tnt

I think most of us could be o.k. with losing in the regional final last year because of the work ethic exhibited to get us there and the amount of energy expended with a short lineup. I posed the question after that loss, would this year's team sit back and think that with a full lineup they wouldn't need to work as hard. I know that wasn't the case all the time, but it seems there were times when the "let the other guy do it" philosophy appeared. Someone pointed out the lack of production from Rowney, Parks, MacMillan, down the stretch which was completely opposite of last year. The sad part is, who knows if we stay injury free in the future like we did this year. I would love to be on the bench and know exactly what the coaches are telling the players, because I hope on each and every powerplay in the NCAA tournament they tell the players to bear down because it could be the only one in the game and it could be the difference in the game. Would also like to know what was said after the bad penalties, because it should also be pointed out constantly that could be the difference as well.

What is this world coming to, when St. Cloud is carrying the mantel for the WCHA?

The most frustrating part is that the players have a very short memory. Wasn't it just last week that most of them lamented that you can't leave it up to a bounce of the puck, like what happened against CC. You also can't leave it up to a bad penalty. Play hard the whole game, and then fans can live with the results. Play hard, only when your backs are against the wall, and these are the types of responses you are bound to get. I am breaking my rule of posting right after a tough loss, but the frustration has gotten the best of me. Maybe I should have a cooling off period like the NCAA has.

Gotta say that Hakstol has set himself up for this criticism. They won something in the last 8 years, either a WCHA Championship, a Final Five., or a regional, and this year they didn't. He fired Eades, and it didn't improve the team. I thought a timeout was called for in the second period when Yale was all over the Sioux. I think most Sioux fans probably had the same feeling as me, that Yale was going to score at some point, and it would probably be at a time when it would be hard to change momentum. I get frustrated with the lack of killer instinct exhibited on many occasions when they have a one goal lead. I guess now would be a good time to play the first session of Through these doors this season where the players pledged to give everything. I will say right now, they did not give everything in this game, and Mark MacMillan should be forced to watch that episode, because he played selfish both games, taking bad penalties in the NCAA tournament. Dumb penalties, poor intensity, and a poor powerplay cost us in this tournament, and the coaches know that is what the NCAA tournament is all about. You can sometimes tell intensity when you look at the faceoff situation early, and this proved true today. All that talent doesn't amount to much without the work ethic we see from Colton St. Clair. I would like to think that the players left would learn the lesson, but I tend to hope that every time. Rant over.

I know the Sioux had a solid first period, but is it too much to ask that they show the 3rd period type of urgency / intensity in the first period to score first? If you want to win a National Championship, you have to bring that high level of intensity from the start, especially since the first goal is critical against teams that are slight underdogs. Hate to see the Seniors leave with a game where they leave something on the table. That said, however they win doesn't matter to me, as long as they keep moving on. I do cringe on penalties like MacMillan's and the icing when shooting at the empty net, because those things come back to haunt you. Being pushed to the limit sometimes can jog memories on how close to the edge you really are in a one and done tournament though.

Totally agree, which begs the question, why wasn't he the WCHA POY? Just think that the Hobey voters might follow suit even though Kristo is the most dominant offensively of all the Hobey candidates.

True, and Knight has 15, so if people are just looking at stats, then Knight has issues in the voters eyes as well. Obviously LeBlanc impressed WCHA voters enough with those numbers, and outside of a truly dominant player, I think Leblanc, for the reasons I stated and St. Cloud not having a Hobey winner, could be enough to put him over the top in a year that nobody stands out a lot stats wise. Hope I'm wrong and Kristo or Knight get a good look, but as somebody else said, it wouldn't be horrible to see a guy like LeBlanc win either.

Not that I would agree, but I think Drew LeBlanc wins the Hobey. I think some voters will see he was Player of the Year in the WCHA and jump to the conclusion that he is the better player. Not sure many people appreciate everything Knight brings to the table like scouts and Sioux fans do. I suppose that could be said of a lot of players though. LeBlanc also brings the comeback angle to the equation since he had to sit out all of last year with an injury. I'm sure some voters could be swayed by that kind of feel good story.

That might be best for him, but if you are the Kings and think he is a viable prospect with a good future, do you let him finish out his senior season and open up the possibility of him becoming a free agent?

Seriously, it isn't the best of brackets, but it isn't the worst either. When people assume a meeting with Minnesota, it doesn't always play out that way. The Sioux need to take care of their business, and then maybe, just maybe they will have the opportunity to erase the bad tastes in their mouths from last year that they said would be a driving force to change the outcome this year. Hopefully they will get that chance, because if they want to win another National Championship they are going to have to beat some good teams to get there regardless.

I think it would be justice, considering how the Sioux and others have had to try win in St. Paul as a #1 seed.

If Blais leaves, he is done. An assistant coach spends a lot of time on the road recruiting, and I don't think Blais would want to do that anymore, and I think UND would want guys who are young and ambitious out on the road. Don't even know if Blais would entertain the head coaching job at UND if it was open, but who knows.

Will the people with unrealistic expectations please take another look at this list, and be sure to add one to the North Dakota Final Five Streak, and end Duluth and Denver's streaks. So now we have North Dakota at 11, then Minnesota and SCSU at 2. Hmmm!

Don't forget that Tech also throttled St. Cloud when they were fighting to win their first ever WCHA title.

Actually Crosby did make an unofficial visit with Duncan. http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/189974/

Simpson would surprise me a bit, simply because he isn't a top draft pick, and he still just turned 20. I think he is a great student, and his family values education, so why leave to play in the AHL? I really think there are some guys who would love to have their own Senior day to reflect on, and from an outsider's view it seems Simpson really has a real sense of the program.

I say win what you can. Don't think I would ever hope for the Sioux to lose a game. I guess I don't subscribe to the theory that if you win one you can't win the other. Things have to go your way anyway, even if you lose the Final Five.

If Saunders plays tomorrow, it would be going against what Hakstol said earlier this week, that if someone steps up, they have a chance to take over.

Hope it's not! If it is, it means we finished 3rd. Rather have a chance at being a #2 seed if Minnesota loses and ties and we win.

Not nearly as nice as a present as the game tying goal that should have been whistled for icing!

True, STA should be in AA, but if East Grand Forks has some prospective college recruits, they should have competed a little better, even though some of that talent is quite young. Knew it would be an uphill battle, but had no inkling they would get pummeled the way they did.

I personally don't think that Mankato would ever get invited to the NCHC. I think if they are going to expand, they will be looking for new markets.

The website says that Stecher doesn't turn 19 until April. Hopefully he turns out like another BCHL guy who decommitted a few years ago -- Joey LaLeggia!

Anybody know what happened with his commitment to Omaha?

Mitch Slattery of Hill Murray seems like the prototypical Fighting Sioux player, skill with a good bit of grit and edge to him. Would like to see how he develops. I know Luke Voltin played for Hill Murray, but who is the last Sioux player from Hill Murray anyway?