InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

Surprised people are so down on UND after a tie(disappointing albeit) to a good UMD team without 2 of our best(yes even thought they're freshies) dmen. This team has more skill than last year. We replaced Johnson, Yon, Bowen with Gaber(already one of the best players on the team), Budy, Ness(last 2 will take a little time, Budy alreading showing promise). And replaced Peski and Poolman with Sanderson and Kleven who have already both shown to be big time players(Sanderson bomb slapshot and Kleven toe drag snipe). It will sound like an excuse but a lot of those skill plays are getting cancelled out playing on ice that's getting destroyed by 2-3 games/day, 18 games in a 10 day span. It is what it is, and it beats not having college hockey but it's a real factor. Did anyone pay attention to how many players(UMD and UND) just fell over without explanation yesterday? It seemed like the guys that tried to play on their edges fell over more times than not, and that's where a player like Kawaguchi lives. I think the team started to understand that as the game went on and as a result made more straightforward plays, UMD's game seemed to suit the ice better and they are a good team as it is with good systems. I truly believe UND will be a better team than UMD by end of year. Denver seemed like a better opponent that Duluth did. Lastly, I'd like to see the goalies get rotated more consistently. Scheel played solid yesterday but that 1st goal put us on our heels instantly and UMD is good at shutting down those types of games. I'd like Thome to get a shot and see who takes the reins. Just my 2 cents. One last comment: I believe this pod will increase the NCHC team's advantage come NCAA tournament time. It's basically a giant super regional where the team we play changes every game. EDIT: Not sure how the hell I forgot Michaud and Cole Smith up front. They are sorely missed as they provided a ton of energy and were playmakers. My point still stands.

/end scene, mods we're done here. Someone hit the lights on the way out.

First gameday thread in 9 months!! If UND doesn't sweep both games Wednesday, I'll be very upset. 6-2 UND

And kick Bucci down to color? I could deal with that.

After going to JB's for some dinner friday night with the wife, doesn't surprise me much. Right about 930pm college kids started pouring in and I told her chug your drink, time to go home haha

thUNDer must have me on mute

Stengl Signature Travel giving people who booked the charter flight through them 3 options. Not sure why they'd keep $100/pp of the refund when they aren't providing the flight that was promised in October of this year. I'd also rather not have them hold $2k of my money for an extra year:

UND decommit news likely coming soon...

Well I don't think this is ever going to happen...they need us more than we need them, hard pass

You sir, have my vote

I'm happy Tychonick gets to play immediately and I honestly think he's going to tear it up at Omaha. He may be one of the better offensive dmen to go through that program when all is said and done if he gets the playing time I expect he will.

Totally forgot Oshie had a quiet little hat trick in this one, what a great game. Thanks for sharing!

I loved me some Phil Lammy but boy he let in a ton of goals in the NCAAs

Same, I love 5 on 5 overtimes. Usually provides plenty of action and scoring. See Bemidji St, SCSU, Western Michigan x2(including the Penrose clinching goal) last year I don't think a 3x3 goal is as exciting or feels legitimate IMO. The positive I take away from it is OT will be uniform across NCAAs

Related to this, you gotta think the NCHC might consider getting a new policy or adding a rider to their current policy that includes pandemics similar to what the R&A utilized for this summer's British Open. All this assuming they don't currently have this in place, but I'd guess Schloss would have reported on that if that was the case. It sounds like their reserve fund is used for these purposes which is fine until that fund gets depleted.

I need more of these hockey metaphors in this discussion, greatly increases the thread's appeal IMO

Between USCHO and CHN, there must be some sort of reward for being the first to cancel next season. Progress is happening fast and the entire world is focused on finding a way through this so what's the obsession with prematurely smothering any hope to produce "content" and get some site traffic?

It was supposed to open for a few weeks last fall but flooding tanked those plans. I'd think they would open but then again it's tied to the university so maybe not? King's Walk driving range opening possibly this wkd and course opening next week. Have a feeling there will be a lot of people interested in golf(and other outdoor activities) as there's limited options so it'd be nice if Ray Dick's opened to spread out the traffic.

My memory was off, but STILL wow, what a 4th line. Rowney's sure had more than a cup of coffee in the big leagues. That team was stacked.

Wasn't Brock Nelson a 4th liner on the 2010-11 team?

I think he'll be a huge asset to UNO, explosive player that can put the puck in the net but can get exposed a little defensively. Reminded me of a poor man's Chay Genoway, which feels weird to type since JT was drafted 2nd round.

Think it may be a result of how big of a get he was when he originally committed, that and Massimo Rizzo is a sweet name!

Where I am most concerned is losing mentality, the motor and penalty kill abilities of the players that graduated. Cole Smith, Westin Michaud and Dixon Bowen(surprising right?) will not be easily replaced. Colton Poolman was also incredibly reliable and seemed to keep the team on an even keel. I don't see us having issues scoring goals but last season's team was exceptionally good at not getting too high or too low no matter what situation they found themselves in. I think the seniors were the reason for that.

FYP

Ryan Ruck may have some PTSD if he had to start vs UND. He couldn't even beat us when he was on the "hottest team in the country" going into the 2016 NCAAs