jk

Panzer and Slipec seem far from ready, based on their current lack of production (I have not seen them play). So at forward next year, they could be in a similar situation next summer to their dilemma on D last summer, unless they can find some uncommitted late bloomers. They could bring in guys who aren't ready, tap the portal, or allow fifth years to return. The lesser of evils I guess.

Regarding the fifth year guys, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. By taking them back, they were choosing the guys they felt gave them the best chance to win. It was either those guys or freshmen they didn't feel were ready. Obviously the team is struggling, so it couldn't look much worse, but how would it look with freshmen that either can't make the lineup or are overwhelmed when they do? It's also worth noting the two returners are 4th and 6th in team scoring. I think the situation on defense is the result of their older committed guys just flatlining developmentally. Basically they turned out to be the wrong guys. I don't think the plan two years ago was to forego freshmen for the portal, but when you reach last summer and commits aren't ready, you gotta do what you can, which in this case is the portal. Commiting the wrong guys is entirely on the coaches, but that doesn't mean they were wrong last summer in tapping the portal.

Thanks for the update, bale31. Good luck.

22 PWR on December 3 is not out of it. Now if you're projecting that this play will continue all year, then I understand where you're coming from. I've seen enough over the years to believe they can play better, but I recognize they need to be a lot better.

Mankato swept at home for the first time in seven years, despite outshooting Ferris 73-26 on the weekend. Having trouble moving on from McKay.

The funny thing is he actually made some huge saves, and I don't think he let in any softies. I think he's just too small. My kingdom for a large goalie.

Disagree. It's hockey, and weird things happen all the time. Who cares if you lose by more?

Before the ENG, SC had 3 goals on 4 shots In the third.

Those are the kinds of passes that killed the second DU game. The team has played well tonight so far overall, but with how the season has gone, fairly nervous about third. Especially since the marbles need to be evened out with a few SC PPs.

McLaughlin with the rookie giveaway earlier, but you can tell he's going to be really dynamic. He's gotten more explosive since the season started.

This might be Costantini's most active game this year. Would be good to get him going.

He didn't just stand on his head, he did all the break dancing moves. Flying all over the blue paint. But it was not sustainable, finding yourself too often flat on your back ten feet from the crease.

I just completely disagree that the season is over, which I recognize places me in a small group. I have thought about a comparison to 2001-02 myself though. It turned out that Andy Kollar was not ready to be a starting goaltender, and Blais brought in Sembieda as a hail Mary. Unfortunately, that pass fell incomplete, as he did not stabilize the position. That's the main issue with this team. Yes, they make mistakes, blow their own chances and give up good ones, but every team does every game. You just can't have an 0.870 save percentage and expect to be good. Super predictable message board response to the xG data. Of course wins are what ultimately matter, but the advanced stats aren't meaningless. They give an indication of how the team is actually playing. Given equal goaltending and an assumption that bounces eventually even out, it tells you this team is not playing poorly. Back to 2002, this team is more talented and experienced and is playing better than that team did. It had four freshmen D who would go on to be great and play in a national title game, but their first year was full of growing pains. The only hope here is that DeRidder finds his form. If he becomes a 0.920 guy, this team can play with and beat anyone

Pretty much the best 10 minutes of the season.

Blake looks the part to me. Needs to get stronger on the puck, but he's one of the slipperiest, most deceptive guys I've seen in a long time. And it sounds like Perron is cut from the same cloth.

I don't think it was a second period last night thing. I think they bottomed out against Denver and have been slowly improving since. Last year they struggled in the first half, getting dominated Friday and scrounging out miraculous close wins Saturday. Driscoll struggled. In the second half, Driscoll found his game and they went on their run. They're getting close to going on a run now, but it won't happen without better goaltending. I still think DeRidder is the most likely to find that level of play.

So points will be put up by someone when they're on the ice.

I'd personally like to see DeRidder back soon. I suspect he will be the guy at the end of the year. But I may be wrong.

I had thought Slipec was potentially a big timer. Surprised at his slow start.

Yeah, just messing around.

It's the old, I can get all kinds of ice time here. I could step into the lineup tonight.

Schlossman has it now.

Worth noting the other three teams in the frozen four last year were coached by old guys.

Anything in particular here?

It is just an established fact that a rested team has a huge advantage over a team on the back end of a back-to-back. Thanks to UMD's unearned bye the previous day, they were fresher. That's not coaching, that's incredible good fortune.