"I have seen this game before."

Nothing can beat the heart stopping events of last night’s game. One of the fellow followers I watched the game with jumped from his seat so quickly on the game-tying goal that he dropped to the floor from too little blood in the head. With all that said, I was not at the game, but watched every minute with fellow fans. Those fans and others I have shared Bulldog Hockey with in the past can attest to one statement I have made a few times over the years and for very different reasons, “I have seen this game before.” I did utter this phrase a few times last night again. So what do I mean when using this statement banked in my mind? It swings from bad to great as did the game last night as summarized here:

• In the near 70 UMD games I have attended live, I have seen Bulldog teams come out and just look flat, horrible…a mailing-it-in type of style. No hustle, no drive when down on the scoreboard. That was the case last night on my first utterance when UMD went down 3-1.
• When the Dogs pulled to 3-2 I was hopeful, but then the crushing shorthanded goal at 9:21 of the 3rd pushed me to say the words again. A UMD team that had its chances and couldn’t get on the right side of the next goal. The team had come too far to go down to Princeton on that Friday night. But hope dwindled.
• I could have made my statement again at 19:20 of the 3rd when Jack Connelly made it 4-3. The old too little too late, but I couldn’t bring myself to say or believe those words. I should have known that I have seen that game, but in a much different light than I have discussed thus far.
• On the edge of my seat seeing the one shot left for Evan Oberg, I have to admit, honestly, that this was a good shot amongst the craziness in front of the net. Just as that thought banged in my mind, the puck banged in the net…roofed…water-bottle shot. Then I could say with a very positive attitude, “I have seen this game before” and that is a huge feeling. The game I speak of is keep in many readers’ minds and on a scratchy VHS tape by Andy, my co-contributor. The game I speak of is the game 3, first round WCHA playoff win over UMTC March 15, 1998 at the DECC. UMD down 4-0 with 10 minutes left in the third…yada, yada, yada….Bulldogs win 5-4 in OT.

So, I have seen this game before! But no two games are alike just as not two college teams from year to year are alike. I am just left to soak in the great emotional rush of the “Miracle at Mariucci” as some national sites have dubbed it. And I have to secure tickets for tonight!

HERE’S YOUR UMD SCORING!

PS: If I were a hockey coach I would want my goalie to drop that puck every time to keep the clock running and keep the Bulldogs scrambling. I do not agree with the big guy on TV!