Irish

Have you looked at our top 6 scoring recently - not one in the top 50 NCAA scoring leaders - not one. Our "top 6" guys should be here and we should have some scorers on our top 6. One point is that these are guys Berry is keeping on the roster instead of bringing in another scorer.

The fact that this is really a discussion should scare the crap out of Sioux fans. Time for a change and Berry has shown absolutely no indication he gets it on any level.

This may very well be true - in which case it scares the crap out of me that this is the team we have fielded 3 years after a championship.

Thanks for your expert analysis - truly appreciated. Here's what us more emotional, less analytical fans see - A once mighty program (most feel the best in the country) driven straight into the ditch a short 3 years after a Championship. Berry has given us perhaps the most unwatchable team I have ever seen in my 50 years as a Sioux fan. Whether it is poor recruiting, the system, or some combo the fact remains what we are doing isn't working. And all we get from Berry is no change on the ice and some of the most bland, boring, least informative coach speak repeated over and over. No indication of any changes. There is absolutely no reason - none - that our program should have sunk so low that 1 or 2 goals a weekend is the new norm. Something needs to happen and if we are not willing to change coaches then the Coach has to change. We are frustrated and this board seems like our only outlet or chance for input. This is not a temporary anomaly, but the new norm. If you can see why the "system" isn't working why can't a coaching staff with NHL experience see the same. This smacks of stubborness and inflexibility. We have enough grinders - we need some studs.

Not only do we not have a Freshman in the top 50 in NCAA freshman scoring in the country, we don't have anyone in any class in the overall top 50 in scoring. Left to his own devices, Berry, in three short years, has given us the most punchless Sioux team of all time and perhaps the most offensively challenged team from a major program ever. Only three possible reasons - a total breakdown of evaluation of talent and recruiting; system, system, system; or a total cosmic plot against us involving puck luck, refs, goal posts, and bad ice. He has had 3 classes and brought in no scorers - none. It's not just the infamous Junior class, it's all classes he has brought in. How low are we willing to sink before action is taken. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

Agree that it is somewhat of a mystery - I think Berry and crew are seriously misjudging who can perform at the next level. There are guys in every sport who cant adjust to the next level - we seem to be getting all of them. No one can be snakebit for their entire career - let alone everyone.

It's lack of talent up front - pure and simple. Teams can get snakebit for a game, maybe 2 or 3 in a row, but not for two plus seasons. The game is faster here and we don't have guys who can keep up. We don't have the speed or puck skills. Watch our "Power" Play - when pressured we have an extremely hard time even gaining the zone and setting up. When we do, we spend an enormous amount of time teeing it up out front - the defense always has time to adjust - we don't have the skills for quick passes and movement. Of the top 50 freshman scorers in the country there are NO UND players - none. There is absolutely no excuse for this lack of talent at our school - none. This with the best facilities, fans, history in the country 3 years after our 8th National Championship. All "culture" no talent. It's nice we have guys who will support a teammate in a mile run. It would be much nicer if we had guys who could also score. Berry and company have a serious recruiting problem and we see the results on the ice. Time for Berry to go. If we are relying on next year's class to save us we are delusional.

Also, if we are serious about our programs we will need some serious buy-out money too.

In my opinion this game illustrates the best and worst about Sioux Hockey this year. First, the best - we played a whole game with passion, intensity and grit - didn't go into a shell in the 2nd or after we got a lead. We forechecked hard (that's a big reason we won a championship) We were hard to play against. We played smart (for the most part) The defense was great and the offense got it done - not the prettiest but got some goals. Honestly, this is how I thought this season would play out - maybe not the top talent could beat anyone at any time. A decent record and perhaps a tournament run - practically home ice in the regional. The worst - why is this game an outlier this season - especially after the break. Why can't coaches and captains get this kind of toughness game in and game out? Do we have to get a player a weekend kneed in order to play with intensity? We've seen what we can do - now, let's start doing it on a regular basis. This is on the coaches to get us ready for every game.

Now that's Old Time Fighting Sioux Hockey - I hope they can remember how to do it.

A good question - part of it is structural since it weighs twice as much - also the lighting. Better questions - how did St. Cloud get more talent than us including a freshman who is the leading NCHL freshman scorer and why do we have a power play that is not only useless but painful to watch.

Comparing out talent, we've missed on a lot of guys.

Shaw had a turnover as bad as Poolmans last night but was saved by Scheel.

And the rest of the rest of the story - the 6th game in a row that we couldn't hold a lead (going back to Saturday at Canesius) - The softest UND team ever.

I'm not sure how, but our power play got even worse.

I think people who are depending on next year's class to save this program are fooling themselves. Sure, they are highly regarded on paper. However, after our notorious blank Juniors we have two fairly strong (on paper) classes - see any of them skating with St. Cloud? (that's right - St. Cloud is way better than us) - I didn't - they were faster, more organized, more physical and played with more grit. I don't know if we are mis-evaluating, pounding the offense out of them with our "system", or just plain getting beat to recruits, but there should be absolutely no reason we should be whipping boys to St. Cloud. And no one on staff seems to be fired up - excuses, puck luck, process, process, process. If things don't change quickly buckle your seat belts - it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Since resting up, getting healthy, and re-focusing over Christmas Break we were swept by Canesius and then gave up 2 goal leads in 4 successive games against other bottom dwellers. This is not any way, shape, or form anything that resembles Sioux Hockey. Mr. "team culture" and "process" needs to figure this out right quick.

The most frustrating part of this run for me is that absolutely nothing has changed - nothing. Same PP, same giving up leads, same old efforts. This is the softest team I can remember. And all we hear from Berry is "culture" and "process". I would feel a whole lot better if I knew he was pissed and willing to look at any and all changes to make things better. This is about as consistent a Sioux team as I can remember. The program can't take more of the same. Do something for heaven's sake. Anything.

Changes need to be made and if Berry isn't willing to make them he needs to be one of them. A pathetic display once again. (Sorry Boogieman - I didn't mean to quote you and can't figure out how to take the quote out - I'm sure you did your part and at this point Crooked Furrow man help ease the pain}

Ok, in the last 40 years there have been roughly 3 years as bad or worse than this one - 91-94. And those 3 years lead to the firing of a coach who led us to 3 National Championships. The point is that we are getting to a low point that is not what Sioux Hockey is all about. And I did say "one of" not the worst. By the way it is We North Dakota fans not Us North Dakota fans - do some grammar check.

That may be in this one circumstance but he is taking a roster spot. The bigger picture is that there seems to be huge recruiting problem lately. This is one of the least talented teams I have seen in the last 40 years. Time for Bubba to be honest with us and himself and stop the coachspeak. Things need to change quickly.

The problem isn't matching up. We match up with a lot of schools - even Canesius. That's what is so frustrating about this team. The problem is beating them. not just outshooting them. It is nice to rally against a couple of bottom feeders to win (even though we puked up 3 two goal leads). However, this team has made zero improvements to things under their control. I get that we have a roster of logo-shooters (that's on Berry). The offense looks stilted and uncreative - not sure that is talent or the "system" or what but let's try something besides chipping off the boards. We take stupid penalties at the worst times - mainly by our veterans. We get a lead and then immediately start coasting. No killer instinct at all. Speaking of coasting - very few games played the full 60. That can't be our "culture" can it? Add in the worst special teams year in year out and here we are. By the way, how did Denver re-load so fast given the coaching change etc? Of the top 50 freshman scorers they have 4 - we don't have a forward in the bunch. What's going on? Time for "Mr. Culture" to earn his paycheck.

I really hope so - coaches have to see the same things we do - I'm surprised some things like the power play haven't already been fixed. Can you say more a bout these influences?

Here are a few things that have happened often enough to be characteristics of Berry`s teams the last year and a half (at least) - these are things that make watching very frustrating. The Tendency to take shifts or entire periods off - see second periods this year. The inability to hold leads especially 2 goal leads. Giving up a goal usually in under a minute after we score. Endless logo shots with no finishing ability. Playing down to the opposition. No in front of the net presence. I'll advised penalties. We seem to recruit players who appear to have scoring skills but don't score for us - not just out juniors - look at our freshman stats And of course the power play. We don't see much improvement on any of these areas. On the positive side - we have on occasion shown we can play with and beat any team in the country. Time for some changes - if not in coaching then in schemes and game play. We can't survive much more of this without damage to the program.

And a puking up a lead problem - both problems are in their second year minimum