yzerman19

How many UND games have you watched this year? Do you know that the lines tonight were as follows: 1st- played together for the first time last weekend (Kristo and Knight have played together all year) 2nd- haven't played together since last season 3rd- never played together before 4th- never played together before We split with BU and Notre Dame, took 3 pts from Denver...split with SCSU... Don't talk paychecks...I'll keep it classy and not go down the road that makes me want to go...

It is January, not March or April...If I recall, even the Hrkac Circus team lost a game at Mariucci. The UND coaching staff is known for making late season pushes and getting better as the season wears on. We do not even have our lines set for crying out loud. Minnesota is a very quality team this year. To get beat on their ice is a great motivator and wake-up call. I am optimistic that we have not played our best hockey, and I believe that Minnesota is peaking early. I might be wrong, and they might just get better, but I believe that we will definitely get better. I do agree that we had no puck luck, but we didn't work hard enough to get it. Minnesota did a great job limiting our chances. Rarely did we have flow and good looks with numbers attacking. Tomorrow is another day

I've watched all of UND's games. This was not one of their better efforts. As far as the NCAA's...get a clue. We're a #2 seed right now, and have split against all top 10 teams we've played...lost a game tonight against a major rival, on their ice, Olympic ice, where we were 2-1 late, with one of our worst offensive and defensive efforts, without lines finalized.

You're entitled to your opinion. 1. You never let a team score with less than 10 seconds in a period. Tackle him if you have to. 2. You have to take the man when there are scrambles in the crease or in the slot. 3. Did you really think our d and our flow looked okay? 4. Did you really like completely changing up all the lines except for the first line? I'll give you that we didn't get run out of the place, but we had a poor performance

Are you insinuating that Rocco lacks the talent to play in the WCHA? Sorry, but that is just off-base.

Schmaltz needs to get it together. I don't fault Forbert as much, because he is stuck being paired with Schmaltz. Schamltz is a #1 draft pick...show me something kid. Simpson and Mac were not bad. We need to see Panzo tomorrow night.

Schmaltz was awful, so was Mattson. Gleason needs to hammer when he has no stick, not play patty-cake. Gophs looked like a contender, we looked like a pretender...no flow...best players were non-factors. As stated, D was horrible. Line-up decisions perplex me...i wouldn't have done what Hak did. I am disappointed that we looked so lost out there...slow, unsure of ourselves. All around a bad performance.

hmmmm...import is subjective...support is also a very loose term. In the early days it was a win-win: BSU, MSUM, SCSU get to play a relevant team, MN could look magnanimous while at the same time padding their record. Here are the incidents that probably bother Lucia: 1. Handshake Line Fight 2. Wehrs getting smoked by Frattin 3. Tony Lucia getting chirped at 4. Hak flipping the bird 5. Kangas' cell phone number 6. Holy Cross 7. Going 1-4 in season ending games vs UND 8. The F the Gophers chant 9. The throwing of plastic cups and bottles on the ice You compound all that stuff, and maybe it does need a cooling off period. Look, I love the rivalry, but it probably has gone over the top. I remember in the 2004 Final Five when the Gophers beat the Sioux in the final in an epic game, there was clearly respect among and between like Zach Parise and Drew Stafford and Matt Greene and Thomas Vanek and Keith Ballard and Paul Martin and, and, and...I don't know if that respect is still there among the players...

As a somewhat grounded member of the Sioux fanbase, I apologize for that behavior. It is unacceptable in any setting, and it is unfortunate that I share the same team allegiance as animals like that. Neither program has a monopoly on classless fans, but I sincerely apologize that your children were subjected to that. I would wish every fan visiting our arena (especially children) an awesome experience in all ways (except for on the scoreboard at the end of the game).

1. Rankings meaning nothing once the puck is dropped 2. I agree that bandwagon jumping occurs at all schools- MN just has so many people and students, its a big wagon 3. Hockey is a small family- those of us who understand KRACH and PWR are relatively few 4. Definitely agree that hockey is better off when MN is relevant- same with UND, BU, BC, MI, ND, UNH, DU, Maine

And according to KRACH (by far the best statistical measure) UND has played the 11th toughest schedule, where Minnesota has played 26th. I think these teams stack up well against each other. I've been saying it since before the season started. I wouldn't be surprised to see a rendezvous in the Frozen Four. What a way to end a storied WCHA rivalry! Both teams were rolling up until UND lost to CC. Perhaps that served as a little wake-up call? We'll have to see. Both teams have some superstars. UND has been getting more out of Danny and Corban than UM has out of Bjugstad and Budish- although Haula is a stud. They are tied for second in points in the WCHA, each with 2 games in hand. I like Mariucci, he gives solid posts, so this is not directed at him, but I live in Mpls- have two degrees from the University of Minnesota- and one thing is as certain as death and taxes: If Minnesota gets ranked (in any sport) but mostly hockey, the rubes come out of the woodwork. People who don't know hockey instantly crown the team champion. How great they are...how terrible everyone else is...

While Clark hasn't had his two best starts, he is our #1. Goth berg has not impressed me at all. Our D has to play the best 120 minutes of the year this weekend. Mac needs to play physical without ending up in the box. Forbert and Simpson need to just play steady. Mattson needs this to be a breakout weekend. Keeping Gleason in the lineup helps if a player goes down with injury or penalty

Knight with Kristo and Mitch Mac Mark Mac with Caggiula and Rocco Rowney with Parks and St Clair/Gaarder Pattyn with Rodwell and Gleason This lineup would give any team fits...first line has two likely all Americans, second line loaded with speed and skill, third line would own the boards and can finish, fourth line energy with speed.

This is the series that we've been waiting for. I predicted that we'd be the two teams to beat in the league, and here we are; identical records, tied for fewest losses (all in league games). Both have played well against the top tier non-conference. Biggest surprise to me is that minny mouse's d is stingier than ours. I think the Sioux are deeper at forward. I think the Goofs have a better goalie. Kristo and Knight have been very special together. I think we see at least one game where they show how special they really are. Ideally, Rocco will also decide to show how special his skill is during the same game. Speed kills on the big ice. Danny, Rocco, Mark Mac all have an extra gear. Lets see them use it. Speed, tape to tape passes. We need to attack the offensive blue line with speed and numbers.

We're worried about penalties. The league has changed. Mac gets called all the time for plays that used to be considered clean, but are now considered too rough. He also gets called for being near players who trip over their own feet, and for being bigger and stronger than the opposition. Gleason and Mattson are not physical players. Schmaltz isn't either, but he's a freshman, so I cut him slack. Simpson is okay in our end. Forbert is generally solid, and Mac is a beast. Our centers also have to help out down low...its not all on the D to play D.

Olympic ice at the John is good for Rocco and for Mark Mac. I do not put Rocco on that top line. I think Hak is onto something... Knight with kristo and Mitch Mac Rowney with Caggiula and Rocco Mark Mac with Parks and St Clair Pattyn with Gaarder and Gleason I think St Clair can skate with Mac and Parks and create a very nice third line Knight, Mark Mac, Rowney, Pattyn- that's some strength up the middle

It was Rowney, not Kristo

Mitch laid a big time hit on a guy and also made a nice play to steal the puck and get a real quality scoring chance. I thought he put on a good effort. Especially for not being in game shape. You rarely notice O'Donnell stand out. What u see when u take notice to watch him specifically is a guy who is always positionally sound. Guys who do that, well, the puck eventually finds them. Remember, he was leading his class in goals before he got hurt last year. Gaarder is a gamer. He's got great compete, and he isn't afraid to get dirty. I just don't think he is fast enough or skilled enough to crack the top 9. Although, I'm sure he has heard that every place he's played, and he continues to play. My guess is O'Donnell looks great in practice, but just hasn't been able to put it together on fri/sat night. Practices will be intense.

Rocco with Caggiula and Rowney is a big time scoring line. Heavy horsepower second line for sure. You don't break that up. I think Hak is banking on the BC line being able to be a consistent threat as well, with the big bet being that Mark Mac is a strong enough offensive player to build a scoring line around him. I think he is, and I think we saw some pretty good chemistry on that line last weekend. We have four lines that can play- that means that opponents can't take a single shift off.

O'Donnell has more skill and speed. He is consistently in position and seems to be close to breaking out. I liked the chances the BC line had. They will score some goals. Gaarder had a ridiculous game against BU and a good game against Holy Cross. Other than that, he has been a grinder. I do like him though. Remember hockey is a collision sport, and it is likely that we will get banged up. It is nice to have this problem.

That was incredible-he seemed magnanimous

Gwoz's decision to get up on the dasher was a good one...

Knight with Kristo and Parks Rowney with Rocco and Caggiula Mac with Mac and O'Donnell Pattyn with St Clair and Gaarder That is a heck of a forward line-up

I believe it should be an auto-goal. I don't think you call a penalty shot when the net is empty.

USA players that i think will make the all-tourney team: Johnny Geaudreau Jacob Trouba John Gibson tough to not put RNH on that team and call him the most outstanding forward I think Trouba has been incredibly impressive- Jets got themselves a stud there