Stack

Mark Mac

Drake

Any hints on when Stecher, St Clair and Olsen might be back?

Drake

Mark Mac

This next month is a scary month for the pairwise. The two games against Niagara are the scariest since they are LAST amongst all teams in the pairwise. If we don't sweep those guys who knows how far we drop. Then we also have CC who we also need to sweep. Granted we could make some of that up if we can win 3 of 4 against Duluth and Omaha. So here's what we need to do: Sweep Duluth (I'm getting tired of of being satisifed with a split at home, time to sweep) Sweep Niagara Sweep Colorado College (see above) Split at Omaha If we do that we'll be in the top 4 in the pairwise with Denver, Western Michigan, St Cloud, and Miami left. Thinking we go 5-3 in these games and finish the second half of the season at 12-4 with a 25-8-2. BUT I'm guessing we have a tie in there someplace and one less win so 24-8-3. In 1999-2000 season we were 24-7-5 heading into the playoffs. Look familiar?

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COzpaaK-GdE

I was surprised we ddn't see more of Schmaltz. Also surprised that with a 4-0 lead the coach continued to play Eichel's line as much as he did. Going form playing Sunday night and then playing in a Monday afternoon game will be tough enough let alone continuing to play your top line a lot. Todays game could be a problem if Slovakia plays like they did against the Finns. PS. Eichel reminds me of Toews with the long reach and skating skills. He looks like a man among boys most of the time he's on the ice.

Mark Mac

Nick schmaltz

Parks

Mark Mac

Drake

Mark Mac

Luke Johnson

Parks

Drake

Mark MacMillan

Drake

Very weird when I looked at the 2011-2012 team roster. Almost all of those guys are still here except of course, Rowney, Nelson, Kristo and Knight. Blood, and MacWilliam. That team had the young talent and I still believe that if Nelson would have stuck around one more year we had a good chance of winning it all last year. A lot of freshmen on that team and you are right they needed a guy like Mario who hated to lose to pull them along. Maybe someone will fill that role this year just not sure who that guy is.

I was trying to think of a team that was thought to be dead without a ton of talent and then came on to make the championship game. The one that came to mind was the 2004-2005 team: http://collegehockeystats.net/0405/rosters/ndkm But when I look at the roster I think holy smokes there was some good players on this team including four current NHL players and a number of players that played pros. But that team needed guys like Fabian, Massen and Canady to show the young guys how it's done. This was the team that took a lot of penalties including 186 minutes by Matt Greene that year but learned late in the season how to be more disciplined. When they sent us East to play BU and BC we literally beat the crap out of those two teams and to this day that BC game is a fond memory. This year's team needs the defensemen to contribute in scoring and not just play D. When that happens we win. Time for Schmaltz and Simpson to start scoring again.

Rocco

Drake Caggiula

O'Donnell

I posed this in a comment to their ratings: I was very surprised that the Ralph Englestad Arena the home of University of North Dakota Hockey was not included. Even more surprise that Mariucci (Minnesota Gopher Hockey), Century Link in Omaha (Nebraska Omaha Hockey) and World Arena (Colorado College Hockey) were in your top 100. I have been to all of these arenas and they are very pedestrian. Mariucci has a corporate feel with almost no noise unless a goal is scored. Century Link is too large for Omaha hockey and portions are closed to make it more intimate. It doesn't really work. World Arena is a strangely shaped arena and not the best to watch a hockey game. REA reminds me more of the Excel Energy Center in St Paul where this are no bad seats, great atmosphere, and great hockey., I am guessing you were at REA when no students were there which obviously limits the experience. PS. Great to see Amsoil Arena as your Number 1. Great facility and very intimate for a fan!