It's UMD

Big Blue did what they could but it wasn't enough.  And Shawn Hunwick turned out to be human after all.

You couldn't have asked for a better or more exciting final.  The game was close all the way, there was excellent goal tending on both ends of the ice, the action was fast and furious, and the game went into OT.  There was an early "no goal" call that, had the goal not been waved off, would have given Michigan the win in regulation.  But it is what it is... and what it is is this:  the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs... your 2011 NCAA hockey champs!

Well played, Dogs!

―:☺:―

Today is the last day of the 2011 regular NHL season and the Beloved Wings play the Blackhawks at 1030 hrs (MDT) this morning.  The Wings have third place in the West nailed down and Chicago is still on the bubble.  As of Saturday night:

A Chicago loss and a Dallas win means the 'Hawks won't make the playoffs, which would be an incredible turn of events if that should come to pass.  Today's game is the second in a home-and-home series with the Wings and if this game is anything like Friday night's debacle the 'Hawks should have nothing to worry about, given the 'Hawks won going away at The Joe.  That game Friday night was one of the worst performances by the Wings I've ever seen.  They really mailed it in Friday -- no jump, no emotion, sloppy passing, give-aways too numerous to mention, and an invisible power play.  Dee-troit fans are tough on their teams when they're not playing well; witness this comment from the live-blog of Friday night's game at The Malik Report:

I’m with you man.  They look like first round fodder.

No, they’re wearing the Winged Wheel…so they look like Champions.  They’re playing like first round fodder.  Who the hell is this team?

Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 04/08/11 at 08:58 PM ET 

There really IS reason to worry.  The Wings are playing .300 hockey... 3-5-2 over the last ten games... and that ain't near good enough.  First-round fodder, indeed.  The playoffs could be VERY short for Detroit this year.