The 1998 RMCHA Tournament Schlobotnik Awards

Having experienced the experiment in sleep deprivation and inclement weather known as the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament (I was the guy in the Cornell jersey who announced games one, three, four and five), I offer the following tributes to our Three Days in Ogden:

The All-Schlobotnik Team

First, the serious ones. There was no official All-Tournament Team named, but here are my own picks for the weekend's top players:

G: Jimmy Murphy, New Mexico

121 saves, 89.0%, 1-2

D: Ryan Keys, Utah State

2 G, 5 A, GWG

D: Sparky Parks, Weber State

2 G, 4 A

F: Ian Tracy, Utah State

2 G, 4 A, GWA despite missing two games with a separated shoulder and playing hurt in the championship game.

F: Jon Kikel, Weber State

6 G, 6 A

F: Levi Clegg, Weber State

6 G, 2 A, 2 GWG

Honorable Mention:

G Sam Jackson, Weber State (90.9%, 2-0, shut out Utah State in the third period of the championship game)

F Edgar Solis, New Mexico (4 G, 3 A, GWG)

F Nate Anderson, Utah State (4 G, 3 A, GWG)

F Kiyoshi Ryujin, Weber State (3 G, 6 A, hat trick, GWG, GWA)

F Todd Nate, Weber State (3 G, 7 A)

Most Valuable Player:

Levi Clegg, Weber State
Converted defenseman tied for the most goals in the tournament, and scored the gamewinner in the championship game.

By the way, for an objective measure of individual accomplisment, see the unofficial RMCHA tournament statistics.

The Schlobotnik Awards

Okay, now that that's out of the way, on to the fun part. Remember, these are just my opinion, or my impression of the consensus. Please take them in the tounge-in-cheek spirit in which they're intended.

Best Uniforms:

New Mexico

Worst Uniforms:

Provo

Most Well-Liked Team:

New Mexico

Least Well-Liked Team:

Weber State

Loudest Fans (group):

Weber State, although they only turned out in force for the two games against Utah State.

Loudest Fan (individual):

Out of an impressively vocal New Mexico contingent, some from as far away as Oklahoma, Nick Hoffman's mom rose above the rest.

Fancy Meeting You Here Award:

Utah State played four games in three days, two against New Mexico and two against Weber State. The Aggies' two wins eliminated the Ice Wolves from the tournament; their two losses to the Wildcats ... well, you get the idea.

Never Say Die Award:

Down 5-1 and starting a power play with 3:28 to go in the final elimination game, New Mexico pulled goaltender Jimmy Murphy. They promptly gave up the empty-netter, but scored twice more in the 7-3 loss.

Unintentional Inspiration Award:

Several Weber State players apparently decided to turn up at Friday night's Utah State-New Mexico game and heckle the Aggies over the 10-1 thrashing the Wildcats had given them that afternoon. USU, fired up for the championship game, led for much of the contest.

Damian Rocke Award:

It was a pretty cleanly-played tournament, with only two major and 84 minor penalties given out in six games. James Glendinning of Weber State led with 17 penalty minutes, 11 of them in the first Weber State-Utah State game, which saw 51 of the tournament's 188 penalty minutes. (Honorable mention to New Mexico's Joe Tixier, who managed 16 PIM, despite being benched in the third period of the Lobos' first two games for taking a total of five slashing penalties.)

Penalty Box Matchmaker Award:

Ask me about this in person sometime. ;-) It's not me, and it was just a coincidence, honest.

Worse than a Kick in the Head Award:

Utah State defenseman Chris Reilly left Friday's game with New Mexico after taking a skate to the helmet. He returned for the Championship Game Saturday only to put the puck into his own net in the third period.

Pad Your Stats Award

Weber State's AJ Kapinos was given credit for Reilly's own goal, and scored on the empty net four minutes later, in the process tripling his goal total for the tournament.

RMCHA Glee Club Award:

Utah State captian Nate Anderson sang the national anthem (and rather well at that) at the championship game.