dagies

it may have been a neutral site but it wasn't a neutral environment. it's no different than UND fans (including me) who never bought the X as a neutral environment for the gophers for the Final Five. That doesn't mean I was against the location, I actually loved it there. But the realist in me said if there are 10,000 gopher fans in the building it's not "neutral". Sioux fans flocked there was well but we never filled it like the gopher fans did when they were interested in the game. There's no reason to apologize or be upset if an opposing coach says the regional wasn't a neutral site. Hakstol himself (or was it players) said the fans gave the team extra energy. That's the system, and UND landed that regional by following the rules. Nothing to apologize for, and I didn't get the impression Pecknold was belly-aching either. He was stating a simple fact. And like he said, if he doesn't like it, then he should get a higher seed and a better chance of not having to travel so far from home. UND should lock up a regional every other year at Scheels just like MN does at the X.

I really like Aeronauts

I may have misunderstood your original point. Yes, the original committee was tasked to come up with a process, and there was a consultant to that committee (O'Keefe, who is also a consultant to the new committee) that, I think, specialized in marketing of sports nicknames/logos. I thought that was the consultant you were referring to. So the record is clear, I wasn't accusing you of making anything up.

The impression I had is the consultant to the committee is there to provide input regarding the marketability of a name/logo, and not to provide input on the process to select one.

Twitter is reporting MN's Brady Skjei signs with the Rangers (actually Hartford Wolfpack).

I can see Stecher leaving because he's a FA. he's clearly a very good player with a future, and i would expect teams will line up to sign him. Sometimes I'm sure a kid has to evaluate his future earning potential and take the money when it's available. A drafted player may suffer an injury, but still has a chance to sign with the team that drafted him. A FA who gets injured may find himself fighting for an ECHL contract. I sure hope he's back, but the whole FA thing, IMO, means a greater chance that he leaves early to take the bird in hand.

I am frustrated by a lack of a national championship lately as well, especially as close as we have come. But there's not one bit of me wanting a coaching change. It's fantastic how consistently good Hak has kept this program. Sure, we know the facilities are great and the tradition is great, but heck, who is responsible for the tradition? it could have easily degraded since Hak has taken over the program, but it's only gotten better. As a friend said to me, alumni who leave stay close to the program, continue to speak highly of it....there are no significant locker room issues (other than the boys will be boys things, but you don't hear about discord and the like). Clearly Hak and the staff are working extremely hard at recruiting...how else do they pull guys like Boeser and Mishmash away from MN? How many coaching staffs find and develop role players like Pattyn and Gaarder? We could be up and down every year like Wisconsin. Sure, they've won a recent national championship but would we trade that for all of the downs? And all of the drama (with recruits, etc) in that program under Eaves? Isn't part of being a fan feeling good about the program you are rooting for? I'm proud to be a fan of UND men's hockey because, generally speaking, it's full of people I can root for. I feel better about UND's program than others, and that makes me feel good cheering for them to win. I'm a Vikings fan and if AP comes back they will be a better team but I'm not sure I'll feel as good rooting for him to score a touchdown. I don't feel that conflict with UND. Hakstol has continued to build on a strong tradition. He cares about the image and history of the program, he consistently has this team playing at a level other programs dream about (7 final fours in the last 11 years). I get it.....to get that close and not close the deal is tough as a fan, I'm sure it's tougher on the coaching staff. But if this staff/head coach wasn't top notch they'd not even be getting those chances. I'm still happy with Hak as the head coach and I think we're damn lucky to have him.

#1 I don't buy it and #2 we can't bend over on a reasonable nickname just because we think some fringe of society might object, or one day object. I get we feel that way about the Fighting Sioux but the reality is the NCAA forced this, no one else. And the NCAA doesn't fall under a "fringe" label. If we think we have a great nickname option and only PETA will object, then we need to go with it. That will play itself out in the court of public opinion. If we think we can win there, then we should take that nickname. We can't just say we're tired of fighting and therefore select "the Marshmellows". Let's show that we still have the will to fight for what's right.

Actually I really like this except I think it will be a hard sell related to women's athletics.

A week ago Mark M still was wearing the brace on his leg. Would seem fantastic that in 3 weeks he could go from needing to wear a full brace to being able to take another puck off that kneecap in a game.

I'm not as sure about that. I think the reason Woog was fired was because it was becoming clear to everyone that the old way of recruiting players was going away. You could no longer win by recruiting the cream of MN's high school crop and having them report to work straight from HS. Until that time MN had thrived and reaping the best of the MN players (with exceptions, of course) and having them come straight from HS to college. And they were successful for many years. The landscape was changing and most players were coming into college with 1+ years junior experience, and coaches needed to cast a wider net to get the best players (remember, Woog had an ALL-MN rule, if I recall correctly, with just an exception or two). Woog wasn't changing with the times, and 2 down years was enough. I'm not sure a National Championship under the "old" way of doing things (late 1980's) would have been enough to save Woog's job after 2 very average years when it seemed pretty clear to most observers that there was no change in Woog's ways to stay current with the times. Our benefit was many years of listening to Woog as a color analyst, and IMO we profited from the experience.

I haven't seen that potential goal by Duluth but if that rightfully should have been called a goal then what a hard hard way to lose. I realize that would only have tied the game, but living is better than dying....

After last weekend I didn't see advancing to the FF. But this team came through, and it appears they had more adversity than I was aware of (illness). Good for them. Now, 2 more wins please!

I'm bummed the Wcha teams didn't show better. Excited the Sioux made the FF. Am hopeful but BU is a very significant obstacle and none od the other teams are push ivers either. But if UND can get through BU they've got as decent a shot as they can ask for

"...but some wore brown seats" HAHA

I don't think it's a message. I don't think Schwartz is a PK'er anyway, and you have to have someone who was on the ice serve the penalty. So it was logical.

Did Hak win? He is a big game coach.

Oy, I said before the game this board would look just like GPL of the game last night had gone like last weekend. I'm just grateful it didn't. No one enjoys what happened to MN more than me, but last thing I'll do is gloat publicly at this point in the tournament. Bad karma

Parks

Geez, we're going to run out of posters around here. I'm barely one step ahead of the vigilantes myself

But they didn't call the penalty on review (don't think they can) but I'm surprised they can go that far back to wave off the goal

Actually, I like the Univesity of North Dakota Black Hats Or, how about we just lay it out there. The "Blanks". But the Black Hats has great logo possibilities, easy to say, great image.....good work, MM

I don't take this as an easy win, and I'm heartened that UND played better hockey than last week. Frankly, they were so flat last week I didn't think they'd turn it around. Still, this game IMO was closer than 3-0 and the Sioux will need to play even better tomorrow. But cudos to the team for turning things around after last weekend!

Time to crack a Guinness!