Irish

I just got back from Friday's game with Michigan Tech - Just what kind of freshman class do you think will turn this team around? - In addition, if they progress like this years sophomores, we're in real trouble.

Take Toews and Oshie from this team (which might happen if they decide to move up) and what do we have to build on? The lack of development of current players who have been highly rated (Lee for example) leaves me to worry no matter who's comming in. No one seems to be getting better. In addition, there are several disturbing trends this year - One is our lack of physical play on Defense. We went from a team who had the most feared defensemen in the league to a team that gets outhit in our own arena. In addition, the undisciplined play (stupid penalties), inconsistant play (taking entire periods off), horribe penalty kill, and poor goaltending make me worry that unless we get our acts together we are in for a long period of frustration. Counting on next year's freshmen to pull us up (especially at this point of this year) makes me uneasy. Our mental approach as a team may be my biggest concern - why can't they turn it on for 3 periods?

The Sioux lost a lot of talent from last year - so did other teams especially the Gophers. I think the frustration on several threads boils down to the fact that the Gophers seem to have reloaded and we haven't - or haven't shown much so far. Our freshman class may develop with time, but no one seems to be able to step up and make a difference now. Other teams (Gophers again) seem to have recriuted impact players. In addition, many of the Sioux players this year seem to have stagnated or gotten worse - our entire sophomore defensive corps are not playing like last year and we seem to have the worst goaltending tandem in the league at least according to their stats. Other than Duncan, no one is scoring like up to potential including Oshie and Toews. Although most of us are loyal Sioux fans, sitting each week thinking mayby this will be the week where they get it together is getting old. We are used to being at the top or near the top every year. Add in the finest facility in college hockey and mediocrity is not acceptable. In addition, several aspects of the Sioux play are particulairly frustrating - especially being out hit, being taken to task at home, extremely poor goaltending, and stupid penalties especially from people who should know better. I'm certainly not giving up on the Sioux, but would like to see some traditional Sioux hockey out of this team. They have played some of the crappiest periods of hockey that I have seen from a Sioux team since the early 70's. I hope things turn around or the next few years may be bleak.

Let me vent and share my frustration also. it is obvious that this team has trouble in all areas - timely scoring, defense, goaltending, will to win, intensity, mental mistakes. My feeling is that the ultimate responsibility is with the coaches. When Blais was here, players knew that if they came to UND with talent they would leave as players in the NHL sense of the word. Thjat's not happening now. Does anyone think that Finley, Lee, Lameraux, Toews, Oshie, etc are playing better this year. Almost no one is developing. We are playing much worse as a team than in the past. In addition, we were out-recruited this year. I agree with other posters that it is a mystery as to why we can't get a stud goalie in here. It is painful to watch us get out-hit in our own arena. Hakstol was basically anointed as coach - It's time for him to show us what he's got. I will not be happy until we are competing with the Gophers. Blais would never allow this type of play without kicking some but. We need a wake-up call soon.

It should be on our coaching staff to bring these guys along. A major part of Blais' success was the fact that if you had talent and came to UND you would leave playing like a NHL hockey player. This was common knowledge among hockey players. If you needed to get jacked up to perform, that's what happened. That's how he got major talent to come here before our state of the art facility. Now, if things don't change it looks like players will leave here having regressed during their time here. The coaches need to pick it up. Also - how we got stuck holding the bag with the worst goaltending stats in the WCHA is beyond me.

I've said this before but I'm frustrated so I'll add my 2 cents again - Other than Duncan and maybe 1 or 2 others - is anyone playing better this year than last. There seems to be no improvement among our sophomore defensemen. They seem to have gone backwords as a group. I'm not excited about our freshmen class. Other teams with a lot less tradition and facilities seem to have ourrecruited us. If you combine their stats do we have the worst goaltending in the league? This is NOT Fighting Sioux hockey as I know it. We seem to have no home court advantage - other teams used to fear comming here - we would beat them physically and on the scoreboard. Fighting Sioux hockey is not about being 7 and 7. Wait until we play the good teams. The coaches need to shape this team up.

Punt my ass - it would be nice if we tried to win this game!

Our 3 or 4 man rush is killing us.

We need to PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE QB Why are we content to let him stand back there and pick us apart?

If they don't start sending someone to put pressure on the QB it will be a long day.

I'll admit I have been one of the critical ones - great offensive job today - keep the momemtum going

Playing it safe on that last series - I hope it doesn't come back to bite us

go for the damn touchdown and stop trying to run the clock - didn't we learn anything from last time?

Good God - did any defensive players show up today?

We put in the 3-4 specifically to stop the option - we look like we've never seen it before.

When is the last time we saw a UND defense get used like this?

Other than Duncan, is anyone better than they were last year? Did anyone progress? What a lack of development from a group that we expected big things from.

Hey - I just got back from the game and need to vent - This is not Fighting Sioux hockey as I have known it. The defense has some glaring lapses and turnovers We got out hustled and out hit except for a few spurts We have some players who are non-participants on offense We take untimely penalties - no discipline =Lamoreaux or Greico needs to step up and play We seem to be having trouble handling the puck Did we get any breakaways or odd man rushes? I got criticized on an earlier thread for suggesting that the Gophers out recruited us this year - Which one of our freshmen is having a breakout year? How long are we going to blame it on "bad breaks" or "poor officiating" Let's face it - this team needs to get going soon Don't rip everyone who posts who is frustrated. We are NOT playing anything close to good hockey now.

The key to winning this game - simple - leave the agressive offense uncorked and stop playing conservative like we seem to do every time we play Omaha. This is not the time to tighten up. A look at the film the last two weeks should show how effective we can be when we play loose. I know that not going for it on 4th and 1 has been discussed at length, but look what a big difference one loss has had on our rankings. We need to play to win plain and simple.

When they let them play like they did Saturday, this is one of the best I have seen in the past 15 years. When the play calling gets conservative, they are only slightly above average. Strangely, the more we think our defense can hold the opposition, the more restricted we become on offense. When we know we have to score points like vs Northern Iowa or South Dakota we can light it up. We are definately mulit-dimensional when we want to be. I hope we pull out all of the stops for the playoffs.

Any theories on why our pass defense is getting lit up at inopportune times? When you look at the experience returning this year in the secondary this is surprising. I know that our pass rush is eratic - we seem to be blitzing and stunting less - It looks like we are sometimes hanging our secondary out there. Anyway - I'm surprised that this is a weakness this year.

I would like to find a way to get the "old people" (like me) more involved in organized chants like "sieve" etc that seem to originate from the student section. I sit with the general public and see spontaneous cheering, but very little participation in chants etc. When some of us do participate, we feel out of place, because no-one else is doing it. Maybe we could flash the chants on the screens or use flyers to help organize. If we could make this work, it would ratchet up the noise and possibly help keep the chants clever but clean. We need a coordinated effort. Everyone needs to be encouraged to be involved. We are stuck with the seating arrangement that gave the best seats to the richest (or corporate) group - not the most fanatic fans. We need to get these people involved in the cheering.

Don't forget Ayr, ND - former home of my favorite sports team the Ayr Rifles.

No need to get insulting I'm with Sioux 27 (by the way I played football also) There are many factors that go into a successful program including recruiting, motivation, conditioning, game preparation, offensive and defensive philosophy - and many more. The Sioux have done extremely well at many of these over the past few years. This is a credit to the coaching staff. If we have one weakness, it is with the overly cautious and conservative (at times) offensive philosophy and poor play selection. In just about every loss recently, this has been glaring. It can be very frustrating to watch the Sioux go into conservative mode on offense and stop trying to make things happen. They play not to lose instead of playing to win. Many fans who are loyal to the Sioux feel the same and should be allowed to express this on this forum. Figuring out where we could pin them back to if we punted is not an offensive philosophy that will consintantly win against good teams. We could do better.

Ah, but what do they know and when did they know it?