tnt

We need to figure out a way to score against Bemidji's style of play. I know they have given us problems before, but if we want to be contenders this year, this would be a nice step in that direction. The power play will need to start clicking to help open up Bemidji State. If we can get early leads it might just open them up a bit so we can take advantage.

Some people just aren’t happy when they aren’t complaining or negative. Must be fun to be around on a daily basis.

Simonson plus 10 his first two years, while Wilkie was minus 6, despite playing more on offensive lines. Who is making stuff up?

Simonson had more points his first two years than Wilkie did, and was more responsible defensively with a much better plus/minus. So I assume you weren’t one of the fans that was hard on Wilkie because of his lack of scoring?

Yes, but none of that shakes out until the second half when there is some data to go on. We won’t even have a good idea on conference versus conference records for quite a while, which has a huge impact on the pairwise. Just win and hope the rest of the league performs up to expectations.

Are we really looking at pairwise this early?

Do you mean Jordan Schmaltz?

Don’t forget about Wolanin.

Carter Randklev back in the lineup with the Force tonight, and has an assist as of the second period.

I’m sure we will need all hands on deck at some point this season, so hopefully they can get a lot of guys some ice time so we are healthy down the stretch.

I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum on this. I think getting handled might take away some of the confidence gained last weekend. I think we hear a lot of talk about swag and confidence from the players, coaches and announcers because the coaches have probably emphasized it. I would hope one weekend wouldn’t damage confidence that much, but watching body language last year from week to week, makes me wonder if that might enter their minds again. Here’s to hoping we don’t find out.

I think that it is as simple as they want defensively responsible people on the lower lines and will probably mix in players as they pay more attention to that detail. I think it is similar to the Dallas Stars calling up Gardner. I’m sure they have better offensive talent in their system, but are more concerned about defensive responsibility. Of course their record isn’t stellar either. Was kind of the same reason Adams was in and out of the lineup early in his career.

Noticed that same thing. Talk about adding insult to injury. Will be interesting to see if Detroit will get a few extra calls against Minnesota when they play this weekend. I definitely can see that happening.

Despite the new rule where you can challenge for pass interference, the officials are still deciding games by no calls or bad calls. Maybe they should just review everything and the game can last 5 hours. That's right, they get reviews wrong too! Nevermind!

Good coaches always start out somewhere. Just need to find an up and comer that can change the culture of mediocrity.

I really don’t mind needing to work our way up the rankings. How many times in the past few years did we start out high and only fell in the rankings. Now, hopefully our progression in play keeps us looking up to a new level in the polls, but ultimately the only thing I care about is the pairwise, and that won’t really matter until after Christmas. They just need to put themselves in good position the first half, much like they did last year, then carry it over into the New Year.

Focus is something that should be an issue with NDSU because you would expect complacency at some point with them. You don't expect complacency with a team that has a lot to prove to themselves, fans and pollsters.

...and with the paywall it doesn’t hurt to have more avenues of access to keep up fan interest. Maybe they work for the Herald and want a monopoly on UND hockey.

I don’t think more funds for hockey would make much of a change in competitive balance with how many great hockey players are available for recruitment now. You just have to be able to project players better into the future, and more money isn’t going to change that. All the big programs with money aren’t dominating anymore. Put the money into football and find someone to steer the ship.

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/football/4712147-VIDEO-Senior-Patric-Rooney-becomes-first-offensive-lineman-to-score-touchdown-in-UNDs-Division-I-era Looks to me like Ket is going for the ball, but to judge his mindset is probably unfair. I do still find it odd he didn’t celebrate with his lineman’s rare opportunity.

Was it Patrick Rooney that scored the touchdown against Davis? When everyone else was all over him congratulating him, Ketteringham walked away seemingly like he could have got the TD by jumping on it. Maybe I am reading too much into it, and maybe he congratulated him later, but it seemed odd to me that a quarterback wasn’t the first one all over an offensive lineman after they scored. If anybody watches that clip again let me know what you see, and maybe I am wrong or missing part of the equation. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/football/4712147-VIDEO-Senior-Patric-Rooney-becomes-first-offensive-lineman-to-score-touchdown-in-UNDs-Division-I-era

This is just another one of the patterns we see that concerns most fans. There has been plenty of time to learn from mistakes and overly conservative tactics, but they always seem to rear their ugly heads again, and many times the following week. I agree, there is still time to make a run, but does anyone have faith that it will amount to anything with the current mindset.

But in Bubba’s big locker room speech in the day by day series, “There is nothing out there that they can’t handle”. Maybe they think he said “can” handle.

It is on the coaches to change the mediocrity culture by instilling it in the players here, and by recruiting players with the right attitude. NDSU has a culture that they aren’t going to lose any game. UND wins a big game at home and becomes satisfied. They need to recruit players and leaders that are going to help self police the team against those letdowns.

Dylan James has started out nicely as a 16 year old in the AJHL with 7 points in8 games. He was the visitor star of the game the other night for Okotoks.