nodak hockey fanatic

so please enlighten us what really happened if it wasn't... back and forth smack talk between both groups, one of chwialkowski's group pushing smith's brother who was on crutches, smith stepping in to defend his brother then getting cold cocked by chwialkowski, smith knocked out cold cracked his skull and ends up in the hospital. if there was a different sequence of events, i'm sure we would all like to know exactly what went down. and to your "supporting facts" that he is a und grad and hasn't been in trouble before this... neither have any bearing on this situation.

first off, i said this was my opinion, i realize und would schedule either of these two if given the opportunity, i simply stated i don't feel we should, however i completely disagree with your thought that the support for sioux hockey would falter if they didn't. we would still play big time schools in the remaining wcha teams, and we could schedule some non-conference foes who would garner outside interest like we have in the past... maine, cornell or other bigger schools out east. the fact of the matter is, with the pwr set up the way it is, it is advantageous for the sioux to play a lighter non-conference schedule, ie - merrimack.

sioux-gopher week is THE best rivalry in all of sports, bar none, but if the big 10 schools want to take their "superiority" to their own conference, i will be 100% in favor of not scheduling any of them at all, including um and uw, for the simple reason of the attitude gooferz so elequently displayed above (which is a common attitude of these "superior" schools, we'll get the games we want anyways). the wcha would obviously take a hit losing two great programs, but hopefully it would grow college hockey if this ever happens, and then i say F the bthc, and let them play each other 6 times a season (i realize these teams will have no problem getting games, but ideally, the rest of college hockey would stand up for itself and say, ok big guys, want to play us? come here and do it, god knows um doesnt travel ) i realize this is a pipe dream as these schools will fill a schedule every season, but just voicing my opinion as to what should happen if the bthc happens... stand up for each other college hockey. the sioux can schedule home and homes with holy cross or air force or merrimack for all i care, heck with the way the pwr works now, cupcake wins are worth a heck of a lot more than a tough loss to a good team anyways. GO SIOUX!!

oh bucky. #1 who's trolling the other teams message board here??? (troll, cough cough, troll) and #2 i realize it is easy to have jersey envy as our teams jersey just won the poll for best jerseys in all of sports, and you guys have a brown and yellow rag with an upside down W on it we can only hope for another beatdown this year, but those are few and far between, so lets see two great hockey games!! GO SIOUX!!

Pretty ho-hum show, not much to talk about I suppose... First segment talked pretty much the entire time about the cycle. Hak says the key to an effective cycle is strength on the puck and communication, best evidenced by Marto's goal Sunday. The mindset of the cycle is still first and foremost to create offensive opportunities, but also is very hard on the opponent physically and mentally (in response to them suggesting some fans think the cycle doesn't create enough opportunity offensively, or think its just killing time skating the puck in the corner.) They asked who has been the best cycler to come through in Haks time... said Bayda probably one of the best along with Travis Zajac. Also said this year we have some beasts in Vande and Gregoire... he kind of chuckled and said "I like to see people try to take Vandy off the puck" Second segment talked about Merrimack... team from out east with mostly western Canadians Will be a tough, gritty team. Doesn't expect the Sioux to be sharp in all the detailed aspects of the game, and will need to outwork them for two full games. No one played themselves out of a spot last Sunday, and has been a very competitive week of practice. Expect to see some changes this weekend to try some different combos, but any way you slice it, will have some talented deserving kids not dressed each night. Was nice to see all four + lines play well, and seven different scorers on the scoresheet. Talked briefly on Kristo and what his impact will be, simply stated "someone with quick feet and hands like him will separate themselves from the pack very quickly" - quite the compliment from a pretty straightforward Hak this week. Final segment: Hak thought Lapoint looked great, especially the second half of the game Sunday, but there will be some bumps and pain along the way, so he is not out of the woods completely, but Hak loves this guy. 3 senior captains - all bring a different type of leadership, but one thing that they have in common is that all three will be significant players, on and off ice, for this team all year. That was about it, lets play some hockey and get the season's first sweep!! Go Sioux!!

obsession, an unhealthy fixation, i.e. scouring another teams website or message board in order to call them out as obsessed with ones own misguided object of affection... it is common for the afflicted person or persons to be completely oblivious to their own obsession while still being quite astute at pointing it out to others.

my memory is foggy on when and where... but i recall that blaiser was frustrated with greener taking one too many penalties one game, and told him if he took another one, he might as well go to the locker room. well, inevitabaly he took another one and started to skate straight to the locker room before the ref reminded him he had to serve his two minutes first gotta love greener, but az was right, his game, especially in todays college game was good for 3 or 4 interference and cross check calls a game

thanks for the info... always good to have more places for hockey info... although i still cannot figure out for what or why anyone uses twitter? maybe its just me, but it seems like a useless and redundant application.

i can see valid points on both sides of the argument here. air canada should have to abide by all international and us rules, like all other airlines do, but if they are following rules, and/or given exemptions that allow them to do the us to us city flights without returning to canada, then they shouldn't be hassled because the other airlines don't like the fact a competitor is getting accounts because they are more accomidating. if air canada is breaking rules, they should be fined/punished accordingly, but we are talking about messing with some HUGE accounts to be messing with this close to the start of the season.

We get you have some animosity towards genoways offensive mindset, the fact of the matter is that all successful teams nowadays have a player like him... fast, puck moving, dynamic dmen, and yes the occasional negatives that come with it. You will have to get used to it, because genoway won't be the last (he might be the best we see for a while, but not the last). And if you still question it, ask hak who he thinks the most dynamic player in a sioux uni this season is (I bet he wears the C )

i think fienaghe will be an impact player this year and i think, barring injury, he will play every night, probably with macwilliam... so yes and yes

i will echo jim's sentiments and say that the TRIOUXPER was the voice for those who didn't speak on this forum. it wasn't hard to figure out where he stood on most points and it was nice to have have him here on ss.com. the stories about Troy are wonderful, and he will surely be missed. i hope the TRIOUXPER enjoys his new season ticket seats this year, and i hope we all take his advice to heart when posting. Talk to your new neighbor for us Troy, tell him a few bounces here or there wouldn't hurt .

c - vande velde... not a knock on chay at all as i think both would make great captains, but i think being a senior helps, and the fact that he is they type of player who seems to fit the sioux captain mold, tough and quiet. he plays hurt and plays hard. a - genoway, will be one of the best offensive dmen in the nation, and i think will be part of the glue for a young d corp this season. a - zajac. he's solid game in, game out. not flashy, but makes the team a hell of a lot better. if they give out a third a, my heart says hextall because i love what the kid brings, but i doubt they will give a sophmore a letter (unless your last name is toews, and i don't see david with a letter, but i do predict a breakout season), so i would say malone or gregoire.

is there a story on it? wondering where he will be playing next season? i wish him the best, would have been nice to see what he could have done in green and white healthy, but i suppose he is doing what he thinks is best for him.

i didn't know this wasn't his draft year, as i assume from the talk on him he will be drafted. still wondering on his playing time with the development team? i'm guessing his age had alot to do with it?

i have a question for you about mattson... when the u-18 was here, he got very little playing time, mostly pp and some pk also. was is just that he was younger and there were guys ahead of him, or does he still have things to work on before he is wcha ready? it seemed he could put on some weight yet, but that is true of most 17 and 18 year olds. just wondering, especially since he didn't get drafted. from what i saw of him, he is a very good skater, and good with the puck.

as long as i don't have to take the 13 kids (my 2 are enough)... i say jolie without a doubt.

If you don't feel you have to defend it, why do you, EVERY TIME! I've said it before and I will say it again, whether or not you truly believe everything you so stoutly defend isn't even the point, you post them to get reactions and start arguments. And, of course, it usually ends with you claiming how all of us are childish and are making personal attacks and should just let you have you opinion you are entitled to... but you are just defending yourself and/or having a mature, adult debate on a topic (be it the 25th time). To those who are on the opposing side of DaveK's argument here (which I will make an educated guess that it is about 99.9% of us), just leave it be. He wants to antagonize and be antagonized. We get it, he doesn't like HD, whatever turns his crank. GO SIOUX!

i am acutally with goon here. i question joyce's motives, and the accuracy of all of his statements. there are a few (and when i say a few, i mean many) in the hockey world who are anti-college hockey or anti-american hockey. schroeder gets the double whammy. i hope it isn't true, because even if he is a goofer, he is one hell of a player. and these days i root for the stars to be good guys, even if they play for the enemy. even with his slight stature, i have a feeling he will someday soon be making an impact in the NHL.

aaahh... i forgot. that doesn't break my heart though

i agree with you here. kangas wasn't the same after the sioux blasted him, although i though patterson was supposed to be a solid backup? i know nothing of cc's backup, i would think bachman is back to form this year, he's too good to just slip into mediocrity.

i agree with most of the responses here, it is the team above all, i think in hockey even more so than any other team sport. and as i stated above, in the current one and done format, the goaltending plays a huge role. my point was that having top end talent, blue chippers, what ever you want to call it, seems to be what puts most of these champions over the top, although the 07 spartan were probably the largest exception to the rule. and the beavers were a great story this year, and had a magical run, i hope they do it again (as long as they are not in our regional)... but not an ncaa champion, and an even bigger exception to the rule (i believe the only #16 seed to make the frozen four?)

you may not need one, but it sure seems to help. overall you need balance and in the ncaa one and done format, the goalie is the key, but take a look at past champs... 09 BU had Wilson, and Gilroy was the best dman in college hockey 08 BC had Gerbe who was arguably the best in college hockey that year 07 Mich. St. might not have had any prototypical blue chippers, but Abdelkader played for the cup this year, and Lerg was on fire 06 UW had Pavelski and Skille, and Elliot was on fire ... there is a trend here 05 and 04 DU had Matt Carle and Gauthier (not sure if he fits blue chipper), 05 added Stastny and Mannino 03 and 02 UM had Ballard and Martin on the blue line, plus Leopold in 02, Vanek in 03 i won't go on, but it seems like they all had a mix of blue chippers, depth and goaltending. i am in no way discounting the Sioux by this statement, as i think VandeVelde, Genoway, Frattin, Gregoire and Eidsness all have star potential, and i think depth will be the strength this year. i just hope we don't see another sub-.500 start.

five. michigan, mich. state, ohio state, wisconsin, and minny... and then all the bthc theorists automatically throw notre dame in there thinking of course they will want to join our superconference even though they have refused to join the big 10 for other sports. and of course they throw out the possibility of teams like northwestern or penn state adding a div. 1 hockey program to join the superconference. all is good in theory, and yes it would be a money maker with the big 10 network... but right now it is a pipe dream. too much would need to happen before it would even be a thought. i'm not saying it will never happen, and if it does, that means college hockey will have grown which is good for the sport as a whole, but it is a LONG ways off. from a selfish standpoint, i would surely miss the great series each year between minny and wisco, but if college hockey was growing at that rate and 15 years from now, there were 6 or 8 more universities with college hockey, that would be great (although with title IX, that is alot easier said than done).

for whatever reason, pro drafts are always interesting to me, and i was curious, so i was comparing the nhl draft classes over the last 10 years, and it is pretty interesting to see where they sit today. here's a question, what is the best draft class in the last 10 years? a couple of things jumped out at me... 1. there are ALOT of first and second round guys who may never see significant NHL playing time, 2. if you draft a european it takes significantly longer to get him in an NHL uniform (if ever), and 3. statistically... if you are a first or second round draft pick who played for the goofers, it's an uphill skate (i say that in jest, but it's not entirely untrue) i'll take 2003 as my best in the last decade, even though there wasn't as much "superstar" power in the top five picks like there are most years... eric staal at two is a dude... then throw in parise at 17, getzlaf at 19 and mike richards at 24... not too shabby (i bet most teams picks 16 and up would take any of the three over their pick). then there is the 1999 draft, wow... for whatever reason, that draft seems to have been loaded with busts (although vancouver snagged the sedins with the #2 and #3 picks). i did only look at the first couple of rounds each year, and an argument can be made for quite a few of the other draft classes (and some of the most recent ones we won't really know for a few years yet). damn the offseason gets boring