AJS

I would love a reporter to ask Sandelin / James about the dive. I’ve never understood it. Having that reputation you think would be embarrassing.

Can’t get swept at home. Thinking back to Saturday night at Q. No doubt Duluth was the better team, but I also didn’t think it was jump off the page difference. Driscoll made some great saves, but the three goals Duluth had were (1) Fortunate bounce, right place right time (2) Weak (3) Ferner looking like the first time he’s laced skates. Three was fair amount to give up, but I didn’t get the feeling like they could have had five or six. Saturday, Driscoll and Special Teams. Penalty kill was good, the PP until the last one was embarrassing. Go +1 instead of -1 tonight, they got a shot.

After the first week I quit looking at the participation page. Doesn’t appear to be 100% accurate would be putting it kind. It could have gotten better and I hope it did, but it was not accurate after the ISU game.

I look at this as a very important outside perception game. It's the finishing 4-4 in the conference and being compared to SDSU / UNI or finishing 3-5 and being more comparable to the bottom teams. Think pre-season rankings, potential recruiting ramifications.

Odom to the transfer portal. With the extra Covid year, that Junior class is really going to have the spotlight on it.

Since one of the two schools already has that date filled, I think we can safely assume this wasn't UND's idea.

Is there a maximum number of games you can play? Using the link above is @The Sicatoka post, just a quick look at FBS Independent schools, New Mexico State has both Oct. 8th and Oct. 15th open. They do currently have 11 games, but 1st game is Saturday Aug. 27th. Seems like the best option, try to get whatever $ you can to go down there and play.

I'm with you, this seems really problematic.

Bad assumption on my part about the Dixie State game being a buy game. Shoot, kind of your ideal FCS home / home deal really. Anything but a D2 buy game at this point and I'll be happy.

That is a good point. At least you do have two dates to work with, but this could really change the complexion of next years schedule. How many FCS schools would really fall into the "buy game" category that Dixie State was in? Could we see another FBS game, where the Hawks collect a paycheck? A home and home where UND gets the front end.

Just noticed the October 29, 2022 home game against Dixie State is no longer on the schedule (Dixie State is now playing @ Tarleton that day). This is a some what recent development as I looked not too long ago and it was on there. Seems like potentially a pretty big issue. Currently only 10 games on the schedule, no home non-conference games. The mid-season non-conference game probably throws a bigger wrench into it as well.

Definite yes to Calder / Ferner. Listed as Juniors on the UND Roster, have another year of eligibility. Jandric though is very interesting. He's only played three years of college hockey, but accelerated to graduate early (Schlossman wrote an article a month or so back) and therefore is in Graduate school. I do think he returns and I guess is just listed as Gr again next year? The short is I do think all three return next year.

NLI signing season, so far I've seen three on social media. Blake, James, Strinden. All Forwards. Anyone else we know signed? I really don't see any Forwards leaving early, outside of potential transfer out type of situation, we might be looking at just 3 Forward spots for next year.

Correct. How every school is doing it, is counting that extra year on the backend. I'm guessing it's following their actual academic standing. When it comes to that extra year, how it's classified seems to depend on your actual class status. Duluth for example has players listed as either 5th year or Graduate Student. Western, all classified as Graduate Senior. St. Cloud uses RS-Senior, Graduate Senior.

Yes that is. If I were to put players on a tier, he would be Tier 1, with Waletzko, Larson, Morrison. Some very good players not on that Tier I really hope come back, but those four I see as game changing type of guys.

With the (at least to me) unexpected results last weekend, this weekend in a way has extra importance. What are this years expectations? I think we'll find out a lot this weekend. Has UND ever gotten both games in Oxford? If they have, I know it's relatively rare. Being realistic, this weekend has split written all over it. Speaking of extra importance, I know my expectations will be adjusted IF they happen to get 5 or 6 points.

I look at two things. (1) UND (2) Everyone else. Two weeks, there are so many results that it's not really worth getting into the everyone else category. My question has to do with UND and the next week. I wanted to wait until the polls came out, because I think they do play a factor. UND is not under the 'Other Receiving votes' category for either STATS or coaches poll. The question I have, is let's say UND beats Illinois State this Saturday, does them at 5-5 work themselves into the 'Other Receiving votes' territory entering the last week? I don't think it does. The next question is there a viable scenario where you go from not in the playoff topic going into the last week into making the playoffs? I would think that depending on what happens the last two weeks, there's this chance that a 6-5 UND team would have an argument for one of the last spots. From strictly a resume aspect. It seems completely out of the picture given they are nowhere to be found in the polls / playoff conversation with two weeks left. Just win this weekend and see if the discussion has shifted this time next week.

I look at two things. (1) UND (2) Everyone else. Two weeks, there are so many results that it's not really worth getting into the everyone else category. My question has to do with UND and the next week. I wanted to wait until the polls came out, because I think they do play a factor. UND is not under the 'Other Receiving votes' category for either STATS or coaches poll. The question I have, is let's say UND beats Illinois State this Saturday, does them at 5-5 work themselves into the 'Other Receiving votes' territory entering the last week? I don't think it does. The next question is there a viable scenario where you go from not in the playoff topic going into the last week into making the playoffs? I would think that depending on what happens the last two weeks, there's this chance that a 6-5 UND team would have an argument for one of the last spots. It seems completely out of the picture given they are nowhere to be found in the polls / playoff conversation with two weeks left. Just win this weekend and see if the discussion has shifted this time next week.

You kind of get some Adam Scheel vibes right now. Scheel had a better U-18 year than Hedquist, better numbers (.875 vs .831), Scheel playing at the Development program you are playing against colleges as well, which will negatively affect your numbers. From a high level, you have both playing in the USHL young, both with not great SV%, both moving to the BCHL their +1 year. Scheel definitely excelled and Hedquist is lights out right now. Lets hope the comparisons continue.

Driscoll is clearly the key to the season. I cannot stress enough how important getting a sweep against the team you only play once is. Was Johnson hurt or a healthy scratch?

It’s on Midco2 and ESPN+

Every game matters. I really do believe that. This is the first step to building some momentum heading into the offseason. To be honest, who knows, 6-5 might get you in, or at least it'll get you maybe in the conversation. Let's start rebuilding.

Strictly ticket sales, all combined sports, I think within reason, it's impossible for NDSU to have more, or even really close to UND. Let's give NDSU the 160K tickets for Football. Let's undersell UND Hockey and give them 180K (9K average). Let's undersell UND Football (5 games, Average 7K). 35K for Football. At worst, you have. NDSU Football ---> 160K UND Football / Hockey -----> 215K Let's give NDSU 2X sales for M/W Basketball. Is that 55K? Doubt it. Volleyball? Huge Wrestling / Baseball crowds? It doesn't add up at all.

Fool me once saying rings true with my take on Bubba and the state of the Football program. To me this season perfectly sums up Bubba's tenure. He's coming off a great season with real momentum, but here they sit at 3-5. Sort of like the injury plagued 2017 campaign, if you analyze this season only, I really don't think you come to the conclusion that changes need to be made. It's the pattern of his .500 career. What I mean by this season only is an argument can be made that 0-4 in one score games is bizarre. Play calls that backfire. Untimely turnovers. Always seemingly on the wrong end of a coin flip. Where I've backpedaled, is I would be open to keeping this Coaching staff (minus Bubba) together. Talent wise, I think they're close. They'll be good next year. They need someone who oozes confidence. Somebody younger. They will not take that next step, which to me all has to do with consistency with Bubba. What will happen: UND is winning their next 3 games, first four out of the playoffs, but will just be enough to spin this season into a what if positive take away for some. They will follow it up by being really good next year. It's that following year where some fluky things happen and we're right back here.

This is it. Win this weekend and playoffs become plausible.