jk

Ddan, thank you. At least I know I'm not crazy for feeling some optimism. Or, if I am, at least I'm not alone. I agree on many points. 5-on-5, the Sioux are right there with MN. I'd love to see the even-strength SOG for these games, since I can't recall UND recording a PP shot on Saturday (ugh), and I'm sure MN was active on its PPs. Until you mentioned the major PK, I forgot how proud I was of the team for that successful PK. They cleared the zone often, and changed at least two guys on every clearing. Each new set seemed to be on a mission. That was really great. I thought Brandt and Siembida played about the same game - made a lot of big saves, but four or five goals is a lot to give up. I wish they could have made a few of those miracle saves that Siembida made in Mariucci. Come on Sioux, turn the corner. Turn the 1-goal losses into wins. It seems highly unlikely, but nothing would be sweeter than pulling a couple miracles out of Mariucci next month. PS - Apparently Pohl said on KFAN today that Canady pulled the Slap Shot move of stick-slapping the Gophers leaning forward on the bench as he skated by. That was the unsportsmanlike conduct in the third on Saturday. I couldn't see it very well from my seat. Obviously it was very stupid at a terrible time, but I wish I could have seen it. Looks like Mr. Canady might be trying to generate the next generation of ill will between these programs.

Thanks for the feedback. I can't disagree with much that you write. Scott, of lazy, complacent or scared, I choose scared. It's like: How about if one of you just try to get the puck down behind Hauser and kick it around back there for a few seconds. Anyway, on another note, the arena is going to be an asset to the program, school and community for decades. I arrived at the rink Saturday at 5:30, and I could have spent a lot more time there than I did. The beauty of it is not the much-discussed brick, marble and leather, but instead the history of the program that is displayed all over the place. It is like a museum of Sioux hockey. A lot of love went into the place. The nice thing about the brick and marble, though, is that they will help the structure endure. I would not be at all surprised if fifty years from now the REA is the proud old home of Sioux hockey, still beautiful, with the only real additions to the structure made of cloth rather than steel and brick.

Just got back from GF.

Anyone in GF/Fargo: What's the weather forecast now? I was planning on driving from MSP early Saturday (returning Sunday), and that's seeming like less of a good idea now. Nothing like a 4.5 hour drive turning into a 6 or 7 hour ordeal. The latest word on storm intensity/timing would be appreciated. Thanks.

Did anyone catch any of the Coach's Show this week? I seem to recall reading somewhere that everyone would be ready to go this weekend except Fournier. I assume Palmiscno would go in his place, with Massen and Hale. The sad part for me personally is that I think I still have yet to see Fournier play. My recollection is that he was a healthy scratch in the HOF game and the Friday SCSU game, then he was hurt for the first MN series. So I was really looking forward to seeing him move the puck. I cannot wait for the weekend to get here. Is Grand Forks buzzing for the series?

The best hockey-playing Wendell is Erik's sister (and US Olympian) Krissy. I believe she may be the US team's top scorer as a 19 (?)-year old. In her last year in HS, word was she would have skated on or near the top line of any boy's HS team in MN.

Super quiet around here. I don't have anything new, but after seeing Shattuck play and dwelling on next year for a while, I'm tired of that. I want to think about this year. I will be making a pilgrimage to the shrine for the Saturday Gopher game, my first trip since the HOF game. The HOF game was much more about the event than the hockey; the crowd was pretty much shot before the puck dropped, after getting worked into a lather for Ralph and the pre-game festivities. So I'm hoping everyone will give the Gophers the greeting they expect (and deserve) for this series. I don't know if my seats will be close enough to matter, but I'm going to try to think of some nice things to say to the Gophers: Taffe - Jeff, How do you think you're going to like St. Louis? Oh, that's right, they traded you. Pohl - Don't worry Johnny, I heard they're starting a new super-slow-mo league for players with your wheels. Tallackson - Way to go Barry, you stayed eligible for a whole semester. Welch - Were you the leading scorer in the community college league? Guentzel - Having dinner with the Guyer's again tonight? Wendell - Krissy! P Martin - Look out for the blue line Paul. DeMarchi - Matt, you're supposed to pass it to the guys on YOUR OWN team. Weber - You must really suck if you can't beat out Hauser. Well, in looking back at these, most of them are really dumb. But I'm open to suggestions.

Or how about #47, D. Blais? Flin Flon? Now, that's Canada. I forget the story, but the town may have some link to a fictional character named Flintabatty Flonatin, or something like that. Do you think they always schedule team picture day the morning after team party night?

I posted this on PrideonIce: "I went also. Good game. The fans got pretty excited when BSM tied it up with 2.5 minutes left in the third. SSM was the better team by a lot, but that's why the play the game. My amateur opinion is that Parise and Murray seemed to be smoother and faster skaters than Hirsch. Hirsch, on the other hand, took the puck straight to the net every chance he got, resulting in a bunch of chances. SSM's first goal was Hirsch from P and M, but the goal was all Hirsch's. He got the puck on the side boards and headed for the slot, deking first the D-man then the goalie. I didn't hear the announcement of Parise's goal, but I think it was unassisted. He just got the puck at the blue line, skated to the top of the circle and blasted a slapper. I was standing right behind the goal and appeared on the game highlights on WCCO last night. (I was the one with the Sioux sweatshirt.) I'm famous! The OT goal was Parise catching up to a puck across the blue line, separating with his speed, moving wide to the left (drawing the D with him), and making a nice pass to Hirsch cruising down the slot all by himself. He made a nice R-L-R and tuck it behind the goalie move. This goal was equal parts nice plays by P and H. What I wouldn't pay to see SSM and Greenway slug it out this year. I've only seen Guyer in last year's tourney on TV, but he and Parise seem to be similar caliber players." I'll add a bit. I got in a few minutes into the first, so I missed introductions, and SSM doesn't have names on their jerseys. It took exactly one shift for me to figure out which one was ZP. When he moves through neutral ice with the puck, he is instantly afforded space by opponents, as he looks very dynamic moving with the puck. You can see the opponents thinking, "oh shoot, back up! back up! back up!" He'll be noticed right away in the WCHA, and eventually be a star. He will be surprised next year at how quickly time and space disappear, and this will take some adjustment time. His WCHA opponents will be surprised at how dynamic he is. His linemates will be surprised that the puck is on their stick in the slot a lot. ZP might not be the fastest player on SSM, though. That would be Murray.

The USHL site says: "Cable viewers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa will be able to watch the 2002 USHL Prospects / All-Star Game on Fox Sports Net North again this year. Viewers outside Wisconsin can tune in at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9 to catch the action. Wisconsin viewers will see the broadcast at 5 p.m. on Feb. 9. Familiar hockey voices Wally Shaver and Doug Johnson will be calling the game." Sioux recruit Matt Greene and returning player Quinn Fylling will be playing in this game, as well as recruits for nearly every top program. I'm excited about Fylling's return next year. He skated a regular shift all year his freshman year and showed flashes of real skill. I think he'll be able to step in and be a mature player right away, and hopefully he won't seem as physically overmatched as in the past. Most of all, I'm glad he brings the team speed up a bit, as he is a fine skater. Plus he has a cool name for a fast guy. Plus he's a native North Dakotan. I'm not sure where he fits into the lineup, but that will be Blais's problem next fall. The competition for PT will be even more intense next year.

Might as well get this one started, even though it's a bit away. When the Sioux take the ice against the Gophers on February 8, it will have been something like 104 days since their last home win against Wisconsin in late October. It's time to put a stop to that. I think the Sioux can do well against MN. Even though MN controlled play for a lot of the time in Mariucci, there are a few reasons to like UND's chances. First, a lot of the edge in play occurred on the PP, where MN is excellent. Second, the big rink suits MN's game, especially on the PP, where they can just play their positions. It also limits UND's cycling. Third, the Sioux are going to get a home ice advantage going one of these days - the Gophers could be just what the Sioux need to get going at home. In the Gophers favor, they will have Dan Welch fully up to speed and may have retired Hauser by then. I like how the Sioux forwards match up with the Gophers, all the way down to line 4. The big difference between these teams continues to be puck-handling defensemen. I was encouraged last weekend to hear several rushes that sounded like: Sioux D get control of the puck in own zone, quickly ahead to F in neutral zone, quickly ahead to F crossing the blue line. It was that quick transition game that more than anything has been the hallmark of Sioux hockey under Dean Blais. I'm looking forward to seeing how those talented Gopher D-men like being cycled down low. They may do just fine, but perhaps they will feel forechecking pressure they're not used to. I'm optimistic, but I guess the Gophers are really good this year, so perhaps I should calm down. It was Michigan Tech, after all.

Posted by me on Friday: .What I'd like to see this weekend (not predicting, just wishing): 4-2, 7-3 sweep, no suspensions, no injuries. Sweep, total goals 10-4; not bad. No suspensions - good. I was wondering if Schneider was going to get the gate with his 5 in the third. Injuries - rats. I hope Siembida, Connelly and Fournier are OK. They are all important in their own ways. Keep it up Sioux. Now let's play the high-energy game against MInny.

I think UND is at the point where Bayda, Skarperud and someone can compete with any other first line in the league, save perhaps Hartigan, Dicasmirro and someone. But I think the key to success down the stretch is to get Spiewak, Notermann and Lundbohm going. They were together down the stretch last year and were very dangerous. I like them back together now and they had four? points between them last night. Then you can throw out some exciting talent and energy for the third and fourth lines and I like it.

OK, let's go Sioux, have a good weekend. One nice thing about playing out East is that I can get to bed a little earlier. The CC games ended 11:00 or 11:30, then you have a little while to check the message boards to get some feedback, and it's after midnight. And you college students keep your thoughts to yourselves about my bedtime. Another nice thing... I obtained a ticket to the Saturday Sioux-Gopher game. What I'd like to see this weekend (not predicting, just wishing): 4-2, 7-3 sweep, no suspensions, no injuries.

When I think of this weekend from MTU's perspective, you know they are absolutely licking their chops to get a piece of this "weak" Sioux team. I hope the Sioux realize this going in and play with passion. When they do, they have really been able to rattle some good teams. It's time to earn points in the conference standings. I'd like to see the Josh/Jake show again this weekend in goal; I'm not sure which night for who, though. As usual, any input from the coach's show would be appreciated.

Thanks, Scott, for the consideration. Your thoughts on the event's proximity are mine as well.

For any Metro-area fans looking to take in SSM's game with Benilde, here is what I have found: According to the SSM site, the game is Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 7:15 p.m. A receptionist I spoke to at Benilde said they play their home games at the St. Louis Park Ice Arena. She gave me these directions: Coming from the North on Hwy 100, take the 36th (St./Ave?) exit. Go East on 36th, back over Hwy 100, and through two lights. The rink is on the right-hand side just after the second light. She was not a good direction-giver so I think there may be a little searching required, but this should get you in the area. I have a commitment that evening (and I never have commitments) but I'm going to try to get over there if I can.

Scott, I may have interest. Please e-mail me at kellyjr@wellsfargo.com with info (number of tickets) and your e-mail address. I will do a little checking and get back to you. Thanks.

I have read somewhere that Lee Marvin of Lincoln will come to UND next year. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, if it's a good thing? He's not listed in Heisenberg's USHL section, so I don't know if he's just coming in as a legacy or if he's considered a "real" recruit. If it's the former, I'm OK with that. Nurturing the program's history is valuable, with benefits you sometimes don't see for years. At the Lincoln site, he is listed as 6-1, 195, DOB 6-25-81. In 32 games, he's got 2-7-9 and 87 PIMs, which leads the team. Sioux hockey: You don't want to go into the corner with our defensemen.

Well, I've got to say that I find myself in agreement with you guys. Dropping two more is disappointing. But the real problem is not coming away from CC empty-handed, it was not taking care of UAA. It sounds to me like the Sioux came to play the last three games. In fact, the Friday UAA game sounds like the only one where the team really laid an egg since before Christmas. If Blais says the guys played hard but we just didn't get any points to show for it, I can handle that. The hockey gods are not smiling on the Sioux right now. If they get good goaltending, they can't score. When they're filling it up, they get average goaltending. Josh lost consecutive 2-1 games; that's gotta hurt for a goalie. And all the goalposts! But I think this year might be payback for last year. At the start of last year, I really didn't think the Sioux would be playing in OT in the national title game. Last year had more than a bit of magic attached to it, and I think this year we're suffering from an abnormally low amount of good fortune. These glimpses of dominance are encouraging though, and I am still expecting to ruin someone's season this year. So that'll be nice.

At www.gazette.com, Blais apparently said Siembida goes Friday, and Saturday will be either Brandt or Kollar. Without getting into a debate about whether he should or not, I had wondered if Blais might play Andy this series, as his best weekend of the year was against CC.

Great job, Heidisioux. Thanks for the hard work. I have a good friend at word named Heidi, but she's *gasp* a big Gopher fan. Let's just say it's been a good five years.

As usual, any insight from this week's coach's show would be much appreciated. Thanks.

On that note, SSM has updated its stats page. It currently shows (GP, G, A, Points) Parise 40 53-71-124 Murray 40 41-58-99 Hirsch 40 41-51-92 Whether it translates to the next level only time will tell, but those guys sure do dominate the Midgets.

Sic, I thought that too. I think either Palmiscno or Leinweber is number 19.