My WCHA awards ballot Comments
Brad, I'm not arguing with you about TJ as POY, but I want to hear your argument as to why over Phil, Backman, Lasch, etc.
Posted by: Jim on Monday, March 10 8:28 AM
Lamoureux wins 2007-08 WCHA goaltending title
Courtesy: FightingSioux.com
Release: 03/08/2008
Courtesy: Kory Wallen, FightingSioux.com
http://www.korywallen.com/
Sioux goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux won the 2007-08 WCHA goaltending title with a 1.74 conference goals against average.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. --UND men's hockey goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (Sr., Grand Forks, N.D.) won the 2007-08 WCHA men's goaltending title tonight, finishing the regular season with a 1.74 goals against average in conference play.
Lamoureux, who played in all 28 of UND's conference games, edged Colorado College's Richard Bachman for the title, as Bachman finished with a 1.75 league goals against average in 25 WCHA games. Bachman did not play tonight in Colorado College's season finale, a 3-1 CC win over Denver.
Lamoureux is the first Fighting Sioux goalie to win the league goaltending championship since the 1999-2000 season, when former UND goalie Karl Goehring did it with a 1.79 goals against average in 21 WCHA games played.
Lamoureux currently leads the nation in goals against average with a 1.66 overall mark and is tied with Bachman for the national lead in overall save percentage at .934. Lamoureux has helped UND to the nation's best defense, as UND leads the nation in fewest goals allowed per game with a 1.77 mark.
Lamoureux is 22-8-4 overall this season and 18-7-3 in the WCHA.
The Sioux will continue their season next weekend when Michigan Tech visits Grand Forks for a best-of-three WCHA first round playoff series on Friday, Saturday and if necessary, on Sunday.
Posted by: ps on Monday, March 10 8:53 AM
where is kozek? he proved that he is versatile by scoring several goals with his quick shots. he is also a physical threat on the ice and always delivers (or tries to deliver) big hits
Posted by: Frozen 4 on Monday, March 10 10:54 AM
wheeler is a 3rd teamer for sure and kangas 3rd team..hahahahhaahah mannino is a the 3rd teamer, not kangas...........wheeler hasnt done much this season in wcha play overall. or zacharius...good picks
Posted by: huh? on Monday, March 10 12:51 PM
I'm glad your not serious about Kozek because that would be disgusting. Secondly Brad, you know that not that many Sioux belong on the first and second teams...i know you do. Lose the bias
Posted by: Wow on Monday, March 10 1:07 PM
I went with Oshie because I believe he's the best player in the league. He's physical, he's a menace forechecking, he's extremely skilled and he does a ton for the team. He's also got good numbers to go with it.
And explain which Sioux players you don't believe to be deserving on the first or second team.
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, March 10 1:16 PM
Kozek over VV?
Posted by: yo on Monday, March 10 1:18 PM
Ryan Lasch has a plus/minus rating of minus 6. Even though his 23 goals impress, he's still a minus 6 when teams are at even strength. Not worthy of a first-team ballot, in my opinion. Think you have Blake Wheeler rated too high as well, maybe based more on potential than actual performance?
Posted by: geezer on Monday, March 10 2:28 PM
He's not just a -6 even strength. Some of those against him were shorthanded breakaways when he is down low and the d-men blow a pass to the point, not exactly his fault.
Bottom line is Lasch lead the WCHA in points both overall and in conference, he will be a 1st teamer and it's likely the Player of the Year comes down to him or Bachman
Posted by: defender on Monday, March 10 5:16 PM
No way is Chorney 2nd team. He has not had nearly as strong of a year this year as he did last year. McBain should be 2nd team.
Posted by: Franky on Monday, March 10 8:53 PM
Your comments about Oshie are right on. How many goals does his linemates have because of his tenacity, playmaking and unselfish play in the offensive zone.
His leadership is not by making motivational speeches in the lockerroom. His leadership is on the ice, on the draws, first one to the puck, always looking backdoor for a breaking teammate in the slot.
All this along w/ his defensive talents inside the Sioux zone.
Not to mention he's probably played a 1/3 of his Sioux career injured yet always finding a way to get on the ice. You can't teach these tendencies. He has the heart of a lion, the talent of a NHL'er and the drive to win UND's 8th National Championship!
Posted by: The Fonz on Monday, March 10 8:56 PM
Picking Oshie over Rau was a homer call if I ever saw one. Let's look at the stats....Rau had more points (40) and goals (27G,13A) than Oshie (14G,21A,35pts). Rau had 5 GWG to Oshie's 4 and Rau had a nation leading 6 SHG's to Oshie's 1. Rau's +/- is better +15 to Oshie's +13. Rau is definitely a leader on the ice and in the locker room. Rau single-handedly won half a dozen games. Both are great players, but Rau had a better season, plain and simple.
Posted by: Joe from Minneapolis on Tuesday, March 11 9:23 AM
My pick:
Chad Rau WCHA Player of the Year.
CC won the league title.
Rau was #2 in WCHA scoring
Rau was #1 in goals scored in WCHA with 23 (next closest was 17 goals)
5 Game winning goals-WCHA
5 Power Play goals-WCHA
5 Shorthanded goals-WCHA
Posted by: RR on Tuesday, March 11 10:25 AM
I agree that TJ is on another level with his all around skills and tenacity. He plays the game in a very unique way and his impact on the ice is not outmatched by anyone in college hockey. There is no doubt about this.
His only weakness in my humble opinion is he isn't awesome at finishing the play with the goal. He is good at it, but relative to his other talents it is definitly lacking.
I still think overall he is at the top!
Posted by: yababy8 on Tuesday, March 11 11:04 AM
Looks like a little UND bias here, also putting Kangas on the 3rd team is a joke, what about Teslak? MTU is nothing without him! Lasch will win POY and Bachman will win ROY.
Posted by: My Opinion on Tuesday, March 11 11:04 AM
Brad,
I agree totally with your assessment on Oshie.
He is just as deserving as anyone to get POY for the WCHA. Other teams fans come here and think that they can make the case for there guy but it really isn't a comparison.
They just don't understand that you Can't stop the OSHIE, you can only hope to contain him.
We will certainly miss the OSHIE next year.
Posted by: ticklethetwine on Tuesday, March 11 12:00 PM
If Oshie doesn't win player of the year it can be easily explained by the time he missed ( and played) when he was injured. He got hurt in Denver and didn't back healthy until Jan. He played hurt when he played. He is now injured again and it cut out his playing time more. If he would have been healthy all year he would be the leader in pts. There is no question he is, when healthy, the best player in the WCHA right now. It's really not even close.
Posted by: yababy8 on Tuesday, March 11 1:36 PM
Wheeler and Bruess? UND all over the place? Mcbain at Wisconsin not considered? He had a very solid year. He is great on the PP. Kilpatrick, at CC, is the leading senior scoring leader this year and with over 100 points in his career. He has led his team with leadership and, I think, creative, unbelievable playmaking skill. One of the most dangerous players due to that ability of making anyone look better, if they could finish. I heard he overcame hip surgery being forced to miss games or he would have had even more points. Wheeler is so overrated, I don't care what Gretsky thinks. Bruess is a sophomore and really doesn't have a track record strong enough yet. Your bias is apparent and very inept.
Posted by: Pete in Wisconsin on Tuesday, March 11 2:39 PM
Yes, Wheeler went too high in the draft. But there's no denying that he was basically Minnesota's only scoring threat this season. His numbers would be more impressive if he had more scorers around him, like Kilpatrick does.
As far as Bruess is concerned, not only is he the leading scorer for the fourth-place team, he also finished the season at +21, which is extremely impressive for a forward. I don't think there is another forward in the league with a better +/-.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, March 11 3:24 PM
Let me see, Wheeler and the Gophers with their all NHL team not considered scorers? Barribal was big time last year and he played with Wheeler again. Maybe just overrated and underachievers. They were the seventh place team and CC was first and ya picked only one forward yet, how many Sioux? I also noticed Roe was put on the 3rd team as well as the rookie. With Bruess having so few goals and a soph, no way. Anyway you look at it too many Sioux.
Posted by: Pete on Tuesday, March 11 7:44 PM
