The Sicatoka

Michigan math?

I know for fact that there is one UND fan more upset, more disappointed, more angry about not winning in Boston, and more wanting of, and determined to achieve, a national title than any of us here can say, think, feel, or imagine. That fan's name? Dave Hakstol.

Who would ever dream of partnering with a two-year tech school for the benefit of both? https://www.ndscs.edu/academics/things-to-know-academics/transfer-agreements/reverse-transfer-initiative/ So NDSU students want an NDSCS associates degree instead?

"nattys", eh? Interesting choice of words. Seems you and gfhockey have that in common. Anything else?

OK, so it's the off-season. Here's something to pass the time. In the GF Herald live chat today I asked the question, "How many new faces on the mens hockey team on October 3?" Schlossman answered "9" as his guess. I have heard Hakstol said "9 to 11" at a booster luncheon earlier today. That's the only help I'll provide in this game. So, here's the game: Name the new players on, *and* name any early departures from, the official hockey roster for 2015-16. Scoring: For every new player you name correctly you gain a point. For every new player you claim will come in but that isn't on the roster you lose a point. For every new player that comes in that you don't predict you lose a point. For every early departure you predict correctly you get a point. For every early departure you claim but they stay you lose a point. For every early departure you don't predict but that happens you lose a point. Entries: Due before the first early departure happens or official release of the roster this fall (whichever happens first).

Guy's a natural born sniper in the Joe Finley / Matt Greene mold.

Is that what's at the bottom of the pile the mob is pounding with clubs?

I can't take the 'gfhockey' list seriously because not all of those names have championships* as head coaches and there is a name that should be there that meets criteria**. I thought that championships was the criteria. *At the level they're coaching at. **Steve Johnson (2 USHL at Lincoln)

If all that matters is coaching, why didn't Jerry York win again this year? He's got 3 of the last 8. He should win them all from now on, right? Everything balances out, returns to the mean, sooner or later.

Facebook likes and hashtags, while warm and fuzzy to people who think they are relevant, are hollow and meaningless and inconsequential, especially when what is out there is a signed legal settlement agreement and what is needed is approval from two tribal councils (that will never relent in their opposition).

Stamkos (TBL) Ovechkin (WAS) Getzlaf (ANA) Nash (NYR) Tarasenko (STL) Toews (CHI) Karlsson (OTT) Subban (MON) Yandle (NYR) Pietrangelo (STL) Dubnyk (MIN)

What Zane is saying is, "Dear BOS, I want rookie max or I'm going back to UND and testing the FA waters next summer."

Ah yes, how soon they forget the "BC curse" that ran long and hard before that ... from 1949 to 2001. Yes folks, half a century. Those 4 in 15 years are the Central Limit Theorem balancing out the statistical scales. Another thought: Maybe BC left the curse with UND in Albany in 2001.

Let me clarify the bolded portion: We got spoiled, and now statistics are catching up.

Change "Frozen Four" to "made national semifinals game" and the statistics don't change. Make nation semis --> 1 in 4 chance of winning it all. Has UND made the national semis 28 times?

And I'm going to say it again: As long as UND brings the "S word" to their showcase*, UND will receive the "Marco Hunt" treatment from the NCAA. http://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/20534-closing-in-on-epic-title-drought/?p=783655 *By not subscribing to something new.

Four teams go to a Frozen Four (Capt. Obvious moment). One of those four wins it; statistically, you should win 25% of those you attend. UND has seven titles. Has UND been to 28 Frozen Fours? Early franchise enormous success is meeting up with statistics. See: Central Limit Theorem or Regression to the Mean

I'd say Omaha looked terrible, but they would have had to show up for me to look at them. The only reason I have to believe Omaha was there at all is I saw Dean Blais in the upper concourse between games.

PC was the aggressor for the entire Omaha game, both ends of the ice.

Source: http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=100472 My comment: Every time we're on the NCAA's national stage (not a regional, the ESPN/NCAA national stage) after August 5, 2005, and the NCAA has to listen to "that word" from the UND crowd, it's a stick in their eye from us and we'll get the "Marco Hunt" treatment for it. Don't believe me? Look at history. Hak made the April 2005 title game. Not a semis win since including "helpers" to ensure that (like the phantom calls of elbow to head on Finley or the "what'd he do?" call on Pattyn courtesy Marco Hunt/CJ Beaurline). Yes, the greatest conspiracy is that there really is no conspiracy; but, there are just too many coincidences or strange (assign Marco Hunt?) choices to not make a guy wonder.

... with hair.

My thoughts for flight risk in order: 1. McIntyre - What more does he have to prove at this level? See: Mike Richter Award. Then again, let's see what BOS decides to do with Rask and Subban and trades around draft day. That said, I'll be surprised if Zane is back. 2. Schmaltz, J - Most expect this. I really don't. He controlled games this year at times, but didn't dominate them. STL knows it's max money for a first rounder either way (now or next summer). They can hedge their bet by waiting and if Jordan doesn't dominate next year maybe they let him test the free agent waters (and save a few bucks). Risky, but who knows. However, put him in the "probably gone" category based on all the speculation from others. 3. LaDue, P - The Voynov situation with LAK makes this murky as do LAK's cap issues. Do the LAK want to keep Sekera? Also, LAK have a guy named "Derek Forbort" ready to move up into the spot Robin Regehr just retired from. Flip a coin here. I guess I'll be surprised if any of the others go early, Stetcher because of his size, Caggiula because there are lots of other FA's out there like him in the CHL, and Nick Schmaltz isn't physically ready yet*. * "Nick, meet Mark Poolman. Mark, Nick Schmaltz."

C'mon people. PC had the Dominicans back in Providence doing rosaries and novenas and the one force more powerful than the NCAA broke the NCAA's script.