fightingsioux4life

Believe what you want to believe. Hakstol rarely had to deal with losing five top notch upperclassmen at once (along with four seniors, several of whom contributed a lot to our 8th NCAA title team. If he had actually won a national title during his time here, I think he would have experienced a similar exodus and he would have been in the same position as Berry was this year. Of course, we'll never know how he would have handled it.

I don't know, possibly. I still like the idea of staying in Grand Forks and watching both hockey and basketball March Madness and saving all that money.

I think he was being a smart-a$$ about it.

Here we go with the "Hak would have had us in first place now" theory. I don't think Herb Brooks would have us in first place, this team simply does not have it. And yes Rebel_Sioux, we did lose too much talent over the off-season. It's not an excuse. It's a fact. We lost 5 underclassmen, along with 4 seniors. Most of whom were significant contributors to our NCAA title team. Most years, we would lose one or two guys early. And some of those guys were itching to leave as soon as they could (yes Brian Lee, I am talking to you). The type of mass exodus (especially of important players) we saw last year hasn't happened in a while. Both Hakstol and Berry are responsible for this "recruiting gap" being talked about right now. Which means this kind of year was coming regardless of whether or not Hakstol left to coach the Flyers or not. And all of us have talked about a down year for our program being inevitable at some point. Now that it has finally happened, people are panicking and coming up with all sorts of dystopian scenarios for the program going forward. I am not doing that. It will take a couple of years to determine whether or not Berry is the long-term solution as head coach of our program. And if he isn't, well we can always hire Cary Eades!

You seem to forget that Berry was also involved in the recruitment of last year's team and this year's team. So there obviously is a gap in recruiting that is showing up now. That is on both Berry and Hakstol. From here on out, it is on Berry to fix whatever is broken with our recruiting. I think he will do that.

Okay. Sorry I took your comment so seriously. This is our worst season since 2001-02 and I am honestly looking forward to it being over.

Considering they haven't won it all since 2012, I don't think I would be talking like that. I don't think it will happen because I don't think they are one of the top teams this year.

This is a game they would have lost last year. Congratulations to the team and coaching staff. Well done!

Exactly. Two different years. Two different teams.

You made your cute little comment BEFORE the game even started. That is trolling. Now, of course, it is easy for you to come on here after the fact and dance in the endzone because you were right. 20/20 Hindsight is pretty good, isn't it?

I am not convinced that we are headed back to what the program was like before Gino was forced out in 1994. We took some major steps back this year, but the cupboard isn't that bare.

And some of that falls on Hakstol, since he was involved in recruiting most of these kids. Now it is Berry's job to figure out what is missing in the recruiting process and fix it.

I am saying the pieces were not in place to begin with. We haven't lost that many players (9) in one off-season in a long time. The complaints about Hakstol were rooted in having talent up and down the line-up and then choking in the clutch when it mattered most (Frozen Four). This program is not going down the toilet like some people think. We will be back.

Maybe someone should start the 2017-18 discussion thread tonight?

I was just thinking that. Often times, when you win a national championship, players leave early because they figure they have nothing left to prove at this level. That is playing itself out this season.

I don't think Hak or Blais or anyone else could get much more out of this team. They have been lacking that extra special something all season long. Too many players lost last offseason. We all knew this was going to happen at some point. We'll be back.

Wow, you have quite the dystopian vision for UND and Grand Forks, don't you? UND ain't going anywhere, and neither is Grand Forks. Both were around long before "Clueless Al" Carlson and both will be around long after he is gone.

Maybe Schlossman has a personal connection to WH that is not publically known? I don't know how else to explain his thin-skinned defensiveness regarding WH.

So now we are going to regulate which teams UND employees are allowed to cheer for? Baloney. What Murphy does on his own time is his own business. He is paid to teach and do research. As long as he does those things, I don't think anyone should care about which teams he supports.

Man, wouldn't that be awesome?!?!

Then what do you call last night, huh? Quit trolling and add something constructive to the conversation.

Central will overcome whatever they need to overcome to win this game. Too much is on the line. These kids are sick of finishing 2nd. I don't care if Bismarck has the second coming of Patrick Roy or not, the Knights will prevail.

Central is now 51 minutes away from taking their place in history alongside the 1966-67 Central and 2015-16 Red River teams. Keep the game simple, don't be reckless with the puck and try to be pretty with it. Play loose and have fun; many teams and players will never get a chance to experience what you will experience tonight. Relish it, it will come and go way too quickly. Prediction: Central 5 Bismarck 2 Go Knights!!!

Easy people, let's not start turning on each other.

R-I-G-H-T O-N