Wilbur

I see another split as well. A lot of press will go into this series. I think the Mavs will find a way to squeak one out of Ralph with a couple points.

I don't see many Omaha fans traveling to Grand Forks other than family members of the team. Could be wrong though with the excitement that Blais has taken to Omaha. Very interesting series. I think the sioux matchup great with the Mavs. The Sioux were a couple of great saves away from sweeping the mavs earlier this year, and I think the sioux have motivation from the last second loss to play two complete games agains the Mavs. And of course....Blais will be in the building. Here is an interesting thing to ponder. Does anybody think Blais will say something in the paper this week or doing something during the series to piss Sioux fans off? I have a funny feeling that he'll do or say something to get under people's skin, and of course, take the spotlight off of his hockey team.

My team has played against this kid and he is the real deal. Tremendous footwork, great hands, rocket shot, and this is his second year playing high school hockey. (Lead the team last year in points as an 8th grader, and he plays defense.....) He is way ahead of most players in North Dakota high school hockey. I expect him to be playing in the USHL next year. Three years in the USHL would be the best thing for his hockey career.

Horrible shift after the sioux score......awful.....that can't happen....

Yeah, I don't think that would be in great taste with the injury and everything.

I remember thinking that that was the best 0-0 period of hockey that the sioux ever played. Shots that period were 18-2 Sioux......

I actually had the same hip injury when I played goalie many years ago (actually happend when I was a pee wee). I ended up playing through a season with it, and actually didn't have to have surgery because I had 9 months of healing time after I broke my ribs playing another sport and missed half the hockey season. It will bug him the rest of his life, thats for sure. Just reading the star tribune article I know exactly what he feels like. You think it should get better, but just nags and nags and nags. Surgery is the right choice for him. Agree with the quote of him being broken at the Ralph. He was amazing the first period of that game, and then all the kings horses and men couldn't save Alex Kangas again.

Having Gregoire with Knight and Kristo on the second line gives the sioux two number one lines. No offense to Marto, who has been sensational for the sioux skating up front, but you don't replace a guy like Gregoire. I like how people are discussing the importance of the fourth line. IMHO this is the best lineup the sioux have: Trupp-Malone-Frattin Gregoire-Knight-Kristo Rodwell-Lamoureax-Davidson Hextall-Nelson-Rowney Blood-Genoway Forbort-MacWilliam LaPoint-Marto I lot of people like Cichy with the Hextall line, but I think Rowney has proved that he can contribute with those guys. Simpson is young, he'll grow and contribute as he gets older.

This sioux fan predicts a split as well. Friday night the sioux look completely different in comparison to Saturday night this season at home. Keys in this series: ~Gopher goaltending (Will it be Patterson or Kangas?) ~Like Redwing said, officiating (at least we know it won't be Adam) ~The Pony Express. They need to play like the best line in college hockey, and dominate. ~The Fourth line for the sioux. The more they contribute, the less the burden on the top two lines, and the more breaks those guys get. ~Cepis. Is he going to play like a dynamic forward or spend the entire series trying to put the gophs on the powerplay.

I don't buy the "They don't have enough looks" argument. The look that they had CLEARLY showed the puck entered the net. Hmmmm.....the crowd noise drowned out the whistle.....probably because the puck was already in the fricken net. Horrible call by Adam.....but we already know he's a horrible official.

If anyone is listening on the radio, please post what Hak was told by Adam about Trupp's no goal and why it was waived off. My guess: ~Couldn't see the puck physically in the net ~Meant to blow the whistle ~Guy interfered with the goalie before the puck got through

Sioux get outshot 17-5 in the third period.......

I was just thinking about the scoreless streak for Dell.....too bad for him. Hold on here fellas. 19 Seconds....close it out.

Seriously.....WTF on the no goal.....You have got to be fricken kidding me......INEXCUSABLE Three Stars of the Night 1. Dell 2. Levine 3. Frattin Unless Kristo gets another goal on the empty net here.....

This is a good thing.....Hot goaltender....its going to take a dirty goal to get one by this guy.....we need some dirty ones.

Agreed with all points.....you basically wrote what I was going to write.....wow.... On the point others made about the local media building up Robert Morris: Yesterday afternoon there were 1,000 tickets available for the hockey game. I think the local media was trying to do whatever necessary to try and get some butts in the seats. Whether it be through talking about that defenseman with over 100 career points, or building up the rivalry between the two head coaches who are friends. The sioux kind of forgot to play the last half of the second period (after the RMU timeout) and they still couldn't get a puck in the net. Robert Morris had the deer in the headlights look for most of the game. Part of that has to do with walking and playing in a place like the Ralph.

Hey, two consecutive shutouts by our guy Dell. Anybody want to be that guy that does his scoreless minutes streak?

8-0 still. Close this one out with a clean slate, and think about tomorrow night. 1 down 5 to go.

Two great saves on the breakaway by Dell. And then a glove save to boot. Goaltending wins championships.

Good overall period for the sioux. I thought they were a bit sloppy in their own end, but Dell yet again made some nice saves to keep a clean slate. Roll four the rest of the way, and get a win.

Dell needs to start on Friday night and the team can evaluate Saturday after that. Keep getting him the game reps he needs to get him ready for the gopher series, but don't over do it with his work load by any means. I think Hakstol has kind of hinted that Eids will get a start with his mentioning of how hard Brad has worked in practice (In coach speak, thats giving us all a reason for him to be in the net on Saturday). I would like to see Maris in the net sometime before his time is done at UND. I know he's not an all world goaltender, but even Ryan Sofie found a way to get a couple periods under his belt during his time in Grand forks. I was hoping they'd put him in against the U-18 team, but no way could they take Eids out of that one.

Quote of the year. 100% agree.

I'm anxious to see what the lines will be for this game minus of course the Pony Express. Of course both Bruno and Davidson will be in the lineup, and Brad said this week that both Marto and Gleason would both play defense against Duluth...... Here is my guess: Trupp-Malone-Frattin Kristo-Knight-Rowney Davidson-Lamoureax-Rodwell Bruno-Cichy-Simpson Blood-Genoway LaPoint-Marto McWilliam-Gleason I could see the Sioux going with an 11 forwards 7 defensemen lineup too. But Simpson has played forward before, and I'm not sure who else you put up there to fill a line with Marto and Gleason back on D.

Had an inkling that Nelson would make the squad. Great on the draws and creative with the puck. Doesn't have to be overly physical because of the international game. Forbort is not a surprise at all. I think he'll be in the National Hockey League in T-minus three years.

Woo hoo! Picked them all three right! My most underrated player award goes to Mario Lamoureax. The guy has been a rock in the lineup night in and night out. Even though he had a bit of a scoring slump the guy does all the little things right that helps the team win.