.357

TJ will be gone in a couple of months & HH will likely be the starter next season, so HH needs some quality minutes now to refine his game. But if TJ is chosen, it would send the message to HH that the coaching staff doesn't trust him even though he has a better gaa & save % than TJ this year, in a season that is basically over; which would hinder his development & make him less prepared for next season.

So between @scpa0305, @Irish & myself, we counted 10 observed issues with the team, but I'll also add an 11th: a certain player who can be productive at times, but more often than not has the effect of dead weight on the team. Yet despite all these glaring issues, the HC focuses on the goalies of all things. This just goes to show how totally divorced from reality he is. Either that or he's being disingenuous because he doesn't want to address the real issues. These 10+ issues on this team will not be resolved over the next 2 months, because to do so would require the skills & insight of another coach. The most productive thing that can be done isn't on the ice at REA right now, but in the AD's office by assembling a list of 5 viable candidates to be the next one in charge.

May as well include...unable to play a complete game, questionable line-ups, the defense regressing, no identity, undisciplined play. The team had a closed-door meeting late last year to address the problems they were having. Supposedly tough questions were asked, but it was never mentioned if any answers were found. Obviously, there weren't. Makes one wonder what was discussed.

Sitting a speedy, high-energy guy like Croal who could have played 10 minutes & shadowed the 1 player who beat UND last night, Alex Bump, in favor of Montgomery who played less than a minute, tells you everything you need to know about the mental state of the head coach... the team coming out soft & uninspired to start the 2nd after a great 1st; the team is simply incapable of being consistent going back to last year...the D playing no better now in mid-January than in early Oct...Welcome to UND hockey. And if Kunz plays tonight, with no consequences for his causing the loss, that'll just be icing on the proverbial cake. Who recruits the players who can't score, who commit bad penalties & who have too many flaws? Everything is downstream from the HC.

Montgomery is the sentimental favorite, the team's Rudy, but should only be playing when injuries necessitate it. Playing him instead of Croal is leaving talent off the ice because you want to be seen as the good coach playing the local boy. As they say, "Make it make sense".

The only corrective actions that I know of in the corporate world are verbal warnings, written warnings, suspensions, demotions & terminations. And because the first four are not applicable to a head coach in this situation (that I know of), I would guess termination.

Based on Coach Larson's behavior last weekend, it's safe to say that the ss.com search committee in charge of finding a new coach can rule him out as a possibility. Finalists are now Raboin, Smaby & a couple others.

I don't understand that line of thinking: even if it's short term, you're still extending the mediocrity. If UND misses the playoffs this year, it can be attributed in large part to laying an egg against a team (Cornell) who was playing its first series of the year, and not showing up & struggling against BSU of all teams. This is just as damning to the coaching staff as getting bounced in the first round of the regionals. The only difference is that this time the coaching deficiencies manifested early in the year instead of the usual late March.

Moderators: Please add ASU to the NCHC standings on the front page.

Cornell's too talented & experienced to continue being mediocre. Anticipating that they'll put together some key wins in the second half to bolster our PWR if even just a little. Bemidji, on the other hand, pfft...

Wasn't a fan of splitting up Croal-Littler-Andrew..when a line is clicking, let them be. Boisvert is quietly establishing himself as a force in D1 hockey. And he's only 18. Safe to say he's adjusted well to the college level.

Does the OT win tonight count like a regulation win when it comes to PWR, or .67?

That's why I question sometimes if Berry plays guys guys due to merit or personality. Because if he were being completely objective over the last few games, Andrew plays over Montgomery. No need to throw a wrench into the 4th line when it was doing so well.

Unfortunate that Andrew has to possibly be the odd man out tonight after his strong play lately on that 4th line.

So why aren't these bad losses affecting teams like MI & BC very much, if at all? Compared to UND's drop.