AJS

The team as a whole, I don’t think this team is that far away this year from being good this year, they just don’t have “it”. Basically the coin flip rule, they’ve lost a lot more than they’ve won this year.

Nope, they’ll be better next year though.

Feel bad for the couple of people who thought they’d win tonight. Good news is they'll win tomorrow, won’t matter for the tourney though. No chance they make it.

Like the team next year, but the streak is over, this team has no shot at the tourney. Not talent level, this team just doesn’t have it. If it’s not one thing, it’s the other for this team. Johnson will be lock down tomorrow, will be terrible against Miami next Friday.

Next 20 minutes will tell me how the rest of the season will go.

Agreed, just not their year has never rang more true. Not talent, not sure what it is, but this team doesn’t have it.

Yep, one of those years. They never stood a chance tonight.

Said in the other thread, I don't think UNO is a better team than UND, but I have a hard time believing UND wins tonight. 3-2 UNO

Still have the same feeling, can't picture UND winning tonight. You hate putting so much on the goalies, but UND needs a series where either Thome / Johnson actually outplay the Omaha goalie, both nights.

I would have also went with an all NCAA team, then you could play up the 1980 narrative a little (all amateurs). If not that, then go with best U-23 players not in the NHL. Anything where the team would have an identity.

I'd start whichever goalie had the better Sophomore year.

This has been my problem for weeks, it's not that I think there's this huge difference between Cam and Thome, but I didn't think Thome was given a fair shot (that has changed recently obviously). Thome does have things that he needs to work on, but when he's in (look at SV% for the season), he's done a slightly better job than Cam of keeping the puck out of the net. I just want one goalie to get hot (doesn't matter who). Give Thome the net on Friday, if he fails, give Cam a shot until one of them sticks.

What problems does Cam have? For a goalie who's SV % is just slightly north of .90, he must have some.

After seeing every NCHC team play UND, I thought Omaha was the least impressive. That being said, Omaha is a much better home team than road. Still think UND is the better team. Friday night, on CBS Sports Network, I can't picture UND winning. With that in mind, I'd go with a split (the usual, Lose on Friday, Win Saturday). If any team sweeps I'd predict it to be Omaha. I really, really want this team to prove me wrong and actually win a game on Friday.

BCHL Stats: Blaisdell '01 (F): 7-12-19 41GP (Played World Junior A) Keane '97 (F): 7-13-20 42GP Weatherby '98 (F): 34-34-68 52GP (Leading League in Points, Tied 1st Goals) Tychonick '00 (D): 9-32-41 43GP (Played World Junior A, 4th League Defensive scoring, 2nd PPG) Reid '01 (D): 1-12-13 47GP Scheel '99 (G): 2.09 GAA .928 SV% (2nd SV% & GAA) USHL Stats: Senden '98 (F): 9-8-17 41GP Mancinelli '01 (F): 10-8-18 38GP Costello '00 (F): 6-1-7 34GP AJHL Stats: Bernard-Docker '00 (D): 15-18-33 41GP (Played World Junior A) NTDP -18: Hain '00 (F): 7-14-21 37GP NTDP -17: Caulfield '01 (F): 11-10-21 34GP High School Donovan '00 / JR (F) - Duluth East: 11-41-52 24GP Randklev '99 / SR (F) - Moorhead: 21-16-37 23GP Frisch '00 / JR (D) - Moorhead: 5-18-23 23GP Kunz '02 / FR (F) - Red River: 18-15-33 18GP Kleven '02 / SO (D) - Davies: 7-5-12 21PG Other Bowen '02 - Fraser Valley - 8-18-26 19GP (Major Midget League, will finish year in BCHL) Pinto '00 - Selects Academy -5-3-8 7GP Sanderson '02 - Edge School Elite 15s - 10-20-30 22GP

I'll die on the hill that it isn't completely a talent issue with this team, I'm not saying they should be a #1 seed, but we've seen this team be very, very good. They can and have played with the best teams in the country. I also don't think they are that far off from being a good team. Last night was a bad loss, but did anyone think CC was a much better team? With the ups and downs of this year, what I'm losing my mind over is special teams. If nothing else, when this team doesn't make the tournament for the first time in 16 years, you can circle that as the # 1 culprit. It's beyond pathetic, Shaw deserves nothing but blame.

What’s so disappointing is we’ve seen this team look really good this year, there were multiple times this year that I never would have believed this team would be in this situation. Like last year, I think this team is underperforming, I’m looking at the coaching staff.

Apathy has fully set in for me, I would have been more surprised if UND won tonight. UND making CC’s goalie / PK look great is the least surprising thing ever. Let Thome start from here on out and work towards next year, this team is done.

Could JBD even come in next year? He (like Mancinelli) has a June DOB, he might just be a junior in HS this year.

The only two I would truly classify as struggling is Keane and Senden (nothing new with those two), outside of that, Costello would be the only other person, but he's also a HS Senior in his first year in the USHL. I don't think you could classify anyone else outside those three as struggling.

Mancinelli looks like he could be a good one, in his first year in the USHL (either Sophomore or Junior in HS - June DOB), he currently has 10 G 7 A - 17 P in 36 GP. Of that total, in his last 16 GP, he's almost averaging a PPG, with 9 G 5 A for 14 P. Obviously, there's a huge step up from High School / Midget to the USHL, no surprise that it took a while to get comfortable. Seems to be taking off now that he got his feet wet.

Need a sweep.

I've always said, if UND only lost players early to pro contracts, that actually played in the NHL, they would be in great shape every year. Last year, no complaints, lose Boeser, Jost, Poolman, all are collecting NHL paychecks. Losing a guy early like Gerisch (previous year Thompson / Johnson) who in all reality have no shot of playing the NHL that year, really hurts. Still have my fingers crossed they'll only lose Wolanin early. Gerisch returning would be such a big deal.

I remember reading a couple months ago, that it was pretty much a given that Gersich leaves early, but I'm still holding out hope, that the longer we don't see another 2018 recruit, he may change his mind. Right now, UND has 4 for sure forward coming in, taking 4 spots (3 Seniors & Gornall). The incoming forwards being Weatherby, Keane, Senden, Hain. The only two that would be eligible in Costello / Randklev definitely need a year of juniors. Here's to hoping that we don't see another '18 forward commit!

Get ready for a frustrating, no shi*t type post, but here it goes. A lot of my frustration last year, with the ILB's, is although injuries to key players ultimately sunk the position, everybody knew going into the year that it was razor thin. It's crazy to me that you basically had Rodgers and that's it as a proven commodity. Add Larson / Hunt who you like to the mix and Disterhaupt, who was too undersized to begin with. After that you pretty much had nobody that should be playing. I just can't understand why they didn't bring in anybody else. Now, looking at next years defense, let's check off the boxes. If you're looking at Safety / Secondary as a huge, huge issue, is this not priority #1? My first sentence about, no sh*t type post applies to that question, because it obviously probably is. I just hope the coaching staff is doing everything they can to bring in 1 more Safety that can make an impact. I can understand how injuries can derail a certain position if they add up, but I'll never understand not being prepared at the beginning of the year to put your team in position to succeed. Being one injury away from disaster (i.e. ILB last year).