jk

It sounds like you're talking about the Parise and Frattin teams. 2004, a great team. It felt like they were a little tight, although they were still miles better than Denver that day. 2011, another great team, and another game where it looked like the pressure got to them. They still out-possessed and out-chanced Michigan, but it didn't feel like we saw their best. On the other hand, 2005, shorthanded and beaten up, they appeared to welcome adversity and played brilliantly in the Frozen Four, with an unfortunate result. 2014 was another underdog year where they played a very nice last game, and didn't quite get the result they deserved. Unfortunately, this looks like a year where they have again played a great season, with high expectations to follow, which raises the risk of tightening up. I guess we will see how it goes.

After another last night, he's a genuine Cy Young candidate with his 26-10 record. Burying the puck when there's an opening should be easy, but a lot of guys miss. I think UND has only had two guys in the last ten years reach 30 goals, Duncan and Frattin, so I'll welcome goal scorers. As an aside, those two guys also acted like they'd done it before when they scored ... no wild celebrations.

While his numbers suffer in comparison to most on the list, he's in pretty good company if those are the comparables.

This is a "split" league this year. Unless one of the teams is CC or WMU (sometimes), you can usually count on each team leaving with three points. As sick as I am of losing to SC, I have to expect another split.

Age-wise, Keaton Thompson, but I get that he wasn't in high school.

I just watched the highlights, and watched all of Friday night's game, and I think WMU is a good, solid team that played well enough to earn points this weekend. In the future, if people ask when a Sioux goalie has ever stolen a game, the road trips to WMU the last two years are a good answer.

I agree, but it's also important to realize some guys are being brought in to fill specific roles, not necessarily to score. Pattyn and Gaarder will be terribly missed next year, and I hope some of the new guys bring some heart and soul with them, even if they don't score a ton. In addition, while I don't want to go back to the bruiser days, a little beef doesn't seem like a terrible idea after watching WMU push the Sioux around a bit this weekend.

jjensen, Thanks for everything. It's a lot of work.

I think UNO's captain didn't make the trip (mono?), which might be a killer for a super-young team.

Signing at your peak makes sense when you are stepping into big money -- that is, into NHL money, not AHL money. While AHL money is good money to most of us, it so pales to NHL pay as to not even be worth considering in the decision. The goal should be to choose the path most likely to result in an NHL career. Given his age and size, Caggiula's a few years from the NHL, so the question is: where are those years best spend in trying to get to the NHL? If it's the AHL, so be it. But that's a tough league full of grown men chasing the same dream. A year of getting stronger might not be a bad idea. I've been on record this year thinking both he and Stecher have a shot at being two of the rare small guys who might actually make it in the NHL. I hope they do, after getting draped in some green and white glory.

I'd hate to play them in the playoffs because the injury risk would be through the roof.

How are you all able to climb back on the bandwagon after breaking ankles jumping off? Quite a feat.

I think WMU is built to win a playoff series. Wear them down the first few games, then take over down the stretch. I felt Hak built his teams that way for a while. It would have worked like a charm, too, if they actually played seven-game series. In fact, the Spartans owe Hak at least a little for that title game win over BC, as the Sioux softened BC up (and got sent to the box for it), and MSU continued the tight checking game (but managed to avoid the box).

We appear to be in a small group on this one, and I hope we're wrong.

MacWilliam was a great heart and soul leader at UND. Hope he gets a chance to shine.

Surprised Stecher isn't making more appearances. There are bigger guys, faster guys, older guys, but if we're choosing teams I know which defenseman I'm picking first. Size is a huge NHL issue, I understand, but he seems to have "it", the hockey sense that has him in the right place ahead of time.

Nice list. I might move Thompson up (still young and a great skater) and I think Ausmus is even higher than that (best NHL body on the team).

Any guesses on who the ten Sioux players on the list are, and in what order? I pretty sure Caggiula is there, at #10 on the UND list. Zane and the first rounders for sure.

I think there'll be less room this weekend than most, with goals more likely to result from point shots through traffic and rebounds.

Maybe the immediate post-mono Olsen is not the same as the one we grew accustomed to.

Phantom calls and missed slashes happen every game and are not really worth mentioning. #4, a replay review where the puck is without question well over the line and play has not been stopped ... well, that's as bad as I've seen. It is no sin they didn't see it live. The guy was in perfect position but his view was obscured. Video review gives them the chance to correct an honest error, and I can't see the point of even having a review if this is the outcome.

I can't pile on Zane so quickly. He also stopped a lot of shots (35?) during the game. I'm sure he wants that last one back, but things happen and you hope the team picks him up.

Funny thing is ... it's entirely possible, especially with a goalie capable of getting hot.

I don't necessarily mean in Fargo. Could be Boston, if both survived regional tests.

Looks like the Sioux and Gophers might be back on that NCAA Tournament collision course.