jk

Only four players in all of the USHL have more than 101 PIMs. Boll leads with 191. Notably, one of the other three is also a Lincoln Star.

That is the best table ever. Really fabulous. It looks like you put a ton of work into it. (You must not be married.)

Thanks, PCM, for this extra bonus coverage from GF. I'm sure Hakstol's comments will very shortly be dissected, and he will be ripped for taking the wrong tone about one thing or another, but it's hard to imagine a "right" thing to say now. They asked the guys to play hard, smart, aggressive hockey, and they basically did. I've been thinking of UND's postseason prospects, and it looks like recent results have basically changed the focus from the windshield to the rearview mirror. (Thankfully Hakstol is still looking at moving up, even though I'm not.) Ahead in the standings, CC, MN and Wisconsin show no signs of slowing down. Denver had the little hiccup against Tech, but they just have so many more games to play (and they are very good) that they will probably end up far ahead of UND. Instead of hoping to catch the top four teams, I'm now looking for UND to hold onto fifth. I will be changing my normal weekend cheering interest from hoping for the lower teams to steal points from the upper guys, to sadly pulling for UAA, SCSU, MSUM and UMD to lose. UND is following in the steps of a few recent teams. - Two years ago, Denver was on the NCAA bubble with a good but flawed team, and they were eliminated from NCAA tournament contention when they lost in the first round of the WCHA playoffs to UND in the REA. - Last year, CC was on the bubble. They won the first-round series, but were upset by UAA in the play-in game at the Final Five and just missed the NCAA tournament. - Last year, Denver was on the bubble. Despite losing in the first round of the WCHA tournament, they snuck into the NCAA tournament and did well. UND is probably looking at a very difficult first-round series, hopefully at REA. If they were to win, they would then be facing another difficult opponent in the play-in game. UND could move off of the bubble and be a certain tournament qualifier with a strong finish, but that just seems unlikely given the remaining schedule and recent results. The remaining schedule is: Off BSU Denver - very tough team; better than a split seems unlikely Off at UAA - split with them at REA; they have taken points from most teams Wisconsin - see Denver; they just win at SCSU - road sweep seems unlikely. My perspective is a little depressing, but at this point I think it's realistic until the team starts scoring and winning.

I can't find a game summary anywhere, but the BCHL all-star game ended with an 11-8 final score. Duncan, Watkins and Kozek were all scheduled to play. From a message board post (and we know how accurate those are), Watkins apparently won the "fastest skater" contest in the skills competition. Speed!

It's not over till it's over, but today's GFH has a pretty definitive account of Toews' commitment: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10631832.htm Tom Ward, head coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School in Faribault, Minn., where Toews plays, confirmed that Toews had chosen UND. "It all went down last night (Tuesday)," Ward said. "The family called the Tri-City Americans (of the Western Hockey League), and then Jonathan called Coach Hakstol."

About Fylling, he hasn't played much in that role this year, but last year he spent some time on a checking line with McMahon and Prpich. They were together in the REA series against MN when they were so effective in shutting Vanek's line down. It's really not that surprising that the coaches would consider him effective in that role. Sorry to rain on the parade-raining. Commence the ripping.

airmail, I agree. Every week, I think it's going to happen (the pulling their heads out). I think it a little less this week, considering how great CC looked. But then again, I was at the CC-UND game earlier this year where it was the "men against the boys" and the Sioux were the men, really controlling the game. PCM, Your examples actually highlight the point that you never know how a team will come together, and considering players departed and returning isn't a very good predictor of future success. A few years ago, CC was the preseason pick, and they fell on their face. Then Denver had the big year, and returned most everyone, and the following team just never came together (I believe their season ended in REA in the WCHA playoffs). UMD (and UND) this year brought back a ton of guys, and they just haven't played to the level expected. Then you have examples in the other direction, as you cited: teams that lost many important players, and skipped rebuilding. I would never have predicted that either the 2000 or 2001 Sioux would be anywhere near the national title game.

Had Parise and Bochenski returned, I would agree that Hakstol would have inherited a stacked team. But when you subtract the two of them, plus Lundblom, you take three of the five best forwards, two of them Hobey finalists, off last year's team. It's hard to predict how players will step up and fill a void like that in the scoring lines. There are some special offensive players on this team, but they are mostly freshmen and sophomores. That said, I agree that Hakstol has inherited a better team than Blais did, and I expected, and still expect, more from this team. Blais might have been in a better position with the fans, though, arriving on the heels of three losing seasons. Hakstol inherited the defending league champion, and all the expectations that come with that.

I'm not being a Parise apologist by recognizing his solid play. He is having a very solid season in the nets and deserves better than the potshots he's taking. He hasn't been perfect but he has made some big saves this year and stolen some points practically by himself. The Hakstol stuff is way too early also. Mike Tice? Pulease.

FWIW, I heard that during an intermission during the Canisius series Hakstol blistered the paint off the walls on this very topic. -- paraphrased: I don't care about all that other stuff, I want the puck in the net. I don't know what the problem is either, but I wouldn't assume that because Hakstol is measured with the media that he is also that way privately.

At least twice this year, but they were a long time ago. I remember because I noted at the time that we outgoaltended the opposition. Sat 10/16/2004 W 2 @ Minnesota State 1 Fri 10/22/2004 W 4 Minnesota 2

Accepting reality hasn't always been one of my strengths, but I can't escape the conclusion that we have a pretty good picture of this Sioux team, and it's a little short of the one I expected (not a lot, but at least a little). Sometimes you can get fooled by how things "feel." They played well, etc., which suggests that they are truly an elite team. But the facts are these: Overall 14-8-2 (71 GF, 57 GA) WCHA 10-7-1 (49 GF, 43 GA) That's exactly two-thirds of the regular season done. In addition, the last three WCHA series are these: Fri 12/03/2004 W 4 Alaska-Anchorage 2 Sat 12/04/2004 L 1 Alaska-Anchorage 2 Fri 12/10/2004 W 5 @ Minnesota-Duluth 1 Sat 12/11/2004 L 3 @ Minnesota-Duluth 4 Fri 01/07/2005 W 3 Minnesota State 2 Sat 01/08/2005 L 3 Minnesota State 4 UND appears to be in the "middle" group of teams that includes the three opponents listed above, and the results spanning the last month don't make a convincing argument that UND is superior to them. Before the season, I expected the team to be on a par with CC and UMD near the top of the league. I was wrong (a lot) on Denver and MN, and on UND and UMD. For this weekend, I need to consider what I would think if UAA, UMD or MSUM were traveling to CC for a series. I would think that those pretty scrappy teams would have a chance to squeak points out of the weekend, especially with CC on a bit of an emotional hangover after beating MN, but that a CC sweep should probably be expected. Since UND seems to be on a par with the huddled masses in the middle of the league, then that is my rational expectation for them this weekend as well. For the postseason, I have held for some time that UND has the ingredients to go on a postseason run: goaltending, defense, size, skill, some speed. But the first ingredient needed to play well in the postseason is to qualify for it. There are plenty of things left to play out, but right now UND is 12th in the PWR, in about a 13-team field (after autobids). If they slide into the end of the year at .500 or so, they could very well slip out of the field. I won't be surprised at all if UND puts it together and finishes strongly. But so far the evidence doesn't point to that happening.

There are going to be a lot of positive memories from this era of Sioux hockey, but one of the frustrating aspects has been the penchant for giving up game-losing goals in the final seconds of a tie game. It's happened a lot in the last four years, and I can't remember too many going the other way. These are NOT tying goals with the extra-attacker, just defensive lapses at the end of a game. 2-9-02 Waibel 19:50 Final 3-4 MN 3-1-02 Doell 4:51 (OT) Final 3-4 DU 12-15-03 MacKenzie 19:58 Final 1-2 DU 12-11-04 Schwabe 19:28 Final 3-4 UMD 1-8-05 Backes 19:56 Final 3-4 MSUM That doesn't count several similar goals given up in the last two minutes -- Leopold in MN, Novak for UAA at REA, Iannazzo for SCSU a couple of months ago, the DU kid about 10 months ago (ouch). It's gotta be gut-wrenching for the team, because it sure is tough on the fans.

A single mistake by a goaltender and it's "get a rope." Many times, the correct play for a goalie is not to stay in the net. He is in the best position to reach the puck and play it properly to safety. Of course it's not always such a black-and-white situation, so judgement is usually necessary, and sometimes the goalie makes a mistake. In this case, Parise misplayed it, and it cost a goal. I know there have been close calls in the past, but is this the first time his wandering has actually cost a goal? I wonder how many goals he has prevented by playing the puck to safety, preventing an opportunity from even getting started. By the way, Karl Goehring misplayed a puck and it was 1-0 Boston College in April. You count on them to make the right play and they usually do ... but sometimes not. I think Parise stopped Backes on a SH breakaway last night, which qualifies as one of the "some he shouldn't" in the phrase: "the goalie needs to stop all the shots he should, and some he shouldn't." I'm not happy about things either, but I'd like to know who let Backes go the net alone with five seconds left. That's the bigger mistake to me. I'd like to see Phil and Parise both continue to do well. Even with last night, goaltending is not a problem or weakness with this team. Failing to make territorial possession and scoring chances translate to the scoreboard is the big problem.

sprig, I agree with all of that, but I would add the names Patrick Eaves, Wiesnewski (badly spelled probably) and Carle to the list. It was a spectacular class for the USA, and the following class wasn't as good (sorry to state the obvious).

The note on Fast is interesting to me because, as big as the incoming recruiting class is, I think it is still short one forward and one defenseman. Up front, UND loses five players to graduation (McMahon, Massen, Canady, Fylling, Genoway), and I feel like they have been one forward short already this year. In addition, there is always risk for some of the higher-profile guys to leave early. With five scheduled to come in (Duncan, Kozek, Watkins, Miller and Toews), I expect to see another commitment. Also, it is possible that Oshie and Vandevelde are viewed as early-departure insurance, able to come a year early if the roster is short. On defense, UND loses four players, three to graduation (Schneider, Jones and Fuher) and one to an almost certain early departure (Greene). Again, I feel like this year's roster has been borderline short one defenseman, with six and a half plus a rover currently on the roster (The "half" is Bina (height shot) and the rover is Marvin). With three defensemen committed for the fall, at least one more will probably be added. With Spirko and Prpich among the Sioux's recent Spring recruits, I'm comfortable with the coaches' ability to round up a few gems for the Spring signing period.

Ryan Duncan had the big, fat 3-2-5 game last night in a 6-2 win. This moves him to third in overall BCHL scoring, and first in points per game. His teammate Evan Barlow, a Cornell recruit, had a four-point night and has been on fire lately, moving up into the top ten in points per game. Both Kozek and Watkins have slowed down lately in the scoring department. Toews' Team Western won the U-17 tournament last night, with Toews scoring 2 goals (one into an empty net) in a 3-1 win.

Nice to hear TH call a game again.

I was wondering if that was noticed as much as the succesful rushes were against Sweden. It was especially frustrating to having PP possessions end that way. That said, can you imagine the terror that kid will be on the big ice at Mariucci. He's so fast that the defense will have to give him a cushion so they don't get beat wide, giving him space to operate. To summarize, I don't think he will be the complete player Crosby will; I think his game has limitations right now (but that is totally understandable since he is so young); and he will be way too much for his college opponents to handle. Also I think his draft status just got moved up to top 10, maybe top 5.

SSM just redid their website, and I haven't taken the time to find the stats page. However, Toews is playing in the Under-17 tournament in Lethbridge this week. Without going back to check for sure, I think he had 1 goal in the first game, 2 goals in the second, and was 1-2-3 in the third. He is also Team West's captain. Today, Toews and Team West will play his SSM linemate and top prospect Kyle Okposo and Team USA. Some MN fans are very high on Okposo and the buzz is that he is leaning towards MN.

Kessel is indeed something else. He's bigger than I expected, and he seemed to really improve from the first game to the second (the opponent may have had something to do with that). I personally thought Lee looked very, very tentative out there. It's understandable, but it made him pretty ineffective. Hopefully he can get a little more comfortable with more ice time, then we can see what he can do. Regardless of how much ice time he sees, I'm guessing HS hockey might be moving in slow motion for him when he gets back. I haven't liked Likens, but Suter has suited me. Actually Suter, Hagemo and Borer have seemed the most steady to me, with the other defensemen seeming to struggle. I've only seen it on TV, so I don't necessarliy have the right perspective. (And even if I were there, I wouldn't neceesarily have the right opinion.) But that's how I have seen it.

Article on the Czech experience in Warroad: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10472203.htm Sorry, not sure of the result though.

Fylling played against BC in the 2001 national championship game. I agree with your sentiment however.

A few happenings: Moorhead beat White Bear Lake 3-2. Sioux legacy Becker with 1-2-3. Warroad beat #2 Benilde 6-1. Not sure of the scoring but wouldn't be surprised if Oshie figured in it. Brad Miller with a goal for Green Bay in the USHL.

Checking the Vernon game in the BCHL and came across these message board posts at the start of the game. Canadian hockey I guess. ------------------------- Right off the starting faceoff Tyler Loney & Troy Cherwinski go at for the 2nd time in 2 games. ------------------------- Darcy Prince & Wade Davison go at it, with Prince getting the decision. Only 4 seconds into the game, already 2 fights. ------------------------- Steven Little & Korey Gannon go at it, with Little getting the decision. Only 5 seconds into the game with 3 straight fights. ------------------------ ...At that rate the game could end up taking a while.