.357

Is Cam still in net?

0-3, seriously?

UND is good, but not #1 kinda good, at least not yet Our PWR will go straight down the crapper if this holds

Both goals off UND icings

I'll see your Living Colour, & raise you Hues Corporation

I know, I just like clarifying things to an unnecessary degree. If Stecher is this good now, imagine down-the-road. I mean, he hasn't even hit his ceiling yet & you can see this when he plays, the potential for even more growth. You look at some players & you can tell that they've maxed out on their abilities & that they've settled comfortably into their roles on the team. Not Stecher. It seems like he's still discovering new ways of making himself an even better player. Like, "Hmm, I noticed that that forward always dips his head when he tries to go wide left on me, next time he does that I'll step up for a poke check & try an odd man rush the other way." Just small stuff like that. Plus his confidence is just as high as his physical abilities, an outlook a player needs to be considered great.

Dictionary.com lists it as beyond ordinary, remarkable, exceptional in character. All the Sioux players have talent, but Stecher stands out & above most of his high-caliber teammates, I think..

His development just goes to show how well UND develops its players physically, mentally & emotionally for the next level. A lot of good adjectives to describe his on-ice play, esp. dynamic. Dynamic as in able to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary..

What usually happens is that at the end of the season & into the playoffs, we see a Sioux player who elevates his game to a level we weren't expecting earlier in the year. IE, for all we know & it's still TBD, but a guy like Murphy could be the X Factor in getting us through the playoffs when it was the last thing we were anticipating in the first half of the season. Not saying it will be him, but it's usually someone that was deemed a liability or a non-factor earlier. I think Poganski is going to continue growing beyond his stature as a freshman so I'm not going to say it's him that will be a surprise. I would like to see either J. Schmaltz regain last year's form so there would be no weak links in the D, or LJ to continue his gritty play w/active feet like last weekend to provide more depth at forward..

I understand & you have a valid point. My reasoning was that the team looked like they were a step behind Miami & not used to that kind of pace after playing some weaker competition before that weekend. But you're right, not all games can or should be against top 15 teams, need a few softies once in awhile..

I may be wrong, but I think the secrecy is to prevent opposing teams from targeting an injured part of a player's body with the intention of trying to re-injure him.

I agree that this year's team could make a splash, am stoked as well. They seem to have the right mix of everything right now, except consistency, but that'll come in time. I wasn't trying to draw you or anyone into an argument over Hakstol's long-term viability. I love the team as well & am the epitome of a homer, but any serious fan should look to all possibilities as to why his storied team isn't bringing home the hardware over such a long period.

What?! LOL, yes I based my opinion on what others wrote; sometimes one has to do that if they don't have the privilege of making it back. Do I actually have to be in the physical place to have an opinion of something? I know going off others isn't as authentic as those who've actually been there, but it's all I have at my disposal. So I don't care for Hakstol's post season record & make note of it, big deal. I asked awhile back how long a coach of a storied program should get to bring home a NC & I heard crickets in return. So you tell me, wise one, how long should his leash be? 10, 20 years? No leash? It seems pretty petty that you'd get your panties in a bunch over some stranger's (mine) comment about the atmosphere at the Ralph. Big deal what I think how fans act there, it's just a generic comment & I wasn't targeting any one person. Or are you more upset that I mentioned Hakstol's lack of success in the post season? Seems to be a Cult of Personality following with him. One can comment on the players, but people act like they've been off their medication a few days once you bring Hakstol into the conversation. But I will give you credit for the whale & dolphins comment..

Like i said, I was basing my opinion on what I had read from some other posters; I thought I made that clear. You must have a low standard for humor if you find that "quite hilarious". Slow day on your end?

LOL, you usually get this bent out of shape over grammatical mishaps? Too funny.

Haven't been in Grand Forks since 1990; would love to experience all that is the Ralph.. Thanks for your feedback .. was basing what I said on what I had read from some other posters..

Yes, it seems to have disrupted yet another knitting party..

Yes, UND is an enviable hockey program. It's also greatly respected & the epitome of what a college hockey program should be. But the program didn't become great without great fans who wanted a winner. My first experience with Sioux hockey was as a little boy in 1972. Behind me was a sober middle-aged woman & her friends who were literally yelling at the Sioux for their poor on-ice performance. Fast-forward a generation & that passion has largely been replaced by a corporate mindset & many fans who go to the Ralph because it's the "in" thing to do in the Forks. I wouldn't call that kind of fanbase good for a program & it can be terminal if it goes unchecked. Of course I'm not saying all fans are like this, but a good segment are..Just trying to keep the tradition going, is all..

Sounds good to me, could care less which puppet is at the helm..

I hear what you're saying, but you did say that those who don't agree with how things are being run can find another program if they don't agree with the status quo. Regardless of the niche, from sports to politics, & where it lies in the spectrum, dissension should be welcomed; & politics, like sports, is also a voluntary pursuit. And the minority should never be expected to find another team if they are unsatisfied with how things are being handled; that would make the remaining fans automatons. I don't consider myself envious, but I do like to keep the torch lit for a storied hockey program. Mostly because I want it to continue being great. Maybe it's a generational thing, but I see complacency in some of the posts. Sports is about as unpredictable a pastime as you can get, but a repeated pattern over many years usually means it's something besides bad luck or more competitive teams out there. Not saying I'm right, it's just my opinion at this moment.. I just missed the Barn days, but was around when the Winter Sports Complex first opened for hockey.. And I try not to base my happiness on something like hockey, but I will be joining Oxbow6 & a few other diehards in a ceremonial mass suicide if # 7 doesn't turn into # 8 this year..Maybe..

Sorry, but it helps my vision.

Your thought process reminds me of a recent president's rhetoric, "If you're not for us, you're against us." Meaning any dissension from the norm won't be tolerated. How's this, SJHovey? I respect your opinion & you tolerate mine. This board is largely opinions & the greater the diversity of ideas that are allowed to flourish, the better. Or, we could all conform to your views so everyone thinks & expresses themselves just like you. Just let me know if it's the latter so I can start reviewing some of your older posts & molding my thoughts to conform to what you & the norm think..

To want results doesn't mean that you hate the head coach, that's ridiculous & a non-sequitur. Sometimes complacency or apathy can spell disaster, regardless if it's in one's personal life or in a hockey program. I drink non-fluoridated water to retain the passion & avoid such a mental state.

Great programs shouldn't be compared to lesser programs, just like apples aren't compared to oranges & the Crimson Tide isn't compared to eastern Carolina..

Sioux fans don't directly say that, but there are indirect references to more programs being around or the landscape being more competitive, making it more difficult than 20 years ago. I don't think anyone on this board personally hates Coach Hakstol. But there are many who are dissatisfied with the zero NCs so far & who want to see some results. I don't think pressuring a coach or a team to succeed on the big stage is bad at all. A fanbase who expects their team to win the NC & starts pressuring when none is realized year after year, is more conducive to eventually winning it all than a fanbase who is complacent with just successful regular seasons. If a coach feels pressure from the community, he is often forced to change his coaching philosophy when this same philosophy didn't work in previous years, lest he be looking for a new job. No pressure, or reduced expectations, leads a coach to use the same approach year after year because he's not being forced to alter a failed philosophy or strategy. Last year was encouraging, though, because Hakstol appeared to have finally figured it out coaching-wise at the FF, aside from the last second. This topic is better left for the off-season (if needed), but it should still be openly discussed & not shunned as being hateful or irrelevant; because coaching is a results-oriented profession, especially at this level. And going by your other response, you didn't say if there should be a timetable or not for a Sioux hockey coach to win a NC. Am curious what your opinion is..10, 20 or more years or no timetable at all? Not trying to be a thorn, just wondering..