MATCHUP: (1) Minnesota (BIG 10 - Minneapolis, MN) vs. unranked North Dakota (NCHC - Grand Forks, ND)
LOCATION: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
1st TIME HOSTING? Yes... the former (since demolished) Spectrum, which was across the parking lot until late 2010, never hosted the NCAA's premier hockey tournament!
SOUNDS OF THE GAME: John Buccigross & Barry Melrose on ESPN2; as for the background music, that, unlike my visit to Albany, N.Y. for Union-RPI in late January, was approximately 1/2 Minnesota/North Dakota bands, & 1/2 Wells Fargo Center producers with all the pre-recorded playlists... Unlike B.C./Union, however, the bands played quite a bit more often during Minnesota/North Dakota... Either way, that certainly provides the bands a break from having to play during every play stoppage/intermission!
KUDOS: (& I don't usually give anything from Philadelphia "kudos") to the Philadelphia Flyers for "loaning" 40+ year P.A. announcer Lou Nolan to the NCAA for these 3 games! Also, to ESPN/ESPN2 for bringing back the network's original National Hockey Night theme, which played throughout every ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 NHL telecast throughout the 1980s, 90s, & up until the 2004-5 lockout that canceled that entire season & ended the NHL/ABC-ESPN T.V. deal!
1ST PERIOD SUMMARY:
no goals whatsoever...
no penalties, either...
North Dakota had slightly more shots in the opening frame, but (see above)
(insert sarcastic/witty comment here)
2ND PERIOD SUMMARY:
still no scoring?
finally!
(insert anything here)
That finish, tho... More on that later!
Usually, 1 team scoring almost immediately after getting scored upon can lead to some feisty play later on in the game, but for the most part, both of these teams seemed as if they were waiting for their opponents to break under pressure, & finally, with just .6 seconds left in regulation, Minnesota scored shorthanded to win this latest Minnesota - North Dakota rivalry matchup, & move on to Saturday night against Union! (7:30 P.M. EDT, ESPN)
This was the only penalty in the 3rd period... quite surprising for such a heated rivalry, am I rite?
Sometimes, not even outshooting your opponent by a wide margin can help, unfortunately for North Dakota!
UP NEXT: (1) Minnesota vs. (3) Union, Saturday night @ 7:30 P.M. EDT on ESPN!
SOUNDS OF THE GAME: John Buccigross & Barry Melrose on ESPN2; as for the background music, that, unlike my visit to Albany, N.Y. for Union-RPI in late January, was approximately 1/2 Minnesota/North Dakota bands, & 1/2 Wells Fargo Center producers with all the pre-recorded playlists... Unlike B.C./Union, however, the bands played quite a bit more often during Minnesota/North Dakota... Either way, that certainly provides the bands a break from having to play during every play stoppage/intermission!
KUDOS: (& I don't usually give anything from Philadelphia "kudos") to the Philadelphia Flyers for "loaning" 40+ year P.A. announcer Lou Nolan to the NCAA for these 3 games! Also, to ESPN/ESPN2 for bringing back the network's original National Hockey Night theme, which played throughout every ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 NHL telecast throughout the 1980s, 90s, & up until the 2004-5 lockout that canceled that entire season & ended the NHL/ABC-ESPN T.V. deal!
1ST PERIOD SUMMARY:
2ND PERIOD SUMMARY:
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