PHE

I won't try to guess the lineups that Blaiser will use. Rather I'll offer up my predictions on post-season awards for the 2002-2003 Sioux team: Craig Ludwig Award (Goalie's Best Friend)-Matt Jones. Jones is the guy I want on the ice when we have a one goal lead and with only a minute left in the game. I was very impressed at the strides he made from the beginning of last year to the final few series. He may not be as defensively strong as Mr. Ludwig nor as offensively gifted as Mr. Roche, but he'll be our top defenseman for the next few years. He'll be the next Scott Sandelin, which is a very good thing. Tim Skarperud Award (Biggest increase in production)-James Masson for goals and Chris Fournier for assists. Until Bryan Lundbohm decided to turn pro after the 2000-2001 season, Masson was scheduled to play one more year in Sioux Falls. After a year of learning the ways of the WCHA Masson is ready to start scoring some goals. I think he goes from 5 to 18. Chris Fournier's production will increase when he's paired with Bochenski. They worked together well at the end of last season and hopefully that will carry over. I say he goes from 9 assists to 22. Cary Eades Award (Blood & Guts, Heart & Soul)-Jason Notermann. A definite leader of this year's team, Notes plays all out every time he's on the ice. The younger guys should watch and learn. Hopefully he hits more net than iron this year. Should wear a "C". Landon Wilson Award (Most Likely to End Up in Coaches's Doghouse)-Brandon Bochenski. I don't know why but it just feels like he's going to have an off year. Maybe it's the dumb penalties, maybe it's the increased focus he'll see from the opposition, maybe it the lack of hustle on the defensive end. Something tells me that Blaiser will sit him a few games. I hope I'm wrong. Doug Smail Award (Speed and Hustle)-Kevin Spiewak. Spiewak's strengths are two of my favorite qualities in a college hockey player-lightning speed and 110% effort every shift. I love watching him. Speed-Wack will lead the forwards in ice time and will wear a "C". Team MVP. Jim Archibald Award (PIM Leader, what else?)-David Hale. Hale replaces Schneider as the PIM leader. I'm not sure what happened last year but clearly he was not the same guy we saw as a freshman. Here's hoping that all of last year's demons (personal issues, injuries, illnesses, etc) are gone. I'm looking for DH to have a MONSTER year. Troy Murray Award (Freshman Leads the Team in Scoring)-Zach Parise. Am I getting too caught up in all the hype? Perhaps. Is he's too short, too inexperienced, too much a target, too light? Maybe. I do know that the kid is special. I've read, heard and seen enough that convinces me that he will be a difference-maker early on. Contrary to most prognostications, I think he'll produce right away and by Christmas he'll be centering the first line. I don't see Blaiser holding him back in order to ease his transition to WCHA-style hockey. He won't come anywhere close to Troy Murray's freshman total of 78 pts but he'll get 48 and lead the team. Did I miss any awards?

Speaking of Virg Foss, I recall that a while back (10-15 years ago?) the Sioux hockey players blackballed Virg for something he wrote about the team. If memory serves, none of the players spoke to him for most of the year. Does anybody recall the background on what he wrote and how it was settled?

YaneA, That's the name. Thanks. He seems like your classic bleed-green Sioux fan. He's the type who would travel to Anchorage to cheer on the Sioux. I wonder how many hockey players he had in his classes over the years. Do you suppose they all received A's?

Prior to this past year's final game vs. the Gophers I went down to ice level during warmups. There was a gentleman in a white cowboy hat who was emphatically trying to fire up the Sioux. He was clearly a big (and probably long-time) booster of Sioux hockey. He looked like an instructor (insurance class) I had at UND in the early '80s. Anybody know his name?

jk, I enjoyed your perspective of the line possiblities. Your analysis shows the common theme on this thread-the line combinations are completely up in the air (even for us experts). You (accurately) have Massen being anywhere from the first line to the fourth. Talk about a wild card! I agree with you that it appears we'll have several quality forwards next year. I love the fact that there will be lots of competition for playing time. There's nothing like the threat of a "press box view" to make someone work harder.

According to the LA Times, the Kings have given permission to both the Rangers and the Stars to interview Dave Tippett for their head coach vacancies. Tippett is known in the NHL circles as a highly respected coach with a great work ethic. He also managed the Kings power play unit which was the best in the NHL. Best of all he's a Sioux alum and a member of the 1982 national championship team! Go Tip, Go!

If I'm not mistaken, there is a Sioux post-season award named after Casey. I think it might be the Sportmanship Award. Anyone know for sure?

dagies, I would say that seven is the usual. During the 2000-2001 season there were mainly six, all of whom played in 40+ games (Roche, Mazurak, Schneekloth, Hammer, Hale and Leinweber). Paul Murphy moved from forward to the 7th Dman slot after Derrick Byfuglien left the program after a handful of games. I don't know if seven is the normal for most programs but it appears that that is what Blais likes to go with. It works as long as you stay away from injuries.

Are there any D1 players who hail from the Fargo schools? The only one I can think of is Cory McLean who played 35 games for Notre Dame this year.

The nominees who weren't selected were: Ed Belfour Ben Cherski John Marks Doug Smail I agree that Smail should have been selected. He was one of my favorites. A bigger disappointment though was the fact that Panzer wasn't even nominated.

Sic, Good point. It looks like the West is starting to gain ground on the East. I'm surprised there haven't been more D1 kids from Fargo. On a previous thread you mentioned that you were partial to the May-Port Patriots. Do you know anything about the club program they recently started?

Since we are officially into the offseason, I'm taking the liberty of starting a thread which covers a topic outside the boundry of UND hockey. I'm curious as to what people think of the current state of high school hockey in North Dakota.

Actually PHE, Hillsboro used to be hated for basketball back in the 80's (darn that 1981 team, if only....).

Going south from my old college apartment was nothing but spud and beet fields until you got to Hillsboro. Hillsboro??? The town who's basketball team everyone loves to hate!

Would be happy to hear from anyone who has watched the Shattuck team play on what kind of player he is.

Yane, Jeff Panzer wasn't even one of the finalist for the Top 50.

YaneA, I'm too lazy to look up the answer to your question but I would doubt the Pioneers have had many games where they've given up 40 SOG.

forecheck, Trust me when I tell you that, when I initially suggested "Zach Attack", I had no idea there was any connection to "Saved by the Bell". Hopefully Virg Foss will never be writing about Zach Parise and Screetch in the same sentence!

I love the rim shot, Sicatoka. Nice touch. I kind of like the idea of Parise centering a line with Bochenski(or Massen) and Murray in a couple of years. Ya think there'll be a few goals scored with that group?

At the risk of overkill on Zach Parise, here's another note: He's in this week's Sports Illustrated in the "Faces in the Crowd" section. It centered around his MVP award in the Mac tourney a few weeks back. While nothing will compare to the "Hrkac Circus" either in name or goal production, I'm hoping that the "Zach Attack" will be the rallying cry in a few years. (Too Cheesy???)

dagies, Great minds think alike, eh? I just hope that if Andy is given a chance, he doesn't fall on his face. I'd be red-faced if he did. The bottom line is this: Blais wouldn't give Andy a start unless he has proven in practice that he is ready to go. As always, I'll trust the judgment of Blaiser and his staff to make the right decisions. BTW, if your similar post was on the USCHO board I didn't see it. Not because I missed it; rather because I've given up viewing that board. I'm tired of trying to sort through all the BS that comes with too many idiotic posters.

Goon, I don't think I intended to infer that UND "owed" Andy another chance. Likewise I would have a hard time arguing that Andy "deserves" another chance after the horrible year he's had. I do, however "hope" he gets that opportunity. Josh and Jake have leveled off recently and I think Blaiser is looking for a spark. Andy's stats coming into this year were excellent: 2.66 GAA and a 91% Save %. You might claim those as ancient and irrelevant, I don't. His soph and junior years showed that he has the ability to be a goalie that can make a difference. Further, he put up great numbers filling in for Karl in post season games. I don' know for sure if Blais will give him a shot. How many coaches would start a goalie who hasn't played since Dec 7? Not many. Would Blais? In a New York minute, if he thought it would give the team a lift heading into the playoffs. Blais seems to have a knack for having his hunches play out successfully. I say give Andy one more game. What have we to lose? One less game for Josh or Jake will not stunt their development. Maybe, just maybe, Andy will get hot and we can go into Mariucci or Kohl and pull an upset.