tnt

You said it! Don't know if Toews knows the hornets nest he just stirred up!

I agree that this team is very young, but to Hakstol's credit, I don't hear him saying that the second half of the year. Hennessey talks about it a lot, but last year he was saying that there was complacency by the upperclassmen, especially the seniors. You can't have it both ways. I think, or at least I hope that the decision was made that you can win with younger talent, even though that hasn't been the traditional method in the WCHA. If you don't think it is possible, then you need to temper that by not recruiting high-draft choice type players, at least not as much in the same class. I think we all can sense that the window is short for this group of freshmen. I'm hoping for a nice run down the stretch this year and some playoff experience at the least and hopefully a very realistic title run next year if you can hold on to at least two of the three we all know have possiblilities of taking it to the next level -- Smaby, Zajac and Stafford, and no other Brady Murray-type surprises. Can you imagine this team with Brady Murray and Matt Greene?

I think some people have selected memory. Mike Commodore looked like a fish out of water many times in his freshman year. I remember watching him in practice that year and his skating and endurance had a lot to be desired. In fact, I bet if there was a message board back then, people would have been asking why they recruited him. The same can be said of Matt Smaby. He started to get much better after Christmas his first season. I really like the way Finley had progressed from Day 1.

I'll buy that. The timing was just sort of funny, but I guess if that post was from a gopher fan then the timing isn't an issue anyway. "Different" isn't always bad anyway, look at most goalies. I guess being in the self-preservation mode most of the time can do that to one.

I hope the statement about O'brien isn't related to the fact that he committed to the gophers yesterday, or that he was leaning that direction. If it isn't, then that's fine. I just don't understand how some people can't realize that there are a lot of good players out there and each team is going to get their share of them. Remember, it goes both ways. Bochenski wasn't a saint before he came here, so there were questions about his character. He turned it around pretty good I would say, and kept his nose clean through college.

Agree. I doubt he would have seen the ice as much as he did if the coach thought he was screwing up all the time. I think Lee's methodical skating style sometimes is mistaken for lack of intensity. He has had trouble with the Sioux tying up people as well on occasion, but I don't think many Sioux fans have been disappointed with him to this point in the season, and hardly to the point of being upset.

I guess what concerns me is that St. Louis owns his rights, and they aren't exactly lighting it up this year.

You responding every time to this is only feeding it. So I suggest you just ignore it rather than give a lecture. I would hope most people would know absurd comments when they hear them, and someone will most likely respond to it anyway, but in most cases ignoring it is the best way to go. I guess I'm the one giving the lecture now instead of ignoring, but I don't think your comments are absurd.

Talent is all fine and good, but it is what you do with it that counts. Some of the big name recruits end up being average college players and lower level recruits stars. Look at Eslinger from Minnesota. UND's defense hasn't been so great all these years based on talent alone, it is the chemistry that makes them what they are. They keep plugging in new people from Travis Oneal to Eric Schmidt to Digger Anderson. I have no doubt that will continue. Sure it would be nice to have that exceptional player, but sometime they know that and don't work as hard to improve as the less talented player. Let's see how it all plays out on the field.

Genoway scored a goal and was 2nd star of the game last night in a win against Penticton.

I agree. With Butler out and Niskanen and Mitera not getting as much ice time all the defense saw more than their fair share of ice time, especially the Johnsons. I guess my point was that it isn't and shouldn't be a surprise to have a glaring gaff against the Russians at some point in the game, especially seeing the ice so much. The same can be said of the Russian defensmen. Kessel had that one Russian mesmerized and a few were grasping for Oshie a couple of times and eventually needed to take a penalty. With that kind of offensive talent and speed on the ice, I'm amazed they don't get caught flat-footed more. Hopefully they'll be rested and ready to go against Finland and at least take a step forward with a bronze this year.

I don't think Chorney and Lee were any worse than any other of the defensemen. Erik Johnson was schooled at least 2 or 3 times, and Jack Johnson was out on the ice for many of the Russian goals. Chorney's big mistake was on the second goal when he let the defenseman go by him on the outside. Chorney could have pushed him further outside, but really the angle the Russian took to the net was not that great. Schneider pulled off the post too early to give the Russian the short side to shoot at. I think the Russian's can make a lot of people look silly, but a lot of times all you can ask is to make them take the outside and bad angles. Like I heard someone say, Malkin should be playing with Crosby.

Hey, if you came from a country who's self-proclaimed greatest Canadian is Tommy Douglas... Exactly! Who? Canada obviously wants to have one thing that is better than the US, and even that is slipping away, now that the U.S. has more than five people who care about hockey. Look out if the popularity grows, because Canada will be looking to work harder at tiddly winks as their national pastime. Those Canadians who wouldn't cheer against your neighbor ignore this, for the rest of you -- think about it!

I like how the NCAA in an effort to stop what they perceive to be a discriminatory name, discriminate against a group of women who just want to play basketball. Who cares if they may well have earned the right to play at home. If they basically have a regional spot locked up, what is their incentive? With no incentive, except for seeding purposes, the Sioux should just rest their big guns (I know they are pretty balanced to begin with). No need to extend themselves other than to keep themselves sharp and prepare for playing on the road, while the other teams expend their energies to try to host the regional.

I don't think Hakstol would have almost lost his voice if he thought they were giving maximum effort. They did not have the intensity required to overcome losses of key players. Hopefully they'll get it together and not have to look back and say what if...

Don't know if anyone brought this up or not, but they said last night that in Lamoureax's last 12 games the Sioux have scored just 18 goals. What did Phil do to deserve that fate.

Trupp, Spirko, and Duncan. Can't get enough of the skilled smaller players that may stick around for four years. May be moving back to the days of the "speed kills" motto. More likely just a nice mix of small players with a motor that won't quit and some bangers. Whatever, I like the looks of it.

Thank you Mrs. Kessel? He may be just what you said, but I've heard just as many people say that they have heard interviews with him and he comes off as arrogant. Bottom line is that all this is second hand info, so who cares if he is or isn't the type of guy you would want your daughter to date, he obviously is a great hockey player.

Tim Hennessey said they wouldn't be having a coaches show until January 4th, and even then they aren't sure how many coaches will be there. The Sioux will probably leave early for Anchorage.

Let's not forget that Willie Marvin went and played for Minnesota too, although I don't think that worked out too well.

There is no way they should expand the WCHA, unless you want to see rivals like Minnesota and Wisconsin less. I thought the WCHA was stupid for taking Alaska to begin with. There were some regional teams they could have considered.

Last summer there were people on GPL questioning Hakstol saying that he was going to bring in Oshie without regard to Brady Murray leaving. Some, not all, were saying they were very happy that Oshie was coming in, because they were certain he wasn't ready for this level of play. Turns out he seems to be more ready for this level than some of their freshmen.

I would love to see Bemidji State in the WCHA. Another driveable road trip and regional rival couldn't hurt. I hear every year WCHA coaches saying what a hard trip it is to Anchorage, and I wonder why they ever took them into the league. Anchorage used to pay for WCHA teams to go out there, but now the teams agreed to remove that stipulation. Why schools put that extra strain on their budgets along with the fatigue which affects not only that series but the next (the gophers this year), is beyond me. Nevermind the fact that Anchorage isn't the model WCHA school and not exactly a big draw, and my vote is to get rid of Anchorage and replace them with Bemidji. It would be nice to have our own home and away opponent like Minnesota/St. Cloud and Denver/CC. Let's see, a short bus trip for a spirited battle or a ton of money to fly to a series that not many people give a rip about now that Chris Fournier is gone. Find a way to get it done.

Don't hear much from the people on GPL saying that they were glad Oshie was coming in right out of high school because he wouldn't be ready. For that matter, you don't hear many people on here questioning the coaches wisdom for bringing him in right out of high school. Safe to say the coaches know what they were doing, and that it wasn't just a numbers game after Brady Murray left.

I am one of the biggest Sheppard detractors, but despite two disputed goals last weekend, he was hardly the reason the Sioux lost. When was the last time the Sioux had a power play in the last minute of the game, nevermind two times in a weekend and top that off with two five on three powerplays. The linesmen were more noticeably bad than Shep.