OETKB

Beating Mannino (the guy who stole the championship from us) last night was Oh-so-satisfying. However, a sweep would be that much better. Go Sioux!

For anyone who cares, Dataflix is finally up. "Sports", thanks for sending the email. You might think someone would be responsible for checking things out without being prompted....

Dean Blais during the break: "UND has about the best following in college hockey. Everywhere they go, the fans are there." Happy to hear he is satisfied in his new role in the NHL. However, I don't think anyone wants to hear their coach say he doesn't believe they can make the playoffs. Even if it is a major uphill battle. That was one of my only beefs with Deano in his latter years. He said exactly what he felt, even if it was comments like "I'm not real optomistic" (Anyone remember that moment?).

Somebody who has easier access than me...please go to www.theralph.com and click on the "watch the sioux" link and email the dataflix support people so they have a clue that the damn thing isn't working. Thanks. Go Sioux.

Well, here I am in Stockholm, watching the game on Dataflix from a hotel lobby. The online games have never been so enjoyable! Glad to see the Sioux are playing well.

I will always love the Fighting Sioux. But along with that comes some expectations. What gives with being swept by SCSU? A team that has never done anything? UND's home record is an embarrasment. We fans are all hanging our heads, and the team should be too. So, how do you motivate a team of "Superstars" that can't get the job done? No answers here, just questioning.

Geez. We really suck at home! This team has one of the worst home records I can remember. And I'm old!

One last thought. This team has a long way to go if they want to be a playoff contender. Sure, they move the puck around pretty well on the powerplay, but don't score all that often. Plus, they are a little gritty, mostly from the likes of TJ Oshie and players like Spirko and Porter. However, the young guys need to get a lot more hard-nosed in order for the Sioux to be a serious threat in anyone else's book. Teams are coming into the Ralph knowing that, if they work hard and scrap for chances near our net, they will most likely get a split. To me, that is @*#$%&)@#$!!! That is all.

This was a game where the physical "edge" UND played with last week was non-existant. This was not the Sioux hockey I've come to expect. In the first period, they moved the puck well and had energy. In the third, not only did they not "Wear down SCSU by rolling 4 lines", but they got outworked and out-goaltended. Not good.

Good lord. UND back to .500 at home. Sad. Really sad. This team can't win at home to save their lives. They also can't win 4 in a row. Not a good sign for the playoffs. If they haven't done it all year.....

I don't know about that goal. Phil saw it, he just couldn't stop it. He is the hard luck goalie of the year. Man, why?

Why does hitting the stick count as slashing this season? Lee seemed to make a good play on the puck, then went to the box for breaking a guy's stick. 1st period overall was good. Shots 10-6, face offs 12-6 as of last count. Sioux look energetic and pretty sharp with passing, etc. A good sign.

I like the puck movement and energy so far. Sioux aren't giving SCSU much time handling the puck.

A rare occasion for me to watch a game via webcast tonight. When did I get so busy? Sioux should sweep this weekend. I have faith.

Well, now I wish I hadn't started this thread. Last night, I was just going off of what Tim H. said. He gets a little worked up sometimes. I didn't hear about Lamm.'s actions until this morning. And TH made it sound like the ice was being burried in debris. In the end, the way they played the game is all that matters. But I still hate the Goofs.

Even in the worst Sioux performances, the building still has the majority of fans remaining for the end of the game. Fans at the John leave early even when their team is winning. Bush league fans.

Thanks, Dock. If only the crowd at the John was as classy as you.

Man, you should have heard TH and crew rip into the UM fans, who were throwing things at the Sioux at the end of the game. And, of course, Campion called no delay penalty. "Bush league fans" is their exact consensius, not mine. Good character comeback tonight for UND. This is what we expected the whole weekend. The whole year, year after year, for that matter.

Fabian: "I couldn't hardly sleep last night - I was so pissed off!" Also, "If you take care of the name on the front of the jersey, the name on teh back will take care of itself" Fantastic interview.

Pregame: TH points out that they only have 6 21+ year olds on the team. Also just said that they have to play with an edge every game, or the talent means nothing. TH even bluntly says the older guys are not leading the way for the youth. Perhaps they can take a step forward tonight, because last night they took two steps back.

Here is the only article I could find online today: http://www.adn.com/sports/college/story/73...p-7254853c.html Glad to see the Sioux responded well to the poor game Friday. Allowing 5 goals to a team like UAA is not acceptable. Zero is much more like it. Good luck to UND against the Goofs. It's going to be hard to come out of there with points, but points are needed. In fact, this team should be deperate for them.

UAA coach: They've got a couple of great lines, but we want to stop them in the neutral zone. Worst case, they dump the puck in. It's unbelievable that a cellar-dwellar like UAA is talking this kind of smak. UND needs to blow these bozos out by 10 tonight. I'm freakin' torked off after listening to their coach!

Here is the UAA Audio site, just in case... http://real.uaa.alaska.edu:8080/ramgen/encoder/650keni.rm

"It looked like the entire team just played in the WJC. There was no fire. Everyone just kind of skated around without any intensity. Not sure what's up with that, but I don't like it. Smaby seemed the only player willing to check any Seawolves. UAA wasn't doing anything amazing, just playing hard...look what happens when you do that. " That's what I've been saying for around 2 months now. This whole team seems to play with a "90's Goofer" menatlity of ...."we can do it anytime, so there is no urgency"...mentality. Nobody on this team really inspires the others to play hard and fast and determined EVERY SHIFT. Well, as fans here have been noticing - 10 minutes of furious play at the end of a game doesn't make you a good TEAM. That makes you a bunch of individuals trying to save face after your team effort has failed for the first 2 3/4 periods. This team reminds me of the Goofs in the 90's, when the fans finally declared "The excuses are all used up".

What is the deal with UND's January record the last 5 or 6 years? Really. It's been awful. The freshmen excuse is only good for half a season. Frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing how "talented" this team is. How about hearing how "gritty" they are, or how "determined"? Has UND become the Golden Goofers of the 90's?