farce poobah

I didn't have the same impression about goals at end of periods, so I decided to throw the whole season into a spreadsheet. Here's what I came up with (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong; I did this quickly and by hand so errors are possible): For the entire season, in the first two minutes and last two minutes of a period: UND 26, Opponents 15. ** Excluding the first and last two minutes: UND 81 Opponents 81. Hypothetically, if the only goals that counted on the season were those scored in the first/last two minutes of periods, UND's record would be 15-8-8, instead of the actual 13-13-5. This is also a consistency check, seeing that the stats aren't inflated by a couple games with a lot of goals (ahem Miami). ==================================================== By no means do I disagree with the often stated emphasis on avoiding GA and getting GF in the end and start of periods. I agree with that. (Case in point: last night vs St Cloud where that's their only two goals.) ** I excluded OT goals, since those are almost always first/last, but that's only 3 goals for the full season anyway.

Nearly four minutes of zone time in one possession. Wow. Keep it rolling guys.

Tip of the iceberg ... Really glad there wasn't such thing as camera phones or social media back then.

If you're seeing the shortcomings in his 200 foot game, and I'm seeing them, chances are good the pro scouts and his family advisor are seeing the same thing. I see a guy with a lot of potential. I'm sure someone has told him to work on one-timers and start using them in games. He has the speed, hands and game sense to be a great forechecker, but its not quite there yet. "You have talent. Develop it!" ( - said to me by an insightful teacher once upon a time)

Wraparound is a fabulous way to create openings vs the defensive coverage. Hope to see us use it (or just use the net as a legal pick vs your defender) more often.

McLaughlin certainly made that first goal look easy. So smooth. if he starts potting regularly, we get a lot harder to beat.

Roster construction: one fascinating piece of Mankato’s success is interviews with several (all?) other team members as part of the selection process. Does UND do that? Should we?

St Cloud is not ready to play at the speed of game on a regulation size rink. Let’s get a couple before they figure it out.

Speaking of guys who are future head coach material .... oops wrong thread. He's been amazingly durable given he's not Ludwig-size or Patrick-size.

The timing of announcement gives hints as to what went on behind the scenes. Immediately after last game, Head Coach asks DC for assessment, top to bottom of players, training, and all the DC staff. And presumably a list of what to change for next season to improve results. HC reviews the resulting assessment (couple weeks later), asks for changes (perhaps to DC staff). They disagree. HC says "its time to part ways, but I'll give you the chance to announce it to the world first". Bottom line, I think there's more changes to come.

Well, at least we split with Denver on the weekend. Counting basketball that is.

Tom Sterns: please leave. Ryan Hersey: please leave. And take your seeing eye dog with you.

Now starts the string of penalties on UND until Denver has a Five goal lead.

Caulfieldwith some good work down low and he draws the call on DU(h).

Well, whenever things get really bad, at least we can say we're not New Mexico State. * Player involved in shooting, since suspended * Coach leaves town with 9 players on bus, gets pulled over by State Patrol * Chancellor of university fired (aka non-renewed) * President removed/resigned * Provost removed/resigned https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2023/02/10/new-mexico-state-suspends-operations-of-mens-basketball-team/

We simply can’t take a penalty 13 seconds in. Even worse, a senior member of the team.

Wisdom has been chasing LetsGoDU. But he has always been faster.

Will the shootout last longer than the OT gain? edit: nope SCSU wins the SO

Bonus hockey in St Cloud! i want to see another shootout

Ugh. Arizona State loses to Alaska (Fairbanks). Another small tick down in our RPI.

Last year: 11-1 and 8-0

If that’s a cross check, the refs need to call 300 of those every game.

Listening to Heinert and Starman is a joy. I even learn something new each game. under 2 in regulation… still 2-1 Western

St Thomas 3-2 ot over Mankato.

Sincere condolences to his family and friends. Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple times off the ice. Let's call him a gentle giant; friendly and social. On the ice, he was tough as nails. A classic 1970's defenseman, using his stick more on the opponents than on the puck. (An urban legend at the time was that "no opponent left Grand Forks without getting "Christian Brothers" tattoed all over their body".) One favorite memory, in a WCHA playoff game spring 1980, UND blowing out (I think it was Michigan State). Late in the game, UND gets a powerplay, and Travis Dunn, not normally a PP guy (but valuable on the PK!) dropped in front of the net, and for the better part of two minutes, the other 4 UND guys on the PP did their darndest to get him the puck and get him his first career goal at UND. Needless to say, even Michigan State was smart enough to sniff this out and covered him tightly, leaving all alone our other puck wizards, and foiled his shot at a goal (while conceding it to someone else). So he finished his career at UND without a goal (as I recall). But he will always be remembered by Sioux hockey fans as a key cog in the 1978-1979 WCHA Champions and getting us back to the NCAA Frozen Four, and 1979-1980 WCHA and NCAA Champions. RIP Travis. Thanks for all your contributions to Fighting Sioux and UND hockey.