Yes, the Sioux lost a close game to their closest and most hated rivals. No, it's not a huge deal. We all know Minnesota, even on down years, is still a decent team capable of putting up some points. The problem that I have with last nights game is not the fact the Sioux lost; the Sioux actually played a good game. I'm frustrated by the Gophers and their lack of class last night.
This video is already viral and discussion amongst college hockey fans is rampant. The discussion is whether or not this hit by Brad Malone on Kevin Wehrs was clean and furthermore, why after a big scrum, did North Dakota get a powerplay? Let's take a look.
At 9 seconds into the video, there's .9 seconds left on the clock. Wehrs has the puck and is looking to clear it. Malone eyes him up, looking to make a play on the body. At 10 seconds of the video, with .6 left, Malone throws a clean check on Wehrs, sending him into the boards. There's no malicious intent here, it's simply making a clean play on the body. A body check. Furthermore, the ref is standing right on top of the play and can easily make a call if necessary. But there is no call needed. Clean hit before the horn sounds, end of the period, go to the locker room.
Nope. Not for the Gophers. As soon as the period ends, Wehrs sat there on the ice looking just pissed that someone would dare hit him. At 14 seconds in, you can see a linesman skating towards Malone, I assume, to assure no one comes after him. At 15 seconds in, take a look to the left. You see Gregoire tangling with a Gopher who is clearly taking a run at Malone with intent to injure him. Turns out its resident dickweasel Cepis, who has a reputation of being a dirty player. Gregoire is protecting his teammate from this malicious player, and from there, it just grows into a melee.
Further of note, Wehrs was obviously shaken up by the play, right? Not so much. He got up and got right into the scrum. Hard to feel sorry for the guy when he wants to be out there picking fights. That's not going to garner much sympathy, son.
In the end, because of Cepis's stupid action, the Sioux got a well-deserved powerplay and capitalized on it. Perhaps Jacob Cepis has learned his lesson. I doubt it though, and although I don't wish many players ill harm, I can't wait for him to take an elbow to the back of the head tonight.
A chance to talk about myself
- Brandon
- Denver, CO, United States
- TriSports.com sponsored athlete, SkratchLabs Ambassador/Taste Agent, Ironman Triathlete (completed Arizona in 2013). Pilot by trade, not by choice. Huge Fighting Sioux hockey fan, and fan of (almost all) Minnesota sports teams. I love being married to T, love the Colorado scene, both Denver the entire state. You'll often find the two of us in Vegas when we're not training, or at a symphonic metal concert
5 comments:
So typical of the golden pussies, showing there usual complete lack of any class whatsoever. My favorite part is probably the commentation, "minnesota sure likes that 2 on 1 stuff"
what cracks me up every year is how the Sioux get the reputation for being the cheap team, but you take a look at how this whole melee got started...oh no, he hit our guy! Let's run him!
Can't wait for tonight.
"Of course, I was going to stir it up a little bit," Cepis said. "It's just coming to help a teammate. You have to get in there and help. I didn't see the hit exactly, but the ref said it was clean, so it must have been clean."
I'll say the hit on Wehrs was legit and not cheap, could have been called a boarding call I guess but was borderline at best, BUT was a hit like that at the end of the period really called for, where was Wehrs going to go seeing time was out? I think Wehrs was just scared straight because it's the second game in a row up there he's taken one wallop of a hit at dang near the same spot....think he just snapped in frustation. :D
As far as the scrum, that was just the Gophers sticking up for each other....for once, can't blame them there. I always hear Sioux fans say they stick up for one another which is exactly what the Gophers did last night. I don't at all agree with Cepis' bowtie chokehold on the Sioux player but thats typical out of him anyways, Cepis is a great player but some of his antics even piss me off sometimes.
Not trying to start a flame war here, just throwing out this Gopher fans perspective of what I saw last night.
FHG, thanks for stopping by. I agree with you; Cepis is the best player on the Gophers squad and a top 10 player in the WCHA. No question about that. His talent is remarkable. As for whether the hit was necessary or not, probably not, but as you said, it was clean. Big hits happen at the end of periods all the time; this one was just magnified by being a big rivalry weekend. For the first time in years, I saw the Gophers play with passion and fire in their bellies. Too bad they couldn't do the same Saturday night.
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