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College Hockey is weird.
There was once a league called the WCHA (yes, it still exists, but not really) and this thread contemplates the peak years of '82-'96.
College Hockey is weird.
There was once a league called the WCHA (yes, it still exists, but not really) and this thread contemplates the peak years of '82-'96.
In many ways, eak WCHA really boils down to "The Big 4" (Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin and North Dakota) and the "Little 4" (Denver, Colorado College, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan.)
Yes, all of these are Division 1 teams. Let's focus on the Big 4.
Yes, all of these are Division 1 teams. Let's focus on the Big 4.
To understand WCHA Hockey in the Peak Years, you have to know about the Minnesota State High School Tournament. It was the best when it was "One Class" and a small piece in all of us wanted the kids from the small towns to win. Many of them starred in the WCHA.
My team was the Gophers and they played at "The Barn." Intense games back in the 80s & a tough ticket. Nobody goes to the games anymore, primarily because Big 10 hockey sucks.
In the early-to-mid 80s, the Gophers were stacked. My guy was Butsy Erickson. Pat Micheletti was better, but his first name wasn't "Butsy."
It could be argued that no team in any sport did less with more than Doug Woog's Gopher teams. There are maybe a dozen schools that actually compete for the NCAA crown and Woog choked away no fewer than 4 titles in the eighties (rant over.)
One of my favorite features of the WCHA- loose rules on face masks!
College Hockey's Heisman is called the Hobey Baker Award and it would be presented each year to the winner at the Decathlon Club which was 1/2 a mile from my childhood home in Bloomington. Tom Kurvers, also from Bloomington, won it for the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in 1984.
The WCHA games were all on KSTP channel 9, and like any good drama, there were "bad guys." Among them: Brett Hull. UMD Bulldog. Sniper. Scored at will. Total menace.
Moving onto "The Land of 25 Year Old Freshman" aka The University of North Dakota.
Eddie Belfour led the 86-87 team to the treble: WCHA Regular Season Champs, WCHA Playoff Champs and NCAA Champs.
Eddie Belfour led the 86-87 team to the treble: WCHA Regular Season Champs, WCHA Playoff Champs and NCAA Champs.
Wisconsin....Hard to cheer for Wisconsin in ANYTHING, especially hockey, but I had 2 favorites:
Tony Granato from the mid-eighties and, of course, Joe Bianchi who makes a cameo in "Breaking Bad" (take that, Gophers.)
Tony Granato from the mid-eighties and, of course, Joe Bianchi who makes a cameo in "Breaking Bad" (take that, Gophers.)
Rare shot of Gophers scoring on Wisconsin...
I think I've seen Pat Micheletti score 100 goals as a Gopher, and each one was from about this distance.
I think I've seen Pat Micheletti score 100 goals as a Gopher, and each one was from about this distance.
The Gophers had an arrogance. Coach Woog was "Minnesota Kids Only" which was short-sighted. Couple that with the perennial 2 or 3 Edina kids who weren't good enough to be on the roster and a recipe for failure.
Gopher Rob Stauber the 1st goalie to win the Hobey Baker in '88.
Gopher Rob Stauber the 1st goalie to win the Hobey Baker in '88.
Dateline: March, 7, 1988. Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
St Paul Civic Center.
Standing Room Only Crowd....
St Paul Civic Center.
Standing Room Only Crowd....
Woog's Gophers dominated the Regular Season. Surely this team would win the conference tournament, and very likely win the NCAA title, as well! So much talent!
Well, folks....Bucky had other plans. Wisconsin wins 3-2.
The Gophers would lose to a school called "St. Lawrence" in the NCAA Frozen Four a week later.
The Gophers would lose to a school called "St. Lawrence" in the NCAA Frozen Four a week later.
BUT! The NCAA Finals in 1989 would be at the Civic Center!
Nothing was going to hold these Gophers back in '89!
Nothing was going to hold these Gophers back in '89!
But the Gophers lost to Harvard. HARVARD. At home. Bloomington Kid Jason Miller notched the Gophers at 2-2 & (deserving) Edina kid Peter Hankinson got the game to OT 3-3 before Harvard won...4-3.
When the WCHA and the world, frankly, needed the Gophers the most, they failed.
When the WCHA and the world, frankly, needed the Gophers the most, they failed.
As if the moral bankruptcies of Penn State in the Big 10 aren't bad enough, another one of the crimes of Big 5 Conference realignment is the end of the glory days of the WCHA, the CCHA and the ECHA.
I miss the WCHA. I barely watch hockey anymore.
I miss the WCHA. I barely watch hockey anymore.
