After the first period of the two opening night USHL conference final games, it appeared the highlight would be three guys on the ice at intermission in Sioux City, dressed as 80s rockstars, complete with mullets and blow up guitars.
Did that ever change quick.
With the score 4-0 Fargo in game one of the Western Final, Sioux City’s Chase Bradley shoved Fargo goalie Brennan Boynton about three seconds after the whistle, sending the goalie to the ice while knocking the net ajar. As tends to happen in these situations, all hell broke loose.
I am a fan of old time hockey, and I strongly believe if someone runs your goalie, you take care of it. Fargo did their best, but what has become the usual incompetent USHL linesmen job the past couple of years escalated the situation.
As Force players tried to get at Bradley in the left corner, the linesmen stepped in far too early, as usual. This resulted in a more escalated situation behind the net, where Sioux City defenseman Christian Jimenez fought Fargo goalie Boynton in quite a nasty bout. Of course the linesmen were nowhere in sight, and one was physically restraining a Fargo player who was attempting to do the right thing and step in for his goalie.
While everyone on the ice squared off, both Jimenez and Boynton took turns pummeling the other player while a referee, who can step in for this situation, stood there and watched.
In the end, Bradley looks like a cheap shot artist, Jimenez looks like a bully, Fargo was unable (by league rule) to outfight the linesmen, and Boynton looks like the best goalie fighter since Ron Hextall.
Perhaps none of that is true, but perception can be reality. And the reality is, somebody needs to instruct these linesmen the proper way to break up a fight. This has been a problem the past couple of years in the USHL, and makes us realize how much we really do miss Scott Brand!
In the end, only three players on each team ended up with majors, including the charging major to Bradley. In a bizarre twist, Boynton ends up with a game misconduct as an aggressor, which means fighting after the linesmen step in. Ironic, since the linesmen never did step into his fight.
Everything else aside, this was a nightmare night for Sioux City. Playing in front of a nearly sold out lower level, they were down 3-0 after one, and it was the first goal that people will likely be talking about. It was borderline goaltender interference (actually, Fargo’s Jake Braccini plowed into the goalie right after the puck went in, the only question was whether he was pushed), the net being off (replays show the puck went in slightly before), and whether it was kicked in (it clearly went off his foot as he crashed into the goalie, but it was declared to not be a distinct kicking motion).
It wasn’t that Fargo dominated as much as Sioux City lacked the intensity and emotion they brought into Omaha last weekend. The brawl may have been exactly what they needed, but the way it started and played out was not. The Musketeers now face a tough challenge Saturday in Fargo, where a large crowd will be ready to celebrate a conference title.
CHICAGO 3, MUSKEGON 2 (OT)
In what was a much quieter game, USHL leading goal scorer Matt Coronato scored the winner part way through the first overtime.
The game was not especially physical, but the Lumberjacks did a good job of taking time and space away from the Steel most of the night. For two teams that average nearly five goals a game each, the offenses seemed to lumber much of the night.
Game two goes tomorrow at 6 pm CDT in Muskegon. No word if Kid Rock will be on hand.
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