Irish

I agree totally - the college game has changed since 97. In addition, we had some guys who could score on that team - D Hoogsteen - 27 goals, Blake - 19, K Hoogsteen - 18, Kallay and Panzer - 16, Bull 15, Henderson 14 - etc etc. Our top goal getter this year has 11 so far and our points leader is a defenseman. We need a serious upgrade in scoring.

Are the fans here over-reactive? Absolutely. This is a fan board. And not just a fan board, but the fan board for the best hockey program in the country. Like Alabama football or Duke basketball. We are not used to losing. And while many of us vent here, there is an underlying worry about recruiting. This year's team is pretty punchless as to scoring. If Wolanin and Gersech go along with Poganski graduating we don't return anyone who has scored 10 goals so far into this season. Here would be our returning forwards and goals scored so far with 2 series left in the regular season: Adams - 5; Yon - 1; Bowen - 1; Gardner - 6; Janatuinen - 4; Smith - 5; Hoff - 2; Kawaguchi - 3; Mismash - 7; and the leader Jones - 9. We need a serious infusion of firepower and right soon. Many of these guys are Sophs or Juniors and have shown little or no improvement. That's why this years recruits are getting scrutinized. We are missing our usual high-end players. Another year without some absolute studs will be ugly.

It would be nice to get some of them - pretty blank for a few years as far as high-enders.

Totally agree - After the core of about 6000, the rest is subject to performance maybe more so than most because when the Offense isn't clicking it is absolutely painful to watch. There is a big difference in watchability between a team that constantly goes for it and sometimes falls short and our team when we are floundering. Bubba worked his tail off to improve the attendance and game day experience, but neglected to think of how fans react to what he put on the field last year. After the tailgating etc. it comes down to what we are seeing on the field. A make or break year for our football program.

I remember the Rube era very well - maybe seeing that makes me really on edge when I feel us slipping now. We have established a reputation for excellence and for turning out NHL ready players. Let's keep it up.

Every time I get really frustrated with this team they play a great game. Maybe when I see how they can play it causes frustration when they don't. We still have some serious work to do - I hope they get at it this week and take care of business. Cam did a nice job not only in this game but in handling the goalie situation in general. That's leadership.

Quite possibly - even though our facilities to train are the best in the country. I have not seen a Sioux team with worse puck skills since the Bjorkman days. On the times where we do make the right move or pass more often than not we can't control the puck. Same with zone entry. The big question is will Berry learn from this and make adjustments or will he go "Bubba" on us?

For a coach who didn't say two sentences without mention "team culture" during our championship season, Berry's team this year seems totally lacking in culture. No leadership, taking entire periods off, lapses in concentration, stupid penalties when our PK is floundering, and after scoring a goal always taking the next shift off. When you add a mediocre roster to this kind of play you get what we are seeing now. Perhaps time to clean house? We have a lot of guys who aren't contributing squat.

If Wolanin goes, there goes our scoring .

I am babbling about the lack of talent on this team and the way they take stupid penalties, coast for about half the game, and seem to give up a goal within a minute of scoring one, and have horrible special teams. And not every recruit is in the pipeline for years. Some are late additions. See any Blue Chippers on the roster. Have you looked at the front line scoring stats? Tell me where I am wrong in my assessment of this team.

When I heard Berry talk and watched the team his first season I thought "wow, this guy has it together". Since then he has done squat for recruiting and has a team that is totally devoid of the mental aspect of the game. I am just stunned at how fast things fell apart.

The big question is Does Berry have the chops to turn this around next year. One thing about Blais - if you played like about half of our team tonight he'd let you know. Berry needs to get in smarter and better guys. I don't think this crew will ever learn not to take stupid penalties. Maybe time to clean house for the non-producers.

We have a lot of passengers on this bus. Time to get in some guys with talent and a little fire in their belly and a head on their shoulders. UND hockey is just brutal to watch anymore.

To be fair, he's all jacked up on Snake Juice.

At the tune of several million dollars in the red per year?

Another reason Bubba and Company should be on the hot seat. Their offensive philosophy is crap as is their player development. They are making it so no top QB in his right mind would sign here. See this year's recruiting results. Time to get their collective act together and think outside the tiny box they have put themselves in.

What leap of logic did this come from. I want UND to recruit anyone who can score at the college level. Nowhere did I mention Penticton, Jones, or Rizzo. If you think we have a great bunch of front liners then we differ a bit.

It's hard to know what to make of this team - half the time they look like they can play with anyone, half the time they look like they need a bag skate right after the game. A nice win yesterday. There is not much we can do about the total lack of firepower, however, there are some things we really need to clean up if we want to salvage this season. These are things we shouldn't be battling at this point in the year. Special teams are usually pathetic and cost us games - especially with our tendency to take the stupidest penalties at the worst time. Intensity - I have never seen a team give up momentum so quickly - we often give up a goal within a minute of scoring. There is no excuse except lackadaisical play. We don't have much killer instinct. I think the goalie situation will take care of itself - it is exacerbated by our lack of scoring and our defense making poor decisions at times. We need everyone dialed in going forward. Every time I think that is happening, we crap the bed next game. It's gut check time.

FightingSioux4life - you are correct we won in 2000, lost in OT in 2001.

This was coming of a National Championship and the next year's class included Matt Greene and Zach Parise. Brandon Bochenski was a sophomore. I don't see that happening next year.

To give you an idea of our recruiting the past two years - there are 5 sophomores in the top 10 NCHC scoring - none of them ours. Wolanin is our top scorer and he is tied for 20th. Our Europeans have 4 goals between them. We can't afford another year of recruits who can't score.

Agree 100% - This should never happen. We have horrible puck skills. Watch the PP - we fight the puck, tee it up constantly, take forever to pass, and generally give it away before we can get a shot off. Same thing with breakouts. Add in giving up a goal within a minute of scoring time and time again and this makes this team brutal to watch.

Any insight on how we went from National Champions with an NHL ready top line to this in less that two years? I'm more than speechless that our recruiting is less than stellar immediately after winning it all. I get that we lost a lot of early departures but I would think selling our program to top prospects shouldn't be that hard. What's going on with Berry and Company? A lot of the frustration and speculation on this board comes from the fact that we see play like last night but have absolutely no insight into what is going on. Next year looks like a team of 3rd liners again.

If Berry is so big on culture and grit how come we immediately put our thumbs up our butts, stand around, and puke up a goal usually within 2 minutes of scoring a tying or go ahead goal and gain some momentum? Time after time after time. What kind of intensity is that (especially with making the tournament on the line). Berry better start getting some motivated talent in and right soon.

We do need some guys whose role it is to score badly. I would be fascinated to hear the coaches talk honestly about recruiting - have we missed on some studs? Mis-evaluated anyone? Changed philosophy? The old saying with Blais is that we didn't rebuild so much as reload. With our obvious recruiting advantages - including glowing recommendations from NHL players - it is almost inconceivable that we don't have more top end talent.