burd

Pretty amusing to hear someone say they choose to be a big ten fan rather than follow "the masses." Think about that just a second, Dave. The "masses" follow schools like DU, UND, and SCSU and not the little obscure programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota?

I'm a pointless, irrelevant guy--ask any poster on this board. Just looking for an explanation why you have this Quixote-like obsession with proving to UND fans that Big Ten hockey deserves respect. Relax. You don't need our approval to enjoy hockey. Or maybe you do. If that's the case and you have a lick of sense, you will realize that the harder you try the farther behind you get. We are gracious, kind, funny, good-looking people here, and we just want you to be happy.

I'd guess UNDHawks4life has only lived about 8 years of that life.

I completely agree with him that clutching on to the Sioux name is ridiculous, but trying to connect affinity for the name to hockey losses is idiotic. I'd venture to say this guy has not played the game.

You may have answered this question after I raised it some time ago, Dave, but which big ten school did you graduate from?

This isn't a Hak/Berry comment but an observation about people in all areas of life and work. None of us excels at every phase of the game. While I think Berry may have pulled off a championship last year that Hak might not have, not because he's a better coach overall but because it looks like he has a way of diffusing tension at the right time. At the same time, Hak was unbelievably good at getting just about any roster to come around to being very good. Maybe the best the school has ever had int that respect. Berry is dealing with less talent this year, and it's hard to replace both an elite defensive corps and an elite scoring line and be the third youngest team in the country (that may be wrong). I think he will still get the boys to the tourney, but nobody should be surprised they are struggling. One difficulty they face now is that they will not be playing as many teams high in the pw and will have a harder time staying inside the bubble. That's all they have to do, though--stay inside the bubble. I don't think it's Cam. It's across the board. But there is still time.

Just breathe deep and relax, Dave, or you'll give yourself hemorrhoids, you are trying so hard. So the B1G is a weak hockey conference--big deal. They're bound to be good someday.

Dave takes his life-sized cardboard cutout of Lou Nanne to all such meetings, which might be a little strange.

We grow old, that happens, Fetch

Speaking of hot goalies, when in UND's history has a goalie ever gone into St. Cloud and gotten two shutout victories?

We knew this team would have struggles like this, and I don't think anyone deserved to assume those struggles would all end prior to the break. They are young and not early talented as last year, especially with Boeser out. Win tonight, get a non conference win in NYC and get everybody healthy for the push.

Well, he's good, but . . . .

What a fine ambassador for UND.

MSU's hockey fail in recent years is a real mystery. Hopefully, it will continue for at least another week.

Probably, but there could be other factors at play. Blais loved to platoon goalies, but I also trust Berry. Nice problem to have, at any rate.

True, but we run a risk assuming he will always be healthy. We really do need to get some others in net a little.

The fact is they have to play the game as the rules permit. I like a big hit, but with modern rules enforcement, the times of "oohhs" and "aahhs" hits is pretty much a thing of the past. So called "old style hockey" is just that--old style. The game is still physical, but speed, skill, and hard work win the games for you. Even more so at the FF. The smart teams understand that.

Despite his obvious passion, B1G hockey appears unaware of Dave's existence.

Gersich is his own player and doesn't have to fill Caggiula's shoes, but he is getting to be that guy who disrupts on the forecheck, knows how to get open, and takes advantage of his opportunities to score. And the more attention he gets the more room Boesser and Jost will get when they are on the ice with him. That's partly what was so good about Caggiula last year--opponents could not afford to concentrate just on Schmaltz and Boesser. A coverage nightmare. Wilke is working hard and coming sooo close.

Which big ten school did you obtain your degree from, Dave?

Some say Boesser is shooting too much and will not dish, but I thought me made some very nice plays last night. And he continues to disrupt in the Ozone with his puck possession. Jost is outworking him, though, on the forecheck and overall defensive side. That's not a dig on Boesser. There is some truth to the comments comparing Jost to Toews style of play.

With the ribbing we are giving their announcers (who I thought did a nice job outside the name problems), I kinda miss Hammer's goofiness.

that's why I said they're gonna call it.

I don't agree. Tough call, actually. But they're gonna call that one.

Hey. Dave is bursting with pride over each and every one of those wins.