OETKB

So, this team can still make the NCAA's, but the margin of error just got spent, much too early. Now, they pretty much have to sweep next weekend, to have a realistic shot. The most disappointing thing about last night was the lack of teamwork. Puck support was poor, and odd man chances given up were just terrible. UNO is a fast, physical, and chaotic team. But, I expected our defense to be much more capable of containing that chaos. Not a good night, in that respect, and the ability to move the puck with support was off. Not much to be positive about in that game.

Hakstol agreed - this was a crap game. He said "Monday is going to be a mentality practice. A gut check." I have to agree. The focus just simply wasn't there tonight. Terrible game. Sit and watch the NCAA's playing like this.

Wow! Regress much? Tonight UND looked like they did in October. Ever seen a turkey get its head cut off? Our defense looked pretty much like that. Keep playing like this and sit on your asses to watch the playoffs.

What does this mean? Was he cut, or does the "affiliate list" mean something else?

Can't complain too much tonight; ND outshot BSU and outclassed them for most of the game. Just made some dumb turnovers to allow BSU to score. UND was lucky to tie tonight. I would have to predict a 4-1 win tomorrow, assuming that the boys realize they are sealing their fate as a bubble team unless they win tomorrow. Basically a MUST WIN game.

If this trip was supposed to expose how well NCAA college hockey can play and give us an example to point to for recruiting purposes, then last night's loss was a big time #)(%*& up. Add the fact that UND is now 0-5 all-time against that team, and you can pretty much call this trip a disaster, regardless of how they do against SF tonight.

Yes, I've heard that about last year's St. Lawrence team. However, it's not apples-to-apples. SL did not have all those drafted players, nor is SL's program anywhere near the equivalent of UND's. My point was that UND's program has been perceived to be headed in the wrong direction by many on these boards, me included, and last year was hard evidence that the "second half surge" is NOT always miraculously going to happen. Without a major "surge", this season is going to be nothing short of a disaster.

I have not specifically been calling for Hak's departure, but I have been trying to point out for the last few years that I think the program has been headed the wrong direction. Last season was alarming for me. Least number of wins in Hak's tenure, no hardware, no Frozen Four, all while having 14 draftees, including two hobey baker candidates. Oh, yeah, and no "second half surge".

Two wins in the last TEN games = crappy product on the ice. No way around that.

Can they get any lower? Not unless they get blown out again tomorrow.

After last season, where they went nowhere and had the worst record to date under Hak, I thought they would be motivated to play their best team hockey this season, because they knew that they had no Knight or Kristo. However, this team can't even advance the puck or hold a blue line. Basic hockey stuff, I'm shocked at how bad they were tonight. Offended, actually, after watching as much hockey as I have over the years.

Wow. And our whole team gets walked by Wick to end the game. Pathetic tonight. Just awful. They looked better at the beginning of the season.

Did they even generate a shot on that last PP? Ugly. Bad.

Well, Hak said they would be "balanced". Yes, each of the lines looks equally bad right now.

These guys look like they have never played together before. Missed passes. Mishandling the puck. Can't hold the blue line on a PP to save their lives. Wow, they look just plain terrible.

They came close in that first game against Miami. Since then, total crap.

I won't be demonized for calling out a team that is underperforming. UND has become the dirty rodents of the 2009 era, with tons of draft picks that can't perform. I, and many others, don't accept this. It's total crap.

That is the question of the year, isn't it?

Let me rephrase. Has any team ever had 15 draftees AND two hobey baker candidates and not made the FF? I kinda doubt it.

Except when they don't, like LAST YEAR How do you even have TWO Hobey Baker award candidates and not make the Frozen Four? Has any other team ever done that before?

This team can't score to save their %#$%#% lives! Rocco finally got one after getting what.. about 12 or 14 shots on net? As for ALL the other forwards, they never came close. This team is going to be an absolute disaster this season, unless something changes drastically, and damn soon too.

Anyone who read last Friday's game thread would see that I was really frustrated with what I saw from the team that night. Defensively, this team has displayed coverage breakdowns and a lack of tenacity in their own zone. If that is not fixed, they will struggle to win ANY games this year. Hopefully, three straight losses and the first sweep at home in years has gotten their attention? PS - if Rocco and Mark Mac don't start scoring, UND is going to be in big trouble. Need the defensemen to get pucks on net, too.

Last post of the night: 2005-6: 8 Upperclassmen, 13 freshmen - went 29-16-1 on the season 2006-7: 6 Upperclassmen, 5 freshmen - went 24-14-5 on the season 2007-8: 13 Upperclassmen, 6 freshmen - went 29-11-4 on the season 2008-9: 11 Upperclassmen, 8 freshmen - went 24-15-4 on the season 2009-10: 9 Upperclassmen, 10 freshmen - went 25-13-5 on the season 2010-11: 12 Upperclassmen, 5 freshmen - went 32-9-3 on the season 2011-12: 10 Upperclassmen, 9 freshmen - went 26-13-3 on the season 2012-13: 9 Upperclassmen, 7 freshmen - went 22-13-7 on the season This year: 11 Upperclassmen, 8 freshmen I deal in fact, not fantasy. The local media may want to play this years' team off as young, but I disagree, based on the facts.

I'm not going to get sucked into an argument with anyone. However, the idea that UND is "young" is a fantasy. Almost all of the freshmen may be playing every night, but that just means that the recruiting in recent years was a bust. But, that does not erase the fact that UND has 11 upper classmen, most of whom are playing nightly.

If they play as poorly as tonight , they get swept. Plain and simple - got outperformed. A shame, really.