Runnin' With the Dogs

Yesterday was pretty much insane.

MEg and I headed up to Duluth at about noon after packing the PBHjT shirts that hadn’t gone up to Duluth with Biddco last weekend. The ride up was nice, though the fall colors haven’t peaked yet. Next weekend, maybe?

I FINALLY got my season tickets, though the only reason I did was because I went to the UMD ticket office to pick them up. I’m a season ticket holder, finally! W00t w00t!

In the final hours of our planning, we went over the cheer a few more times, packed up the shirts into fifteen grocery bags, made a sign for the shirts, and then loaded everything into Linnea’s vehicle and headed down to the dreaded Little Angie’s.

Biddco put on the banana suit in the DECC parking lot and the five of us hauled the bags inside, where I was to confront my worst fears. I had been in a state of inner panic for the last few hours wondering if the shirts were going to be confiscated. But then the first thing that happened as we walked in was the cop at the door bought a shirt, and we were in.

Once we got set up and students started trickling in, my amazing and fabulous friends went to work to pimp out the shirts any way they could. I have to take a moment to thank them: Zach, Lindsey, Linnea, Richie, Reign, Donna (not me), Adam, and of course MeanEgirl and Biddco. The PBHjT shirts were VERY popular, especially since we had an actual banana.

tUMD decided to raise the Final Five banner yesterday before the game, which was dumb because 1. people don’t usually arrive too early on Fridays and 2. we did it against a non-conference opponent and they weren’t even on the ice. They should have waited until next weekend and done it in front of Mankato State to rub their faces in it. I thought that was the point of a banner raising. Oh yeah, and also to applaud our team. The BEST part about it was the return of Matt Greer! They should have done it at intermission so more people would be there to applaud him!

The only part of PBHjT that was unsuccessful was doing the actual Peanut Butter Hjelle Time cheer. I’m not really sure why people were so averse to it. I mean, these are the same people who sang “The Wheels On Your House” against Denver. Since when did they get so picky about what cheers they would and would not do?

Justin Fontaine got things going in the first period about 9 minutes in, set up by My Sweet Jacky and Drew Akins. Drew on the power play spells good things for Team Cougar in WCHA fantasy hockey. On the next power play, Fonzie got another totally sick goal on an incredibly sweet setup from My Jacky and also Dylan Olsen, who is the first freshman to get a point! tUMD was rolling until some ill-timed penalties led to LSSU’s first goal. LSSU scored with an extra attacker while already on the power play, which at first seemed very unfortunate, but actually just set up My Jacky to get a shorthanded goal! That was very exciting! And of course it was set up by Arthur Fonzarelli and a fresh from the penalty box Scott Kishel.

And thus ended the first period.

Obviously the reason they did the banner raising pre-game was because it was ALSO parents’ weekend, and they brought out all the parents on the all-purpose red carpet. Some of us started a “Thank you parents” chant but it didn’t last nearly long enough. Don’t forget, folks, that our beloved Bulldogs are here thanks to the time, money, love, support, and superior genetics of their parents.

The second period was exciting only because former My Guy Rob Bordson got a goal!!! Fantastic for him. The last time Bordo had a goal was on my birthday in 2007. Getting out from under the burden of being My Guy probably helped him, as I know it’s a lot of pressure.

The third period felt pretty flat, and the fans kind of slacked. I blame this on all the normal agitators who went to the Curling Club and didn’t return until 5 minutes into the period. I know it’s “cool” to try to see how much hockey you can miss in the CC, but the students need their leaders in the section! Lake Superior State brought the deficit within one, which made the game needlessly tense, but Hjelle was up to the task and protected the lead. Dan Delisle laid out a monster hit on a Laker player that registered a 5 on the Richter Scale.

All that is left is to take care of a demoralized Northern Michigan and we will continue our dominance in the Showcase Showdown!

On a side note, a group of us waited for Brady after the game to congratulate him (I know! So unlike me! Normally I would be as far away from the team as possible!!) and to put a face to the banana, which he thought was really funny. He is an incredibly nice guy and we had a nice conversation which mostly revolved around how Michigan Tech sucks.

I will not be at the game on Sunday as it’s too much of a stretch to make it up there in time, but t-shirts will STILL be available in case you were unable to pick yours up last night.

Bulldog hockey is back. HALLELUJAH!