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Listening on the net, it was clear to me that the fans were booing the official who caused the Niagara goal on the PP. The period ended not long after, and the boos continued. Perhaps some "fans" were getting on the team, but the crowd sounded vengeful, like they would be when a ref blows it. Blais perhaps is remembering last year, along with some of the newer ticket holders.

Thank you for the radio summaries. Much appreciated!

UND has a freshman, a sophomore (Fylling) & a junior (Lundhohm) on the list. Not a bad sign for things to come, I'd say!

"One of these things is not like the others. One of these things does not belong..." Ever watched Sesame Street, JBB?

I had the pleasure of coordinating the satellite get-together here in sunny Oakland, CA. It was a smallish crowd compared to other years, but that had more to do with the fact that very few (fair weather) NDSU fans showed up than with UND fans, who numbered about 15. Not bad for such a remote location, I'd say. In the past, Oakland has drawn around 30 or 40 people, but with the recent troubles at NDSU, apparently their fan base has dwindled. One thing I was very happy to hear was the fact that UND had approximately 40 sites around the nation where people were "officially" tuning into the game. I, for one, think that's pretty impressive for a community with around 50K permanent residents. BTW, if I could find the right job in Grand Forks, I'd be back there in a heartbeat, cheering on the school where I got my degree. I tried to contact the REA people about getting a job in finance with the new arena, but to no avail. Oh, well, guess I'll have to watch games via satellite again this year. Congratulations, Sioux, on a tough road victory. Say, isn't UND something like 5-1 there now?

Any talk about Parise leaving is way premature. The '02-03 season has just begun and, though Parise is averaging 4 points per game over 2 games, the distraction of whether he will stay or not has very little to do with the goal at hand: Play out the season and try to get to the WCHA Championship, the Final Five, the Regionals, and then the Frozen Four. Come on, everyone, lets stay focused on the here and now, just as Zach is, I'm sure! BTW, whether or not he is here next season, there will be over a dozen juniors and seniors on next year's roster, many of which have excellent credentials. UND is going to be a contender. Let's go Sioux!

Yes, this was an important win for the Sioux. Honestly, I didn't think they were going to pull it off, but the top line of Fylling-Parise-Bocheski is doing amazingly well. Really, that combination has been magic so far for UND. BTW, Parise had another 4 point game. 2 goals plus the assists on goals by Fuher & Bochenski. The kid is amazing. This is going to be a fun season!

THANKS!!

I can't get the game via the fightingsioux.com link! Is anyone picking it up? How?

If Zach WERE to have a 40 pt freshman season, then Bochenski would also probably get there. Given that, UND would likely reach the nationals this year, with a 2nd line that will also produce well. I certainly hope its true, as many of us missed watching UND in April last season.

GDM: Thanks for the in-depth analysis. Love to hear that Parise and the upperclassmen are looking good out there. I almost can't believe hockey season is here. Go Sioux!

A healthy David Hale, 20 returning players w. another year's experience, and the absence of the new arena curse. This year is going to be good. Go Sioux!

One really encouraging bit of news is that Blais likes Fylling to play on the top line. That changes the whole lineup for me, and it allows the Sioux to "disperse" their juniors and seniors down among the 2nd, 3rd, & even the 4th lines! It sounds like UND will be rolling 4 lines that will all have experienced playmakers. That's a stark contrast to last season and one of the reasons UND should do well this year.

I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that Colby Genoway is a top 20 prospect. That's pretty high for a kid who hasn't even played in awhile. Is there any more information along with the names? I wonder why he is highly ranked, other than his size and prep numbers.

Good point, HKNTSMN. Visualization and knowing what the outcome will be before you attempt a move in sports is all-important. BTW, I have high hopes for Notermann this year. He seems like the kind of tenacious player who can make a real impact as a senior. I remember the goal you talked about vs Maine. If I remember correctly, that was the only Sioux goal of the game. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if he got 20+ goals this season.

HKNTSMN: So, how's Jason feeling about his upcoming season? I know he probably gets some ribbing (about the goalposts last season) and I'll bet he can't wait to get out there and show everybody what he can do as a senior. Any thoughts? Have he and Spiewak been paired on the same line in practices? So far, the only scoop I've seen is that Parise is paired with Bochenski, which I like the sound of very much. A surprise about that was the mentioning of Fylling & Palmiscno as third wings on the line. It's great to hear that Fylling has improved so much. I wonder if Palmiscno will get significant ice time. In any case, I hope all the seniors (All three) can make a run at the playoffs. Go Sioux!

IMO, the program is going to "slide" into another national championship within two years. The talent level of the recruits Blais currently has (as JK mentioned) is as good as any of his teams. Last season, the three reasons for the poor showing were the (unfair!) amount of freshmen, the troubles of Kollar, and an exceptionally strong WCHA. This year, the WCHA is still strong, but UND will start clawing its way back on top. 2003-4 = WCHA Champs?/National Champs? You can't keep players like Massen, Bochenski & Parise down. They're going to light the lamps this year, even more so in '03-04.

It seems like those who are saying ND will not be competitive this season are selling our talent short. UND only had 12 returning players on the roster last season; all those freshmen forwards and defensemen took their lumps and, I think, learned from them. Bochenski, Massen, McMahon, & Fylling will have excellent sophomore years, I believe. Parise will be the WCHA ROY (I hope). Both Brandt & Siembida will be more consistent in net. Sure, other teams have more "proven" talent, but I think UND will be this years surprise WCHA team that noone will want to draw in the playoffs.

Jim - Wisconsin ahead of UND? Whaz up! 1. Denver 2. Minnesota 3. UND - firepower up front is going to surprise people 4. SCSU 5. CC 6. Wisconsin 7. Mankato 8. UAA 9. Duluth 10. M. Tech

Brandt, Sedevie & Sofie = 3. Who is the fourth goalie? Great to hear Blais give Parise so much praise. He fielded a question that compared him to Hyrkac, and called him quicker with a great shot to boot. Can't wait to see how he develops over the season. Also glad to see him paired with Bochenski. That is going to be one very dangerous line.

Some of the data appears right-on, while some, shall we say, appears "optimistic." For instance, the likelyhood of both Hale bros. weighing exactly 220 lbs is pretty darn low. However, Massen is now listed at 219 lbs, and I'm sure that is correct. Brandt is up to 167 lbs. That's good, since we need goaltenders who can stand their ground in net. As for the heights, perhaps they measured a few guys with their skates on this year!

Now that y'all mention it, I think Canady should be included in that list of players who could make a big difference if they step up this year. Blais has said he thinks Canady is capable of scoring 30 goals in the WCHA and will probably be team captain because of his leadership ability. That's a pretty big endorsement for a freshman who notched 8 pts last season. Looking at his prep and USHL resume, it looks like he has been a decorated and important player at every level. I'm hoping for bigger and better things out of this kid going forward, much the same as the others mentioned in the previous posts.

Last year, as a USHL rookie, Fabian had 11 goals. I was wondering why Blais recruited him besides his size. It looks like the kid has a good work ethic from his comments in the article. Two goals in the most recent game. He could have a big season for Topeka. Sedevie looks excellent so far, too.

Too bad about Brian. Is he still able to work out or is it too painful? I noticed the Fightingsioux.com roster has been updated with 2001-2 commentary for all players and "Before UND" info for the freshmen. However, there is no news about another player walking-on. Any news there?

Has anyone heard how the Ironman contest panned out? What about the walk-on tryouts? What other news is there on the pre-season front?