Irish

Agree - and self-awareness is the first step to fix things. However, in my experience with coaches at any level change is hard. Most are committed to their style and "systems" and when challenged tend to double down on what they are already doing. That's where good assistants become very valuable. We need at least one coach on staff that fires the team up and isn't buddy buddy. And the problem of our late season collapses probably has many causes. We need to be a team that is hard to play against and plays for all 60 minutes every game - you know, like the team that swept Denver. I was stunned when that team went away and we reverted to I don't know what - a team that got swept by CC and Omaha. This might be a coaching problem, a problem with the players, a leadership problem, or a systems problem. At our level this should not happen. We didn't build off of that momentum but Denver used it to motivate and regroup. How do we fix this? Our ongoing goalie situation is a concern - hopefully our 4th portal goalie will be a stud. Compare us to Denver's goalie development - and their goalie led them to a natty while we had a confusing situation at the end of the season. We need to up our recruiting (I know we have a good class coming in) and get back our reputation of developing NHL talent. Something needs to change and it can't just be "we'll try harder". And it is stunning when you look at our national record since the Ralph opened that instead of getting some advantages we have regressed in terms of nattys. Berry needs to adapt.

So - will he make the necessary adjustments? Our flame-outs have been a regular occurrence.

Being not satisfied and making the necessary changes are two different things. Did he happened to answer where the hell the team was during the first 10 minutes of the third?

The million dollar question is where did that mentality go and why couldn't we build on it after a great series? The big concern is that it happens year after year.

I'm sure many tough questions will be submitted - something which is sorely needed. However, I'm equally sure that no tough answers will be given. Just blah blah blah culture. I'd love to hear from the horse's mouth the reasons for extending Bubba twice and why, even with our program advantages, we can't come close to getting it done in Hockey.

I know that the physical game is less now because of different reffing. However, in my opinion being a cake eater also includes the mental part of the game. Do you come to play and play hard in big games? Not showing up for the first 10 minutes of the third in a regional game with a lead is cake eating in the first degree. Also winning one regional game since 2016 is the frosting on the cake.

So -- time to switch to a different frustration?

I really think many people have a different understanding of how hocky "luck" happens. You know, that odd bounce, that off someone's skate, or that puck that ends up where no one could predict. If you play in your opponents end, put pucks on net, have men in front of the net or are just plain aggressive there is a much better chance that an odd bounce will happen. The better you play the higher the odds of "luck". Teams that are not in their end that much or don't put many shots on goal have a much lesser chance of the odd bounce. Some teams put themselves in position for luck by being relentless.

Well, when a team doesn't show up for the first 10 minutes of the third in a regional game in which they had the lead I don't know what else to call it.

You don't think that we would get many qualified applicants? Many coaches would love to have our budget, fanbase, and facilities. A big problem is that we don't see anything changing - just culture, culture, culture. Case in point - we have a top notch goalie coach yet we are on our 4th portal goalie. Meanwhile in Denver they had a goalie who developed in their system lead them to a championship. And I know we have a high school goalie in the system.

But hey - we have the portal for goalies

By lucky you must mean "show up for the 3rd period" - so according to this thread Denver is the luckiest team ever and we are the unluckiest. Nonsense

Not sure because Mr. Flameout 2024 isn't saying much. I like a culture that shows up for big games - not one who takes 10 minutes off in the third of a playoff game. Hard to say with Berry (who mentions culture every time he has a chance to) - time to look at some cultures that show up in the playoffs.

Once again Denver gets it done while we sit and watch - with a team that could beat them. We hear nothing from our hockey program but Bubbs needs to seriously figure it out and get it done. Are their any changes made?

We just plain aren't getting it done. Whether it's coaching philosophy (the shell you mentioned), game prep, building for the tournament, or recruiting we are missing something. Probably a combo. Two sad things about this - one - we don't seem to change at all. I thought Karl and Dillon would bring some changes but here we are on our 4th portal goalie and our defense (which was a total rebuild - another problem) seemed to have it together mid season then lapsed into missed coverages, turnovers, and horrible passes. Two - it seems that Hockey Bubs has found the sweet spot that Football Bubba is in - winning just enough to get extension after extension but collapsing in the playoffs year after year. Oh, and third - our AD seems once again to be MIA. I really hope we figure this out and do what is necessary to become a top program again.

Unless BC didn't come out for the first 10 minutes of the 3rd - then anything can happen.

So in summary - Denver is the luckiest team ever and we are the unluckiest. Perhaps there might be another reason why one team comes to play in the post season and the other is one and done.

No - it means that once again we got talent - Time for Berry to get it done.

Not surprised given our current administration.

I don't think it's too much to expect our program to win some regional games and get to the Frozen Four regularly - Apparently on this board that is too high an expectation. Frustrations were for Hak were that he needed to win to win a Natty - frustrations for Bubs are that he needs to win a regional game. Sad.

And even less happy now - absolutely no tourney success.

How about if your expectation is to win some games in the regional and put yourself in position to win a natty instead of flaming out in the first round - or even making the tournament?

Exactly - we just aren't getting it done. According to many posters we are the most unlucky team in the division and Denver is the luckiest. I think there is more behind this. Coaches need to figure it out real soon.

Yes - some talent coming in - but why did we have to replace our entire defense this year and why are we on our 4th portal goalie? Our recruiting is inconsistent.

This is Bubba's 11th season here (after a 22-21 career at Duluth. When you say "long term" you must mean many decades. We know exactly what Bubba can and will do - if the majority of people are happy with where we are at that is a problem. And as for people "from the region" it used to be pretty well split between Sioux and Bison fans - now not so much. There is no demand for excellence from our administration and now perhaps many fans. This is sad. Me might as well get used to being a slightly over .500 team because that is what we will get with Bubba - and sadly next year .500 seems a reach. Our rivals would never put up with this - why should we?