shep

Me, too. It has a ton of potential (there's that word again and now I'm using it) with Lee as the QB, but it seemed the pointmen had a hard time creating a lane for a shot, so often they would either pass to a wing at the dot or when shooting would fire it into the Minny player at the point.

Good post. Thoughtful, reasonable, showing good hockey insight, hopeful (more than I am right now, but I'm trying) and generally not a screed against me or anyone else who wants more from their favorite team. Nice job and I hope you're right about the West Regional!

I thank you for noting your agreement and all I can say is that even TRUE SIOUX fans can disagree with each other and have dissenting views as to how the team is playing.

I'm not a big fan of "Lammy" either, but I was too lazy to look up the correct spelling of Lamoureaux.

I agree. The guy who wrote that he was off this weekend, did NOT see the same games I did.

I suspect the main reason you've noticed that about me is because there are so many here who are intent on only seeing everything through Sioux colored glasses that makes everything seem all nice and good and causes them to spew sun-shiny pablum all in the name of being a TRUE FAN. See no evil, hear no evil, say no evil is the motto of the TRUE FAN. Well...I did say (in the original post) that I thought the D looked better. In fact the shot totals were decent this weekend. That's positive, right? But last week some said Parise should be a Hobey finalist, another suggested that these freshman could win four titles (ostensibly true I suppose), Kessel was slammed mainly b/c he's wearing Maroon and Gold, not green and white and whenever we lose it's the refs fault. I'd like to think that though I'm a fan I can still see things in a different light. In fact, the reason I'm so peed off is because I hate seeing them lose and out of that fact I do see some negatives and foolishly opined about that. Perhaps in order to prove I'm a TRUE SIOUX fan my next post should be about all the great saves Parise made when he wasn't being five-holed.

Seriously, is there EVER a time when a fan can criticize the team? Or do I need to just be happy with close losses against teams that are good and play great? Cuz, this HOME losing streak is driving me nuts. I hated seeing those smug bastard Goofer fans walking out of the arena happy the last two nights and I'm not a big fan of moral victories, so tell me when enough is enough?

The evidence? This year? They are 1-5 at HOME against the top teams in the WCHA. They beat up on Mich Tech and St Cloud and that's it. I can't predict the future, but I know what I've seen in those last 5 home games and I know that this can be construed as evidence of why I'm less than hopeful about a long playoff run. You're right, Sioux teams in the past have done well in the playoffs and last year's team surprised me and many others, but as someone else pointed out, that was a senior laden team. As some of the apologists always are quick to point out, this is a freshman laden team and "they will get better." I'm sure that's true, but I just don't see it happening yet this year. Btw, we weren't two blown calls from ties this weekend; we were three of four weak goals away from winning this weekend. No one seems to want to talk about that.

Of all that I wrote in the original post, I really didn't think the Toews comment would be so controversial. I didn't say he was bad or stunk or anything like that; he had some difficulties making plays this weekend thus I'm surprised he's a potential #2 pick. Some have pointed out that many others have already been drafted and that makes sense, but I'm not saying Toews isn't a good player, I'm just not able to comprehend that he's the #2 pick when that type of player usually hits the NHL a year after he's drafted. Put another way, I was able to understand how Parise was a 1st round pick based on what I saw his Frosh year. The projections are that Toews will be drafted MANY spots ahead of Parise and that blows my mind based again on what I've seen.

That's a fair point. I guess I may have too lofty an expectation of what a #1 or #2 should be. However, I think Kessel proved to be better than Toews this weekend.

All that makes sense and of the ones you've listed he is the best. But that's just two teams. I guess I was spoiled somewhat by the World Juniors last year with Crosby and Ovechkin and now we're talking about someone who may soon be in that lofty category. I know those were the last two #1's but you get my point. Perhaps I don't know what a #2 pick should look like, but I still have a hard time comprehending this.

Look Redwing, I know you and I have a totally different perspective on what it means to be a Sioux fan. I think I'm realistic and I sometimes say negative things (especially after watching the 5th straight home loss and against the hated rival). You are ALWAYS positive. The team could shoot pucks at your head during pregame warmups and you'd complement them on their accuracy. That said, I was at the games and on Friday night one team came out ready to play. Now if that's coaching issue or not, I guess I don't know for sure, but Lucia's team was ready to play. That's all. As for Towes being overrated, I will just say that he wasn't the best freshman on the ice this weekend and I just can't imagine how he's the #2 pick. I could be wrong, but maybe some of the 17 or so scouts in the stands saw that too. Time will tell.

I'm really not trying to knock Toews as much as I'm just surprised that he may be the #2 pick in the draft next year. There MUST be some 19 year old in Russia who is better. Toews is a great 17 year old hockey player, but as I noted most of the 1st round picks play in the pros within a couple of years, and he would really need to make great improvement fast to be there next year.

Kermit Good points. I forgot to mention Stafford and you hit it on the head. I haven't watched Minny play this year-why would I?- but they looked to be in the same class as DU and Wisconsin with Wisconsin being the best I've seen. I think Oshie is the MVP thus far.

Oh and the sky isn't falling; just the Sioux Hockey team's place in the standings.

If it turns out that it all "comes together" (I love how everyone keeps hoping that will happen even when the evidence thus far is to the contrary) and they play in the Ralph in the Regional, I want someone to print a copy of this, and I will eat it in the organ bar between the first and second periods of their first game. I'd love to cut Toews some slack, and I will, but I just can't believe he is the 2nd best undrafted player in the world at this point.

I forgot about Weisgerber from South. He'll almost definitely make it, but I thought it interesting that the Campbell family tree provides 3 of the top players in state.

I like your hopeful nature, but it's not so much just home losses and away wins as it is losses against the top teams in the WCHA and wins against the WCHA's Junior Varsity. What will this team do in Denver, Mariucci and Madison? Maybe they feel less "pressure" on the road. I don't know. I'm sick of seeing them in person lose and really in the last 5 games, I can't remember feeling they had a real great chance to win.

That was a big error on my part. I love Oshie and think he's the best player on the team most nights. I meant Toews. My bad. Thanks for the correction.

I hope Lammy plays more. Parise wasn't up to his game against the top rival and gave up too many soft goals. Lammy played well. Enough said. We can hate the fact that a GF boy went to play for the disgusting Goofers, but whenever Potulny was on the ice he was the best player in my view and he does EVERYTHING a Captain should do. Solid two-way player. This team may be full of potential but it just isn't gelling yet in scoring opps. The D played better this weekend, though. If Toews is the #2 pick in the draft, it will mean that this is a very weak draft. Most First Round picks compete in the pros within a couple of years, and the kid seems to have a LOT of growing up to do b/4 he makes it. If he can't shake sophomore and junior defensemen in college he won't have a chance against pros. Chorney's antics after his goal is excusable b/c he's a Freshman. However, he needs to remember that we expect Badgers to sink to the level of Goofers not Fighting Sioux. Beyond that, it made the score 4-2 in the third period and the team was down two goals. Stop blaming the refs, Sioux fans. There is no grand conspiracy against us. We lost this series because the goalie was giving up too many weak ones and when we had PP's including a 5-3 advantage we couldn't capitalize. Don Lucia seems to have a passion that's absent from his Sioux counterpart. Not saying that's a big reason why the teams played as they did, but the Sioux came out on Friday night with 13,000 fans going nuts in their home arena and were absolutely flat. What's Hak doing pre-game, reading them stories about dead kittens??? If this team is playing in the Ralph after the regular season, I will be SHOCKED!!! I doubt they will even have home ice advantage in the WCHA playoffs and I don't see much likelihood of West Regional action, either. This team has gone 1-5 against the best of the WCHA, DU, Wisc and MN AT HOME!!!!!! Enough said.

Shepherd did NOT lose this series for the Sioux as much as weak goals against Parise did. You are correct that ANY fan would buy the ref a drink to get PP's at the end of games and this team simply does not have the PP to get it done. Not anyone's fault in stripes, though I think Shepherd and the rest of the WCHA refs collectively suck.

Smartert thing I've read on this board in awhile. I'm too peed to keep typing, except to say that the goalie cost us four points this weekend. Last night there were two weak goals including the fourth that he essentially slid in himself. Lammy all the way!!!!!!!!

I believe Marc Mihulka is former Grafton star, Rob Mihulka's son. If so, it means that Mr. Hockey could have three cousins up for the award with the Campbell cousins and Mihulka as Rob's wife is a sister to the Campbell's dads. Interesting eh?

I'd give up any Sioux player winning the Hobey EVER for a few more NCAA Titles.

I think the main reason to keep Miller on the second line is balance. Grafton had the highest scoring line in state history with Brodeur, French and Pederson, but got killed in the state title game to a VERY GOOD Central team, and I can't recall the second line or any of the others. Mohagen is a special player, but it will take time.