After further review: The ECAC doesn't really equate to the EZAC after at all

ECAC Hockey logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So as we sit here on Saturday, waiting for the championship game of the Frozen Four, and I have to admit that there are no “sexy” traditional match-ups, in the 2013 Frozen Four.

So what?

What else are we going to do today? It’s not like it’s nice outside.

That’s not saying that the hockey hasn’t been good this year, because it has. There are just no traditional matchups between historical powers like Michigan vs. Minnesota or North Dakota versus Boston College.  

Does it really matter? Nope!

Tonight, a couple of brainiac schools from Connecticut, that are about 8 miles apart, according to USCHO’s Brian Sullivan, are going to show case their conferences skills, in "pinnacle"of college hockey’s season. 

For the First time in 23 years, a school from the ECAC is going to win the national championship in division I college hockey.

Wait, what?

So in case you’re confused, two teams from the ECAC will take center stage tonight, one of them are going to be National Champions.

In the final game of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I College Hockeyseason, Yale takes on Quinnipiac University to determine who the best team is for the 2012-13 season. They've earned, and I must offer my congratulations.

While their playing hockey the naysayers will be eating some crow. I will take Caribbean Jerk on my crow.

The Weather map for North Dakota... 

Union's Shayne Gostisbehere gets a five minute major for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit

First off, the hit was a little late as the ref was blowing the whistle, however, this doesn't appear to be a hit to the head. Barry Melrose opens his mouth and proves he knows little about hockey. The puck is at the forwards feet.

To me it looks like Union's Shayne Gostisbehere got a five minute major for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit. Guess who, WCHA on-ice officials Marco Hunt and Derek Shepherd officiating again. This officaiting crew is absolutely brutal, these two guys get the calls wrong, more times than they get it right, if I had to bet, it was Marco Hunt that made the call on this play as well, notice Derek Shepherd has already made the call on the Quinnipiac's Connor Jones, who was called for tripping.

I do agree, maybe it's time for the NCAA to review contact to the head calls. Seems like some of the officials are having one heck of a time getting the call right.

Maybe NCAA needs to video review contact to head calls. #UnionHockey 1, #QUHockey 5. #ECACHockey #NCAAHockey
— Ken Schott (@slapschotts) April 1, 2013

Epic fail by ESPNU

Come on espn.... twitter.com/cHRISTIANbRO10…
— Sam Christian (@cHRISTIANbRO10) March 29, 2013

s/t to@cHRISTIANbRO10 ... Epic fail to @ESPNU for this screw up. Unsatisfactory, this is not acceptable. Of course ESPN wouldn't screw up Notre Dame or Boston College or even Cornell for that matter, but it's okay to disrespect North Dakota.

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll; UND drops to 7

January 28, 2013

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Minnesota	(28)	18- 4-4	975	1
2	Quinnipiac	(22)	18- 3-3	967	2
3	New Hampshire		15- 6-2	871	4
4	Miami		15- 6-5	835	6
5	Boston College		14- 7-2	771	3
6	Western Michigan		16- 6-4	723	9
7	North Dakota		13- 8-5	633	5
8	Yale		12- 5-3	605	8
9	Notre Dame		16-10-0	564	7
10	Denver		13- 8-4	506	10
11	Boston University		13- 9-1	479	11
12	St. Cloud State		15-10-1	446	16
13	Massachusetts-Lowell		14- 7-2	416	15
14	Nebraska-Omaha		15- 9-2	406	13
15	Minnesota State		16- 9-3	393	14
16	Dartmouth		11- 7-2	302	12
17	Niagara		15- 4-5	180	17
18	Union		13- 8-4	151	19
19	Wisconsin		11- 8-5	127	20
20	Alaska		12- 8-4	69	NR
Others receiving votes: Ferris State 42, Colgate 19, Providence 11, Cornell 5, Holy Cross 2, Merrimack 1, Northern Michigan 1.

Tom Miller nails it UND vs. UMN

North Dakota highway shield (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you haven't read the Grand Forks Herald on-line newspaper you should head on over and check out Tom Miller's article about the UND vs. UMN Hockey rivalry. I guess not everyone is gobbling up what Minnesota coach Don Lucia is shoveling.

“(The atmosphere) was good all weekend,” Lucia said. “Our fans get pumped for big games. Boston College and Notre Dame were great atmospheres, too.”

Seriously, Don? Give it up. Clearly, there is no replacing the UND-Minnesota rivalry. No other matchup will hold a candle to North Dakota-Minnesota. The fans know it. The players know it. In fact, everyone seems to know it but Lucia.

All weekend long you have ex-players on both sides of the ice talking about the rivalry and how great it is. Former Gopher and Sioux players going on and on about how great the rivalry, then you have Donny Lucia giving his petty reasons why the rivalry is taking a break. Give it up Donny.

Related articles

• Sioux nickname reason UND's not playing UMN (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• A few things... UMN vs. UND (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• (Video) UND vs. UMN (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Game Day; UND vs. UMN (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Breaking down the Minnesota vs. North Dakota Rivalry (thehockeywriters.com)
• Minnesota hesitant to play North Dakota in hockey for now... (thehockeywriters.com)