Re: UNO @ SCSU Feb 20 and 21: Will the real St. Cloud PLEASE stand up?
The Huskies were lucky to come away with a win. UNO outplayed us for probably 45 minutes of the game. They had more jump tonight and probably have more offensive skill than the Huskies but a couple of goals created by hustle at the end of the game won it for us. Up to a tie for 13th in the Pairwise.
WE'RE COMIN!!!
As shocking and disappointing a UNO loss as I have ever seen. Championship teams don't lose games in regulation that you are winning with 3:04 left in the game where you have all the momentum (hah!). 2 even strength goals 16 seconds apart? I've said several times, previously, that all these freshmen would bite us in the butt at some point and tonight was another one of those games where that happened, methinks. There have been at least three others this season.
The game tying goal should have never gone in and I bet Massa would say so, himself.
Even more tragic was that Austin Ortega scored UNO's 3rd goal. Had the 3-2 lead held up that he gave UNO with that goal, he'd have broken the all time NCAA record for game winners in a single season that he is now tied with several other players, still, at 10.
My first ever trip to the NHC. Always nice to see cheerleaders that skate. Somebody want to explain to me why SCSU
still has WCHA logos on the interior walls of the arena? Or why they have logos of teams on the interior arena wall that aren't even in their conference (some of the current WCHA teams) and, some that never have been (like of old CCHA teams like Ohio State)?
Pretty fair number of UNO fans in evidence. I would guess there were upwards of 100 or so. I bet there are more tomorrow night. The building was maybe 2/3rds full, which surprised me since SCSU certainly still is playing for something and, even though it was supposed to be a "Redout" night at the arena, there was not very many people wearing it. Black was by far the most preponderant color in the building.
Just like in every Minnesota arena I have seen UNO play in, the kids at the game actually are watching and paying attention to the game. In fact, in a lot of cases, even more so than the adults that are with them. The kid in front of me who looked 7 or 8 was just screaming at the refs for calls against UNO. Not so, kids at UNO games. They aren't watching and in a lot of cases are even disruptive. Always been that way, too.
I don't want to dig on the arena itself too much, but, the place doesn't really have a lot of atmosphere. I don't think the low hanging ceiling helps that, either. The corridors at each end of the rink that allow access to the other side of the arena are very odd.
Very narrow and unlit, besides? Cheapest concession prices I have ever seen, anywhere. But, a very small selection. For UNO fans that have not been here, the concourses (and restrooms) are somewhat similar to that of the soon-to-be-torn-down Omaha Civic Auditorium. The pressbox is an open air affair at the top of the upper level on one side of the arena. They have cheap fluorescent light fixtures that hang down from the ceiling over the pressbox area for lighting. The pressbox set-up is, I dunno, the best way I can put it is, amusing. Another real problem with the building is the P.A. system is horrendous and nearly everything said by the P.A. announcer is completely unintelligible. No band at SCSU games, either, just like UNO. My wife didn't care for the building at all, but, I thought it had a certain charm. Somebody know what year it was built?
Need the game tomorrow night in a bad way. We'll see if the boys can get off the deck, dust themselves off, and go get them tomorrow night.