It could be May 15, 2008, April 13, 2008, or April 1, 2008. Maybe it's September 7, 2007 or even May 6th, 2007, or some other date. No matter which date you would personally choose, Express fans have been waiting. Waiting since May 15, 2008, when the NAHL's Board of Governors approved the application for a team in Owatonna. Waiting since April 13, 2008, when the Alexandria Blizzard beat the Express 5-2 in game 5 of their first round playoff series, ending the season. Waiting since April 1, 2008, when supporters of junior hockey gathered at the Owatonna Country Club and decided that junior hockey does have a place in Owatonna. Waiting since September 7, 2007 when the NAHL approved the transfer of the Southern Minnesota Express to the BAM ownership group, and Coaches Cullen and Fink said goodbye. Waiting since May 6, 2007, when the Express beat the Fairbanks Ice Dogs to win 3rd place at the Robertson Cup. We have been waiting, but.........................the waiting ends tonight.
The locally owned, Pat Cullen coached Owatonna Express take the ice tonight at 6:00pm for their home opener against the Alexandria Blizzard. The Express are coming off a 5-2 victory over the Albert Lea Thunder last Saturday, and the Blizzard come to Owatonna after getting swept in Bismarck last weekend. The Express have upgraded their roster this week with the addition of several new players, and the Blizzard take the ice with a veteran squad coming off a Robertson Cup appearance.
Big Kahuna's Keys to the Game:
- The Express have to keep Blizzard forward Jerry Freismuth in check. Freismuth is the best player in the division, and the Express need to shut him down and force somebody else to beat them.
- The Express defensive corp needs to take another step forward performance-wise. Limit the odd-man rushes, don't give up second chances, and control the point on the power play.
- Production from the new guys. Goals would be nice, but they need to dictate the play when they are on the ice and skate solid shifts on both ends.
Big Kahuna's Prediction: Express 4 - Blizzard 3
The Express will get a boost from finally playing in front of their own fans, and win a nailbiter in overtime or a shootout. In an ideal world, the Express would win every game in regulation, but I'm excited to see what our guys can do in a shootout situation. This year's team has been able to finish breakaways and odd-man rushes by putting the puck in the net, something last year's team flat out sucked at. The 3 previous teams with "Express" on the front of their jerseys have never won their home opener, but that changes tonight.
Predictions for the other NAHL game tonight (I'm 31-19 on the season):
Traverse City over Alpena
Mahoning Valley over Motor City
Fairbanks over Kenai River
North Iowa over Bismarck
Some folks in the comments section were wondering what the roster looks like as of today, so here's what I believe is the current 25 man roster:
Goalies - Buegler, Arnason
Defensmen - Fiala, Smith, Puente, Carson, Starr, Tolkinen, Fahnhorst, Sloat
Forwards - Bournazos, Beaudette, Porter, Kruse, Daley, McDonald, Vierling, Thorson, Erickson, Carew, Palmiscno, Lugin, Niestrom, Darnell, Sargis
Don't forget that the game starts at 6pm, and tickets will be available at the door. Also, the Lamont Cranston Band will be playing next door after the game. So when you're done cheering the Express to a victory, move the party over to the Beer Garden.
See you at the rink!!
--Big Kahuna
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11 comments:
BK,
FYI, we housed a player in 2006 and 07 and we loved the experience.
This year we were bumped off the billet list; but, I have to say that we liked the team for the two years we housed players. Our player did not care for the coaches and the Dr. last year, but the experience for him and us was positive overall and we still keep in touch now that he is in college.
Hope one day we can get a jump in line and be a billet again.
What happened to the team tonight?
Lets go express.
Management had to be disappointed in the attendance. Maybe the town was not as excited to have a team as the contributors thought they would be.
Yes in deed, I'm sure the management was dissapointed in the game attendance. However, it was an early game, nice day and the studly OHS Football team was playing in Rochester. All things that would explain the low numbers. The numbers will go up as we get through the fall and football season.
what was the attendance at the opener, i was there but it was hard to tell how many people there was.
There was about 250 people.
Lowest I have seen in all the years.
"There was about 250 people."
- I think you are quite low with your estimate of 250.
"Lowest I have seen in all the years."
- If you mean lowest for a home opener, I could maybe agree with you. If you mean lowest overall, it tells me you didn't attend any games last season.
--BK
i was thinking there was at least 1000 people at the game.
"i was thinking there was at least 1000 people at the game."
- If X = 1000 and Y = 250, then your attendance was: [(X + Y) / 2] - 84
--BK
"There was about 250 people.
Lowest I have seen in all the years."
Um, I think the lowest was the Feb.15 Springfield game after someone blogged about the move of the Express to Michigan.
Announced attendance was 541.
Pappy
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