August 21, 2011

Life, Death And Other Ramblings
It's a Sunday morning, and I'm going through a regular ritual of mine, which consists of knocking back nearly an entire pot of coffee while browsing the Internet and reading a variety of newspapers from across the nation.  A ritual unlike that of many out there I'm sure.  While reading, I found a story about two fans who were SHOT outside Candlestick Park in San Francisco following an NFL pre-season game between the 49ers and Raiders.  Really?  Shot?  Earlier this year a Giants fan was nearly killed after the opening day game at Dodger Stadium.  This has gone too far, people.  I'm as fanatical about my team as the next guy, but under no circumstances do I feel like shooting a fan of another team full of lead or bouncing some person's head off the parking lot a couple of times if things don't go our way or someone upsets me.  Seriously people, this is sports.  It isn't life or death or anything.  Sit back and enjoy the game for what it is - a game.  It's entertainment and nothing more than that.  There is no need to kill someone because they cheer for the other team or your team lost or whatever the case may be.

Which brings me to a few other items.  First, let's chat life.  Congratulations are in order to a trio of former Yellowjackets.  Reed Larson is now the head coach at Virginia (Minn.) High School, while Josh Liebenow has hung up his skates to become the head coach at Chisago Lakes (Minn.) High School.  And just last week, Eric Bausano accepted the position of assistant athletic trainer at St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn.  We'll see you on November 5, Buzz.  Good luck in the new jobs, guys.

On September 17 I will be skating in the North Shore Inline Marathon.  I'm now officially open to accepting donations on behalf of Team Munson (see previous post).  Please let me know if you are interested in contributing to the cause, as I will be skating as a member of that team next month.  No amount is too small as we do our part to try and help out these great people.

Lastly, a sad note, as this entry does refer to life and death.  While browsing the papers this morning, I came across the obituary of Bryan Stanaway, the son of former Yellowjacket assistant coach Dan Stanaway.  Thoughts and prayers go out to Coach Stano's family in this tough time.

See you at the rink!

JG

June 11, 2011

We're Superior
Harkening back to the days when I first arrived here in 1994, I can remember a huge sign on the football press box at Ole Haugsrud Field, long since painted over, that stated simply, "We're Superior."  That simple, two-word statement can mean a lot of things, but I think the single greatest meaning, in my mind, shone through like a bright beacon through a Lake Superior fog last evening at Barkers Island Inn.

Last week, longtime Yellowjacket radio voice John Munson and his family discovered that his son Eric had stage four cancer of unknown origin.  Scary enough is the fact that this is a young man, 31 to be exact, that is suffering from cancer that has reached stage four.  Scarier yet, is that they don't know where it started, only that it is spreading.  It is an extremely touching and heart-wrenching story.  To read it, please click the link below, courtesy of the Superior Telegram.

http://www.superiortelegram.com/event/article/id/54572/publisher_ID/37/

About 90 minutes after word surfaced that Eric was sick, his friends went into action and a benefit was put together.  I've been to benefits of this type before, and let me say that there are benefits, and then there are BENEFITS.  This was the latter.  Never before have I seen people from all corners of the community do what they could to help.  From silent auction items to food donations to volunteering at the event, people stepped up in a major way.  Family, friend or total stranger, that didn't matter.  People came out in droves to support this newlywed couple.  I've never seen the parking lot at Barkers Island filled to the hilt like this.  In the end, more than 1,500 people came out to help in any way they could, and in the end thousands of dollars were raised in the name of "Team Munson."  To use the word overwhelming to describe the love and support that this community showed for one of its own would be, well, underwhelming.

So to be able to watch this and take part in it gave me a real understanding of what it means to be a part of Superior.  It makes me understand why I love living here so much, and why I keep coming back when I've had chances to live in locales that are much more glamourous.  I'm proud to be a part of this community, a community of people who put everything on hold one evening to come together as one and help one of their own.  Thank you, Superior, for taking me in and letting me be a part of it all.

We're Superior!

JG

March 29, 2011

I Can See Clearly Now
In 1972, Johnny Nash had a hit with his tune "I Can See Clearly Now."  That's appropriate because three weeks after the Yellowjackets saw their season end, I can see things more clearly.  I can see clearly that I'm still a little grumpy with the way it came to an end.  I thought by waiting a few weeks to come back to this page that I would feel a little better about it.  Nope.  The fact remains that Mr. Gulenchin, our official for the evening, allowed himself to be convinced by the Hamline bench that what happened should have been a penalty and put the Yellowjackets shorthanded in overtime, ultimately leading to Chris Berenguer, the Division III Player of the Year, scoring the game-winner.  Was what Logan Isley did a penalty?  Sure it was.  Was it the kind of infraction that should have been called in overtime?  Not on your life!  Now I know what some of you are thinking.  You're thinking that a penalty is a penalty, no matter when it occurs in a game.  That's true, as the rules are black and white.  Still, anyone who has watched hockey knows that when a game goes to overtime, and a team or two have their seasons on the line, the infraction better take away a scoring chance or result in an injury.  This did neither.  He should be ashamed of himself for making that call at that point in the game, especially the way he did.  He wasn't making the call right away, rather he waited for the Hamline bench to erupt before putting his arm in the air.  Along that line, maybe the Yellowjackets should have done that more on their own side, as they had just one power play in the entire game.

We were the better team that night.  We outplayed Hamline in every way, just couldn't get that bounce that we needed.  The guys should be very, very proud of what they did on the ice that night.  I know I sure was one proud alumnus after that game and the few guys that I spoke to afterward know that.  I wasn't afraid to tell them.  Still, the moral victory doesn't make what happened any easier to swallow.  Neither does the fact that St. Norbert went on to win the national title (and yes Mr. Lukes, I'm well aware that now this year you have TWO trophies that I covet).  We were right there with them, and that tells me this team wasn't that far away.  Just a few pieces and a little bit of puck luck and who knows, right?

So where does that leave us?  Four guys graduate - Berlando, Isley, Junkermeier and Wiest.  Berlando was the top scorer and really became the heart of the team.  He will be a tough guy to replace, as will the other three, all of which brought something different to the table.  Still, we have what appears to be an All-American in waiting between the pipes, a rock-solid corps of returning defensemen and a group of forwards that surprised everyone this year.  The recruiting season needs to yield a few things to help this group get over the top.  First, a little bit of scoring would be nice.  We struggled too often this year to score goals.  A guy that has the chance to score every time he's on the ice would be a good thing.  Second, a little bit of beef would be a good thing.  It would be nice to have a guy or two up front and a couple more on the blue line that can bang people around, make them think twice about going in the corners or in front of the net.  Third, just a little bit of depth.  This team was tested this year with injuries from day one, and at times had to piece a lineup together.  A little more depth would be a good thing as this team looks to make a run.

Nobody expected anything of this team - NCHA coaches, other teams and even the locals, and this team shocked all of them with a really good season.  Next year it promises to be even better with this group that we have returning.

OK, I've gotten a little long-winded here tonight.  Just one more thing.  Many of you will remember last year that I allowed myself to be arrested for the March of Dimes as part of their Jail and Bail fundraiser.  With your help through your generous donations, I was able to set a record for northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin by raising $1,400 for their program.  This year, we're going after cancer as part of UW-Superior's Relay for Life, and I want to top the number from last year.  That's where you come in.  I can't do it without help from all of you.  I know it isn't as much fun as bailing me out of jail, but the cause is no less significant.  We have all been touched by cancer, and if you are one of the lucky ones who hasn't, chances are you know someone who has.  You may ask why I do this?  See the picture to the right - that is me with my dad, Ted Garver, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in 2004.  He wasn't one of the lucky ones, and that's why I do this.  So please, for those that couldn't be cured, make a generous donation to help me and my team at this event.  Click here to visit my donation page and help us be the top fundraising team at the event.  Thank you in advance for your generosity and your help as we fight to put an end to cancer.  And anyone who gets a donation will get...wait for it...a handwritten thank-you note from yours truly!

See you at the rink!

JG

March 7, 2011

Great Exaggerations
I believe it was Mark Twain in 1897 who said "reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," or something like that.  Tough when they put the proverbial toe tag on you before you flatline.  The quote was true then, and it's true today as well.  No, Mr. Twain is indeed dead, but the Yellowjackets are not.  Plenty of folks, including yours truly, eulogized the team last weekend, only to have them sit up in the casket at their funeral on Monday morning thanks to the folks at the NCAA, who thrust them into the tournament and allowed them to live for another day.  So for all of those who had to listen to me thank my sponsors, my board ops and the senior class at the conclusion of my broadcast on Saturday, many apologies.  True, I am appreciative and meant my remarks with all sincerity, but we're not done.  Another game, and hopefully several more, for our sponsors, board ops and especially the seniors to do their thing.

Another week and another huge game against St. Norbert.  You could feel the anticipation the second everyone hit the ice for warm-ups.  And it lived up to the billing.  Well, for the most part I guess.  If you read below, I make reference to the endless taunts aimed at my fandom of the Minnesota Vikings by Mr. Dan Lukes of St. Norbert College.  I asked him to give me his best joke and, to my horror, he didn't have one.  A Packer fan without a Viking joke.  Isn't that like a Viking with a Super Bowl ring?  Instead, he said "I sent you the photo.  Nothing more needs to be said."  And he's right.  That's him in the photo at right, a Packer fan, holding the Lombardi Trophy.  It was the first crusher of the night for me.  No joke, just incredible reinforcement that my NFL team is inferior to his.  Sigh.  The second, of course, came in the actual game.  There are many in the world of black and gold who remember heading to Cornerstone and winning Bob's Cup in OT in 2006.  But there are also plenty who remember the next week getting crushed 8-2...or getting slammed 8-3 in the "Battle of the Bob" the year before, where we were serenaded by chorus' of "there's a hole in your goalie, Superior" by the SNC students.  This year was different from the get-go.  Both teams had it going in what turned out to be one great hockey game.  We were trailing 2-0 after two periods, but I had people from the dark side coming up between periods telling me how we were kicking a certain part of their collective anatomy located on the posterior.  No matter.  If you don't score, the kicking doesn't matter.  The 'Jackets did break through in the final minute of play, but it was too little, too late, and they were headed home with a tough loss to swallow...and time to get prepped for golf season.  Or so we thought.

Then on Sunday it started to fester that maybe these guys just weren't done.  And when the NCAA convened, they deemed us worthy.  It certainly isn't the record.  A 12-loss season rarely gets you in.  What it had to be is the strength of schedule (one of the five toughest in the country) and their play down the stretch.  The team was trending the right way, and now they're being rewarded for it.  The first NCAA opponent is Hamline, a team that beat us 4-1 earlier this year at the DECC.  It was the first game after break and for my money, the worst we'd played all season long.  I felt bad for Drew Strandberg in that one because it seemed they left him out there all by himself without a whole lot of help.  Hamline scored twice in the first six minutes and with 54 minutes to play, that sucker was over.  It will be different this time.  Throw in your favorite cliche - it's do or die; there's no tomorrow; gotta win or go home; throw the records out the window.  They're all true and the boys know it.  They'll be ready and provide a better effort than we saw the first time these teams met this season.

Time now for our Three Stars of the Week, brought to you by Strickland Propane.  #3 - Logan Isley: it's not a secret that this season, and last for that matter have been tough for Logan Isley.  He's not scoring like he did his first two years and it seems like he's really fighting it at times.  And although he didn't score on Saturday, it was one of his best games of the season, hand's down.  He does that again, this kid will break that drought and go out with a flourish.  #2 - Drew Strandberg: in what has become somewhat of a broken record, he played another solid game, allowing just two goals and again seeing his GAA drop.  The kid's a keeper!  #1 - Derek Stauber: for the second week in a row, Stauber makes an appearance.  He played a nice game Saturday and finally snapped that goal-scoring drought.   Hopefully he takes off now that the monkey is off his back.

That's the news that's fit to print on this end.  NCAA hockey is back!

See you at the rink!

JG 

March 1, 2011

The Wheels On The Bus...
...will hopefully go round and round, as they say in the children's song.  A minimum of 30 people are needed to make the fan bus a go, so make the call and reserve your seat for the trip to the Peters Cup finals on Saturday.  To book your seat or for other information, contact Dave Oviatt with the 'Jacket Ice Booster Club at (715) 392-2756 or (218) 591-2751.

Hockey in March...gotta love it!

See you at the rink!

JG

February 28, 2011

I Got You Babe
That song, made famous by Sonny and Cher, was made even more famous, to a whole new generation of people by Bill Murray's 1993 film Groundhog Day.  Murray plays a television reporter assigned to cover the Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, Pa.  A winter storm keeps him there and in a nutshell, he ends up reliving this one day of his life, which starts out every morning with this little ditty playing as soon as the clock radio goes off.  So what does this have to do with anything?  I'll let you know in a minute.

Good weekend for the Yellowjackets.  They survived the second round of the Peters Cup playoffs, knocking off the "rough and tumble visitors from Thunder Bay."  Oh, wait a minute, that was Kelly Youngblood reading an article from the newspaper in Youngblood (click here to see the movie I'm talking about...in case you don't).  But I suppose we could just switch out the Bombers for the Pointers and it would be appropriate.  Stevens Point is the most physical team in the NCHA, and they know it.  They try to play the game of intimidation and try to goad the other teams into antics that will cost them.  For Pete's sake, they go John Wensink on the whole thing (click here to see what I mean) and make it a regular practice of challenging the opposing bench...in college hockey!  That just doesn't make sense to me. I don't even know that many guys in juniors who challenge the bench anymore.  There's a reason that they are the most heavily penalized team in the NCHA.  My hat's off to the Yellowjackets for keeping their discipline and not falling into those things.  The 'Jackets played well for the first two periods and went to the room up 4-2.  In the third, the Pointers were throwing everything, and then some, at the Yellowjackets, and they withstood it.  Not an easy thing to do when pucks are being shot and bodies are flying from everywhere on the ice.  But the boys clamped down and did a great job of keeping them off the board.  We'll take the win and move on to see if we can't bring that Peters Cup back to Suptown...

...which brings us back to this Groundhog Day thing.  Going to St. Norbert to play the Peters Cup finals is like my own, personal version of Groundhog Day.  So many times we've headed out there to play this game.  It seems like something that we do every year.  Frankly, it would be nice to play it at home for once, but I'll take the road trip rather than not be playing at all.  This is going to be a tough game.  As a result of the Oswego loss, St. Norbert is now the #1 team in the country.  So we get to play #1, and we have to do it in their barn, where they lose something like once a year (and where I get my fair share of Packer jokes from Mr. Lukes - I'll use his latest in this column next week so he doesn't yell at me again!).  That's OK (playing there, not the jokes that is).  The Yellowjackets have played well in that building before.  They've won there before.  We've won this game there before.  We can do it again.  Now that we've found some consistency and seem to have this getting shut out thing behind us, all we have to do is relax and play our game.  They'll also have to maintain that discipline we talked about earlier.  The last thing we want to do is take penalties and allow the St. Norbert power play, which packs a bigger punch than Rocky Balboa in that Lipton Iced Tea commercial (click here to see what I mean), to beat us.  It should be a good game, but that's to be expected.  The Superior/St. Norbert battles over the years have been some of the best.  There have been a few blowouts in there in the past, and we've usually been on the business end of those, but I don't see it going that way this year.  This Yellowjacket crew is different.

Time now for our Three Stars of the Week, sponsored by Moe's Tavern in Springfield, USA.  #3 - Derek Stauber: You had to feel for Derek Stauber.  He scores a goal against St. Scholastica on December 10 and has an assist the next night, to give him five points in the first 13 games of the year.  We never heard from him again.  Until Saturday.  His assist was a thing of beauty.  Knocking the puck out of the air to hold the zone and letting a good hard shot go that was deflected home.  Great way to snap that consecutive games without a point streak.  #2 - Justin Faryna: This kid just continues to impress me.  His goal on Saturday night was a fantastic use of a fake and using his body.  The strong move to the net and the eventual goal just topped it all off.  Good goal by a good kid, who does everything out there the way a coach would want him to.  #1 - Tyler Klein: It had been a while, ten games to be exact, since we saw #12 on the score sheet.  But he scored the game-winner early in the second period and had an assist on an insurance goal later.  A nice game for the freshman from Fargo.

We'll keep it coming this week, as the week leading up to this game is always fun.

See you at the rink!

JG

February 21, 2011

Far From Over
Bet you didn't know Sylvester Stallone had a brother, did you?  Well he does, and back in the 1980's Frank Stallone (yes there really is a Frank Stallone - click here if you don't believe me) had a tune on the soundtrack of Stayin' Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, called "Far From Over."  I thought the title was perfect for the point in the season where we are right now.  When the regular season closed, we knew that the Yellowjackets could play a maximum of eight more games.  After this weekend, that number is reduced to six, but the hope is that we're far from over.

Before I jump into hockey, I want to take a moment to send out well wishes to longtime booster Don Hapy.  Don never misses a game, and many days can be seen at practice.  After the game last Friday, Donny had an episode that resulted in him being hospitalized.  He was discharged, home and resting comfortably before Saturday's opening faceoff, but regardless, all of us associated with the program got a little scare when we heard that Donny was feeling out of sorts.  We're happy that he's doing better and hope to see him at the rink again soon.  So when you say your prayers, don't forget to toss one out there for Donny!

The weekend was far from perfect.  Friday the boys held on for a win.  You got the feeling that if there were five more minutes to that game we might not have gotten the win.  Saturday, there were times that the Saints carried the play, but on this night the 'Jackets always had an answer to the pressure.  When the Saints made it 3-2, you could sense the tension in the stands, but the line of Kyle Leahy, Pat Dalbec and Joey Massingham scored two of their three third period goals after that point and put the game, and the series away.  More laurels for that group coming up shortly.  So the stage is set for the semifinals, as the Yellowjackets will host Stevens Point.  The Pointers got here by winning on Saturday, 1-0 over Eau Claire, who took game one on Friday.  They then won the mini-game 1-0 to advance.  The Yellowjackets took the season series 2-1 from the Pointers, but make no mistake, this team is confident and playing well right now.  They are 8-3-1 in their last 12 games, including a win over the Yellowjackets down in Stevens Point.  It should be exciting, as both teams know that a win and they move on, a loss and they go home.  Don't you just love these one-game shots where an entire season hinges on a measly 60 minutes?  And if you don't, it could be worse.  It could be a mini-game where your season rides on a mere 20!

Time for the Three Stars of the Week, brought to you by Binford Tools.  This week I'm going to do something that I hate to do on things like this and honor more than just three players.  #3 - Talon Berlando: the senior stepped up again this weekend, playing like a captain should, scoring a goal in each game and picking up three points to regain the team scoring lead.  Make no mistake, Talon is the leader of this crew, vocally and on the ice.  #2 - Drew Strandberg: I know that I sound like a broken record, but this kid has been fabulous all year long, even if his numbers don't make your eyes pop out of your head.  This weekend, he was just a steadying influence back there and you can see the team gaining confidence playing in front of him.  Plus he got his first assist of the year.  #1 - Dalbec/Leahy/Massingham: I just didn't feel right leaving one of them out, so the whole line gets the top honor this week.  The last three games they have been head and shoulders above the other lines and last weekend were rewarded for their relentless hard work, by scoring six of the team's nine goals and accounting for 11 points total.  Not a bad weekend's work, and you get the feeling that this crew isn't done.  Dare I go so far as to say that they are far from over?

Finally, before we go, former Yellowjacket and a very close friend of mine, Dustin Fahl, is embarking on a fundraising campaign with the hopes of raising money to go to the Gordie and Colleen Howe Fund for Alzheimer's Disease research.  He gets to play hockey in the process, which is never a bad thing, but he also needs to help raise some money for this incredibly important cause.  If you wish to help out old #17, go here to make your donation.

That's the news that's fit to print.  See you at the rink!

JG

February 19, 2011

SWEEP!
On behalf of the alumni, congratulations fellas on the sweep.  Two down, six more to go.  Unfinished business.

See you at the rink!

JG

February 18, 2011

Celebrate Good Times
When I was playing my junior hockey for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, after every goal and following every win, the DJ would blast "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang over the PA at the Sioux City Auditorium.  More on my Sioux City days to follow.  Tonight at Wessman Arena, we got to hear Celebration for the first time in a long time, following the Yellowjackets' 4-2 win over St. Scholastica in game one of the NCHA playoffs.  But for some reason, I didn't feel a ton like celebrating.  Two reasons.

First, it was one of those nights where the win didn't feel that great.  The first period was incredible.  We had the Saints down, and you could just sense if they could have gotten that next goal and made it 4-0, it would have been the death blow in the game.  Instead, they gave the Saints the next one and the momentum changes.  The Saints turned on the pressure and got better as the game went on, and the Yellowjackets went the other way, watching their play deteriorate.  In the third period, the Saints were rolling and on numerous occasions were inches away from tying the game.  Fortunately, we were able to get the empty net goal and play "Celebration."  Here's to Saturday's game, a full 60 minutes like the first period on Friday, and the Yellowjackets sweeping their way into the second round.

The second reason (and much more important reason) is, earlier today word started to filter through the hockey world and on Facebook that former Badger Kirk Daubenspeck, an All-American goaltender there in the 1990's, was critically injured in a car accident on February 17.  Dauber and I were teammates back in the Sioux City days.  He was a good goaltender, a fearless competitor and a really good friend.  Everyone on our team was sad the day that our coach traded him to the Wisconsin Capitols.  Anyway, Dauber's condition is very serious.  He has suffered a severe brain injury, is in a coma and on a ventilator.  He was driving in a heavy fog west of Madison when his vehicle collided with a semi.  Where am I going with this?  Well, all of this stuff, hockey, the games, the broadcasts and all that really doesn't mean that much.  It's not life or death, but just a game.  There are so many things that have more meaning than a hockey game.  Life is so fragile.  Make sure you take time to enjoy it, to enjoy the people that you are on the journey with.  Like Saints' radio guy Steve Jezierski said to me, this truly is about the people, everything else is just noise in the background.

So Godspeed Dauber.  I, and the hockey world are pulling and praying for you.

Lastly, a big THANK YOU to T.J. Ahvenniemi's dad, John, for doing me the favor of adding up my Scrabble points.  You'll notice that last Saturday and again in a blog entry below I mentioned that I was curious how many Scrabble points were out there when Tom Budziakowski, Jesse Junkermeier, Joey Massingham and Ahvenniemi were on the ice at the same time.  The answer - 99.  Kind of an appropriate number, what with Mr. Gretzky and hockey and all that being tied together.  Good stuff Mr. Ahvenniemi!

See you at the rink!

JG

February 14, 2011

Right Now
I was spending some quality time with the iPod on Sunday as I enjoyed my first bout with the flu in 2011 and came across a few classics from Van Halen, one of which is the song "Right Now."  If there is a song out there that is more apropos than this for this moment when you're talking Yellowjacket hockey, I'm not sure I know what it is.  Just look at the lyrics in the chorus:

Right now, hey
It's your tomorrow
Right now
C'mon, it's everything
Catch that magic moment
Do it right here, and now

That in a nutshell is how the boys need to be approaching the upcoming weekend, and any further games that they'll be privileged to play in.  The regular season is done, and there are no more tomorrows.  There are no more weekends off.  You win and you keep playing.  You win and you might get the chance to make that trip and potentially play for a ring.  Ask anyone who has been there, and fortunately, I'm one of those people - there is nothing greater than playing on the final day of the season.  We came up short, but we always put ourselves in position to be there.  With a good run, this team can do the same thing.

It's not that far fetched.  Just two years ago, when the planets seemed to be aligning for the Yellowjackets to make a title run, Neumann got hot at the right time and shocked the Division III world by winning the national title.  That was a team that had nine losses, so you don't have to be perfect, you don't even have to be close to it.  Sure, you need a little luck, but if you have goaltending, decent special teams and play a good system, you can go far.  So let's hope the boys put the shutouts and any other maladies from the regular season behind them and get ready to make their run, catch that magic moment if you will.

Last week they did what they needed to do to secure second place.  On Thursday, they started slow but got better, OK a lot better, as the game progressed.  The second period was a thing of beauty and so many guys that you need to play well did.  The secondary scoring was there and so was just about everything else.  And just when you begin to think that they're getting that momentum they'll need for the playoffs, they come back and give us a dud.  Saturday was not a good game.  Put it this way, for me the highlights were Kyle Leahy checking Andrew Wilcox into the Yellowjacket bench and trying to figure out how many Scrabble points I could get from the last name's of the four Yellowjackets on the ice at one time - Budziakowski, Ahvenniemi, Junkermeier and Massingham.  So that's all we'll say about that game.

Time now for the Three Stars of the Week, sponsored by the Regal Beagle (that one is for those kids of the '70's).  #3 - Tom Budziakowski: the junior from Toronto played one of his best games of the year on Thursday.  He scored the first goal of the game in the 4-1 win at St. Scholastica and was a force down low.  More of this from big #7 please!  #2 - Josh Kesler: Kesler played the best game of his career on Thursday, period.  He scored the game-winning goal and like Budziakowski was a force down low.  He's a big player and he played big.  More of this from #17 please!  #1 - Drew Strandberg: you don't get anywhere this time of year without goaltending, and Strandberg is providing the 'Jackets with what they need between the pipes.  In his last six games, he's allowed just eight goals for a 1.33 goals against average.  There isn't a coach in the world that would take a pass on that.

So there we go.  It's rivalry week, so let's get out there people and support the Yellowjackets as they look to take the step into the second round of the Peters Cup playoffs - help the team catch that magic moment!

See you at the rink!

JG

February 11, 2011

Five Is Enough
OK, so we've edited the title of the classic TV program from the 1970's, "Eight is Enough" to fit our needs.  For the Yellowjackets last night, five was enough, meaning they had no interest in stretching their losing skid to six games.  The second period, where the Yellowjackets outshot St. Scholastica 20-2 and outscored them 3-0, was probably the best period of the season for them.  Hopefully it is a sign of good things to come.

The win also assured the Yellowjackets the #2 seed in the NCHA playoffs.  So they'll be at home for the first round, as well as the second round should they advance.  And in what has become a springtime tradition, the Yellowjackets will meet the Saints in the first round.  For those keeping score at home, this will be the fifth time in the last seven years that they've met in round one.  We'll have more about that on the site as we get closer to the playoff opener.

But there is still one game to be played, and that's Saturday night against Eau Claire.  People may think that there is no pressure on the 'Jackets, that they aren't playing for anything, but that's not true.  Currently, the Yellowjackets are tied atop the WIAC standings with Stout, with one game at hand.  They need a point against the Blugolds tomorrow to win the WIAC outright.  They've already won a share of the title, but they want to win the conference all alone.  True, they don't get any kind of NCAA consideration for winning it, but there is a trophy that goes with it and it does give the 'Jackets a chance to raise another banner to the rafters at Wessman Arena.  The Yellowjackets have won six WIAC titles all time.

There is a lot going on at Wessman Arena on Saturday night, including Stick it to Cancer, Chili for Charity an alumni gathering and senior night.  All great reasons to come out to the rink and help the Yellowjackets close out the season, hopefully with a win.

See you at the rink!

JG

February 7, 2011

Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
"I'm feeling like a Monday but someday I'll be Saturday night."  That line from Bon Jovi (or Bongiovi if you want to get technical) pretty much sums it up for yours truly.  Let's see, working in reverse, my weekend ended with having to watch the Packers celebrate another Super Bowl win.  They've now won as many as my Vikings have lost, and lost one more than my Vikings have won.  For those like me that are faithful to the purple, it was insanely difficult to watch the events unfold, knowing the litany of jokes that we'll have to face, the gloating and everything else that goes with it.  But our day will come.  It has to!  And I'll keep rooting for them until I die...or they move to Los Angeles.  At which time my fandom will hit the free agent market and I'm not afraid to say that I will go to the highest bidder (FYI - my friends who are Bears' fans have the early lead)!

Prior to the "Debacle in Dallas," and for those of you who missed it, here are just a few items that went down and rendered this nickname appropriate - 1) the weather; 2) Christina Aguilera and her highly original rendition of the national anthem; 3) the 400 fans who paid top dollar to go to the game and, upon arriving, were told that they couldn't get in because their seats weren't safe...I guess this whole Super Bowl thing just kind of snuck up on the folks in the Cowboys' office; and 4) that halftime show - I had to watch my favorite hockey team suffer through another tough weekend.  Friday, they were blanked for a third straight game by St. Norbert.  I'll give St. Norbert all the credit in the world because they're a good team, but this run of scoring futility is just crazy.  Even the worst teams don't go THREE FULL GAMES without scoring.  But we found a way to do it.  The hockey gods finally found us worthy on Saturday and allowed us to taste the spoils that come with scoring a goal, but again the "W" was not to come our way.  That's OK - there is a silver lining in all this.  Despite having dropped five in a row, this team still sits in second place - a testament to their ability to get it done in the first part of the year and in mid-January.  One more win should do the trick and allow the 'Jackets to lock down second place in the NCHA (and first place in the WIAC), and more importantly give them two rounds at home in the Peters Cup playoffs.  Then again, with the sub-.500 record at home, maybe we'd rather be on the road?  Don't think so!  We'll take those post-season games at home, and now that we're scoring some goals again, you could see the weight come off their shoulders.  They're going to play better and find their winning ways again...soon.

Time now for the Three Stars of the Week, which honestly shouldn't be too difficult.  This week we are sponsored by the Thorpedo, located at 102 West Hill Street in Thorp, Wis.  #3 - Joey Massingham: The kid logged ice, lots of it, on Saturday, in an increased role that saw him move back to center and shoulder more responsibility in his own zone.  The result, a solid two-way game and his third goal of the year.  #2 - Justin Faryna: Scored a beautiful goal in the second period on Saturday and now has 11 on the year, a new career-high.  And the mean streak that he's bringing this year blends well with his skills.  Folks, believe me when I say it, this kid can flat-out play.  #1 - Jeff Forsythe: His goal snapped that incredible goal drought, and for that we thank him.  He also picked up an assist and is clearly among the most skilled defensemen we've had here in recent memory.  Always good to see him score and throw the shoulder into someone.  And the quip he dropped when Pointer coach Wil Nichol was walking off the ice was absolutely priceless.

A whole lot going on this week in the land of the Yellowjacket, and we'll have more entries as the week goes on.

See you at the rink.

JG

February 6, 2011

Super Bowl Sunday
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but am I the only one who really thinks the week off between the championship games and the Super Bowl is completely unnecessary?  Do we really need two full weeks to break everything down, to analyze and reanalyze and overanalyze everything surrounding every player in the game?  I mean, do we really need to know that Ben Roethlisberger took  his linemen out to dinner on Tuesday night and they went to a BBQ joint?  Then on game day, do we need five-hour pre-game shows?  Enough already, let's just play ball!

Speaking of that, for a Vikings fan, it was hell to spend part of the weekend in Green Bay.  Green and gold here, green and gold there, green and gold everywhere.  It's on signs, it's on buildings and it's on people.  It's hard enough to be a Vikings fan (go ahead an insert your favorite Vikings joke here), but it's that much tougher when you live in Wisconsin...and the Packers win...and they get to the Super Bowl...and...and you get the picture.  Yes, your team has won Super Bowls, and your team is better than mine.  There, I said it.  But even with that, I still won't root for the Packers.

So enjoy the game today, be safe, and we'll talk to you down the line.  Go Steelers (black and gold baby!).

See you at the rink!

JG

February 3, 2011

On The Road Again
From Motley Crue to Willie Nelson.  We just can't wait to get on the road again.  Why?  We just got home, right?  Um, yeah, but we're having a tough time at home.  Under .500 at home in fact.  Two seasons ago the Yellowjackets, on their way to the NCHA championship, was unbeaten at home until the Peters Cup finals, when they were knocked off by Stout and had to watch them celebrate on our ice.  I'll never forget the sickness I had in my stomach watching that spectacle unfold.  Anyway, since that game, the Yellowjackets are a pedestrian 10-13-3 at home.  So with two big games on the docket, I'm kind of happy to be hitting the road...although I could do without the five-hour ride.

What can you say about last week?  All week people have looked at me and asked "what the heck happened?"  My answer is simple - couldn't score.  It's a fact that in this game you will, from time to time, hit a hot goaltender.  Last weekend we hit two guys that made some big saves.  Sometimes they saw the puck, sometimes they didn't.  Regardless, we couldn't put one home and lost a pair of 1-0 games.  Never seen it happen before.  What can you do?  The boys played well.  Played hard and probably deserved a much better fate, but fate wasn't to be theirs on this weekend.  So let's put it behind us and hit the road.

And before I go further, just a quick shout out to Nate Ziemski for the nice email reminding me that I don't update this quick enough.  Good to see that you are still reading Zimmer!  Speaking of goaltending, what a wonderful weekend between the pipes turned in by Drew Strandberg.  He was just as good as the goaltenders for River Falls and Stout, just didn't get them all.  But he played extremely well and looks more comfortable with every passing game.  He's just been a little bit of a hard luck guy on the ice this year and that's why his record is what it is.

Time for the Three Stars of the Week, sponsored by Vandelay Industries.  #3 - Jesse Junkermeier: Never in the history of hockey has a player been shuffled through so many positions in one season and continued to play halfway decent.  That much movement would cause many players to go in the tank and battle with inconsistency, but not our version of Cesar Tovar.  #2 - Kyle Leahy: I love the way he's playing right now.  This kid brings an edge and an attitude to the ice right now and we need that.  And he's been a killer in the faceoff circle, too.  #1 - Drew Strandberg: Was there ever a question on this one?

Longest road trip of the year commences in a few hours.  Let's hope that we can head home with some good news.

See you at the rink!

JG

January 27, 2011

Home Sweet Home
I think it was Motley Crue who said it best in 1985 on the Theatre of Pain LP - "I'm on my way, home sweet home."  This has been a tough month for the Yellowjackets.  They come off the break and have to move out of their home and into a new one.  Then they hit the road for a pair, only to find out while on that trip that Wessman wouldn't be ready, so they'd have to play across the bridge again.  This time, with the DECC hosting bulls, blood, dust and mud (to paraphrase Garth Brooks in his song Rodeo), it was on to Amsoil Arena.  Um, yeah, we'll go ahead and play there.  I didn't get to skate there, but the press box was one of the most amazing I've ever been in.  Then again, coming off the Stout trip where you stand on scaffold that clears the glass and safety netting, just about anything would make you feel like you're at the Ritz.  But this is an amazing facility and the Bulldogs and all of Duluth should be proud to call it their own.  And I might be in the minority, but I'm glad that the nomadic ways are done and we're returning to Wessman.  Home Sweet Home!

The tough part about playing at Amsoil is we lost the home-ice advantage, and on this particular weekend, with the conference leaders and the #2 team in the nation coming in, I would have taken it.  Now I know there are those out there that would say "there wouldn't be that great of an advantage anyway."  Yeah, uh, well, you're wrong.  Dead wrong.  You put a good crowd in Wessman and it is loud.  It's a tough place for opponents to play.  Put it this way - there's a reason that St. Norbert was 0-3-2 in their last five at Wessman coming into last weekend.  We had to give that up, but the boys came through in fine style.  The shutout on Friday was one of the best performances of the young career for Drew Strandberg and Justin Faryna continued his strong play, scoring twice.  The next night, it was a tight game through two periods, but the Green Knights found another gear in the third period and pulled away.  The may have only outscored us 3-2 in that frame, but the shot margin of 15-4 would tell you that they controlled the play.  Still, I think with that team coming in, we need to be happy with the split that we got, under the circumstances that we got it, and move on to the next week.

Which means home games...at Wessman...home sweet home.  River Falls, a team that has struggled mightily since we saw them on opening weekend, coming in on Friday, and Stout, a team we swept two weeks ago, coming in on Saturday.  The 'Jackets can clinch a tie for the WIAC title with a win on Friday and win the league outright with a sweep.  Saturday is also "Red the Rink" night, a cooperative effort between the Superior Jaycees and Yellowjacket Athletics to raise money for heart disease awareness.  So if you're free on Saturday, come to the rink, enjoy some great hockey and place a bid on one of the game-worn jerseys that will be auctioned off during the night.  All proceeds benefit the cardiac unit at Essentia Health.

Three Stars of the Week time, proudly sponsored by Jackie Chiles, Attorney at Law (yes, another Seinfeld reference).  #3 - Logan Isley: I don't think it's any secret that it's been a tough go for Logan.  He struggled and was a little nicked up for most of last season and has actually missed some time with injury this year.  Yet last week he got out there and scored a HUGE goal to give us the lead in the final minute of the first period on Thursday.  Good things are around the corner for the senior.  #2 - Drew Strandberg: turned aside 33 shots to get his first shutout as a Yellowjacket, a 3-0 win on Thursday.  Was particularly strong in the third period when the Yellowjackets were outshot 11-3.  #1 - Justin Faryna: I said in this space last week that I think we're seeing the evolution of Justin into one of the top players in DIII.  He didn't do anything last week to make me think otherwise.  After a seven-point week and player of the week honors, he scored twice on Thursday and added a goal and an assist on Friday, making him the first player to hit double-digit goals on the year and stretching his point-streak to seven games.  He's big, plays tough, blocks shots and has the skills to dominate.  This kid is breaking out in a big way and the sky is the limit for him.

There you have it.  Wear red, bid on red and buy something red this weekend.  All for a great cause!

See you at the rink...the home rink...home sweet home!

JG

January 17, 2011

I Have A Dream
Today is Martin Luther King Day.  It was my original intention to post the transcript of arguably his most famous speech, the "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, but it was a little lengthy for what I do on here.  Instead, I would encourage you to read it and/or watch the video of it.  Like it or not, this impassioned speech is a powerful work and we all need to recognize that.  You can read, listen to or watch the speech here.

Now on to hockey.  What a nice weekend for the Yellowjackets.  Four points on the road, in a tough building to play in, giving them a little bit of breathing room in the standings.  They played five really good periods of hockey before things got away from them a little bit in the third period on Saturday.  Regardless, they did what they had to do to get the win.  Looking at Friday, the first period was one of the best, most technically sound periods we've had all season long.  They did everything just about perfect and came out of it with a 2-0 lead.  I wish I could bottle what they did in the first period, because if this team plays that like that consistently, they are going to win A LOT of games the rest of the way.  They kept it going the entire night and put together their most consistent game of hockey the whole season.  With the exception of a three-minute stretch in the second period, they owned the game.  And four power play goals?  Where the heck did that come from?  Saturday they again got a couple of goals early and built a nice lead before giving a few back.  Yet every time Stout mounted an attack, the Yellowjackets answered.  Whether it was early in the first or in the final minute of the game, the Yellowjackets answered the Blue Devils and squished their momentum. 

Stout was better on Saturday than they were on Friday, still, it was clear that the Yellowjackets were the better team at Dunn County Arena this weekend...which by the way REALLY needs to upgrade its media accommodations.  They have a nice, heated press box that houses their stat people, music people and PA guy, you know, true media types that rule most press boxes these days.  The home media is on a platform outside said box and we visitors get what you see in the photo.  At least they painted it this year and the power strip is a nice touch.  A good solid check right below sends that thing swaying like a Canal Park flagpole during the Gales of November.  I know from experience.  It happened on Saturday and sent my coffee cup flying, doing irreparable damage to my 2010-11 scorebook.  It would be great if UW-Stout or Dunn County would make an investment and create a legitimate press area for the working media that cover the games.  If nothing else, maybe they could drop $20 on a space heater, as it is colder than a polar bear's behind in there.

Time now, yes I know I haven't been consistent with this, for our Three Stars of the Week, sponsored by Dunder Mifflin, Inc.  #3 - Jeff Forsythe: Forsythe has been great offensively on the blue line, with five goals on the year, all of them coming at very key times.  On Friday, he scored twice, both on the power play, and added a helper for a three-point game.  On Saturday, he went without a point but was in the middle of the action, throwing a couple of huge checks, which has become a regular occurrence and blocking several shots, including one off the foot that stung.  I could hear it from my vantage point!  #2 - Talon Berlando: the senior is leading the team in more ways than one.  On the scoreboard he's the team's leading scorer.  In the locker room, he's the vocal leader.  And it is becoming more and more common for him to take this team on his shoulders and lead the way.  Friday was one of those nights.  He scored the first goal of the game on his way to a five-point evening.  #1 - Justin Faryna: could we be witnessing Justin Faryna taking his game to the next level?  Ladies and gentlemen, this kid can flat-out play.  He's riding a five-game scoring streak and last weekend scored three goals and added four assists.  More than that, he's doing little things like mucking it up in the corners and blocking shots.  If Faryna continues to develop as he is currently, we're witnessing the birth of a great player.

'Jackets are getting set to host St. Norbert this weekend.  More coming on that this week, including where the games will be played!

See you at the rink...whichever one that might be!

JG

December 27, 2010

Take It Easy
So here we are, more than a month after my last entry and there are some out there who aren't afraid to let me have it, to which I will quote 70's rock legends The Eagles and simply say, "take it easy."  There has been a lot going on in the last month that has kept me away - Thanksgiving, Christmas, family birthdays, work, football, and of course doing hockey games on the radio.  December is the month when, in addition to the Yellowjackets, I begin calling high school games for WEBC 560 AM in Duluth.  So there has been a lot going on in my world, and before we talk hockey, let me bring you up to speed.

Thus far we've called a handful of games on the high school circuit.  And from what I've seen, there are two teams that stand out above the rest in the area - Duluth East and Hermantown.  The hard part for me to watch, as a guy who played high school hockey in Minnesota for three years, is the lack of numbers in terms of players and the lack of people attending games.  Is it a money thing?  Is it burnout because hockey has become a 12-month sport?  Is it the fact that there are just so many other options for kids now that high school sports, and hockey in particular, don't mean much anymore?  I wish I knew the answer because I miss the days of Duluth East and Cloquet filling the building, something that didn't happen a couple of weeks ago when the teams met in Cloquet.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, a meal that I prepared and hosted for my family, my nephew turned four.  Future hockey player?  Not sure yet, but we did get him on skates on Christmas Day - he falls down just like his uncle did back in the day!  We celebrated Christmas at my sister's place in the Twin Cities.  Can you say snow?  Those banks are really, really high!  In between I had the chance to watch, in person for the first time, my Vikings play a little outdoor football.  I've been hearing about it from a lot of people on the lackluster season that the Purple have put forth in 2010, but I'm still there every game like a good die-hard should be.  And true, they were dismantled without much of a fight on that Monday night against Chicago, but what a cool experience to finally get out from under the Teflon to see a game in the elements (thank you Mother Nature).  My buddy Jayson and I attended - he's the one in the photo with the heavy winter gear on.

OK, enough of all that, let's talk some 'Jacket hockey!  When last we saw the fellas, they were splitting a weekend series with St. Scholastica.  The loss on Friday was bothersome because the team was flat in that first period and allowed the Saints to take control of the game.  The good news was, about midway through the game, they flipped the switch and played better.  Things carried over to Saturday and the team played very well, blowing the Saints out to gain the split.  The win was huge on a number of fronts.  First, it allowed the 'Jackets to bounce back after a loss, keeping them from losing back-to-back games, something they haven't done all season.  Second, it allowed them to keep pace in the NCHA, as they are now only two points behind St. Norbert for first place in the league, and the teams meet three times in the second half.  Third, it allowed the 'Jackets to pick up a little confidence.  They've struggled against the Saints of late, and the win finally got the monkey off their collective back and present them the feeling of knowing that they can beat that team.  Nice job fellas!  Way to go into the break on a positive note, setting the table for a great second half.  You'll remember last year they dropped three straight heading into the break and never were able to recover.

Time now to take a look at our Three Stars of the Week, err, I mean the month, brought to you by the Midnight Trucking Radio Network (listened to them MANY times while driving across the USA and Canada on the recruiting trail - best stories in the world come from the truck drivers out there - and thank you for the notifications on where the speed traps are)!  Being that we've taken some time off from the entries, we'll look back at the last six games in our ranking.  #3 - Drew Strandberg: I know that Strandberg took a beating in the St. Thomas game, but he came back and put together some nice numbers in the pipes since the 'Jackets returned home.  In total for the six home games, Strandberg is 3-2-1 with a 2.64 goals against average and a .880 save percentage.  Room for improvement?  Yes, but Strandberg has helped to stabilize a position that was very volatile last season.  #2 - Brett Meyers: we'd waited most of the first half to see what Brett Meyers could do.  He's only appeared in four games, but he has a pair of goals and they're both big.  Both of the goals were on rebounds, so they could be considered to be of the garbage or greasy variety, and that's a good thing.  His first tied the game against Stevens Point on Friday, December 3 and the second tied the game, forcing overtime against Lawrence on December 7.  Here's to hoping Meyers can stay healthy because he looks like a contributor.  #1 - Talon Berlando: here is a player that has improved every year he'd been here, but this year has had a lot of trouble getting on track.  Then in the Saturday game against St. Scholastica, Berlando decided to do what a senior is supposed to do, and led his team to a big third period and a win.  He scored a shorthanded goal and a power play goal, the former of which was the game-winner, all in the third period.  Hats off to you Talon for doing the job that's expected of a senior and a captain.  That win goes to you!

I think that's about it.  We'll have more once we get closer to the drop of the puck, which is still almost two weeks away.  In the meantime, be safe out there on NYE! 

See you at the rink!

JG

November 23, 2010

The Boys Are Back In Town
Back in the 70's, a band from Ireland made the tune The Boys are Back in Town a hit, but Thin Lizzy wasn't referring to the Yellowjackets, or hockey, or Superior, or winter for that matter.  Don't believe me?  It says so in the lyrics.  Regardless, flip it all around and it describes what is about to happen in Superior.  The boys have been back in town for the better part of three months, but this weekend they truly are back.  The Yellowjackets will finally get to play a home game!

After the schedule came out I had to read it three times to see if I could believe my own eyes.  Could they really be playing their first SEVEN away from home?  When I realized that it wasn't a misprint, I figured that one way or another the schedule, quirky layout and all, would come into play.  Let's hope my premonition is right.  The 'Jackets return home having gone 5-2-0, with a long stretch of home contests ahead of them.  In fact, they only have to play in other arenas five more times this year.  So to put it all in perspective - 13 of the final 18 are at home.  You have to love those odds.  The boys are coming back to town with the chance to do something special. 

So, what will you see?  You'll see a team that works hard.  You can't question the effort of this team.  They go out and work hard every shift of every game.  You'll see a team committed to doing things right in their own zone, something that hasn't always been the case in the past.  They've only allowed 15 goals in seven games.  A year ago they'd surrendered 18 in seven contests.  You'll see goaltending.  Both Garrett Tinkham and Drew Strandberg continue to get better every game.  They come off the first seven games with a combined goals against average of just over 2.00 and a save percentage of .930.  The Yellowjackets didn't come anywhere near such numbers a year ago.  You'll see a diverse offense.  Nobody on this team averages a point-per-game, and nobody has more than three goals.  But there have been 14 different players that have scored and last weekend all four lines put at least one on the board.

But there is one thing you won't you see?  Size.  We're not big.  Most teams are bigger than we are.  We have some good speed, but we do lack size.  We were watching Eau Claire enter the rink last Friday and I looked at Coach Stauber and said "EVERY team is bigger than you."  He just chuckled and said "I know.  Strange how that works sometimes."  So those who think they'll come and see a team that will act like those of 10-15 years ago, that pounded on people and intimidated with size, that won't happen this year.  That's OK.  Team speed, which we have, and hard work which we do can make up for any lack of size.

Time now for our Three Stars of the Week, sponsored this time by Rosie's Bar, located just outside the camp of the 4077th MASH unit in Korea.  #3 - a tie between Garrett Tinkham and Drew Strandberg: each goaltender got a start last weekend, each goaltender made at least 30 saves and each goaltender got a win.  As I said, these two just keep getting better and are beginning to take shape as a very good goaltending tandem.  Here's to the strong play between the pipes continuing.  #2 - Jesse Junkermeier: slated to start the year as a defenseman, Junkermeier has been up front for all but one game and has been making an impact.  He had three points on the weekend and has vaulted himself into a tie for second place on the team scoring chart.  One of his points was a beautiful, unassisted goal to get it all started on Saturday.  Here's to hoping that his injury isn't serious and he doesn't miss time.  #1 - Matt Wiest: was there ever any doubt?  You wait as long as he has to get that first goal, then you're going to get a #1 star for it.  He's come close so many times that I'm glad it finally happened and that it was one he shot, not one that went in off his skate or his leg or his face.  Here's to hoping that the second one comes faster than the first one did.

Lastly, it is November, and as I'm sure you've seen there are a lot of guys sporting facial hair.  Personally, I think a few of them look like they have glued a caterpillar on their top lip, but that's coming from a guy who couldn't grow a decent moustache if his life depended on it.  Anyway, before the game on Friday I was chatting with Tom Budziakowski and told him that I was feeling some luck for him and that I thought he would score that night.  I had that feeling because my senior year I scored a goal in that building while wearing his "lucky #7."  I even told him where the goal would happen.  Well, he did score, but it was the wrong end of the rink.  The conversation then turned to his moustache and he told me about his "team" taking part in the "Movember" promotion, which has people grow facial hair, submit photos online and collect contributions, all of which goes to prostate cancer research.  Tom is a part of a team in his native Canada and has personally raised $325 for the cause.  His team has done extremely well, to-date having raised $6,562.  November is almost done, but there is still time to support this great cause.  Click here to view Tom's pictures, add to his total and support a great cause that likely affects every one of us in one way or another.  More about that coming in Friday's pre-game show.

Whew!  That was a lot of writing, so that's it for today.

Happy Thanksgiving all.  See you at the rink...FINALLY!

JG

November 20, 2010

It's Been Such A Long Time
On their 1991 album Road Apples, the Tragically Hip describe the happenings on Friday night at the Hobbs Ice Center perfectly with one simple line - "it's been a long time coming."   That is what went through my mind when it was announced that Matt Wiest had scored a goal.  Arguably the hardest-working Yellowjacket of the last four years, Wiest was finally able to shift luck in his favor and scored his first goal as a Yellowjacket.  No player, especially one that works as hard as Wiest does, should ever have to wait THAT long to score a goal.  I'm willing to bet that there wasn't a player on this team, or a fan of this team anywhere, that isn't beaming tonight because Matt Wiest put one on the board.  That's what this entry is all about - a simple note to congratulate one of the hardest workers, and one of the nicest guys, on finally getting that long overdue and much deserved goal. 

Way to go Chubs - that reverse psychology worked!

See you at the rink!

JG

November 19, 2010

Life Is A Highway
Whether your preference is the Tom Cochrane version of 1992, the obscure versions of Chris LeDoux, Jerry Jeff Walker or Charlie Robertson or the more recent rendition of Rascal Flatts, I truly believe that life is indeed a highway.  Then again, maybe that's the feeling because of all the recent road trips.  Last weekend when we were returning from Marian, a trip that ultimately got us home at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, this song just kept popping into my mind.  This weekend we head to Eau Claire and then we get to enjoy a long stretch of games at home.  This gang has earned it.  Seven straight on the road is tough on every player at any level.  These guys have done some great work to start the season, and unfortunately it's been missed because their lives, and the games, have been on the highway.

Last Friday was a tough game.  This isn't the same Marian team of the last decade that was almost always a guaranteed win.  They're a good club.  They do some good things and have some capable players.  Our guys put in a good effort, but in the end it came down to two things - 1) our power play came up short and, 2) their goaltender played extremely well.  He made the difference, especially in the second period.  In a one-minute stretch, he robbed Josh Kesler, Justin Faryna and Tyler Klein, keeping the score at 1-0.  From there, Marian seemed to keep gaining momentum and eventually was able to solve Garrett Tinkham, scoring twice in 82 seconds to take the lead and end the winning streak of the 'Jackets.  They will have to be as good, if not better this weekend when they play Eau Claire.  The Blugolds split with River Falls last weekend, but probably should have won both games.  They had a 2-1 lead Friday before River Falls scored twice in the final minute to rally for the win.  This is a really good hockey club that always plays us tough on their home ice.  It should be a great weekend of hockey.

Time now for our Three Stars of the Week, brought to you by Monk's Coffee Shop (that's a Seinfeld reference for those that don't know).  #3 - Garrett Tinkham: he played well once again and in the first two periods made some big saves, allowing the 'Jackets to hold their lead.  #2 - Zack MacKinnon: no points in his first game of the year, but there was a lot to like about this kid.  Now that he's healthy, it will be interesting to see if increased playing time will yield some offense.  #1 - Pat Dalbec: the Superior kid, after a couple of near-misses earlier in the year, finally found the back of the net and did it with style, scoring a nice goal to finish off a 2-on-1 rush.  Congrats to the new guy on his first goal.

So there you have it.  Be careful out there deer hunters, and remember that the radio guy likes venison, too!

Life is indeed a highway...and as always, see you at the rink!

JG

November 11, 2010

Thank You!
No music or movie reference today (not yet anyway), but just a great, big THANK YOU to the veterans of this great nation.  I was fortunate in being able to play hockey, go to college and now earn a living because of the work that people like you do to protect our freedom.  Both of my grandfathers were veterans (one army, one navy) so I understand what this country means based on the example that I saw from both of them when they were living.  So a special thanks to all of our veterans out there on this Veteran's Day.

Now to the hockey.  Last weekend, all in all was a pretty good weekend.  A one-goal win at St. John's and a two-goal win at Concordia where the game was, to quote Kyle Leahy, "greasy."  I think it had more to do with the style of play the Cobbers employed, but still wasn't a whole lot of fun to watch.  I was scared that the boys were going to get tired chasing the puck as much as they did that day, as Concordia was content to just flip the puck straight up in the air and let us chase it down and come back at them.  They flipped the puck more than any other team I've ever seen.  I can't imagine what it would be like to play in a system like that where you do so little forechecking and all you're trying to do is limit the opportunities of your opponent.  But we'll take the two wins on the road, honk twice as we pull away from the rink, and head on down the road to...Marian this week.  Look out for the Sabres!  Marian is 4-1-0 on the year, ranked #15 by USCHO and last time out knocked off Adrian, a young program that was quickly built into a powerhouse in Division III.  This Marian squad is good!  Our guys have to be ready and do all the right things on this long, one-game road trip!

Time now for our Three Stars of the Week, brought to you by Cuyahoga Sheet Metal (that's a Major League reference for those scoring at home).  #3 - Garrett Tinkham: his second start of the year brought us a 25-save effort and the first of what is hopefully many shutouts on the year.  There weren't a lot of tough saves that had to be made on Saturday, but he was there when he needed to be.  #2 - Jesse Junkermeier: last weekend was perhaps the best two-game stretch of hockey that we have seen out of "Junks" as a Yellowjacket.  He had the puck...a lot.  He seemed to always be in on the action and every time the puck was on his stick, something good happened.  He's playing confident right now and hopefully the points will follow.  #1 - Jeff Forsythe: the freshman, after a tough first game, has shown up in a big way.  He scored the first goal of each game last week, the first one on the power play and the second one the game winner.  Both of them were one-timers from the right point, and both of them were very hard.  A shot like that could produce a lot of goals from the blue line.

More than halfway through the seven-game roadie to start the year and things are going along okay.  We'll use the term that we're cautiously optimistic at this point.  Friday is a big test, and if the 'Jackets answer the bell, they're guaranteed a winning record in the road swing to start the season!  We'll definitely take that!

See you at the rink!

JG

November 2, 2010

Feelin' the Flow...Workin' It...Workin' It
Yet another Happy Gilmore reference for you.  The reason for this one is in reference to the forecheck that we saw for extended periods on Saturday night.  The Yellowjackets, they were working the puck down low and running their offensive zone cycle to perfect.  The cycle and the forecheck were THE reason for the goal that Joey Massingham scored late in the second period, which ended up being the game-winning goal.  And that wasn't the only time the forecheck was at the forefront of the attack.  Several occasions, in both games, saw the 'Jackets hem the Falcons in the offensive zone and work the puck.  That's a very, very good sign.

And there were several good signs.  The goaltending looked okay.  The defensemen looked good for the most part.  There were times where the freshmen back there looked a bit overwhelmed by the speed of the game, but they didn't make any glaring mistakes.  The forwards, although young, looked like they will be just fine.  Special teams were fantastic.  But aside from all that, the thing that impressed me the most from the weekend was the work ethic.  These guys got better as the weekend went on and they worked hard.  Really hard.  There were too many times the past couple of years where it seemed from upstairs like the work ethic just wasn't there.  This weekend they got down early both night but just scratched and clawed their way back into both games.  If this team works that hard every night, they will win some games.  Hard work can overcome a lot of deficiencies and this weekend we got to see hard work that at times has been absent.  Great job fellas!

Time for my Three Stars of the Week, brought to you by Sheehan's Rustproofing (that's a Slap Shot reference for those that don't know the movie).  This is something new that I just decided I was going to do this year, part of it to recognize these guys for doing well, and part of it to stir up a little debate.  #3 - Justin Faryna: true, he didn't get a point, but I don't care about that.  This kid played two really, really complete games last weekend.  He's on the power play, killing penalties, taking faceoffs, blocking shots - doing everything right on the ice.  Doing the little things that will make him successful.  He was shut out last weekend, but the goals and points will come if he keeps playing like he did last weekend.  #2 - Joey Massingham: the freshman scored the game-winning goal on Saturday, and it was pure effort.  The original shot was stopped, and Massingham dove at the puck, full extension, and swept it in the net before the goaltender could recover.  #1 - Garrett Tinkham: his first start in nearly a year was a little bit rough, as he struggled a bit in the first period and gave up a goal or two that he would probably want back.  But as the game went on, he got better.  Tinkham made a couple of big saves in the second period and a couple more in the third period.

And there we have it.  Strange schedule this week, with a game Thursday night and another on Saturday afternoon.  That's a lot of down time, a lot of travel time and a lot of time in hotels, but I won't complain, it's hockey season.  What makes it better is a good friend and former USHL colleague, Jayson Hron, will be joining me in the booth on Thursday.  He has worked with me in the past and always has some great insights, just as he did when he was a sportswriter for the Duluth Budgeteer back in the day.  So we'll have the two-headed monster going in the booth come Thursday night.

See you at the rink!

JG

October 28, 2010

Game Day...Eve
In the movie We Are Marshall head coach Jack Lengyel makes a big deal about the excitement that comes with game day.  That's what I'm feeling.  It's game day...tomorrow.  But I'm still excited.  I've waited eight months to watch this team play again.  I've waited eight months to be back in the booth, or in the case of River Falls at the table, to call another game.  I'm eager to see if this team, which make no mistake is completely different from last year's team and the team the year before that, makes a little bit of noise this season.  True, there are some of the same parts there, but this team is completely different.  So we'll see what kind of fortitude this team has, and whether or not they ultimately have what it takes to shove it down the throats of all of those, and there are many, that disrespect them.

This team has no pressure.  They've been picked to finish sixth in the NCHA.  Nobody expects them to do anything, to go anywhere.  Ask former coach Steve Nelson when the last time was a Superior team came into the season with low expectations from those on the outside.  It was the year after the potent combo of Campbell and Lang graduated.  All they did was go out and win the league, the playoff and finish second in the nation.  Am I predicting that this team is going to run away with the NCHA?  No way.  But a team that has no expectations from the outside, and this one fits that bill, can be a dangerous team.  Here's to hoping they understand it, are angered by it, and set out to prove everyone, including some that count themselves as fans, wrong.

Speaking of predictions, I think it's about time for my ten things that I think will happen this season.  If you remember, we did this last year and hit at a 60% clip.  Let's see if we can't get that a little closer to a perfect score.

1) This team will finish above the .500 mark.  I'm in the camp that thinks last year as an anomaly.  Nobody expected, coming off a league title with the cast of returning players that we had, that the wheels would fall off the wagon and the season would be lost.  This team will not suffer the same fate, and they will climb back over the .500 mark.

2) Head Coach Dan Stauber will win his 200th game with the Yellowjackets.  This is one of the predictions that foiled me a year ago.  This time around, he needs only eight, and he will get it.  In fact, I believe that not only will he get it, he will get it before Christmas.

3) Matt Wiest WILL NOT score a goal.  I tried to say last year that he would, and he didn't.  So this year we'll do it his way and try reverse psychology.  Therefore, I predict that Wiest, or "Chubs" as I call him these days because his hand resembles that of Carl Weathers' character in Happy Gilmore, will not find the back of the net in this, his senior year.

4) The special teams will rebound.  Last year, for too long of stretches, the special teams were ineffective and inconsistent.  This year, they will bounce back like Rubbermaid.  The power play will again hop over the 20% mark and the penalty kill will not only creep back over 80%, but it will reach the 85% mark.

5) This team will not have a 20-goal scorer.  I know, they didn't last year, or the year before.  In fact, there hasn't been one in Superior since Mike Wiggins popped 31 in 2004-05, so I guess it isn't much of a stretch.

6) This will will have at least three players hit 15 goals.  This one may be a stretch, being that nobody on the roster has hit that number at the college level - Talon Berlando has had a 14-goal season and Logan Isley a 13-goal season.  Still, I think each of them is capable of scoring 15 and there are a couple more (Justin Faryna anyone?) that could do it as well.

7) Drew Strandberg will win the starting job in goal.  By all accounts, this young man is the real deal in goal.  I look forward to seeing him play, and if what everyone says is correct, he has a great shot at winning the starting job.  Last season I said that one of the goalies would seize the job, and ultimately it happened.  This season, I'll go so far as to say that Strandberg will be that guy.

8) Justin Faryna will have a breakout season.  A year ago, my choice to break out was Tyler Fletcher, and he did, having the best season of his career goal-wise.  This season, that pick is Faryna.  He showed a lot of good things in his freshman season, and looks like he has all the tools to build on that 10-goal, 15-point campaign.  Look for him to have a big year.

9) The schedule will be a factor this season.  Good or bad, the fact that the team plays their first seven games on the road and don't get a home game until after Thanksgiving will come into play.  If they post a good month of November, put some wins up and get it done on the road, it could pave the way for something special because after this initial stretch there are a lot of home games.  If they don't play well, they could dig themselves a hole that's just too tough to climb out of.

10) Thomas Erlacher will again teach me to say he shoots he scores in Italian.  He did it a year ago, but I forgot it by the time I got back to the booth.  This year I'll be a better student so when he pops one, I can call it out in his native language.

So there they are, ten things that I think we will see this season.  Puck drops tomorrow.  The game will be carried live on KUWS with yours truly on lead vocals.  And although there is no link for it currently, there will be a web stream available.  Stay tuned to this site and we will have everything up and running by the time we hit the air on Friday night.  And for those that will be hearing me on the air for the first time, I'll apologize now.  I've been battling a cold for most of the week and it has worked my voice over pretty good.  I hope to have it back up to par by the drop of the puck, but just in case, let this serve as my disclaimer.

See you at the rink!

JG

October 11, 2010

Where ya been?
It's once again been a few weeks...OK, nearly two months since we've updated anything on here, so I suppose the time has come to bring everyone up to speed.  First the personal stuff.  September was a pretty amazing month.  The first weekend I competed...and finished a sprint triathlon in Hudson, Wis.  I didn't break any records and no track or cross country coaches will be inquiring as to whether or not I have any eligibility remaining.  But it was a great thing for me.  I had something that I wanted to challenge myself with and set a goal of finishing the event.  Mission accomplished.  We'll come back to the goal thing a little bit later.

More on September.  The night I did the triathlon, I got to once again see Kiss in concert.  Always a treat to have that happen.  My Twins played robust baseball for the better part of July, August and September and ran away with their division.  Then the calendar flipped to October, the playoffs commenced and they exited as quickly as possible.  So long fellas.  See you in the spring!  Then there are the Vikes.  I'm a die-hard, so the start was actually a tough one to swallow.  Nobody figured they'd open 0-2.  But there are worse things I guess.  Then they went out and pulled the pin to get Randy Moss back in the purple #84.  Will this fix what ails the Vikes?  Nope.  Will it even fix the receiving corps?  Probably not.  Will Randy find his way into trouble or controversy?  It's likely.  But as a fan, I'm damn happy to see him back.  He still is one of my favorite all-time Viking players and just the electricity that he brings to the field and the fans on a weekly basis, that's worth the price of season tickets right there.  So welcome home Randy.  Can't wait to see you in action again!

Now onto more important things - 'Jacket Hockey.  The guys have been back for over a month and have been working out and skating in captain's practices and all that and I have only gotten the chance to watch about 30 minutes worth.  Tough to tell what's what in that situation, being that I'm still getting familiar with the boys.  By all accounts from the inside, this is a good group of kids.  There hopefully won't be any headaches with this group, and hopefully there are a handful of guys in that room that can score some goals, as there is some offense that needs to be found.  But it is an exciting time.  It's like spring training in baseball.  Everyone is the same right now, and there is that anticipation as to how your team will be this season.  Personally, I can't wait to get rolling.  Last season, I was more excited for the season than I'd been since I was done playing.  Then the roof caved in and I couldn't wait for it to be over.  All of that misery has subsided, however, and I'm as excited as ever to get in the rink, watch some hockey, and bring those broadcasts out to the listeners.

Back to goals.  Like I said, my triathlon served two purposes, one of which was to set a goal and accomplish it.  So what are the goals for the 2010-11 Yellowjackets?  Win the league?  Win a national title?  Just to win more games than they lose?  Not finish last in the NCHA?  Only the guys on the inside of the room know for certain.  It will be interesting to see if, with all the roster turnover (16 new faces in camp), there is any carryover from last year, or if it is something that will be stored in the recesses of the mind never to be heard from again.  It will be interesting to find out what the goals are for this group, and to watch and see how they accomplish them, or how close they come to doing that.  It will be interesting to see what happens with a roster that will be laden with freshmen and sophomores.  Regardless, enjoy the ride folks.  It should be a lot of fun once again at Wessman...you'll just have to wait until Thanksgiving to see them.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, today is Thanksgiving for our friends in Canada, so happy turkey day to our friends north of the border!  Save me a drumstick!

See you at the rink!

JG

August 30, 2010

Come Sail Away
I'm sure it isn't just me, but doesn't it seem like this summer never really happened?  I guess it really hit me last week when I realized that in a week we'd be starting classes, when the student-athletes that participate in the fall sports started to return to campus.  Where did the summer go?  Who knows, but in a way, I don't really care.  We're a couple of months removed from the Stanley Cup finals and I'm going through some hockey withdrawals.  Serious ones.  Raise your hands if you are feeling the pain!

Last weekend I, along with a number of UW-Superior staff and athletes took part in the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.  For those of you that don't know, you put 20 people in a 40-foot boat and paddle like crazy, hopefully with some degree of synchronicity, to the cadence of a drum at the front of the boat.  The more in synch you are, the better your boat glides across the water and the faster your time.  Hard work?  No doubt...especially for someone that doesn't work the upper body like I used to.  Fun?  An unbelievable amount of fun.  The festival on Lake Superior is one of the biggest in the United States, topping those hosted by markets like New York and Philadelphia, with teams coming in from all over the United States and Canada.  And in case you're wondering, Canadians take their Dragon Boats very seriously.  In total, there were 87 teams that took part and combined they raised over $86,000 for the Duluth Clinic Breast Cancer Program, which will use the money to purchase a new mammography machine.  A great cause indeed!  To read a little more about our little festival, go to www.lakesuperiordragons.com.

So with that, I'm happy to see summer fade off and hockey season to get here.  As of today, 59 days until the puck drops on 2010-11, and there are still a lot of questions surrounding this version of the Yellowjackets, the 11th with Dan Stauber at the helm.  It's been a long off-season, long for the players, coaches and followers.  A lot of people are asking me THE question - "how are we going to be?"  That's a great question.  I always answer by saying "we'll be better than we were last year."  But there is something to keep in mind.  This team will be young...really young.  Last year, A LOT of freshmen got A LOT of playing time in key situations.  There is a natural progression that goes with becoming a sophomore, and hopefully these young men turn the corner.  The junior and senior classes aren't large, so this team will lean heavily on the sophomore and freshmen classes.  If these young players can develop the way that the staff thinks they can, it could be a lot of fun to watch.  Remember, the senior class that won the NCHA in 2009 was a big class, that got A LOT of playing time as freshmen and made a significant jump as sophomores.  Can history repeat itself?  Let's hope so because it could make it a fun year on the western tip of Lake Superior!

See you at the rink!

JG

July 8, 2010

Has It Been That Long?
Ten years.  A decade.  Where has the time gone?  The 2010-11 season will be the 10th season on the web for jackethockey.com.  What started out as a hobby and something to help the Yellowjacket coaching staff by giving them an online home has survived and evolved over ten years.  It's crazy to me that we've been at this as long as we have.  Crazier still is the reaction that we got a couple years ago when we were close to shutting the site down.  The number of people that talked to us and said they'd be disappointed to see jackethockey.com go the way of the old orange and black jerseys surprised us, so we have elected to keep it going and to try and continue improving it every year.  So to all those folks out there that have followed us over the years, thank you so much.  Rest assured that jackethockey.com isn't going anywhere.  Well, at least not for one more year.

Now onto the thing more pressing to the Yellowjacket faithful - recruiting.  I've had a number of people ask me who is coming in, how good are the players coming in and when will the full recruiting class be announced?  Recruiting is a year-round deal, and for Division III coaches, they are constantly going into July and August with a recruiting class that is still in flux.  What I do know is that we've posted four players on this site and there are more to come.  Some of them will be role players, some will be offensive players.  Some will be captains down the road.  Some are forwards, some are defense and some are goaltenders.  I know this is all quite broad, but that's where it stands right now.  In a few short weeks, when all the paperwork has gone through, we'll have a much better idea as to where the roster for next year stands.  One thing I'm pretty comfortable in saying is that with a nice core coming back and a nice recruiting class coming in, the results in 2010-11 will be better than last season.

See you at the rink!

JG

April 16, 2010

It's Been A While
Last decade (man, it still seems weird to say that) Aaron Lewis and Staind had a hit song called It's Been A While.  That song had a much different connotation than what I'm talking about here, but it has indeed been a while.  I looked at this page and realized that it had been nearly two months since I last posted something, so I thought I would get that taken care of.  Judging by the lack of feedback I've received, nobody was exactly waiting with baited breath for another post, so I probably could have waited it out over the summer without anyone noticing.

So here we are, and it's been a while.  Two months have passed since the 'Jackets closed out their season with a pair of ties (and a mini-game defeat) at St. Scholastica.  The dust has settled and it's time to take a look back. 

Not good.  As a fan, I'm disappointed because it just seemed like we never got the best out of this group.  Maybe expectations for them were too high, but when you're coming off league title with a good nucleus returning, your expectations should be high.  Plus, expectations here are always high.  Between UWS and SHS, the locals have seen a pretty fair amount of good hockey over the last few decades and it's just the way it is to enter the season with high expectations.  At the same time, it was also disappointing to see this team kind of get it together down the stretch and see no reward.  Karma for 20 years of success maybe. Down the stretch the 'Jackets routinely outplayed their opponents, including a St. Norbert team that finished second in the nation and the same St. Scholastica crew that knocked them out.  In fact, I think even the Saints would admit that they were outplayed the final three times the two teams met, including twice in the playoffs.  Then again, maybe they wouldn't.  In a nutshell, despite the struggles of the year, this team deserved better in the end.  I'm not going to sit here and say that they deserved to win a national title, but they did deserve a better fate.

But as people know, I'm not your regular fan.  I'm an alumnus, a former player that played a role in building this program into a Division III powerhouse.  And what we saw this year made me, and a number of other former players, pretty cranky.  But that's for a different time and a different conversation.  Let's just say that I, and other alumni, just want to see this program back in a prominent place in the NCAA, again routinely making trips to the Frozen Four and again a team that nobody wants to play against.  I hope it doesn't seem as though I'm piling on here.

It's a long off-season.  Plenty of time to dissect the past year, but we'll probably refrain from doing that.  Plenty of time also to preview the coming season.  And we'll definitely look at that.  From recruiting, to the schedule, basically anything that has to do with 'Jacket Hockey, we'll be giving it a little look-see.  We may even mix in a little golf, fishing and softball too.

But before we go...

Earlier in the year I did a "10 Things We'll See This Season" list.  How did that turn out?  Let's have a look.

1) Tyler Fletcher will have a breakout season.  "Fletch" did have a breakout year, setting a new career high for goals scored (10), tying his career high in points (15), and inking himself a pro contract at the end of the season.  So he did breakout, unfortunately, he did most of his damage in the first half of the year.  He scored just twice in the last 15 games.

2) The 'Jackets will match last year's total of two shorthanded goals...in one game.  Yesiree!  The team easily topped their total from last year, scoring seven shortys.  And they made me sweat this one out, scoring twice while shorthanded in their final game.

3) Matt Wiest will score a goal.  Um...negative.  It's gotten to the point now where he doesn't even want me to mention it, rather instead say that he isn't going to score.

4) Jesse Junkermeier will make at least one appearance on defense.  Yep.  For a good chunk of the second half, Junkermeier could be found on the blue line and not up front.

5) Someone will step up and take over the goaltending job.  This was an epic problem this year, as five different players spent time between the pipes, a school record.  In the end, Bryan Dalbec did seize the starting job.  So I guess we can say this one was true.

6) Coach Stauber will win his 200th career game as Yellowjacket head coach.  Nobody could have forecasted what happened this season, and the milestone will have to wait a little longer.  He now sits eight wins away.

7) Coach Stauber will get clipped with a puck on the bench this season.  Nope.  He came close to taking one behind the bench a couple of times, but it never actually happened.  Maybe next season we'll amend this to include practice, too.

8) Talon Berlando will score a goal in conference play.  And how.  After going two years without a conference goal, over half of his goals this season (8 of 14) came in NCHA play.

9) Braden Desmet will lead the NCHA in scoring.  A First Team All-American a year ago, Desmet's numbers fell dramatically in his senior year, and he was nowhere to be found on the score sheet for a long stretch of the season.  He had only ten points in conference play.

10) Tom Erlacher will teach me to say "he shoots, he scores" in Italian.  He did tell me how to say it, but truth be told, I had forgotten for the most part by the time I got back to the press box.  I'll need a tutorial again and have to do some studying for next year, to see if I can actually get it in there.

So there it is, six out of ten right.  Not happy about the .600 winning percentage.  Next year I'll have to come up with something that favors the radio guy a little bit more!

See you at the rink...in a few months!

JG