tnt

I am sure a chance to end our season is enough of an incentive for them, just like we would love to end theirs if given the chance. Since St. Cloud has had a stretch where they haven't won as many games, I think they would want to be going into the tourney on a good streak, and they sure don't want to go into the tournament with a "pack it in" mentality, because if they get behind in a tourney game they would have a recent positive to draw from if they came from behind. Also, any kind of championship for them is building to their eventual end goal of winning a National Championship.

I think CC may give Denver a run for their money if they can keep getting decent goaltending. I think their confidence is growing, and both St. Cloud and UND fans will be firmly behind CC. Hopefully a 5 minute major will go their way against Denver.

It is what it is. If we are o.k. with it only when it turns out well for us, then we are hypocritical. They beat Denver, we didn’t, they swept Arizona State, we didn’t. We needed to take care of business in those games and we would be in.

Panzer with goals in 3 straight games, and 8 points in the last 7. Was third star in a loss to Fargo last night. Good to see him pick it up.

So, for Moorhead it is bad luck, but it was Hakstol's fault for not getting it done in the Big One?

Forbort wasn’t super great in college, and I would argue names like Sanderson, Kleven, Blake, Perron, Strathman, and possibly James and McLaughlin could match the Malone, Frattin Rowney in the NHL and be all league type players.

People wondered why we didn't offer Garrett Worth, Grant Slukynsky, or Landon Parker, but we have seen that even guys that at one point were expected to be high draft picks like Ryder Donovan and Mitchell Mattson didn't really pan out. Everyone can call out the coaches after the fact when a player works out, but the same ones would be the first to complain when we have a roster that "has no talent". Zach Yon looked to be a great college player from his high school career, but many complained about him when he was here.

Was wondering, because I only recall him as a healthy scratch.

When was the setback? The injury was before he came here.

Which makes me wonder if this is strictly a hockey decision. If his last game was an exhibition game, I find it strange he hasn’t at the least been the extra skater since many of the defensemen have had issues.

So then does that hold for Johnson as well? Moore had a good year last year.

I think Larson is a very good coach, but he had an underachieving team last year like we have this year, and they haven’t exactly sucked it up after a bit of adversity losing Anhorn. Larson probably is a candidate, but while you have more resources, the pressure would be enormous. I do think he would be better at having a good mix of character guys and high end talent.

What about Finn Brink?

Wonder if Mark Johnson has any interest in moving from the women's program to the mens.

Yes, he was out for quite a while early in the season.

So basically guys that didn't play as much should consider the transfer portal. That about sums up society today. Don't work harder or work on your weaknesses, just find someone who will accept you as is.

O.k., we get it, but you still didn't answer the question, what do drafted players have to do with it? Oh, and this all coming from someone who used to rip Hakstol endlessly.

What difference does that make?

It was a basically a wash this past weekend at home, and Omaha could get 3 injured players back, so I’m not super confident on our end either. I think whoever wins game one wins the series.

Which is probably why Omaha gets it done for the first time. When everyone thinking UND has no chance to do anything the rest of the year, starts changing their tune, that’s when I start to worry. Not saying that was you.

Seriously, they should put a video together of things that were suspension worthy, and ones that weren’t, and ask for a league explanation. That is three weeks in a row where there have been circumstances that have called for a major against Denver and there has been no call. Don’t recall our series, but Duluth, Western and CC all have reasons for an explanation from the league.

Schlossman with yet another example of the farce that is the NCHC commissioner and head of officials. I don’t think there is anyone that believes that if what Webster of Denver did, hitting the CC players head into the ice, was done by Kleven, there wouldn’t have been a suspension. Hope Adams doesn’t use his authority as a cop the same way he uses his authority as a head of officials. Playing favorites has no place in either scenario.

Guarantee Quinnipiac wouldn’t be where they are without the portal. Guys like Connor Ford are always in short supply, so take advantage as long as the guy fits in with the way you want to play and is good in the team setting. Calder seemed off to me in that regard, but then again I have no insight to that except from the periphery.

Right, that’s why I said a combination. I liken the transfer portal to the trade deadline in the NHL, you have the core of your team, but fill in the gaps and add to your depth. If you aren’t using the trade deadline, you are most likely not going to be a contender. The trade deadline also shows how important guys that play important roles and are hard to play against are. That is the type of guy Tampa Bay has brought in for their Stanley Cup runs. Give me a guy like Sidorski anytime.

If you don’t use the portal some, like Denver has, you are going to have holes in your lineup from year to year, and you won’t be making the tourney every year, which you have stated time and again should be the expectation. Portals don’t always work out, but then again freshmen sometime take two years or so to make an impact. Would rather fill a hole here and there with someone who has already made an impact at the college level.