yzerman19

Any pregame plans for Friday? Knock on wood...Tom Reid's is fun, Wild Times is a good venue...Allery's is always great...I always take Friday off for fun. Any party plans for firday day?

I didn't know that...thanks for the update. The host team still has to abide by seeding rules for the last line change, etc. do they not?

I predict we blow tech out the zamboni doors in the first period on friday. If for some reason they can hang with us that first period we are in for a serious dogfight. I believe we will shell shock them with an offensive display like we put on MN and DU and we won't look back. First period friday will define the entire series. Counter punch teams can win games with opportunistic play and solid goaltending. Our depth and skill up front should keep tech so far back on their heels that what limited offensive punch they have will be stuck somewhere in a snow drift.

Back on topic. I am extremely glad the season isn't ending today, because it would have us playing Yale on their home rink with BU playing Bemidji in the other game...not an idyllic regional.

WHile our style can often be frustrating, I do not believe that it is incongruous with a national championship. We play race horse hockey when other teams do too. We do very well when we carry the puck into the offensive zone with numbers and speed. THe key to the teams you are describing is not the overall philosophy, but the ability to put passes cleanly on the tape. This affects the PP, the ability to transition, the breakout...passes have got to be short, fast and on the tape. THis time of year it is huge. The key to those teams you are taling about is a defenseman or two who could really move the puck...Chay and Marto can skate, but Carle, Ballard, Martin, Leopold...those guys could really move that puck. Dump and chase to cycle is stupid unless you are working on grinding down some dmen. The idea is that your forwards forecheck the defensemen religiously, 3 d pairs, 4 forward lines, forwards wear 'em down and win the third period. I don't agree with it, but it has worked. I have stated that our chink in the armor is at the blueline; bad passes and hesitation leads to shorties. I attribute the abundance of shorties against us to poor play on the offensive blue line. As stated by me a million times, you live by the Chay, you die by the Chay...Genoway is gifted and I am glad he is on our team, that being said he will cough up the puck on occassion looking to make something happen, and that will result in odd mans and breakaways the other direction.

Andrew Kozek put us in the F4 last year. I am looking at him to produce some big goals playing far down on the depth chart. Everyone knows he can shoot. Andrew is the difference maker IMO. He steps up, we will win some games that will surprise people. The chink in our armor is not upfront or in net, it is on the blue line.

Agree that BU is not a one trick pony, they are not MN. All lines can produce. That being said, I hold to the statement that their first line is sick.

BU is fast and skilled. Their top line is absolutely loaded; it is DOTesque skill wise. I've only seen two games, but they impressed. I don't know a thing about Michigan this year with the exception of they don't have the same scoring punch as last year.

if we Sioux fans have learned anything over the last several years it should be that team trumps talent. UND has had some of the most talented players ever to play NCAA hockey over the last six years, and we have not won. Meanwhile DU, Wisconsin, Michigan State all won with Teams that on paper couldn't carry Jonathan Toews' sticks. Team trumps talent.

I thought he looked great at the wjc, and I've seen him do things away from the puck that only the very special do. I was trying to think of a smallerish player with big time playmaking ability. He is different than Parise, Toews, Vanek, Oshie, Stafford, Wheeler, Kessel, Zajac or any of the other Nhlers by way of WCHA that I've seen of late. Kane was the best comparison I could cone up with. If Schroeder played with a true sniper, his assist numbers would be sick. IMO Schroeder has made Stoa this year.

didn't the 97 team have an all American by the name Jason Blake on it?

by no means was my statement meant to knock those teams or the teams that have beaten them. Simply saying they are human and can be beaten and have been beaten.

maybe cc just matches up with us well and plays a similar style. It was the best hockey I've seem played all year when cc was in nodak. Old time hockey, Eddie Shore. It actually reminded me of the 2004 Final 5 championship featuring Parise and Vanek and the boys. About seven or eight players from that game went onto the Nhl. MN's top line can play with anyone, and their second line can hold their own. Heck even the Toni Lucia Patrick White line does some good things. Minnesota has horrible defensive defensemen. You can't have nothing but offensive dmen and one defensive dman who is a pylon and expect to win. The goalie problems have made that problem at the blueline more obvious Still, I am respectful of the rodents. Schroeder is in that special class of player. He actually reminds me a bit of Patrick Kane. He is going to have a very short NCAA career, and a very nice NHL career.

I think that #1 seed and last line change is huge. It allows Hak to match up and play to our strengths: depth among other things. That has to be a big reason why we haven't lost at home since November. I think it is even more critical down a regular defenseman. All the teams being mentioned are great, but they're all human and have been beaten by the likes of Providence, Ohio State, Miami...

What a rollercoaster ride this year. Our finish was even more dramatic due to the (even by Hak team standard) slow start. This begs the question to all ss.com fans, can we win it all? We've been to the F4 four straight, but haven't won the MacNaughton since #11 was our all-world pivot. What makes this team different? Obviously the depth, but what else are you seeing? Is it team instead of one NHL line? CLearly, but is that enough? We've got three rookies who certainly aren't playing that way anymore (Eidsness, Hexy and JG). We've got Marto coming into his own. We've got four lines who can score. We also are really lacking a second pk unit without Pointer. We live by the CHay and die by the Chay on the offensive blue line. We have a skilled puck moving forward doing his damndest on the point, but is he physical enough in our own end? Can we play d against a team like BU with the Miller/Blood combo on the ice? Will Watty, Dunc, Big Joe, Jonesy, Miller and Kozek lead the way? Pundits don't like our chances...I like being the underdog. I think this team will respond. What do you think? I'm looking for very little homerism and very much a no B.S. assessment.

SIoux have shown real home ice advantage this year; even when we were struggling early on. Last time we lost a game at home it was November and we got beat 2-1 on Saturday in a nailbiter vs what was (at the time) the best defensive team in college hockey (Cornell). Sioux sweep. 7-1 and 3-1 ENG

Who's that CC player with the neck tats? I believe the Gophers are one trick pony. They have one exceptional, one very good, and one slightly above average player on their top line. After that they drop off significantly. That being said, I do not care to face them; especially on their home ice. It's a rivalry series and anyone can win anytime. I bet we win 7 outta 10 this year, but I don't like those odds with all the marbles on the table. We've ended their season way too many times of late...I am fearing that the favor will be returned before too long. Such is the rivalry between two exceptional programs. Next point: It would be a travesty in my opinion if UMN or UMD get into the tournament ahead of CC. CC is a much better squad and is a dangerous team in one and done.

My money would be on Weslowski vs Kangas or Patterson. I also think that SCSU is going to come to play. They will look at it as giant killing. Biggest thing now is not to limp in, but build momentum. CC limped in last year with a poor showing at the F5 and they were one and done.

UMD getting swept really helped the Goofs I would think. Even if they get in, they are not a team that i worry about. Although I don't want to see them again, especially on their home ice. It is tough to beat a rival 3 times in a season. I worry more about CC and Wisconsin that DU or MN.

As for the Greene Commodore deal, it doesn't matter if they'd played together, in the heat of battle you do what you have to do. They are professionals now. It isn't personal, and I am sure they will joke about it if they meet up in the off season. They both have jobs to do that are playing physical and protecting their teammates. It was a clean fight, totally within the code. Greene landed a bunch of decent shots, Commy ended it with a big right. Good fight, clean, fair. No repercusions.

Bucky always gives us fits in their building...We've been swept by Wisconsin many times in the last few years...even our 2004 MacNaughton Cup championship team with Parise and the next year with our NCAA runner up team with Zajac and Stafford were swept by Wisconsin. THe style has always given us trouble. I am not worried about this loss. We did not have out ususal offensive output because of Sconny's style and play. Win two against Tech on our home ice, have a good performance at the X, then its a 4 game tournament for the big hardware.

If he's Yoda, can I be Lando?

I don't think it will turn them much. It won;t flip the individual comparisons in those games, and it won't help us in RPI, teams are all decent...we need to win and CC needs to win,

A Sioux win and a Denver loss tonight will put the Sioux in a 4 way tie for #4 in the PWR With Denver, Vermont and Northeastern. Interesting stat that I hope is telling: UND has the second best TUC record of the top 25 after BU, and only Denver has played more TUCs. Also only BU and (unfortunately) UMD have the H2H vs the Sioux. What does this mean? Not much...its paper, but it gives me confidence come tournament time.

I didn't think this team had it. I am not a bandwagon fan, it hurt to lose...I am happy eating crow out of the MacNaughton Cup!