mikejm

This one incident reflects Matt Greene's personal growth and maturity. Last year he would've skated down the ice and gone postal on Peluso. For the Sioux's sake I hope the NHL doesn't get their collective act in order so we can enjoy Greene's presence on the ice one more year.

This just doesn't seem right...the Sioux beat the living he77 out of the Dogs...and they're bracket projection gets marginally tougher? I'm confident now that they'll make the NCAAs; need some things to happen in our favor to get a little better draw in the regionals.

Real mixed emotions after watching Saturday's game. The first was a chippy, tight checking scrum at center ice. Sandelin must've set up a picket fence, because the Sioux were having trouble getting anything going. Stapleton's goal was hard to watch: Sioux feathered a pass from one point toward the other, and Stapleton just stepped in a skated in on JPar. Five hole, and not that nice. Real stupid Sioux on two or three levels. The second was a lot like Friday: the boys got it going and you could really feel the energy. A lot of big smiles on their faces, high-fiving one another. I think the Dogs quit going into the corners because they were getting the he77 out of them. Zajac is an animal digging for the puck along the boards. One thing that really stood out tonight was how much BIGGER the Sioux are than the Dogs. I didn't realize how small Schwabe is. Someone earlier said they through Stafford and Porter didn't contribute: I'd respectfully disagree. Chris was grinding constantly. He has a wicked sick wrister! He missed one just wide that was smoking. And Stafford is a lot better stickhandler than I recall; at least he seemed so tonight. He made a couple of awesome passes, especially the one setting up Genoway's goal. As one who has really criticized Matt Smaby, I'd like to say he played a great game. He looked strong with the puck, decisive and in control. He laid out a couple of Dogs that should've made a highlight reel somewhere. And Matt Greene deserves a lot of credit for not retaliating late in the game when that goon Peluso went postal on him. You could see Matt wanted to make Peluso pay, but he showed a lot of maturity to skate away. My highlight of the game was a real obvious hold that Shepherd ignored. I think it was Canady who was getting mauled. The whistle blew after Parise froze the puck, and the old tv timeout llight went on. Shepherd was hunched over right near me and I hollered at him and signaled the hold. He looked right at me and kind of shrugged like "yeah, I know I missed it." Twenty seconds later he whistled another Dog, and the Sioux scored on the power play. I get my first collegiate point, 29 years after I graduated! Hennesey talked to seniors on the air after the game and it sounded like they were pretty emotional out there on the ice. After this last three series run, the seniors have shown some real heart. This series was a good old-fashioned butt thumping by the Sioux. Without sounding like too much of a homer, I think they would've beaten any team in the country this weeked the way they played. On to St. Paul, then to Grand Rapids. The way they're playing, who knows what might happen? Like Burd said Friday night over on USCHO:

Just got back after watching what might be the best performance of the year by the Sioux. First and second periods for sure; I don't know if they pulled back a little in the third, or if Sandelin finally got the Dogs' attention. The easy stars to pick out of the game are Fabian, Genoway and Bina. All three were like gods on the ice tonight. Watching Colby direct traffic before a faceoff in the Sioux zone is fun: he tells his boys where to be and the puck ends up on their stick. I'm really happy to see Fabian have such a great game. He's a big strong kid...maybe not the best skater on the team, but he was out there grinding every shift tonight. He really works hard in the corners. And Robbie Bina! he gives up a half a foot to everyone out there and he's absolutely a stud. So strong with the puck, and fearless. Oh, and Genoway's goals were both Sportscenter moments: I honestly don't know how the first one found the twine. He seemed to be too deep and too wide to find net; the second one was a Tim Hennesy "how's she going". Other guys who I thought looked really good: Zajac is so smooth, and showed tonight he really knows how to back check. He saved a goal by scooping a puck that was loose behind Jordan tonight. He blocked a couple shots. He and Stafford were zooming all night. Rory McMahon skated well all night, as evidenced on the score sheet. Stafford had a pretty good night even though he didn't make the scoreboard. He snapped a stick in the slot that would've been a goal. Virg Foss' Horsemen proved him prophetic tonight. They certainly didn't look like a fourth line. Greene was quiet; Fuher steady; Smaby a quiet but effective game. Andy Schneider had a huge smile on his face all night long, and didn't take any crap from anyone. He did a great job all night in the Sioux zone, poking and sweeping pucks away from the Dogs. He came out of a little scrum behind the net with a big sh*t-eating grin on his face; you could tell he was having fun. Matt Jones' goal was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. He was carrying a Dog draped all over him, Shepherd had his arm up to call the hold or whatever, and Reichmuth comes out to poke check the puck away from Jonesy. Only problem, he poked it right back at Jones, and I don't know if Matt actually directed it in the net or if it was just a lucky bounce. Reichmuth didn't come out of the net at the end of the first until everyone else from both teams was already down the tunnel. Speaking of our boy Derek: he didn't really call too bad a game. He let the boys play. I thought Greene's penalty was a little ticky-tack. And one of the trips, I think it was Stafford, was really a weak call. Other than that the refs weren't really a factor. Brady Murray was like a bee buzzing around out there. He set up Stafford when Drew's stick broke. The pass he made to Zajac was unbelievable. Big difference having Brady back on the ice. Weak spots were maybe the penalty kill. The Sioux seemed to be running around a little bit while down a man. And there was about a three minute span early in the third where the Dogs really had the Sioux befuddled. But it would be hard to pick out any glaring deficiencies on the ice tonight. The Sioux really looked as good tonight as I've seen in a long, long time. It was very much like watching them on that run they put on last year where they seemed to be able to score at will. I don't think they missed a pass in the first 30 minutes of the game. If they can come out Saturday with the same jump...well, this could be one of those "goose-bumpy" runs all teams dream about. Gotta show some killer instinct Saturday, and then go on the Minneapolis and beat the snot out of whoever comes next. Tonight they looked damn good.

Thanks.

Jeepers, its getting a little close for comfort. What happened overnight to cause the Sioux to drop? I am not versed enough in the nuances of PWR to figure this one out. The result appears to make this weekend's series a "must-win" for the home team. http://www.uscho.com/rankings/pwr.php Come on guys, win!

WAY!

They'd better play their hearts out tonight. Looking at the PWR, the Sioux need to win and hope like heck their aren't any suprises in conference tourneys. An upset conference champ could really hurt the Sioux.

Twas a great game. My wife, who loves hockey in person but refuses to watch on the tv, grabbed the remote and wouldn't change channels. She was standing in front of the tv YELLING as those great saves happened back to back on opposite ends of the rink. Fun to watch. Hope Moorhead is smiling after their game tonight.

Well heck...looks like its all over then for the next few years... Anyone interested in buying my season tickets? Two seats, second row from the ice. Jeepers, the WCHA will probably cancel the season next year and just give the Cup to the Goofies.

I understand he is entertaining last minute bids from both JBSU and Merrimack. Seriously, this is worse than American Idol. Make your pick already!

Just win baby!

Yes, and it continues to be the strength of the team. Look at goals-against. Any team giving up 2.5 per game would be happy. How are our returning scorers? Simple to make some comparisons. Assume the team will play 8 more games (4 regular season, 2 in WCHA first round, the play-in and semi-final at the Final Five), and let the spreadsheet do the rest. Here's what you come up with: Stafford will end the year with 34 points (+2 from 03-04) Murray 20 (-26) but he's going to be out of at least 10 games, and playing hurt in several more McMahon 14 (-11) Fylling 11 (-16) Porter 14 (-11) Add in high profile recruits: Spirko 35 (+35) Zajac 34 (+34) Radke 4 (+4) although I don't know if I would've expected him to add significantly to scoring So the team loses Bochenski and his 60 points; Zach (55 points) and Lundbohm (30) for a total of 145 and brings in just 73 from these 3 freshmen. That's a drop of 1.8 goals per game, EVEN IF ALL OTHER RETURNEES SCORE AT THE SAME PACE as they did a year ago! (Sorry for shouting.) This team was going to have trouble matching its 03-04 scoring; Dean knew it, Hakstol knew it; most anyone who's watched the team for the last few years had to have known it. Yes, and look at their troubles of late. Although I would put the loss of Grant Potulny at least as important as either Keith Ballard or Tomas Vanek. GP was the heart of the back-to-back champs and needs to be recognized as such. Yes, and the Sioux will make the NCAAs also if they win one or two more games. One could easily make a case that the 03-04 Sioux WERE a one-line team; but that would be to ignore the fact that eight other players on that team scored more than 20 points. I'd prefer to say that it was a team that relied on Parise, Bochenski and Murray to score, and filled in ably with nearly three other pretty prolific scoring lines. When a team scores with the apparent ease that last year's Sioux did, opposing teams can't afford to concentrate their checkers on just one line. Stop PBM, and Genoway, Lundbohm, Fylling, Stafford, etc. will score. This year's team is very, very different: Genoway and Stafford have held up their ends of the bargain, as have two extremely talented freshmen in Spirko and Zajac. Beyond those four scorers (five when Murray can play), this is a bunch of lunch-pail guys who'll get you some points, but not of the PBM variety. A tight-checking (might read obstructive) team can shut down one, maybe one-and-a-half, lines and game over. As to bad recruiting, I'll posit the team is exactly where it should be, IF one puts Zach and Bochenski back on the roster. Add their points back into the totals. Wow, what a team! Add in next year's scorers and you might have the second coming of the Hrkac Circus! Simply put, this team was not supposed to be lacking those two high scoring players. No one expected them to be gone this year; I think everyone figured Zach would be back for another run at the title, and who'd have ever thought Bochenski would strong-arm himself into a paycheck a year early? There is no one here who could've seen that coming. I'm going to go WAY out on a limb here and say that the Sioux would be no different today if Dean was still coaching them. And, instead of yelling for Hak's head on a stake, the quiet murmur through the crowd and message boards would be, "Do you think Wendy's death took Dean out of the game mentally? Maybe he should've stepped down." That's harsh, but I believe that would be the drumbeat today. I love the Sioux. I am an alum. I support the team with my voice and with my checkbook. I have very, very high expectations every year. Skate for Eight and all that. But anyone who thought this team would be able to carry on last year's high-scoring pace was not looking at things objectively. Sorry for the long-winded response. Also sorry for picking apart your post. I don't mean to be preachy, so forgive me if it sounds that way. All that being said, all the Sioux have to do is turn back on the scoring they found Friday in Anchorage and they could make a pretty fun run into March, and maybe even April.

I ran into a couple of very high-placed NDSU athletic officials tonight at dinner. One of them saw my Fighting Sioux Hockey cap and asked if I had a minute. Never one to turn down the chance to pontificate about our beloved Sioux, I, of course, obliged. "What's the deal with the team?" I was asked. The questioner knows to some extent the travails of the Sioux this year, but asked how the mood of the fans is. I told the questioner that several people on the message boards are demanding Coach Hak's head on a stake. I was told by this questioner that from first-hand conversations with Dean that he knew this would be a tough year...losing too much scoring, and too much heart, evidently convinced that Bochensky would follow Zach to the pros. That, coupled with Wendy's failing health and the better-than-50/50 chance that the NHL would not play, made it a perfect time for Dean to leave. So if Blais was hinting to colleague and/or peers that the Sioux would be down this year, I think we should all take a second look at what's been written and said about Hak. I still consider a year without an NCAA bid a disappointment, and if the puck gods start smiling on the Sioux, this is a team that could do some damage in March. But the coach so many of you are praying to return evidently intimated that this team would have trouble.

It's called tradition, and yes, I'd say most Sioux fans expect excellence all the time. To expect less would be to fall to the level of JBSU or the LandCows. Doesn't that explain all the 7>4 sig lines and the constant bickering between us Sioux fans and the POI crowd? It's not because we hate Gopher fans (well most of them, anyway ). Fans of both programs start every season with a goal of raising another banner. This team has the best facility in the college game; at least a fighting chance of recruiting the best young athletes in North America. Of course we expect the best. A season that stands a chance of ending up on the outside looking into the NCAAs can only be described as a disappointment.

Looks like the Sioux are just hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Got to have some points against BADgers and JBSU. AND hope Maine hangs in at 15 or higher in the RPI so we can pull some bonus points. Go Black Bears!!!!!!!!!!!! Tough test this weekend against Mass-Lowell! Crunch time. But as Al Davis says, "Just win, baby".

This gives me goosebumps.

Decidedly hip http://sites.gizoogle.com/?url=http://www....sgBrd/index.php Hurry up and drop the puck. I've too much time on my hands.

This might help fill in the time before the puck is dropped in Anchorage. the Hockey News says agreement has been reached. http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=115396

I've been a hockey fan for over 30 years and I'm having a heckuva time figuring out the Sioux's style of cycling deep in the corners and behind the net. This past weekend the differences between the Sioux and the Pioneers was glaringly obvious: we're passing the puck along the boards while the Pioneers seemed to be forever crusing straight down the ice toward the net, getting off a shot or leaving the puck for a trailer. Why is it so easy for Denver to carry the puck toward the net while we get tied up down deep or far to wide? (And I feel really stupid having to ask this )

Nasty prediction from INCH: http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/INCH.htm# We're definitely a bubble team; need some goals and some league points. I keep thinking the Sioux are going to break out with an eight or nine goal game; I've never in my life seen a team clang so much iron!

You're dead wrong Super. I won't defend Lammy for his performance tonite, but the first goal he was horribly screened. I don't remember if it was Fylling or Fuher, but Lammy had no chance at that shot. It happened right in front of me. The third DU goal was weak, and Phil knew he'd given up a heartbreaker as it whizzed by him. The fourth Lammy and the whole team gave up because Derek Shepherd missed an OBVIOUS pick that happened right in front of him...I don't think he was 5 feet behind the play when it happened. The team pulled up thinking the whistle was coming; Lammy relaxed, and the next thing you know its 4-2. All in all, I'm ditto-ing Daggies. I really thought the Sioux had a chance to win that game. The shots ended up pretty even after things sort of got away from them in the second. Spirko, Stafford and Zajac were flying. Other than running the DU goalie, I don't think there was a stupid penalty. And even missing the pick, I didn't think Derek Shepherd called that bad of a game. Matt Smaby looked good, no tentativeness; Andy was awesome. Colby Genoway...too bad he's not going to be around for a couple more years...I really like the way he seems to take control when things get a little skitterish out there. I hate to say it, but this club has absolutely no puck luck. I've never seen so many pucks jump over sticks, so many pipes and crossbars. I'm starting to feel really badly for them. It was embarassing to see so many "fans" leaving the game early tonight. Suck it up guys, and keep working like you did tonight...the puck's gotta start hitting the twine!

In addition to finally getting rewarded for their hard work with a win, the Sioux climb to #11 in PairWise! Making the Climb to Columbus maybe?

Forgot all about hearing this, and am sorry for posting someone else's post, but I found this significant: http://siouxsports.com/forums/index.php?sh...indpost&p=85059 (Thanks DMT) That sounds like upperclassman leadership to me. I wonder if the locker room needs new paint today?

kr: You hit it on the head. Thanks for putting things in perspective for me.