If anyone is traveling to Washington D.C. for the Frozen Four, the community over at Japer's Rink throws out some good restaurant/bar recommendations.
Kevin Pates of the Duluth News-Tribune talked about WCHA expansion possibilites. Here's your money quote: "It's also possible, said McLeod, that the expansion process could be lengthened beyond what was planned, and possibly no vote will be taken April 27." Ooooooooooof course. Sticking their head in the sand and hoping this all works itself out maybe hasn't worked for the past three years, but if we give it a couple more months, maybe it will all disappear.
Also, you really mean to tell me that some retired couple in Massachusetts can find a way to schedule 162 games for 30 major league baseball teams and all the brainpower in the WCHA league offices can't find a way to make a schedule for an 11-team conference?
Rhett Rakhshani is still deciding if he wants to sign with the Islanders. I'm pretty sure he's gone because I've finally learned that it's 'k' before 'h'. Also in reading that article, I'm amazed at the way the 'Bozak and Gilroy' meme spread around the internet.
Former Minnesota State star David Backes scored 4 goals in a game against Detroit tonight, giving him 30 on the season. Backes is now in the top 25 in the NHL in goals, top 10 in PIMs, top 20 in hits, attends church regularly, can rewire a toaster and turn it into a cell phone, and finally gives me an excuse to use our new AP photo archive. Well done, sir.
USA Hockey invited 36 goaltenders to attend the Warren Strelow Goaltending Camp. It looks like a pretty elite list of goalies. That links comes via the Rochester Post-Bulletin sports blog
Somebody actually did well with their NCAA tournament bracket.
In North Dakota, seniors Joe Finley and Andrew Kozek signed pro contracts. Fun fact about Andrew Kozek: Kozek once had a six point weekend against Denver in 2008, but never scored more than four points in any two consecutive weekends over the rest of his career.
Also, Derrick Lapoint's recovery from a pretty gruesome injury is going well