Thursday, December 20, 2007

Okposo To Sign With Islanders

Well I decided that I should make this another post since it had nothing to do with the North Dakota series but it's still news. I guess to most people it doesn't come to a shock. For me it's not that it is shokcing it's just his timing is extremely bad for two reasons. One, it's the middle of the season and two, he has two days left of his semster. It's the middle of the season if your going to go pro don't make it such a big deal and draw attention to you by doing it in the middle of the season. Obviously if you leave college to go pro your going to get attention but not only do you cast the spotlight on the U but also on all of your team mates... Yeah Kyle that's right the other 24 guys on your team. Did you ever think about them? Probley not because if you leave in the middle of the season chances are your thinking of yourself. TWO DAYS LEFT IN THE SEMESTER!!! Not only does that scream hey sorry I messed up in some of my classes and can't pass my last couple finals... but it also says that he doesn't like school. Two days left and he couldn't have waited until Friday to inform his coach, the media oh yeah and his teamates so that they could get through their finals too? It is so frustrating how in one day Kyle can go from being someone kids look up to to an arrogant jerk who abandons his team. Honestly he wasn't having a terrific season so I don't understand how the Islanders want him. Shame on them for taking a kid away from school. Honestly I didn't really care when Erik Johnson left because he was always going to be a one and done kind of guy and after the comments he made I lost all my respect for him but Kyle I care about. He could have waited three more months!!!!!! But no since some enforcer got suspended for 30 games Kyle will get a chance to play in the NHL when he comes back from the World Juniors. Now don't get me wrong I think Kyle is a great hockey player and he will have a great career as he continues on the the NHL I just think he could have waited. I wish Kyle all the best no matter how hard it is to see him go. Kyle is expected to sign with the Islanders in early January and I just hope Kyle knows how much he will be missed. Kyle had 11 points this season with the Gophers. He was a ninteenth overall pick by the Islanders in the 2006 NHL entry draft.

Good-Bye Kyle.. I wish you all the best and I hope you know I'll be cheering for you.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA:

University of Minnesota sophomore Kyle Okposo has chosen to forgo the remainder of the 2007-08 season and his career with the Golden Gophers to sign a contract with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.

Okposo was the Islanders’ first-round draft choice and the seventh player taken overall in the 2006 entry draft. He is the eighth Minnesota player to leave college early for the professional ranks since the end of the 2005-06 season. Okposo is departing today for the Czech Republic as a member of the United States’ under-20 national team that is competing at the International Ice Hockey Federation world championships and will join the Islanders following the tournament.

“While I’m disappointed Kyle is leaving at this point of the season, his dream has been to play pro hockey,” Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. “It is unfortunate that the Islanders put him in a very difficult position. I think our team has made strides the last few weeks and I’m looking forward to the second half of the season.”

A St. Paul native who attended Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn., Okposo burst onto the collegiate scene last season with 19 goals and 21 assists in 40 games as a freshman. He earned second-team All-WCHA honors and was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team. Amid speculation that he would leave for the NHL after his freshman season, Okposo announced on June 6 that he would return to the Gophers.

Okposo had a slow start to the 2007-08 season with an eight-game scoreless streak after a three-point game in the season opener against Rensselaer. He scored points in six of the last nine games, totaling seven goals and four assists over the team’s first 18 games as Minnesota currently owns a 9-8-1 record.

Gophers Split With Sioux

Sorry... I guess i didn't really keep my word about covering the games but I have a life... actully it was more oout of laziness than anything else but I'm sure you all understand. Ther series with the Sioux was by far the best. The Gophers hustled for 60 minutes! I was so proud! although we feel apart on Firday and din't win i thought it was a great effort and the way the Gophers came back on Saturday was even better. I have to admit i was pretty nervous that last minute on sautrday. I wasn't sure the Gophers were going to make it with out going into OT but thanks to Alex Kangas the Gophers were able to hold on and take a split back to Minneapolis. The Gophers are now idle until Dec. 29 when they play RIT in the Dodge Holiday Classic. In other news 4 Gophers players were announced to go to the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, forwards Kyle Okposo, Mike Carmen Ryan Flynn and Defenseman Cade Fade Fairchild. Carmen is also eligible to play again after missing half of the season with academic issues. He will return to the Gopher line up on Jan. 11 with the rest of the Gophers when they take on St. Cloud State. Until the Dodge Holiday Classic.. Happy Holidays and GO GOPHERS!!

Firday VS. North Dakota

First Period Scoring:
NONE

First Period Penalties:
MINN Derek Peltier Interference
Kyle Okposo Hooking
Tony Lucia Unsportsmanlike Conduct
UND TEAM Too Many On Ice
Darcy Zajac Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Second Period Scoring:
NONE

Second Period Peanlties
MINN Brian Schack Interference
Jay Barriball Roughing
Stu bickel Roughing
UND Rylan Kaip Rouhging
MAtt Watkins Roughing
Joe Finley Roughing
Andrew Kozak Interference

Third Period Scoring
UND
Chay Genoway TJ Oshie
Rylan Kaip Chris VandeVelde/Robbie Bina
Matt Walkins Rylan Kaip/Taylor Chorney
Brad Malone Evan Trupp
MINN
Blake Wheeler Jay Barriball/Mike Howe
Ryan Flynn Kyle Okposo

Third Period Penalties
UND Rylan Kaip Charging
Brad Malone Roughing
Derrick LaPoint
Rylan Kaip Roughing
MINN Blake Wheeler Roughing
RJ Anderson Roughing

Saves
Jeff Frazee 26 Saves
JP Lamoureux 37 Saves

Three Stars
1. NONE
2. NONE
3. NONE

Saturday VS North Dakota

First Period Scoring
MINN
Mike Hoeffel Mike Howe/RJ Anderson
Blake Wheeler Derek Peltier/David Fischer
UND TJ Oshie Darcy Zajac

First Period Penalties
MINN Blake Wheeler Tripping

Second Period Scoring
MINN Mike Hoeffel Mike Howe/Stu Bickel
Ben Gordon Blake Wheeler/Stu Bickel

Second Period Penalties
MINN
Drew Fischer Roughing
Tom Pohl Roughing
Evan Kaufmann Slashing
Evan Kaufmann Roughing
Evan Kaufmann Roughing
Drew Fischer Roughing
UND
Derrick LaPoint Roughing
Darcy Zajac Roughing
Sorry... I guess i didn't really keep my word about covering the games but I have a life... actully it was more oout of laziness than anything else but I'm sure you all understand. Ther series with the Sioux was by far the best. The Gophers hustled for 60 minutes! I was so proud! although we feel apart on Firday and din't win i thought it was a great effort and the way the Gophers came back on Saturday was even better. I have to admit i was pretty nervous that last minute on sautrday. I wasn't sure the Gophers were going to make it with out going into OT but thanks to Alex Kangas the Gophers were able to hold on and take a split back to Minneapolis. The Gophers are now idle until Dec. 29 when they play RIT in the Dodge Holiday Classic. In other news 4 Gophers players were announced to go to the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, forwards Kyle Okposo, Mike Carmen Ryan Flynn and Defenseman Cade Fade Fairchild. Carmen is also eligible to play again after missing half of the season with academic issues. He will return to the Gopher line up on Jan. 11 with the rest of the Gophers when they take on St. Cloud State. Until the Dodge Holiday Classic.. Happy Holidays and GO GOPHERS!!

Firday VS. North Dakota

First Period Scoring:
NONE

First Period Penalties:
MINN Derek Peltier Interference
Kyle Okposo Hooking
Tony Lucia Unsportsmanlike Conduct
UND TEAM Too Many On Ice
Darcy Zajac Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Second Period Scoring:
NONE

Second Period Peanlties
MINN Brian Schack Interference
Jay Barriball Roughing
Stu bickel Roughing
UND Rylan Kaip Rouhging
MAtt Watkins Roughing
Joe Finley Roughing
Andrew Kozak Interference

Third Period Scoring
UND
Chay Genoway TJ Oshie
Rylan Kaip Chris VandeVelde/Robbie Bina
Matt Walkins Rylan Kaip/Taylor Chorney
Brad Malone Evan Trupp
MINN
Blake Wheeler Jay Barriball/Mike Howe
Ryan Flynn Kyle Okposo

Third Period Penalties
UND Rylan Kaip Charging
Brad Malone Roughing
Derrick LaPoint
Rylan Kaip Roughing
MINN Blake Wheeler Roughing
RJ Anderson Roughing

Saves
Jeff Frazee 26 Saves
JP Lamoureux 37 Saves

Three Stars
1. NONE
2. NONE
3. NONE

Saturday VS North Dakota

First Period Scoring
Sorry... I guess i didn't really keep my word about covering the games but I have a life... actully it was more oout of laziness than anything else but I'm sure you all understand. Ther series with the Sioux was by far the best. The Gophers hustled for 60 minutes! I was so proud! although we feel apart on Firday and din't win i thought it was a great effort and the way the Gophers came back on Saturday was even better. I have to admit i was pretty nervous that last minute on sautrday. I wasn't sure the Gophers were going to make it with out going into OT but thanks to Alex Kangas the Gophers were able to hold on and take a split back to Minneapolis. The Gophers are now idle until Dec. 29 when they play RIT in the Dodge Holiday Classic. In other news 4 Gophers players were announced to go to the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, forwards Kyle Okposo, Mike Carmen Ryan Flynn and Defenseman Cade Fade Fairchild. Carmen is also eligible to play again after missing half of the season with academic issues. He will return to the Gopher line up on Jan. 11 with the rest of the Gophers when they take on St. Cloud State. Until the Dodge Holiday Classic.. Happy Holidays and GO GOPHERS!!

Firday VS. North Dakota

First Period Scoring:
NONE

First Period Penalties:
MINN Derek Peltier Interference
Kyle Okposo Hooking
Tony Lucia Unsportsmanlike Conduct
UND TEAM Too Many On Ice
Darcy Zajac Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Second Period Scoring:
NONE

Second Period Peanlties
MINN Brian Schack Interference
Jay Barriball Roughing
Stu bickel Roughing
UND Rylan Kaip Rouhging
MAtt Watkins Roughing
Joe Finley Roughing
Andrew Kozak Interference

Third Period Scoring
UND
Chay Genoway TJ Oshie
Rylan Kaip Chris VandeVelde/Robbie Bina
Matt Walkins Rylan Kaip/Taylor Chorney
Brad Malone Evan Trupp
MINN
Blake Wheeler Jay Barriball/Mike Howe
Ryan Flynn Kyle Okposo

Third Period Penalties
UND Rylan Kaip Charging
Brad Malone Roughing
Derrick LaPoint
Rylan Kaip Roughing
MINN Blake Wheeler Roughing
RJ Anderson Roughing

Saves
Jeff Frazee 26 Saves
JP Lamoureux 37 Saves

Three Stars
1. NONE
2. NONE
3. NONE

Saturday VS North Dakota

First Period Scoring
Brad Malone Roughing
Brad Malone Roughing
Andrew Kozak Roughing
Andrew Kozak Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Third Period Scoring
UND
Ryan Duncan Taylor Chromey/Chris VandeVelde
Chris VadeVelde Robbie Bina/Taylor Chromey

Third Period Penalties
Ryan Flynn Holding

Saves
Alex Kangas 22 Saves
JP Lamourex 29 Saves

Three Stars
NONE!!!

Friday, December 7, 2007

Gophers Take on Michigan Colleges

Since I haven't been around the last couple weeks I don't think it's fair to judge the Gophers since i didn't see them play, that's why I haven't been writing if anyone has been wondering. Obviously we still haven't turned around but as I'm writing it's the first intermission of the North Dakota game and The Ralph is pretty much silent so I'm happy about that. So I'm just going to put the stats up on this post. I will cover the North Dakota games because this is a big series obviously. Let's hope our Gophers can pick it up. Turn the game on people.. because we're in North Dakota to win. GO GOPHERS!

Friday @ Michigan State *3-3*

First Period Scoring
Stu Bickel Mike Howe/Ben Gordon

First Period Penalties
MINN Stu Bickel Roughing (I'm assuming)
MICH Tim Kennedy Roughing

Second Period Scoring
MICH Andrew Rowe Jay Sprague/Jeff Dunne
MINN R.J. Anderson Ryan Flynn/Evan Kaufmann

Second Period Penalies
MINN Jay Barriball Tripping
Mike Hoeffel Hooking
Stu Bickel Hooking
Stu Bickel Roughing
Kyle Okposo Roughing
Cade Fairchild Roughing
MICH Tim Crowder Tripping
Nick Sucharski Roughing
Tim Crowder Roughing

Third Period Scoring
MICH Chris Mueller Jeff Petry/Dustin Gazely
Tim Kennedy -
MINN Mike Hoeffel Cade Fairchild/Kyle Okposo

Third Period Penalties
MICH Time Kennedy Slashing
Andrew Rowe Elbowing?
MINN Mike Howe Interference

Saves
Alex Kangas 27 saves
Jeff Lerg 19 saves

Three Stars
1. Alex Kangas
2. Tim Kennedy
3. Jeff Lerg

Saturday @ Michigan *5-1 Michigan*

First Period Scoring
MICH Chad Kolarik Kevin Porter/Steve Kampfer

First Period Penalties
MINN Mike Hoeffel Hooking
Blake Wheeler Tripping
Cade Fairchild Slashing
Jay Barriball ????
MICH Matt Rust Slashing

Second Period Scoring
Chad Kolarik Keving Porter/Aaron Pulushaj
Kevin Porter -
Kevin Porter Chad Kolarik/Chade Langlais
MINN Ben Gordon Cade Fairchils/Blake Wheeler

Second Period Penalties
MINN Derek Peltier Interference
Ryan Flynn Interference
MICH Chris Summers Hooking

Third Period Scoring
Ben Winnett Aaron Pulushaj/Stever Kampfer

Third Period Penalties
MICH Carl Hagelin ????
Carl Hagelin Interference
Matt Rust Interference
MINN Tom Pohl Cross-Checking
Ryan Flynn Boarding
Evan Kaufmann 10 Minute Misconduct

Saves
Jeff Frazee 18 Saves
Billy Sauer 26 Saves

Three Stars
1. Kevin Porter
2. Chad Kolarik
3. Ben Gordon

Friday VS Mich. Tech *3-2 Tech in OT*

First Period Scoring
MINN Blake Wheeler Jay Barriball/Ben Gordon
Ryan Flynn Tony Lucia/Derek Peltier

First Period Penalties
MINN Evan Kaufmann Tripping
Stu Bickel Interference
TECH Jimmy Kerr Holding
Geoff Kinrade Holding the Stick

Second Period Scoring
John Schmarz Peter Rouleau/Malcom Gwilliam

Second Period Penalties
MINN Cade Fairchild Interference
Mike Hoeffel Hooking
TECH Mark Malekoff Holding
Drew Dobson Tripping

Third Period Scoring
Deron Cousens -

Third Period Penalties
TECH Drew Dobson Holding
Jordan Baker Checking for Behind

OT
TECH Alex Gagne -

Penalties
MINN Ben Gordon Interference

Saves
Michael-Lee teslak 26 Saves
Alex Kangas 35 Saves

Three Stars
1. Alex Gagne
2. Michael-Lee Teslak
3. Deron Cousens

Saturday VS TECH *3-1 Gophers*

First Period Scoring
MINN Mike Howe Kyle Okposo/Kevin Wehrs
TECH Peter Rouleau Tyler Shelast

First Period Penalties
MINN Ben Gordon Holding
Evan Kaufmann Cross-Checking
Blake Wheeler Boarding
TECH Jimmy Kerr Tipping
Malcom Gwilliam Checking From Behing (Game Misconduct)

Second Period Scoring
MINN Mike Howe Stu Bickel/Ben Gordon

Second Period Penalties
MINN Stu Bickel High Sticking
Ryan Flynn Slashing

Saves
Michael-Lee Teslak 34 Saves
Jeff Frazee 18 Saves

Three Stars
1. Mike Howe
2. Kyle Okposo
3. Jeff Frazee
Third Period Scoring
MINN Kyle Okposo Ryan Flynn/Cade Fairchild

Third Period Penalties
TECH Drew Dobson Tripping