I Ranger

Actually I was saying 1st PP unit and 2nd PP unit.

Simpson and Mattson were on the points this weekend on the first PP and Forbort and Schmaltz were on the second.

Just reading through this thread for the first time after being in St. Cloud this weekend for the games and like a few others have mentioned the refs didn't cost UND this game. This was easily their worst Saturday night effort of the year. Other than the first 10-12 minutes of the game, the Sioux were outskated and outmuscled consistently. Saunders kept them in the game for long stretches. I actually believe the Sioux got a way with quite a few slashes and trips throughout the game but the Kristo dive was a bad call as was the CFB. The reason I say the CFB was a bad call because anyone watching the game should've noticed that Drew LeBlanc might be the toughtest player in the WCHA to knock off the puck and Schmaltz, although talented, isn't very strong yet and LeBlanc crumbled the moment he felt contact. I think that was the only time all weekend I saw LeBlanc hit the ice. He certainly sold the call. My last rant has to do with the second goal. After a great penalty kill of the major penalty, the very next shift St. Cloud scores due to an incredibly lazy play by Kristo standing still and letting a St. Cloud player grab the puck and skate it down into the Sioux zone and they end up scoring. I believe this was the key momentum shift in the game as all the momentum should have swung the Sioux's way after the big kill and they give up a goal 30 seconds later. I think Hak layed into Kristo pretty good on the bench after that shift.

I've stated it before on this thread that I believe in many cases going to the USHL at an early age can hinder ones development for the very reason above. It can certainly help if a 16 year old is getting quality minutes every game but when an elite 16 year old is getting 3rd/4th minutes at best and a healthy scratch on occasion a player used to always being "the guy" isn't going to go for that very long and bolt if they have the chance (i.e. Lemieux). I always use Mike Fink as an example of a guy who would have been better served playing his junior year of high school and then moving on to the USHL rather than jumping as a high school junior. Some kids just can't adapt quickly enough and end up not developing the way they were projected.

That's the risk of a blue-chip 16 year old playing in the USHL. If they don't have success immediately and find themselves fighting for playing time, they head to the CHL where they will get their minutes. I had a bad feeling when I checked a few of Green Bay's boxscores and saw he wasn't playing. Hopefully Schmaltz is enjoying his time there as we need him in a few years along with Wilkie. That was shaping up to be a loaded class if Lemieux had maintained his committment.

Just bought my tickets for the series in St. Cloud in two weeks. A ton of seats available all over the arena. I'm hearing they have been having trouble getting many people to their games since they raised ticket prices and based on what I see it looks to be accurate. Sioux fans should fill up that place with the available tickets.

O'Donnell

Rowney

Knight

MacMillian

I thought O'Donnell was out Saturday not Friday? Edit: Just looked it up and it is Friday.

Rocco

MacMillian-Knight-Kristo O'Donnell-Grimaldi-Cagguila Chyzyk-Rowney-Parks St. Clair-Pattyn-Rodwell There is my best guess as of now.

Kristo

All I can say is please please drop the puck so we can put this crap behind us. I for one am definitely sick of reading about it. It's certainly not the ideal way to start a season but hopefully once the puck drops people will finally start forgetting about as there will be hockey to talk about.

Looks like he is headed to Western Michigan. I'm guessing we will hear something in the next day or two on Murphy.

I could be wrong but wasn't Danny the captain of the U-18 team in Ann Arbor his final year?

I disagree. I think Gleason is much more valuable as a puck moving defenseman and at times a one-man breakout. He, like Genoway, is much better suited at creating offense from the back-end than upfront. His skating is a bigger weapon on D and I for one am looking forward to a full year of Gleason in his natural position.

Looks like he has recruiting visitis lined up for Michigan, Miami and Notre Dame and Minnesota is after him pretty hard as well. I would guess he ends up at Minnesota but it looks like a nice recruiting battle heating up just not sure if we are in on it or not.

Any one know anything about Alex Kerfoot? He's a top rated forward out of the BCHL that is currently uncommitted. The only thing I've heard is that BC is holding a scholarship for him.

I think this is where Brad Berry needs to work his magic. His first test back in the recruiting world.

I do remember Hak being there last year now. I was just thinking that it may be something new after what happened after the draft last year. I guess not though. Glad to see where Schmaltz went though.

Anyone know if Dane or any of the UND coaches were at the draft last year? I don't remember and am wondering if this is something new since the JT Miller situation last year? Just another way to make sure their player makes it to campus?

Any recruiting rumors out there? I am wondering how much the hire of Berry helps in landing who I presume to be our biggest recruiting target currently in Ian McCoshen?

I believe Colby Genoway played a few games as well and that is why he sat out his first year here and only had 3 years of eligibility.