Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

[DC78-82]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

Buffy Wild Wings is a quick walk.

Not sure where else to post this, but any recommendations for a good place for pre/post game food & adult beverages that's a reasonable distance of Ridder? Bonus points if they have Grain Belt on tap. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

Buffy Wild Wings is a quick walk.

Dinkytown is about the same distance, with lots of food/beverage options. The best Chinese food in the Twin Cities is at Shuang Cheng. Good malts at Annie's. Upscale, there's the Loring Pasta Bar. Bar food at Blarney's, Tony's Diner, or the Library. There's a sushi joint I can't remember the name of. And some chains.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

Gophers' Hannah Brandt, other seniors, pursuing third NCAA women's hockey title

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-h...tle/371127001/

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

The best Chinese food

that's an oxymoron

OK, here is the best tip of all:
download the pass here, http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/fans...-metro-transit
grab a ride on the rail for free after the game, now you can go anywhere between the MOA, and downtown StP, or Mpls

no, you don't have to have TimberHoof tickets

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

Keep an eye on Meghan Default. IIRC, she got away with a take down check by the blue line against McMillen that led to a key goal in the first series.

In the second series she got away with a similar check, knocking somebody down out in the open by the blue line.

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

Three teams sent a band (UMD?). Every team had a skating mascot.

Bands first. The UW band was good but it is a little hard to judge exactly how good they were when they played in a vacuum. In several past WCHA finals at Ridder the UMD band has been present and has most often been a great addition. This time? No band? No band at all? Apparently all of the available team support funds have been redistributed to a fund for defense of lawsuits.

The UND band was outstanding. My only question is, is it legit to be pounding on the drums while play is in progress? That didn't seem right but overall I liked their performance. Good mix of brass and percussion, loud and proud. Grade: A.

The Gopher band was routinely outrageously good. Grade: A.

Three really good bands in the building.

The mascots?

UND and UMD should both be embarrassed.

UND most of all, that guy could barely skate.

The person in the UMD Champ suit was only a tiny bit better.

Bucky could skate but really the only thing he can do is stand on his extremely large and extremely flat head. Most of the population of the world could stand on their head with that platform available.

Goldy!!!! Towards the end of the game he was down there with the band spinning his head in multiple 360s. National championship mascot supporting a defending national championship team.

Tomorrow should be a great hockey game.

May the best team win.

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

I was told at the game by a reliable source that an official from the U of M went over and talked to the ND band director while the band was pounding on their drums during a Gopher power play. He told them to knock it off. They did and they did not do it again during play. If it isn't a penalty, it should be.

As for the ND mascot just imagine "Kinky" Friedman trying to skate while wearing a ND jersey, green cowboy hat and waving a very large green ND flag and you'd have it.

[CrazyDave]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

I was actually surprised UND sent a band. Both UND's & UMD's men's hockey teams had home games - the regular-season finales, no less. That is likely the reason the Bulldog band was not at Ridder, and why I didn't expect the group from Grand Forks.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

“Anytime you had a top-five player in the world it’s going to make you a little bit better,” Idalski said. “They were already good to begin with.”

http://www.startribune.com/kessel-s-...ent/371172651/

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

I get the feeling that the fighting whatchamacallits would really like it if checking was allowed. #4 sure did get a nice on in on Piazza that somehow was missed by the referee.

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

#4 is a prime example of why nobody likes UND, a 3rd line D of marginal ability but a propensity to try to hurt people. Every time she is on the ice she is dishing dirt that could cause real damage to other players. Heck, she intentionally tripped a referee last year - at center ice in clear view of everyone in the building - and the WCHA did nothing. A dirty player who finished her career last night & college hockey is better for her disappearance.

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

One Minnesota player, I think #5, took a great hit after the whistle after a save by SAB.

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

As for the ND mascot just imagine "Kinky" Friedman trying to skate while wearing a ND jersey, green cowboy hat and waving a very large green ND flag and you'd have it.

If Kinky were a U-8 kid! Honestly that guy has been "skating" as the Whioux mascot for several years I keep expecting him to get better but he never does. The first time I saw him I assumed some prankster was pulling a fast one, no team would approve that act! Someone should get him a chair.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

One Minnesota player, I think #5, took a great hit after the whistle after a save by SAB.

In women's hockey, isn't "great hit" an oxymoron?

[NMH]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016 (Part 2) -- Amanda Kessel Enhanced

“Anytime you had a top-five player in the world it’s going to make you a little bit better,” Idalski said. “They were already good to begin with.”

http://www.startribune.com/kessel-s-...ent/371172651/

I wish I could express to you the level of done Idalski was in this press conference. His team just lost and he was getting questions like "Has adding Kessel made Minnesota better?" and while he was definitely complimenting her, this answer came with the heaviest dose of sarcasm possible. It as spectacular.