Stack

Holy crap I must not have got enough sleep last night. I'd leave the first three lines alone and change the 4th line to be: Oshie, Fabian, ? There's been talk about Miller having a bum shoulder and I have no idea about Martens. It also wouldn't surprise me if Fabian moves up the charts. Once he got over his injuries last year he was a force and if he continues to improve he could easily be on the third line.

Let's look at a possible scenario: Greene leaves. Bina can't play this year. Kaip can't play this year. Everyone else comes back including Zajak, Stafford, and Smaby. You could have forward lines of (of course I'm just guessing on line combos): Zajak, Stafford, Spirko Toews, Porter, Duncan Watkins, Kozek, Prpich Kozek, Fabian, Duncan With extra forwards being Oshie, Miller, and Martens Defense: Smaby, Jones Chorney, Lee Radke, Marvin Other defense Foyt and Alexander. I'm including Foyt here because they have no depth at D if Greene goes. If the freshmen forwards play to their billing I think we should be OK at forward (not great but ok). The defense is scary. Essentially 4 freshmen if you include Radke and a journeyman in Marvin. Boy do we need Greene to stay and Radke to prove the potential that was seen in him before he arrived.

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the water this happens. Gees! Players can't sign with the NHL because of no collective bargaining agreement so you think we're safe until that happens. But NOOOOOO. Murray decides to go to Europe. How many stinking times is this going to happen. It's like last year with the late signing of Bochenski. Now Murray. Hey with our luck Greene and Smaby sign as son as the NHL gets their head out of their butt if they ever do. If no one else leaps we will have: 3 seniors (Greene, Prpich and Marvin) 7 juniors (Bina, Stafford, Porter, Smaby, Parise, Fabian, and Foyt) I don't expect Bina back this year. 5 sophomores (Zajak, Spirko, Lamoureux, Radke, and Kaip). We still don't know about Kaip but Radke is expected to play full time this year and be a contributor) 12 freshmen (Toews, Kozek, Watkins, Duncan, Oshie, Chorney, Jones, Miller, Martens, Lee, Alexander, and Walski. Talk about bottom heavy. We will need to rely upon 3 freshman defensemen (that assumes Marvin or Foyt will play full time and I'm counting Radke as a freshman due to his lack of playing time last year). We will also need to rely on freshman to make up the majority of two forward lines. That is a lot of freshman. In 2001-2002 we had 13 freshmen. Our record that year was 16-19-2. We missed the WCHA Final Five and the NCAAs. Here's hoping that times have changed and the incoming freshmen can step right in.

After further review here's what is more likely to happen: Kuppchella continues to hear complaints. People get tired of profanity and standing. Final solution is to move all students out of the lower bowl and put them in the upper bowl in sections 306 and 306A. They then have an entire side of the arena in sections 306-310A Do I like this solution? NO. Because the students add fervor and noise and take away a lot of the corporate atmosphere that came when we moved into an arena that seats 11,500. Any other options?

But what I was thinking is they move the people from 104 and 105 to 108 and 109. That still leaves a number of seats left in 108 and 109 since those sections are bigger than 104 and 105. The problem is 103 or 106 if they move the students down. Expecially 106 since there is handicapped seating there. I'm guessing adminsitration would be fine only giving the students 104 and 105 below and then sections 303, 306, and 306A in the upper bowl. Possibly even 302A. That probably reduces the overall total number of student seats buta it opens up the prime upper bowl sections on the sides of the arenas. So I'm guessing you could get the two end sections of season ticket holders to move but you'd have a heck of a time trying to move a lower bowl season ticket holder to the upper bowl.

The proposal does not address the profanity etc. but it would address the standing issue that seems to bother so many people. From what I've seen the lower bowl student section is always full. The upper bowl sections are filled only at the Minnesota games. Most times there is an entire section that is empty. The talk has been about how these are prime seats. At most hockey arenas the prime seats are on the sides and up about 10-12 rows. You will probably get some of the season ticket holders mad because they like watching the game from the ends of the ice, but I think you could get them to move. I'm guessing that the student reps proposed 103,104,105, and 106 and then 306 and 306 A. They're not going to get more seats in the lower bowl than they have now. But I bet they could get 104,105,106, and 306 and 306A and 307. So if the season ticket holders who have those seats are willing to move, would the sections I mentioned above be that bad?

I watched the tape of the game last week again since I was actually at the game originally. As most of you state the non-goal just made me mad again. From the many views of that play I'd say about 3/4 of Mannino's glove was in the net at some point on Fabian's shot. Heck even knowing the call, I was sort of expecting Piotrowski to call it a goal on my tape replay. In my mind that was the turning point of the game. We go up 2-1 and play a more disciplined game. If we're leading 2-1 going into the third I believe we win. Still Cannady's stupid penalty that gave DU their first power play goal to go ahead 2-1 was a killer too. I bet he doesn't take that penalty if we're ahead at that point. You know. I now have grown to hate Denver more than Wisconsin. Not necessarily because of this game but for other numerous reasons. Here's hoping Carle goes pro and their goalies suck this next year. End result in my mind that was a goal.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vanek to be Defensive Specialist for Amerks AP Rochester, NY 4/1/05 Head Coach Randy Cunneyworth of the Rochester Americans stated that rookie Thomas Vanek will be designated their defensive specialist in the first round of the playoffs. Cunneyworth stated that even though Vanek is the second leading rookie goal scorer, " Where Thomas has really stuck out this year is in his physical and defensive presence. He has contantly been the main forward who is willing to get into the corners and dig the puck out for his teammates. This has allowed other forwards to constantly circle around the net or at the blue line, waiting for Vanek to pass them the puck." In addition to Vanek's grittiness he is the teams's leading face-off man and is now paired up agaisnt the opposing team's best forward. Even with Vanek's tenacity he is seldom in the penalty box and has not been called for a single slashing penalty all season. Coach Cunneyworth states "Thomas is invaluable as a defensive forward for us and we're ok without his scoring in the playoffs. We need him to shutdown the other team's best players. If he can continue to do this we will win." Vanek was unavailable for comment.

Have four tickets for sale. Will sell in groups of 2 if necessary. Would like to go to Sioux fans if at all possible. They are in section 321, Row M. Section 321 is on the side between the blue line and the face off spot. Just looking for face value ($288/pair). I'm in Fargo and will figure out a way to drop them off in Grand Forks if needed. Email me at stack58042@hotmail.com if you're interested.

I think the 28 on the back of the helmet is fine as a tribute to Bina. If nothing else it is a reminder to every DU player when they put their helmet on to not be reckless. But I don't feel Paukovich has any right wearing the 28: Here's his quote: "You never want to hurt somebody when you're playing," Paukovich said. "(Bina) was going for the puck and I was just going on the forecheck and I hit him. I hope he's all right. I never mean to intentionally hurt anybody. "I didn't think it was a big deal until he was laying on the ice." This was said fully knowing that there was a delayed penalty and as soon as Bina touched the puck the whistle would blow. So Bina touches the puck, whistle blows, and Paukovich drills him. After what Paukovish said and his seeming lack of remorse, if he was in the NHL there would be a bounty on his head. To be honest I hope CC wins so we don't have to worry about playing this punk any more this year.

The last two years they have gone pretty much strictly by the PWR (if you don't include the switch of Denver and CC this year). So it worked last year where Number 1 North Dakota played in the same region as Number 8 Denver. Similarly Number 2 seed Duluth played in the same region as Number 7 Minnesota. The only team that had a chance in a different region was Wisconsin and they went into overtime if I remember right in their loss. So having three Number 1 seeds is really what made it happen this year and then of course having North Dakota smoke the Boston schools in Worcester made it work. But let's be realistic. DU beats Bemidji State in OT, CC has to come from 3 back to beat Michigan 4-3, and Minnesota has to win 2 OT games in their home arena to make it happen. We could have easily had a couple of different teams there.

UND Alumni Association web page has their two charters staying at Holiday Inn-West and the Crown Plaza -Downtown. According to the site the Crowne Plaza is the official Fighting Sioux Hockey Team Hotel. The Crowne Plaza is right across the street from the Hyatt Regency. One thing nice about the Crowne Plaza too is they have a Thrifty Rental Car right in the hotel. If you need to rent a car their number is 614-237-5800. Mid-size cars go for $19.99 a day. Besides hotels the places I see to gather downtown look like: The Frog, Bear, and Wild Boar Bar? (I just like the name) O'Shaugnessey's Public House (Assuming this is an Irish Pub) I've heard about a Brewery District but haven't had a chance to figure out what's there. Anyone have any ideas pn where to go between games on Thursday? I've heard the closest bar/restaurant to the arena is a 15 minute walk.

We're staying downtownn at the Hyatt Regency. They have a shuttle to and from the arena on game days. Starts Thursday at 10:30AM and goes until midnight and then Starts on Saturday at 4:30 PM and goes until midnight. If you decide to try the Hyatt check online first. We got a big discount by booking online and prepaying. If you end up downtown, check with your hotel about shuttles to the Schottenstein since I heard other downtown hotels are also running shuttles. I've also heard that you can take the Airport shuttle (Arts) to just about anyplace for around $15. The only "tourist" place I've heard of is the German Village for the off day on Friday. If you want to head to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, its about 145 miles to Cleveland. If you decide to drive to Cincinnati it's about 100 miles. Pittsburgh is about 185 miles away. That's it for the bigger towns around Columbus. I guess we'll just have to find a bar, some Sioux fans and party. No dirty Gophers allowed thought

Siouxbear, If you're staying downtown you're not that close to the arena. The games are on the Ohio State campus at the Schottenstein arena. I'm guessing you were like me and thought the games were at the Nationwide Arena.

The critics were saying it was over in February. I believe my post was: Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? At that point Federov went HUH? All us old folks had a laugh at the lack of knowledge of that classic movie Animal House but it was true then and its true now. I think this team goes as far as the upperclassmen are willing to take it. I think we'll beat the Badgers on Thursday and then give Denver all it can handle. If Parise is still in a zone we could steal that Friday afternoon game even though we're exhausted. Then after CC beats Minnesota on Friday night we'd get the Tigers. Who knows what could happen? No matter what we're heading to the NCAAs and there it's one and done so anything can happen. My wife and I will be there on Thursday cheering them on.

Sioux are in the NCAAs and can possibly knock the Badgers out by beating them on Thursday if things don't fall Wisconsin's way int he other league playoffs. They would not have Wisconsin play Denver in a first round matchup even if Wisconsin made it today. The only issue I have with the PWR right now is having 4 ECACHL teams in the tourney. Colgate and Dartmouth are on the bubble and if things don't go their way they could easily be out. If Ohio State wins the CCHA playoffs one of these ECAC teams stays home.

This was a quote from this article on USCHO http://www.uscho.com/news/uwire.php/men/VMLQ022520058673740 "That's a rowdy environment up there in Grand Forks," Burish said. "Their fans are there at 6 o'clock. They're there for warm-ups, throwing pennies on the ice trying to make you fall. It's just a different environment, it's something that guys aren't used to playing in and some of our young guys won't be used to be playing in." Personnally I've never heard of anyone throwing pennies on the ice. Heck it would endanger our players as much as their's. Anyone?

I agree to some extent on your post. But the only one of the 5 items you mentioned that mattered to me was we were playing the Stinking Badgers. The thing that bothered me most about the attendance was how empty the student sections were. I'm guessing there were about 800-1000 empty seats in the student sections. I mean come on. By 3:30 in the afternoon the hangover should be pretty much taken care of. Come to the game!

So you think it's Over? Over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? The way this season has gone so far I would expect that we get swept by Wisconsin and then are lucky to win a game in St. Cloud. But I keep coming back to those CC and Denver games when without the posts we probably win at least 3 of those games. So for now I'm optimistic. I'm going with a sweep of Wisconsin at home to throw the polls into disarray and then probably back to earth with a split in St. Cloud. Hey it could happen. Then we beat Duluth in the playoffs and I get to watch us beat Minnesota at the Final Five. After that I would be happy. So until we get swept by Wisconsin I'm still expecting the best. Maybe the just need Brad Berry and Cary Eades to kick their ass a little

With 4 games left to go in the regular season the Sioux are now 15th in the Pairwise Rankings. We are 3 games over .500 for the year and 1 game under .500 in the WCHA. We have the worst record of anyone that right now has a chance to make the NCAAs. What this tracks down to is this: We need to make the WCHA Final Five if we want to be in the NCAA playoffs. Heck we probably need to win at least one game there to make the NCAAs. No excuses anymore. IMHO we need to win 3 of the next 4 games, beat Duluth in the first round of the playoffs and then beat Minnesota in the playin game at the WCHA Final five to assure a berth in the NCAAs. It's not too late to make this happen. Based upon the Pairwise movements we could even be a Number 2 seed if we could put a string together. So it starts this weekend against Wisconsin. We need a sweep. I just hope Schneider, Fuher, Jones, McMahon, Massen and Fylling realize they don't have much left of their careers and can step it up late like Lundbohm did last year. I also hope that the fans bring it this weekend. We can be a factor so let's make us a factor in these games. Support this team by screaming your stinking head off at the games. We don't need no Stinking Badgers!! Wins are all that matters now.