense of the trip.  To put it in perspective, prior to Saturday's game Coach Stauber and Coach Skrypek from St. Thomas were talking about such a trip because the Tommies made the trek recently.  He said that the trip is very expensive, as they spent over $15,000 when they went.  This coming from a coach at a school that has plenty of money.  In that light, it would be very cost prohibitive for a school like Superior, in this economy, to take on the financial burden of such a trip.  It's a real shame, because the 'Jackets in the same event with those three teams would be awesome!

3) On Saturday, Jameson Lundquist hit the ice wearing number 13 for the 'Jackets.  He nearly scored on his first shift and could easily have scored four goals in the game.  Rusty?  No way, which was kind of a shock to me considering he hadn't played in two years.  You wouldn't have known that he took time off.

4) This weekend will be the first overnight road trip of the season.  What better place to play two than in Stevens Point?  Back in my playing days (man that makes me sound so old) K.B. Willett Arena was one of the greatest places to play.  Low glass, fans right on top of you, and no shortage of creative signs and sayings coming your way.  Recently, the spirit is returning to the Willett, once again making it a great place to play, or watch, a game.  Plus, it is the only barn in the league that consistently has a pep band.  That makes me wonder, where has the Superior pep band been this year?

5) I got some complaints over the weekend because the web stream at KUWS wasn't working.  Sorry about that.  The web stream can now picked up every game at www.ifan.tv.  For home games you will be able to access video of the game as well as the radio broadcast.  For road games, you will be able to get the radio broadcast.  The link on the main page of our site is now directed to the site where you can get the feeds each game.  Hopefully this puts an end to our web audio and video difficulties.

Finally, just a quick thank you from me to all of you who have supported me so far in the March of Dimes Jail and Bail event.  We are nearly at the goal that they have set for me, and I couldn't have done it without all of you.  Now, if you haven't donated, please don't be afraid to do so.  Just because we are close to the mark doesn't mean we can't exceed it.  So please be generous and help me get out of jail this Thursday.  If we don't come through, who will call the games in Point this weekend?

See you at the rink!

JG


November 18, 2009

Tonight There's Going To Be A Jailbreak
At least that's what Thin Lizzy would lead you to believe.  There will be a jailbreak, but it won't be tonight, or tomorrow for that matter.  The jailbreak is coming on Thursday, December 3, and the jailbird will be yours truly.  On that day, I will be arrested by the March of Dimes to take part in their Jail & Bail fundraiser.  The bail money that I raise will go to a great charity that does great things for babies and the prevention of birth defects.  I was really excited when they asked me to take part.  So I will be thrown in the clink and I need to raise $1000 to get out.  That's where all of you come in.  Below is the link to my personal Jail & Bail web site. 

http://jailandbail.marchofdimes.com/garver

I ask that each and every one of you reach into your own pocket to help me raise my bail money.  I have an hour to do it on that day, but frankly would love to have the bulk of that done before that time.  It's a great cause and the life you could be helping could be that of your child or grandchild.  Perhaps, maybe in the past you were one of the children that the March of Dimes helped.  Regardless, this is a great time to reach out and help, so please be generous!

You can make your donation right online, or if you would prefer to give cash or a check, email me at uwsjackets@yahoo.com and I'll let you know what you need to do.  I thank everyone in advance for helping me raise my bail and making a donation to a great cause.

Finally, today is my mom's birthday (I won't say how many), so Happy Birthday Mom!  Love ya!

See you at the rink!

JG


November 16, 2009

We're On The Road
It's one of the classic scenes in the movie Slapshot - the Hanson brothers in their hotel room playing with what was then a top-of-the-line race car set.  When their coach sees them playing with the cars, he says "brought your cars with ya, huh?" and one of the brothers says "we're on the road."  That's what we were on Saturday.  Six hours on the bus - one way - to play a game and then six more hours home.  In Slapshot they drink beer and play high-stakes (for the time - it was 1977) poker to pass the time.  In this day and age, it's movies...lots of them.  Occasionally you get a comedy, but for the most part it's action flicks.  Nothing like gunfire cranked up over the bus speakers at 8:00 a.m. to wake you up!

The road is a wonderful place.  It gives teams a chance to bond and allows teams to play without the pressures of being at home.  When you have a team with as many new players as this year's version of the Yellowjackets, it's important to get them all together and give them time to grow closer.  Hopefully this one-day roadie is a start and will help the team get even closer than they already appear to be.

I was happy to see that they didn't fall victim to the "trap game" that this one was.  It would have been easy for them to just show up, go through the motions, possibly lose the game, and head back home.  But they did what had to be done and got the win.  Of course it would have been great to see them win 8-0, but a win is a win.

Back at home this weekend against Eau Claire.  The Blugolds are never a pushover, and always seem to have a little extra in the tank when they come to Superior.  Let's hope the 'Jackets are ready for it and can get their first conference wins of the season.

See you at the rink!

JG


November 9, 2009

Now That's More Like It
Granted the Concordias and St. John's of the world are not quite River Falls, but after two opening weekend losses, a win over anyone is a great thing.  The weekend saw the 'Jackets score 13 goals.  Several players had big games, a half dozen players scored their first goals, the power play got on the board and penalty kill improved.  So all in all, weekend number two provided them with everything the team needed.  It allowed them to get a little bit healthy.  But there are still some concerns that need to be addressed.

This team still takes way, way too many penalties.  Through four games they have been whistled for 176 minutes in penalties, or 44 minutes a game.  I  know that this is inflated by the number of 10-minute misconducts that they have taken, but they count and they hurt because those players have to sit for an extended period.  It messes with your lines and defense pairs and ends up really messing with your flow and chemistry.  They will have to figure out a way to be more disciplined, or they will pay a stiff price when they play the top teams on their schedule.  You can't continue to take this volume of penalties and enjoy success.

Then there is the goaltending.  Last weekend, it was rough...and I think that's putting it mildly.  This weekend, Jim Patterson started, and won, both games.  But still, there were times when he seemed to fight the puck and times where he didn't seem to be able to pick the puck up very well.  And the competition wasn't the same as that which Rosett and Tinkham saw the week before.  So is Patterson the answer?  I don't know.  We'll see if the staff gives him a third straight start or decides to try one of the others the next time out.  I do know that the coaching staff would like to see one goaltender get in a groove and seize control of the competition and Patterson is a head above the rest right now because he won. 

So this weekend we head to Lawrence.  It will be the first-ever meeting between UWS and Lawrence.  This is the game that made me nervous when I first looked at the schedule.  It could be an upset special for a number of reasons.  UWS is busing out there the day of the game rather than the night before.  A trip of 5+ hours, then having to play a game, that's tough.  Hopefully the bus legs go away during the warm-up, rather than at practice on Monday.  Lawrence is an up and coming team, playing on home ice, and feeling they have something to prove against an NCHA foe.  They are unbeaten and will obviously want to stay that way.  Plenty of things that could cause trouble.  Let's hope the focus is there and that the things that made me nervous when I first saw the schedule are no big deal.

See you at the rink!

JG


October 31, 2009

Um...OK
Interesting.  That's about the best I can say about last night's season opener.  It was interesting to see someone else play in goal, and to his credit Mike Rosett played pretty well.  You'd never know that he hadn't seen a game in two years.  It was interesting to see some of the new guys out there.  You can see that they have some talent, but you can also see that they are young.  They made some mistakes, as all freshmen will.  It was one of those nights where nobody, on either team, was overly impressive.  It was just an OK game.  So I guess there isn't a whole lot to discuss.  Two things come to mind.  In the first period, the 'Jackets came out playing physical, throwing the body around whenever possible and laying some big hits, two by Chris Wilson come to mind.  River Falls owned a territorial advantage, but the hitting was eventually going to take a toll.  Then after the first period, we stopped hitting, and River Falls got more comfortable.  They carried more of the play from then on.  I think the other thing that stands out to me right now is the fact that the Yellowjackets have now dropped three in a row at home.  That just shouldn't happen.  We'll see if they can't turn it around tonight.

See you at the rink!

JG


October 28, 2009

The Final Countdown
In the 1980's, the hair band Europe had a hit (and strangely not their only hit) with a song called The Final Countdown.  Folks, I'd be lying if I said that tune hasn't been playing in my head for the better part of this week.  For those of us that have had the better part of seven months to stew on the way last season ended, we are in the midst of the final countdown.  The 2009-10 season is finally here! 

So many things to look forward to.  So many questions to be answered.  In honor of Coach Stauber's 10th season, here are ten things that I feel pretty certain we will see this season.

1) Tyler Fletcher will have a breakout season.  True, he is a senior and they generally don't have breakout years, but I expect big things from "Fletch" this season.  Having watched him for two years, I'm not sure that there has been a player in the NCHA that has personified the word "snakebitten" like he has.  All of those chances are going to pop this year and Fletcher will have a big year.

2) The 'Jackets will match last year's total of two shorthanded goals...in one game.  Last season, they weren't overly offensive (nor should they have been) on the penalty kill, and they didn't score many shortys.  Two to be exact.  They will surpass that total this year, and do it in the same game.

3) Matt Wiest will score a goal.  Last year I predicted that Josh Seifert, then a junior, would finally score a goal.  He did in the first game of the year (and he's still sitting on one for his career).  Wiest will be the junior that gets off the schnide this season and score a goal...or two.  The kid just works too darn hard to not find the back of the net.

4) Jesse Junkermeier will make at least one appearance on defense.  Injuries are part of the game, and the 'Jackets are only carrying seven defensemen this season.  At some point they will be shorthanded on the blue line and Junkermeier, who played back there last season, will have to jump back.

5) Someone will step up and take over the goaltending job.  In his coaching tenure, Dan Stauber has never been shy about staying with the hot goaltender.  Rosett, Tinkham, Dalbec or Patterson - one of them will emerge as the starter by the time the team hits playoffs.

6) Coach Stauber will win his 200th career game as Yellowjacket head coach.  He needs 17 to reach the milestone.

7) Coach Stauber will get clipped with a puck on the bench this season.  At least once per game, a puck finds its way into the bench.  Occasionally, you see a coach catch it or get out of the way when it gets too close.  Sorry coach, but you're a year older now and the diminished reflexes will catch up with you.  One of these pucks will leave a mark on you.

8) Talon Berlando will score a goal in conference play.  Berlando has scored 12 goals in his career, including 11 in last year's breakout.  But none of them have come in NCHA play.  That will change this year.

9) Braden Desmet will lead the NCHA in scoring.  When healthy, Desmet has led the Yellowjackets in scoring and been one of the most dynamic offensive players in the country.  This season he will put up his best numbers yet and lead the conference in scoring.

10) Tom Erlacher will teach me to say "he shoots, he scores" in Italian.  We accommodated Yann Poirier when he was here and did the goal call in French.  It's the least we can do for the program's first native Italian.

So there you have it folks, ten things that I'm pretty certain will happen this season.  Some may agree, some may not.  And I'm sure Steve Nelson will read it and be knocking on wood.  Oh yeah, #11 would probably be Steve Nelson will knock on wood at some point during the year.  That one is a stone cold lock!

Puck drops Friday.  See you at the rink!

JG


October 17, 2009

Final Cut Down Day, Right?
In the classic sports movie Major League, there's a scene at the end of spring training where Charlie Sheen's character asks "Final cut down day, right?"  Tom Berenger's character responds "'Fraid so.  But whatever happens, keep it to yourself until you get out of the clubhouse.  You don't want to celebrate in front of guys that just died."  That's kind of what it was like at Wessman today.  I stopped in to watch part of the final scrimmage of tryouts and you could see the desperation in the play of some of the players.  Like I said in an earlier post, there were almost 40 players out for the team this season, meaning that nearly half of them would receive their walking papers today as the roster gets shaved down to 27.

I didn't envy the coaching staff at all.  With that many players, there were position battles at every position.  And no matter if the kid is a walk-on, a recruit or a veteran; a forward, defenseman or goaltender, it's never easy to tell a player that this just isn't their year, and this just isn't their team.  Tough because, in many cases, this is their last chance to keep playing.  It's always hard to watch a player's career come to an end.  And unfortunately, there were some long faces walking out of the rink today.

But there were also some happy faces, as 27 guys learned that they would be part of the 2009-10, defending NCHA champion Yellowjackets.  Who are they?  Good question.  Looking at the list, there is a lot of new blood in the black and gold this season, so it will be a learning experience for me behind the mike, just as it will be for you in the stands.  We'll do what we can to prepare you prior to the season opener on October 30.

More to come when I can learn a little more about this roster - veteran and newcomers alike.

See you at the rink!

JG


October 12, 2009

Gobble Gobble, eh!
It may be Columbus Day here in the United States, but our neighbors to the north are celebrating their Thanksgiving.  So to all of my Canadian friends out there, a very Happy Thanksgiving!

JG


October 7, 2009

Minnesota...NICE!
I think just about everybody at one time or another has heard the phrase "Minnesota Nice," which is nod to the kind-hearted nature of people from there.  Well, it's time to put a different spin on that.  As you can see below, I'm a born and raised Minnesotan.  And right now is one of those rare times when we can look at ourselves and our sports teams and realize that we are the center of the sports universe.  Normally, this is reserved for the New York's, Boston's and LA's of the world, while us in the Midwest are relegated to accepting that we are nothing more than flyover country.  Not today.  Let's do a quick rewind.  The Gopher football team got everything off on the wrong foot with their loss to Wisconsin in the first Big Ten game at their shiny new stadium.  But never fear, the state's pro teams made sure that we could, even if only for a few days, enjoy being in the spotlight.

Twins: The Twins accomplished something that has never happened in the history of Major League Baseball - they rallied from three games out with four to play to win the division.  They did it by sweeping Kansas City in a weekend series, setting up a one-game playoff against Detroit.  A 162 game season wasn't enough, these two teams needed an extra game.  And nine innings wasn't enough, these two teams needed to play 12.  People were hanging on every pitch, cringing with every mistake, until a run in the bottom of the 12th allowed the state to scream jubilation.  The win upstaged what happened the night before.

Vikings:  As I wrote below, Monday night was the Border Battle between the Vikings and the Packers.  Former Packer great Brett Favre, now the QB for the Vikes, led the team to a 30-23 win in what became the most watched program in cable history.  I had the good fortune of being there, and today my voice is still paying the price.  Minnesota is now 4-0, something we haven't been able to say for a few years.  And yes Packer fans, I have heard all the jokes and been told more than once that Minnesota needed a former Packer to be a winner.  With this I do agree - Ryan Longwell has been a great signing for us.

Wild: And for good measure, the Wild rallied from three goals down in the third period to tie the game, and eventually win it in overtime in their home opener on Tuesday.

Whew!  What a great week it has been to be a Minnesota sports fan...too bad we have to watch the momentum get squashed by the Yankees.

'Jacket hockey talk coming up soon...I promise!

JG


October 5, 2009

Border Battle
Everyone who has been to Wisconsin has seen first-hand just how passionate the locals are about their teams.  Barns, garages, even vehicles, can be found in all areas of the state adorned with the colors and logos of their clubs - namely the Badgers and the Packers.  That is also true in Superior, even if it is actually closer (and probably easier) for the folks there to go to Gopher and Vikings games.  The proximity to the border also offers up a unique opportunity to see supporters of both sides at their best, or worst, depending on your perspective.  On Saturday, the Badgers made their first-ever appearance at TCF Bank Stadium, again knocking off the Gophers and retaining control of Paul Bunyan's axe.  Now today, the pro teams take their turn.  An already heated rivalry, this year's edition has even more venom as Green Bay's favorite son, Mr. Favre, is at the controls of the hated Vikings, bringing even more drama, excitement and anticipation to a game that really didn't need any more.  The Dome will be half purple, half green, as it always is.  It will be loud, festive and flat-out fun.  I'm looking forward to it.

Born in Minnesota?  Yes I was.  Live in Wisconsin?  Yes I do.  Conflict of interest?  No way!  My allegiance was, is and always will be with the Purple.

Skol Vikings!

JG


September 28, 2009

The Waiting
I think it was Tom Petty who said it best on his Hard Promises album of 1981: "The waiting is the hardest part."  It's been a long off-season, especially when you consider the way last season's promising run came to an abrupt halt.  If you are like me, you're going through some serious hockey withdrawals these days.  But take heart folks - the end is in sight.  We're less than five weeks from the drop of the puck.  Need proof?  Last week the compressors at Wessman were turned on, slowly dropping the temperature of the floor to 18 degrees, a temperature very comfortable for making ice.  Today, they painted and the ice sheet for the 2009-10 season took shape (pictured).  If you need further convincing I suppose you could just take a look at a calendar.

As a player, this was always an exciting time of year.  The team is together again, and you are about to realize the reason for all of the hard work that you put in (or at least were supposed to put in) over the summer.  You have the excitement and anticipation of the season ahead, hoping for another deep run in the NCAA post-season, and a different result this time around.  There is something truly special about the start of the season.  And although I'm no longer a player, I still get excited at this time of year.  But don't get me wrong, there are things that I certainly don't miss.  Dryland training and its 7-mile run comes to mind.  As do Steve Nelson's legendary Monday practices.

Nowadays it's a little different.  Now I just look forward to going to the rink and smelling the ice.  Strange?  Probably.  But there are people out there that know what I'm talking about.  Early in the season, before the it begins smelling of a combination of stale soda, burnt popcorn and the inside of a hockey glove, the building, and the ice in particular, have a very distinct smell.  It's one of the things that really lets me know the season is here, and something that triggers my excitement for the drop of the puck.

Today the giant Yellowjacket found its home at center ice, and before you know it I'll find my home behind the mike for another season of Yellowjacket Hockey on KUWS.  I've been getting questions all summer long, so there is definitely a "buzz" around town for this season's version of the Yellowjackets.  We have a great core of players back, but there are questions to be answered, and we'll explore all of that leading up to the season opener.

See you at the rink!

JG