I Ain’t Mad At Cha

tUMD 4, UMTC 1/tUMD 2, Narrative 3

I should have written a post yesterday, one of jubilation and renewed hope, because yesterday’s game was a blast. It was so unexpected! The Gophers basically rolled over and died. I am never going to be particularly thrilled with how the regular season ended, but tDogs used their break well and managed to recall how to play hockey rather quickly, without giving up any goals while they were still finding their game. Thanks, guys, for letting my uncle and aunt (tUMD alumni) and their progeny (raised in New England but Dogs fans through and through) see you stomp on the Gophers once again.

The season is over, but tDogs fought hard all the way to the end. Willie Corrin saved an ENG that would have removed any hope of a comeback. tDogs contained Eichel and left him without a point. Even when they were on their heels, they remained composed. When tDogs finally got control after being bottled up in the defensive zone for eons, Welinski held the puck and allowed his teammates to change. Smart hockey from smart players and smart coaches.

The game ended controversially, first with a late PP leading to the GWG (while tUMD had 0 PPs), then with a play where the puck may or may not have gone into the net. I don’t ever want to know if the puck went into the net or not. I would prefer to go on believing it did not. If it did, there’s nothing we can do about it now except be mad. I don’t want to be mad about this season, it was a great season with great players who did great things.

Thanks guys for a great season. I would have loved to see you in Boston, though I’ve been agonizing about how I would do it without completely tanking my semester. It would have been amazing, and the RWD Army would have been there en masse, four generations strong, but we would be happy to make a trip to Tampa to see you guys next year.