jk

Also, Chicago pushed Toews hard to sign after the summer camp between his frosh and soph seasons. That Toews came back didn't reflect so much Chicago's view of UND as it did Toews' view. Similarly, St. Louis wanted Oshie badly a year before he left. In those cases anyway, the extra year UND got wasn't because the NHL teams wanted another year of UND development, it was because the players themselves wanted to return, reflecting a pretty sound internal culture in the program.

Despite the coach's opinion, which is almost certainly right, I'm stubbornly sticking to my belief they were out of gas against Yale. They lost races to the puck, then they lost battles for them when they got there. The six games in nine days showed as they hung on for dear life against SCSU at the X, and I don't think they had recovered yet. I agree the WCHA should try to minimize the number of games in those last few weeks, but of course not sure how.

The logjam at D will very quickly resolve itself and be wide open in a few years. After next year Genoway, Marto and LaPoint will be gone, Blood and Mac will be flight risks in the next few years, and who knows what the timetable will be for Forbort and Simpson. If they really stand out or their NHL teams want them badly, they could be short-timers.

They were just plain out of gas. It was evident in the number of 50/50 pucks they lost to Yale, and in fact to SCSU in the last half of that game. No one's fault really. They played their guts out to go from down 0-2 to SC to up 4-2, and I think that was it. The tank was empty and they couldn't get it more than half full over the week.

You and your dam facts.

They'd have to buy the rights to the name "Goons." Goon, you could be in for a major payday!

I hope the team doesn't see those clips because it would be easy to get overconfident. Even so, appearances can be deceiving. My concerns are: Despite those appearances, Yale can play. They were 2-0 against Cornell, and I respect Cornell. They also outshot Wisconsin 42-22, which is hard for me to fathom. I'm having trouble imagining anyone outshooting this Wisconsin team that badly. They're rested. I should check facts before posting them, but didn't three of last year's final four teams have the weekend preceding the regionals off? It could be that they have tons of jump and by the third the Sioux are still feeling the six-game burst they just experienced. Afterward, it may seem obvious that their legs would be shot. My biggest concern: The Sioux spend too much time in the box for hitting hard. A few years ago the Sioux tried to check BC into submission, went to the box and had to dial it back. Two nights later, Michigan State did the same thing, they let them play, and by the end BC showed the effects of being hit all game long. If the Sioux are allowed to check Yale as they checked St. Cloud for the first 30 minutes last Saturday, I think Yale will go quietly. If they get sent to the box and Yale pops in a few PP goals, not only will they be ahead on the scoreboard but the Sioux will be forced to pull back the physical play. I know there are answers to all these concerns, but these are at the front of my mind.

While they haven't won a national title yet, UND's coaching staff has once again demonstrated their excellence. This has been perhaps their best coaching job, given the obstacles facing the team. You could say that with the built-in advantages of coaching at UND, they should contend nationally every year, and I would agree. [The arena is second-to-none, player development (for the pros) is at least on par with Michigan, Wisconsin, BC, MN and Denver, and the geographic placement near both MN and the Canadian prairies is excellent.] However, other schools have similar, though different, advantages. They may not have the arena, but other schools can offer better climates (unless you're a polar bear), bigger cities (if you're into that) and schools with better academic reputations (though I think you get out of college what you put into it). Of those other college hockey "haves," guess who's missed the NCAA tourney twice in the last five years: Denver... Wisconsin ... and MN. Michigan almost missed this year, but got it done. As simple as it is to expect really good teams every year, it's not so easy to actually do it. So, whatever happens the rest of the way, congratulations on another great season, and consistently putting a very good team on the ice in the Spring.

MN played better tonight, but the Sioux consistently had the better of the play throughout the game and will win most games when they do that. MN's two third-period goals were the kind of shot the Sioux took 20 of tonight, but MN's just found their way into the net while UND's did not. I'm not thrilled with the extra game because they start to add up, with fatigue becoming an issue heading into the NCAAs.

Dave, To me the single biggest reason the Sioux defense has been so solid this year is Mac and Gleason being able to step in and be effective after a very short transition period. Neither are perfect, but they are far ahead of most freshmen defensemen. I also think the composure in the defensive zone - making smart D-to-D passes rather than wildly sending it up or around the wall - has been the best I've seen in years. I think this is the best team defense I've seen out of a Sioux team since the killers went to the NCAA title game.

I think his point is that Olsen has better offensive skills, but that would only get him up to "defensive Dman" in the NHL, and Mac needs better puck skills to reach the NHL, even as a defensive Dman. That's a fair point, and I'm still pretty darn pleased with Mac's play as a freshman defenseman.

I shouldn't still need to be cured of it, but having 7th rounder MacWilliam playing first-pair defense for UND while 1st rounder Olsen sat in the stands a couple weeks ago was another reminder of the danger of prospect hype. I won't be counting on Forbort, Simpson or Ebert to be studs until they get here and actually play like them. p.s. AZ, that Greene pic is one heck of a sports photo. The angle of his right arm makes me think of Bednarik, although his was after the hit while this is in it.

It's a pairwise trap. Sweep and you tread water, get swept and you tumble down to the bubble.

LGS, let's enjoy it tonight and hope this can jump start them.

I wouldn't be surprised to see it wait til next year. Get the points now.

Skeeter Moore, and that was because of a slew-foot on Kidd.

Oddly I don't feel as bad after Saturday as I did after Friday. At least the better team won Saturday. The Sioux just got beat by a good team; it's going to happen sometimes. I find games like Friday where the Sioux are clearly the better team and lose extremely frustrating, much like Friday at Cornell and Friday at MN with the tie. What now? They need to find something that will generate a few sweeps against good teams. It's hard to see, but it could happen. To be honest, SCSU, UMD and CC are looking ahead and starting to think sweep themselves. I believe the guys know what it means to play for UND a lot more than we do, so I'll hope they can pull it together.

Thanks to the Cornell posters for posting this week and post-game; I wish more people did. Good luck the rest of the way.

I don't think 1-0 is going to hold up tonight. Got a feeling there will be goals in the third.

Sandelin finally gets a decent team again and now he gets the most out of his guys. UMD was lost in the woods for years between Junior and last year, and last year's team got every bounce possible in March to get as far as they did. Separately, I agree with AZ about Eidsness. He could be better but he's not an evil entity sent to punish UND hockey.

Among the many things Hak does well is put together a great schedule. Mix of powers and up-and-comers, home and road. Traveling to other powers is great for the sport, for Sioux fans scattered across the country, for team-building and for spreading the UND name.

There are no half years. This is his junior year. Absent an injury, if you play at all in a season you have used up a year of eligibility.

In Saskatoon that's probably a penalty shot. I was a bit embarrassed for our version of the sport after watching the WJC. Although the junior teams are more talented, the main difference is the constant use of the stick here. I'm guessing some guys could look pretty creative if they were allowed to play. Frattin looked great on the VV-Gregoire line and I hope they stick.

Disagree. I think they might stumble this weekend (because MSUM is old and has done well against good teams this year), and even so I think they'll get home ice. But we'll see.

He kept the Sioux from getting blown out last year after the loafer skate.