tnt

Agree, you are betting that their offensive upside outweighs their defensive shortcomings, which is why you see guys like Kaprisov out on 3 x3 for the Wild. 3 on 3 is supposed to be wide open, which is why they instituted it so the action is non stop. Even in the NHL, goalies are hung out to dry, despite how more players are supposed to be defensively sound.

I will say that a bunch of the fans aren’t much better. These guys are college age guys that all of a sudden have confidence in themselves. Sometimes a fine line between confidence and overconfidence. You look at some of the predicted scores on this site, and talk about why we didn’t win by a lot, and it seems overconfidence isn’t only within the player group. You have to respect that Colorado would want to beat the number 1 team and that their goalie has the ability to steal games. Hopefully they aren’t of the thought process that it was a freak thing and couldn’t happen again, and instead have the mindset that they are going to be ready to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

…and the silence you hear…

Personally, in the third when we were getting chances and not scoring, I was thinking it was going to be a situation where they come down on one line rush and the puck finds its way into the net.

Basically, everybody has to show up like the Jamernik line.

A few games removed from an explosion in Denver, I think they are fine. Tonight had everything to do with mindset and will, not line combinations.

It happens. Not happy about it, but hopefully lessons learned. We’ve had a lot of great teams lay eggs from time to time, like the Hrkac Circus losing at home to U.S. International of San Diego. They responded well after a bad second period, but they need to learn that this is the type of situation that can put you out of the tournament. When you leave it until the end, the bounce of the puck can go against you, even if you are the team forcing the issue and not giving up much.

Yeah, they couldn’t manage to win by totally outshooting Arizona State, but they can win despite no shots in the third, and they averaged only .83 goals per game against rated teams but managed 3 against the number one team and a good goalie too. That’s why people can talk stats all the time, but when they start spouting streaks and everything like we discussed, that’s when I get concerned.

Like I said, it’s a crapshoot. Once UND doesn’t have the puck, Blake and McLaughlin become a defensive liability. Blake better learn fast that you have to at least play a little defense, or he will be in the doghouse of coaches at the next level. When he just watched a CC player fly by him and would have scored if his teammate could have got him the puck, I saw total lack of effort at the defensive end of the ice. You know if it was going for a two on one the other way, he would have made the effort. We need him to be a bit more responsible at both ends, because even though he is by far a huge net positive, when you get to tourney time, the recipe isn’t usually running and gunning. Michigan and BU haven’t had a ton of success with that formula lately.

CC can wait to beat a North Dakota team for their next exhibition game against Minot State. Better yet, wait until the following week when they play Minnesota at Mariucci, and sweep them!

JBD with his first NHL goal tonight.

Could be Hakstol wants to watch him closer to home since he is a Seattle pick. Actually doubt that is the case, as Hakstol probably has the same line of thinking you do, to work harder where you are at, but sometimes organizational situations are part of the equation. Maybe he chose being closer to Seattle himself, thinking he will see more ice time and I'm sure Portland takes notice of players that might be unhappy in their current situation.

We play Omaha last weekend of the regular season, so if it is close for them being in the tournament, we need to take them out so we can be in Sioux Falls. I see a lot better turnout in that scenario.

Schlossman makes a good point for college hockey, in that what would change. Minnesota, BU, BC and Michigan are already getting a bunch of the studs, yet Minnesota State and Quinnipiac are still competing well, because older, experienced players can offset the high skill to some degree. Take this year for instance, how many people wanted Britt, Pehrson, or Johannes? Safe to say UND wouldn’t be where they are at without them.

Schlossman talks about UND and NIL at the 35:20 mark. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-hockey-podcast-how-nil-money-might-affect-ncaa-hockey

Let’s face it, 3 on 3 is a crapshoot that is very unpredictable, about as unpredictable as winning a draw, which it comes down to many times. There isn’t any shame in losing under those circumstances, because there are so many opportunities each way that it basically comes down to puck possession and if your goalie can make a big save to give you possession back.

They can’t do anything about that until later, and half these guys weren’t a part of any past losses, except with their previous teams. All they can do is position themselves to get the best advantages they can to help avoid future frustrations, and they are doing way better at that right now than any of us expected this early in the year. They need to keep that up, but they have obviously positioned themselves well up to now, which is all they can do.

You realize we got swept in Denver in 2016 by 4-1 and 6-4. It goes without saying you better play good defense at the right time of year, but in a one and done your goalie can’t have an off game either.

Top 6 in the country in goals against having played one of the tougher schedules, compared to a team that simply couldn’t get off the field, that is quite the odd statement.

I stand by my comment, you are a mess.

The key is always going to be possession when Blake is on the ice because we see the puck decisions on the defensive end aren’t great.

You truly are. I think they made the Dr. Pepper fanville commercial about you because you go from one extreme to the other in seconds.

This all started with Danny Freund type play calling. MSU had the ball and the lead and running it right at the Bison. They get to 3rd and 1 at their 45 and decide to go empty backfield, then run their quarterback, who promptly is stuffed and gets hurt on the play. I knew it was going to turn after that.

The only difference I see is that DU has a goaltending issue and have a few more growing pains on the back end. Denver’s defense seems to have more high end offensive talent that are NHL prospects while ours is just playing sound defensive hockey blocking shots and taking away passing lanes.

You just said the same thing, based on one game that I’m sure Denver thought they had won. If UND lost like that it would be all about them not playing 60 minutes and having a killer instinct.