tnt

It really shows that you can play the college game and still be clueless about anything but the technical side of the game. Michelletti has so many factual errors every week that you wonder if he is just babbling hoping he spits out some information that has some basis in fact. When he said that he thought the gophers were the reason the Sioux weren't having success in the first two periods, then said the gophers quit playing and it was nothing the Sioux did, it kind of just epitomizes his lack of objectivity.

I would watch the arrogance, I remember when gopher fans were giving North Dakota fans what for after the Blake Wheeler goal that gave them the Final Five and seems to me they had their come uppance a week later when the Sioux ended their season in the regionals. I would doubly watch it since the Sioux may indeed have to play the gophers again at the "X" in a similar type situation, only they would basically have home ice.

Right now we don't have the depth of Minnesota, but the Sioux certainly had the heart in the 3rd period. Maybe the Sioux were doing the rope a dope and saved their energy the first two periods to give an amazing effort in the third.

I think he needs to do it on his timetable not a timetable to appease anxious fans. Really as long as he decides by early summer there shouldn't be a problem for UND, as I don't think they are looking for another recruit to fill that slot as they already have Paul LaDue they can bring in should they want another defenseman. If he comes, it is just icing on the cake.

Would David Toews have been one of our top 4 or 5 scorers last year? Would Josh Reinholz have been the leading scorer at Minnesota this year? Would J.T. Miller have been our leading scorer this year? I think the resounding answer to those questions would be no, which speaks volumes.

Yes, they do lack perspective, so what better environment to go to get some perspective on life than college. Who knows, maybe he meets his wife in the year or two he is here and doesn't have to worry about finding one after he is a millionaire with the groupies and people on the lookout for an easy life lurking. I'm sure Zach Parise was happy he had already met his future wife here before becoming a superstar. I think the college atmosphere is less likely to entail the people that attach themselves to you because of your hockey skills and your name, and more likely to be an atmosphere where you can meet some lifelong friends, even if you only stay a year or two. See Eddie Belfour as a perfect example of that. There is a reason why all those pro guys like to come back to UND whenever they get a chance. If Seth Jones can see that, I would consider him ahead of the game, and he certainly can understand that the money will be there when he is ready to go, but in the meantime he can have life experiences that will put him in good stead the rest of his life.

Are we really back to this argument. You do not win by playing "weak links". I do not think this team comes back after the Bemidji State series if it doesn't have good leadership, and moreso doesn't have an example of someone who is willing to put it out on the line night in and night out with injuries that probably would have kept most out of the lineup for weeks or more. I think Mario's contribution to the Sioux can best be expressed with a sequence earlier in the year at Minnesota, when he was already hurt he stayed on the ice and blocked another shot that most people would have never had the guts to get in front of. I think they scored on that sequence, but most Sioux fans probably remember it, because it epitomizes the kind of effort the Sioux expect out of their team and especially their Captain. You saw that again last weekend when Lamoureux took a slapshot off his head and didn't stay on the ice like most players would. The fact that the players respect Mario for that effort, and I believe they elect the Captain, speaks volumes of the players wanting to follow that kind of leadership. I tend to think for the mostpart Hakstol always has the right mix of grinders and skill players. I think that changed a bit this year due to injury, but I think having guys like Mario who cycle the puck well and can help wear down the oppositions defensemen and know they are going to take a solid hit when they play the puck is an essential part of Sioux hockey.

Yeah, I was wrongly thinking that it was the last time they played them at the "X",

Then Maine only needs a couple more tourney wins there to exact a little revenge.

http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?paged=2 I guess its all relatively speaking, but then you can argue the Sioux aren't hot either since they split at Denver, Duluth, and tied Michigan Tech. Aren't many teams without a few losses here or there down the stretch, but can't argue since Thanksgiving that they have turned it around like the Sioux.

Was it some sort of Ice Breaker or Hall of Fame tournament or something?

They just extended Owens' contract.

Would love for Minnesota to match up with Maine in the first round at the "X'. Hopefully a little revenge for Maine for the last time they played there in 2002 National Championship game. Maine is also one of the hotter teams in the country, and they have a terrific top line as well.

... and we lament not getting it done when we have high-end talent, can you imagine not making the Final Five with a first line and goaltender like CC has?

Yes, but you need the Kristo line intact to be considered with last year's team. Remember, a lot of that talent is young and unproven talent at this level compared to Frattin and Malone etc. that were men among boys at some points. Also remember that Nelson, Knight, Rowney, and to some extent Kristo were all secondary scorers on that team which is unbelievable. You can say that Nelson and Rowney have made humongous strides since then, but that is my point exactly that you aren't as polished and physically dominant when you are that age. I think it is possible to run the risk next year to depend on the fact that the talent and depth is there and not be as focused as they have been down the stretch this year. Sometimes when there isn't adversity, the work ethic might not be as strong. But that is next year, let's focus on what this team can accomplish down the stretch.

True, but now if Denver finishes better than us in the Final Five, we move down to the bubble again.

I think it's also time to quit the addendum to the end of the school song. Sounds to me like a Minnesota rouser wannabe and I always hated that. What is with fan bases that want to copy cheers from other teams instead of being a little creative.

On second thought, don't know if St. Louis will want to mess with the chemistry they've got going right now.

So how fast do we think that Jaden Schwartz will be in a St. Louis Blues uniform?

You mean the team that beat the WCHA Champs, that Vermont? Benilde might have what, 4, maybe 5 guys that could earn scholarships if they produce in Junior Hockey, but I really think you are kidding yourself if you think that they could compete with a college team.

They've got some talent, but Idaski said that the depth is not quite there, but thinks next year could be a turning point because of all the players they redshirted this year. From my perspective, they lack a game changer on defense, which is why Monique had to be moved back there. Hopefully Jordan Slavin comes back healthy next year and Sam Lashomb is a game changer like she appears she could be. I am hoping that they will be able to put Monique back at forward and use her on the point just on the powerplay. They did have two of the top rookie scorers in the league with ROY Karvinen and Jakobsen, so hopefully they will take another step forward next year as well.

Saving it for something special!

The Denver loss moves us up to a tie for 11th in the pairwise while Denver dropped to 13. Hope Wisconsin finishes the job.

When you say "every single person" and it was a few people, it isn't a counter argument. Yes, Minnesota does need to play those instates, but when you argue that you really want to play a rival like North Dakota, then lock up a four year agreement with Notre Dame, then are working on another agreement with Denver, I'll once again call it lip service. If you really want to play a rival, you can make it happen, just like you did with playing the instate teams. I was skeptical back then that they really wanted to play the Sioux, and so far both Schlossman and myself are skeptical now that they really want to work it out. Once again, I'll use the NDSU rivalry as a reference, when they really sat down in the other sports other than football, they figured out a way to make it work. The sports it hasn't worked out in, women's basketball and football, is because of the personalities and grudges that have kept it from coming to fruition.

Funny, Wisconsin worked out a schedule with us, and back when we played Minnesota when we were all wondering why progress wasn't being made in scheduling, we were not the Sioux, so that argument falls on deaf ears. Now all of a sudden they have to find people to fill their schedule and they can't wait. Kind of sounds like the petty back and forth NDSU and UND went through when they said they didn't have room on their schedule and they end up playing teams like SD School of Mines.