burd

I like the sound of "Deano's." Sounds more like a good bar--like Judy's.

Finally, a plan with some clarity. Two ties is more than fair.

I didn't explain myself very well. I also am impatient for a banner. But we say a lot about lack of titles but very little about actual coaching. If the lack of titles is the result of coaching mistakes, figure out what those mistakes are and assess whether there is a likely candidate out there who you have reason to believe won't make them. Much tougher task than knowing the difference between 0 and 1 (and I don't mean that as an insult--most of us are in that boat).

One thing Blais did better than any other: Pick successors.

Sicily, if you go back farther.

The boys played a very aggressive PK Friday and not so much Saturday. Not saying they were not working hard, they did keep going hard for disputed pucks on all shifts. Maybe PC changed their PP a little.

For all he brings, he is prone to giveaways

back checking very well tonight

Wonder how PC's speed compares to UM. Sioux can definitely play the up tempo game with these guys.

calling them like Hockey East

The boys sure aren't coasting those last two steps to the puck this weekend.

4-2 Sioux. If Blais comes to town to coach the game: 5-2

Precognition too, apparently

Yup. My bad.

Our stickwork was great last night, and the boys won puck battles they have been losing. But PC just wiffed on several golden chances. The aggressive forecheck last night set the tone.

If there is such a think as a best loss, I'd pick the back to back OT losses against UW in Madison in January of 2000. I believe the teams were tied for first, and the atmosphere was electric. Sioux lost, but some very exciting hockey, and a great comeback to get the OT on Friday (I think). Strangely, I left both games feeling juiced up instead of heartbroken. Maybe you could sense good things were in store for that team. Sioux waxed the Badgers in the Final Five.

PC also wiffed on several open nets last night, which we can't count on happening again.

I think you miss my point, Irish. If the coach, whoever it is, does everything you expect of him but fails to win the NC, some people demand he be replaced for that reason alone. Another coach could do virtually the same thing as a coach, get a few bounces, and win two NCs in the same period of time and folks would call for his induction into the hockey hall of fame. It is stupifyingly obvious that results count: most of us live with that in our work. But those who cling to that one factor without identifying what it is about Hak's (or anyone else's) actual coaching and without identifying someone who would come and who would do those things better, it's all just white noise. The difference between a great coach and a failed coach is not a bad bounce or a pipe. That may be the difference between a great season ending and heartache, for sure. For some fans, it's more about the bragging rights of a NC than it is about watching good, well coached hockey year after year. And I've never understood that, since we fans do nothing but sit and watch and bloviate here and other places but have nothing to brag about ourselves. (Giving Gopher fans shat about the Banner count has a value, though, no question) Now, criticizing Hak for his actual on-ice coaching and saying he should be replaced because of it is another matter, and some do focus on the coaching itself and not simply on the Banner count. I've been critical of his game coaching in the past, thinking he could even be the best program coach UND has ever had but he's not quite there as a game coach. But I don't really know enough about the college game at this point to say much more than that, so it's pretty empty criticism too.

Blais would have hung 7 on those guys.

boys need to be careful not to give up the momentum by watching the game from the PB

The boys forechecking like demons tonight

Watching pregame. Hammer. The guy just seems like nothing about hockey comes naturally for him but he tries so hard. It makes me like him more. He's like the walk-on who becomes a fan favorite because of his attitude not because of his talent level. Who else has a Hammer? Here's hoping for a traditional circle of sticks on Saturday.

This will be a very good opportunity to get a feel of where this team is at. I don't think we can tell yet, from playing Manitoba, Bemidji, and CC, though I have a feeling Bemidji will give some good teams fits this year.

Excluding National Championships but using win percentage and frozen four appearances for any 10 consecutive year period, how does Hak rank with other coaches in Sioux history ?

Strunk is the word we used back in the day, and it had quite a different meaning.