Dave Berger

Weekend Preview: North Dakota vs. Minnesota-Duluth Discuss. Dave

Weekend Preview: Denver at North Dakota Discuss. Dave

If you are on Midcontinent, adding the sports tier that includes CBS College Sports (314 in Grand Forks) costs $4.50 per month. If you cancel next week, they will prorate the amount you used. But we usually add the package for the seven months of college hockey and then drop it from May to September. If you call now, they can add it within 15 minutes and you'll have it by the drop of the puck. Hope this helps. Dave

Weekend Preview: UND at Maine Discuss. Dave

I would be shocked if Dell or Maris started tonight, but we'll have to see. Dave

It wasn't listed on my Midco channel guide either, but I punched 597 in my remote and it's showing a Prairie Public broadcast. I'm thinking I'm set. On your system, check to see if your receiver will change to channel 597 and that you are receiving video and audio. If you are, I think you're set, too! Dave

WCHA Preseason Predictions Feel free to leave comments and your own predictions and prognostications below or on the blog post. Dave

Weekend Preview: North Dakota at Bemidji State Discuss. Dave

Full article Dave

I agree with this, except for one thing... No one, not even the coaches, could have imagined the possibility of having Genoway for a 5th season. It's a tight squeeze, even with nine, but it's not a terrible situation to have two blueliiners in each class, and that's what the coaching staff was hoping for: Seniors: Lapoint and Marto Juniors: Blood and Fienhage Sophomores: Gleason and MacWilliam Freshmen: Forbort and/or Mattson and/or Simpson Uber-Senior Genoway complicates the mix... Hill will also be a sophomore next season, but I've left him off of the above list. Fienhage will get squeezed next season (whether or not Genoway comes back), but as a senior, when Lapoint and Marto have graduated and Blood (almost certainly) and MacWilliam (possibly) have left school early, there's plenty of ice for Fienhage. If even one of Forbort, Mattson, and Simpson can delay one season, I like Fienhage staying. Dave

The CCHA playoffs have changed quite a bit over the years, but this is the most recent format I remember: All twelve league members qualify for the tournament. The top four seeds receive byes and the remaining eight teams play first round series (best two out of three) at campus sites. After the first round, the field is reseeded for the quarterfinal round (also on-campus, best two-of-three series). The four teams to advance are reseeded for the CCHA Championship. Two semifinals are played on Friday afternoon and night. The championship game is played the following night, and is preceded by the consolation game. The winner of the championship game receives the Mason Cup. Dave

I had someone ask me this at the Final Five, and the problem with the Hobey race is off-ice issues, character, and academics are all considered. I don't think the school will push Frattin (Gregoire, and Genoway if he returns would be my guesses), and I'm not sure he would be in the mix because of his dust-ups and the semester he missed this season. Stranger things have happened, but right now I can't see it. Dave

I would put Gregoire in the leadership group as well. He didn't have a great game on Saturday, but he brings so much to the ice in every situation and I think next year will be his "senior" year as well, as I expect him to make the jump after 2010-11. Dave

Only the top two seeds have a bye into Friday's semis; the other four teams will play quarterfinals on Thursday. That being said, I'll give up the other two pieces of hardware for a national title. If they want to pick up another trophy or two along the way, great, but I'd rather hang #8 on the north side of REA than #15 on the south side. Dave

I agree with Kirk that the evolution to the drawn-out response has been a step in the wrong direction. In addition to the adjectives Kirk uses above to describe the "old way", the earlier incarnation of the cheer was easier for a crowd to shout together; therefore, louder. Dave

WCHA Final Five Preview: UND vs. Minnesota-Duluth Discuss. Dave

Kevin is David's older brother. Kevin played '93-'97, while David played from '95 to '99. Dave

I met Dave Hoogsteen at the Final Five a couple of years ago; he signed my jersey and I framed it after that. Haven't worn it since (obviously). I'm sure you'll still recognize me. Dave

Section 104 Row 2, right by the penalty box. Same seats we've had for the Final Five since the X opened. You used to be able to find me in a Hoogsteen jersey, now it'll be Parise. Come on down and say hello! Dave

Sophomore. Dave

March 28. 1999 is the one I'll always remember. UND, 32-5-2 on the season, faced Boston College in Madison to advance to the Frozen Four. BC upset North Dakota 3-1 in a game that was 2-1 for the entire third period until an empty net goal with 11 seconds left (and it had to be Gionta, didn't it?). The Sioux peppered Clemmensen with 15 shots in the third period alone but couldn't get it done. Ugh. Dave

I'm going to write a mid-week article on this subject, but here are some thoughts for now.... Despite only having Chay Genoway for 9 out of the 37 games played to this point, this year's D corps have surpassed last year in a number of different areas. For the entire 2008-2009 season (43 games), Fighting Sioux blueliners scored 13 goals and added 55 assists for 68 points. This year, through 37 games (and with between 3 and 9 games left to play), Sioux defensemen have potted 15 goals and 55 assists for 70 points. (Genoway's four goals and six assists are included in this season's total) On the defensive side of the ice, this year's squad is allowing 2.08 goals per game on 23.9 shots. Last year's team allowed 2.74 goals per game on 26.9 shots. Certainly some of this is Eidness, whose numbers compare as follows: Freshman year (08-09): 24-12-4, 2.56 GAA, .906 SV%, 1 SO Sophomore year (09-10): 20-8-4, 2.10 GAA, .914 SV%, 2 SO It will be my contention in the article that it's taken a while for the other Sioux defensemen to adjust to Genoway's absence, but that this team's recent stretch of eight consecutive victories is a testament to how well the unit has stepped up, adjusted, and filled roles and minutes that underclassmen typically don't play in the WCHA. I'd be interested to hear your comments and questions about the progression of this year's defensemen. Dave

I have three tickets I can't use for Saturday's game. Our seats are in 306 row C (the Sioux score twice on this end). Looking to get $100 for all three. Also may have a couple of Sunday tickets available, so let me know if you'd be interested in those as well. You can send me a PM or text me at 218.779.9872. Go Sioux! Dave ***Saturday tickets are sold - thanks for the interest. Go Sioux!***

Except that it doesn't work that way. 20 wins is not a "magic number", nor should it be. The committee will run the Pairwise once (after all of the games are completed on Saturday, March 20th), and we'll have the NCAA tournament field. Remember, there were many voices last year that were convinced that the committee would "find a way to put Minnesota in" since they were hosting a regional, and it didn't happen. For what it's worth, I like that the system is objective and unbiased. I would prefer KRACH, but that's a matter for a different article. At least we've got a transparent process and clear results. Dave

Weekend Preview: UND vs. Michigan Tech Discuss. Dave