Sioux vs. Seawolves

[LeftyZL]

Call me an (insert name here), but I was just looking at the updated comparisons and as of right now we're 6th with UNH and CC ahead of us. And looking at the individual comparisons, it's very possible for us to leap frog both of those with a little help and more wins.

Without looking at remaining schedules, we trail UNH by 3-2 in the comparisons, but I think we can flip the TUC comparison relatively easily with the teams we play and as long as we keep winning. As for CC, we trail them 4-1 in the comparisons. But, by my math, if they lose or tie vs. MTU tomorrow night we'll have gained that TUC point back by % points. Now, all we'd have to do is flip the RPI% comparison in our favor. A little slip by CC here, a few wins by UND there, and we have a #1 seed locked up. Let's keep rooting for Mankato, Michigan St., etc., to keep on winning tomorrow. We gotta keep them TUC's!

My rambling will stop now. Continue on.

[MafiaMan]

Sadly not MafiaMan. Girls are in the musical Chicago and I am going to the Martina McBride "Wake Up Laughing" show tomorrow.

The only one who is going to be waking up laughing is my lady friend, if I am lucky enough to even attempt a power play of my own . . . .

Yikes. If you and the girls are bored, we're playin' some broomball at McMurray: 3:30, 5:10, and 7:40 pm. Winter Carnival 2008...it's fan-tastic.

[mikejm]

That was a battle! UAA is a heckuva lot better team than their record would seem to indicate. They battled and battled, right to the bitter end. I'll give coach Shyiak props for having his team prepared and for pulling his goalie with 4 minutes left in the third.

Speaking of the goalie, Christianson played a great game for his first collegiate start. Tough kid, too. One of his "saves" in the second was a shot right off his mask that actually chipped the damn thing! A big ole piece of his helmet went flying out into the crease and he swept it to his left where it lay for awhile. Kid's got rabbit ears though; the folks in my section were riding him pretty hard and I actually caught him peaking our way a couple times! The three goals he gave up are going in against almost any goaltender in the league: Kozek and Trupp's shots were incredible and Patrick Roy ain't making the save on Oshie either after his own defenseman took him out!

On our side, JPL got some help from the pipes: I counted two crossbars and a post. And he was cleanly beaten on all three shots. I think he's missing his angles a little too often.

I hate to say this, but I saw Robbie Bina struggling on a few occasions out there. He got caught at least twice pinching when he had no business doing so, and he left the point un-manned on the power play when there was no reason for him to carry the puck so deeply into the zone. As well as he's played I suppose he deserves an "off" night, which really isn't a fair assessment.

Genoway's sprawling poke check saved his bacon. That was a 2-1/2 or 3 on 1 and somehow Chay played about 6'7" and broke the rush up, although it was really close to a very bad situation. Genoway was inside the dots before he recovered.

I like the lines as Hakstol has them now; Kozek seems to have found himself skating with TJ and Duncan. Andrew's goal was a helluva shot. Trupp's was in virtually the same place so I'm sure they were all trying to go top shelf on Christianson.

As I said above, Anchorage is a tough team and the Sioux went right after them in the corners and on the endboards. I was a little concerned when Radke took his second penalty in the 2nd, thinking he might be on the road to perdition, but he stayed out of trouble the rest of the way. Finley has really started to assert himself physically. He took two UAA guys out of the crease simultaneously in the 3rd! Just stood them both up and pushed them both out of the way.

And TJ... man, he has gotten so strong. Like someone else noted, that kid's arms are going to be black and blue Saturday morning from all the slashes he took. Every time it looked like TJ was tied up or run into the corner or otherwise knocked off the puck, he seemed to pop out of the scrum, still with the puck and still motoring toward the crease. I don't think graceful is a word that would come to mind when watching TJ with the puck, but his play is a thing of beauty. We are lucky to be able to watch him.

I think this was a good win for the team because they had to work very hard for it. It would've been nice to see the Sioux light Christianson up for 7 or 8 goals, but this kind of win will prove to be very valuable as the calendar pages continue to fall off.

[Sioux-cia]

Hey Mike, I saw you doing the 'jersey pop' to someone to our right. What was that all about?

[brianvf]

On our side, JPL got some help from the pipes: I counted two crossbars and a post. And he was cleanly beaten on all three shots. I think he's missing his angles a little too often.

Christianson got a bit of help as well. Both Oshie and Genoway clanked shots off the pipe too.

[JLP157]

Call me an (insert name here), but I was just looking at the updated comparisons and as of right now we're 6th with UNH and CC ahead of us. And looking at the individual comparisons, it's very possible for us to leap frog both of those with a little help and more wins.

Without looking at remaining schedules, we trail UNH by 3-2 in the comparisons, but I think we can flip the TUC comparison relatively easily with the teams we play and as long as we keep winning. As for CC, we trail them 4-1 in the comparisons. But, by my math, if they lose or tie vs. MTU tomorrow night we'll have gained that TUC point back by % points. Now, all we'd have to do is flip the RPI% comparison in our favor. A little slip by CC here, a few wins by UND there, and we have a #1 seed locked up. Let's keep rooting for Mankato, Michigan St., etc., to keep on winning tomorrow. We gotta keep them TUC's!

My rambling will stop now. Continue on.

That's all and good, but.... If we get a #1 seed, and CC slips to a #2 seed.... we still play them on their home ice..... and although I feel we will be the better team, I can't help but have flashbacks to '98(?) against Michigan....

Now if we are a #1 and CC is as well, we will go elsewhere and only have to meet them on neutral ice at "The Can" in the frozen Four. Let's knock off some others first if possible....

But you know that the NC$$ will do their best to make sure not too many WCHA teams are in the show..

[mikeypat15]

Don't know if it was mentioned, and too tired to look, but was tipped off by an extremely reliable source that Mr. J Toews was at the game tonight, and would figure he would be there tomorrow, but not sure. From what I was told though nothing special was being planned with him.

[DAR]

Don't know if it was mentioned, and too tired to look, but was tipped off by an extremely reliable source that Mr. J Toews was at the game tonight, and would figure he would be there tomorrow, but not sure. From what I was told though nothing special was being planned with him.

Yes this is true he was interviewed by Pat S between periods!! Too bad he couldn't have suited up!! I really think Toews may turn out to be the best talent to come through UND to this point. Hell he has been injured and still has a chance at scoring thirty goals this year. Can't wait to see David next year as i think he will be pretty darn good as well. We have three awesome forwards coming in next year with Toews, Cichy and Gregoire. Heck put those three on a line!!!

[mikeypat15]

Yes this is true he was interviewed by Pat S between periods!! Too bad he couldn't have suited up!! I really think Toews may turn out to be the best talent to come through UND to this point. Hell he has been injured and still has a chance at scoring thirty goals this year. Can't wait to see David next year as i think he will be pretty darn good as well. We have three awesome forwards coming in next year with Toews, Cichy and Gregoire. Heck put those three on a line!!!

I was told at one point that he was doing an interview, so I figured I wasn't the only one at this point that knew, I was hoping to get my Toews Blackhawks jersey signed

[GF_siouxfan]

wow, your getting me excited with all that crazy talk!!

might be a little too much "talent" for one line to handle

[yzerman19]

Thought it was a solid all around effort. We struggled a bit early with the trap and the clogged up ice, but we fought through it. AA brought the serious forecheck, and I am proud of our d-men for the way they handled it. A couple times the guys new they were going to get rocked (Jonesy really took one) but they made the plays they had to make. Phil saved the bacon a couple times, and the puck luck definitely went our way...although TJ's full speed shot off the crossbar was a little luck to a rookie goalie.

Watkins' speed is remarkable; on that near break he had, he just used his stride and out ran two defenders. He played his typical solid game. Kozek, what can you say, I am so happy this kid is finally making the Atlanta scouts look smart. He has all the tools. I think skating with Osh and Duncs will make him that much better. I really do think we've found our lines.

Tonight wasn't raw dominance, but we seemed to be in control for most of the game. Only a couple scary moments.

I find the Pairwise odd where we win, NH loses, yet we slip. I guess that's how it works. I am happy about the land cows and about Whiskey. Both wins help our cause.

Second half surge here we come.

Sidenote on JT. He is a great player. He may very well be the best NHLer the Sioux have developed. Both he and Parise are standouts at the next level, which only helps our recruiting.

[yzerman19]

correction, i see that NH won. I was looking at the Northeastern score and thinking NH

[UMDDogz]

I agree it has been going to too long. Maybe Hak and other coaches of the "skilled teams" (i.e. Sioux, CC, Minnesota, Denver/Wisco (some years) should tell the officials and WCHA head office persons that "if you let this crap go on next year... I'm gonna tell my players to deal with it in the quickest and most effective manner possible (i.e. stick to mid or elbow to the chin)" and then actually follow through with it. If the league truly cares about the players, they would sooner start calling the penalty that caused the player to commit the elbow/stick penalty because, in the end, it would both follow the rules AND prevent these players from getting hurt when a player being held responds. Just my $.02.

This post reeks of elitism. The "skilled teams"? News flash...EVERY team hooks and holds...even YOURS. So your solution to the problem is to tell your goons to "get even" by cheap shotting someone just because they're getting grabbed a bit in the corner?

The solution is simple, get the refs to start calling an NHL-style game, no matter how many penalties stack up. The players will adjust. And it won't be just the "unskilled teams" you didn't mention in your post that will be parading to the box either.

I wish players from the "unskilled" ranks you just disrespected read this forum (maybe they do?), cause you just provided some grade AA bulletin board material.

Sorry to stir the pot here...but comments like this that seperate the league into an upper and lower class really get to me. The WCHA is the best league in the country, top-to-bottom.

Your $0.02? Keep the change!

[Oxbow6]

I'll raise and give you 4 cents, Dogz. The game tonight vs. UAA was officiated in it's normal pathetic fashion. Teams with less overall skill and skating talent (which is why some team wins and another loses!!), like tonight, benefit from the constant blind eye to clutching, grabbing, hooking, slashing and obstruction. Multiple times tonight Oshie was absolutely mugged, and I'll throw in VV, Duncan and a couple others if you want. The way the WCHA refs call games today does close the gap between teams top to bottom period. Not elitist comments just facts. I know some teams will come to play on a given night and steal a game they shouldn't, but if games were officiated like the NHL today, teams with better skill and skaters would dominate more often. I do agree the WCHA is the best league top to bottom but it is the officiating more than anything that keeps these games week in and week out more competetive than they should be (in general).

[NorthDakotaHockey]

This post reeks of elitism. The "skilled teams"? News flash...EVERY team hooks and holds...even YOURS. So your solution to the problem is to tell your goons to "get even" by cheap shotting someone just because they're getting grabbed a bit in the corner?

The solution is simple, get the refs to start calling an NHL-style game, no matter how many penalties stack up. The players will adjust. And it won't be just the "unskilled teams" you didn't mention in your post that will be parading to the box either.

I wish players from the "unskilled" ranks you just disrespected read this forum (maybe they do?), cause you just provided some grade AA bulletin board material.

Sorry to stir the pot here...but comments like this that seperate the league into an upper and lower class really get to me. The WCHA is the best league in the country, top-to-bottom.

Your $0.02? Keep the change!

Damned straight. From where I sit, the Sioux do plenty of grabbing, twitch hooking, gentle slashing, and holding while chasing the puck as well. Such things are, perhaps sadly, a part of hockey. If the refs whistled everything, a two-hour game would turn into a three-and-a-half hour game. Alot of people like to ride the refs. All in all, I do not think that they are such a lousy lot, and I really doubt that there is any grand conspiracy running amok out in the league office that is designed to pimp the Sioux.

[Siouxdonyms]

Don't know if it was mentioned, and too tired to look, but was tipped off by an extremely reliable source that Mr. J Toews was at the game tonight, and would figure he would be there tomorrow, but not sure. From what I was told though nothing special was being planned with him.

Jonny said in his interview with Sweeney that he'd be leaving the Forks Sunday afternoon, so I'd assume he'd catch tonight's game as well.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Michigan State beats Michigan, 1-0.

My favorite other game score of the night. Now we don't have to listen to the CCHA blowhards talk about their scoring machines. Quieted by one of the few legitimate goaltenders in their league.

As for the game in Buckyland, anyone else notice that whenever Slappy Fights break out the Gophers are usually involved. Drop the gloves you pansies.

[Upper Deck]

Yes this is true he was interviewed by Pat S between periods!! Too bad he couldn't have suited up!! I really think Toews may turn out to be the best talent to come through UND to this point. Hell he has been injured and still has a chance at scoring thirty goals this year. Can't wait to see David next year as i think he will be pretty darn good as well. We have three awesome forwards coming in next year with Toews, Cichy and Gregoire. Heck put those three on a line!!!

Yep, he was standing in the entrance to section 114 prior to the game. One kid, who was wearing a Toews Blackhawks jersey and his dad came up to him and he signed his jersey. He was smiling, BSing and shaking hands. It's kinda funny that most fans passing by didn't notice who he was.

[The Whistler]

Yep, he was standing in the entrance to section 114 prior to the game. One kid, who was wearing a Toews Blackhawks jersey and his dad came up to him and he signed his jersey. He was smiling, BSing and shaking hands. It's kinda funny that most fans passing by didn't notice who he was.

I also heard Tony Hrkac's in town.

[Goon]

As for the game in Buckyland, anyone else notice that whenever Slappy Fights break out the Gophers are usually involved. Drop the gloves you pansies.

The Goofs are the kings of the face rubs.

[NDFAN]

Fortunately for My Wife and Myself, we were able to attend the game last night, which was the first one in quite some time! Two boys under 4 will do that to your schedule - Thank God for Grandma's!

A couple of questions:

1. Does any one know who the player that was shown in the intro video at the very beginning? I told my wife that I was almost positive it was JToews as I knew he was in GF for the game. But others I talked to thought it was a current player.

2. Also, during the 2nd period, Watkins had a breakaway, and 2 Seawolves where hooking him from behind. BUT he got the shot away, and he motioned it was a goal, and I was positive it was a goal from my angle. A penalty was called, but it didn't even get reviewed? Any one else know what i'm talking about?

We had a pretty good angle on that goal as we were sitting 3rd row, on the end where the Sioux shoot in the second period. Evidently, those seats "opened up" late in the day. My wife and i arrived a bit late to have supper in GF before the game, but we successfully used the parking ramp and bus system. Everything went pretty well for us!

We'll be watching on TV tonight!

[SiouxCrioux1]

Damned straight. From where I sit, the Sioux do plenty of grabbing, twitch hooking, gentle slashing, and holding while chasing the puck as well. Such things are, perhaps sadly, a part of hockey. If the refs whistled everything, a two-hour game would turn into a three-and-a-half hour game. Alot of people like to ride the refs. All in all, I do not think that they are such a lousy lot, and I really doubt that there is any grand conspiracy running amok out in the league office that is designed to pimp the Sioux.

I dont believe anything was said about pimping the sioux. It was stated that the refs in all the WCHA games make the games tighter because they let the less skilled teams hold way too much in the corners. And im no official but judging by what ive seen this year that statement couldnt be more true. I also have to disagree with your statment that the game would go forever. That sounds like a Sheppard answer to the question. If you start calling more obstructions then teams will stop doing it. Theyll have to. And by doing this we will get to see the full potential of all the great skill that comes through the WCHA.

[dagies]

As for the game in Buckyland, anyone else notice that whenever Slappy Fights break out the Gophers are usually involved. Drop the gloves you pansies.

I watched 5 minutes of the Bucky game and in that 5 minutes there was a stoppage of play. The whistle had blown long enough that everyone had stood down. A Badger was standing in front of Kangas, who brought up his stick and popped him in the chest. The Badger gave him a rather mild push-back, and suddenly Peltier hits the guy in the head from behind and knocks him to the ice where another gopher jumps on top of him.

I was thinking the same thing as you about Lucia's whining. Who's wearing the "halo" now?

[mikejm]

2. Also, during the 2nd period, Watkins had a breakaway, and 2 Seawolves where hooking him from behind. BUT he got the shot away, and he motioned it was a goal, and I was positive it was a goal from my angle. A penalty was called, but it didn't even get reviewed? Any one else know what i'm talking about?

That happened right in front of me. The puck, at no time, was even close to being in the goal. Watkins' theatrics were an ultimately futile attempt to get Todd Anderson to give him a penalty shot. Watkins never really had either of the UAA guys cleanly beaten.

[dagies]

I dont believe anything was said about pimping the sioux. It was stated that the refs in all the WCHA games make the games tighter because they let the less skilled teams hold way too much in the corners. And im no official but judging by what ive seen this year that statement couldnt be more true. I also have to disagree with your statment that the game would go forever. That sounds like a Sheppard answer to the question. If you start calling more obstructions then teams will stop doing it. Theyll have to. And by doing this we will get to see the full potential of all the great skill that comes through the WCHA.

I watched the video of a few older press conferences and Hakstol seems pretty frustrated with how games are officiated in the WCHA and says there will need to be some discussions after the season. He indicated he wasn't speaking for all coaches, but certainly for himself. Sounded like he would like to see more of an NHL style of officiating over how things are officiated now.