SIOUX vs PIONEERS

[yekcoh]

I just wish the WCHA and everyone else that is beefing about the Sioux would take time to see the games in their entirety and see what is taking place that is leading up to these "incidents."

You are so right. I sit behind the net. I saw what was going on. If you are just watching the YouTube videos, you are missing MOST of it.

[burd]

It makes me uneasy to hear so many say that other teams can't play with the Sioux. Minnesota and CC both play uptempo hockey, and both have had success with the Sioux this year. Mankato can stay with the Sioux, I think, and we will find out how UMD stacks up. UW's talented freshmen are making their team better with every game, even in an up-and-down game. I guess I remember '98 a little too well.

[Goon]

The big time scrappers are Radke, Kaip, and Malone (is turning into one anyways). All three have had DQs assessed against them. So, unless Jones (whose mean streak has REALLY cooled off), Finley (whom I'm one of a few who think losing Finley for a game would be detrimental), or someone else (Davidson?) drops the gloves, I don't think there will be much fighting anymore.

I am not sure that Malone has had a DQ this season.

[Siouxman]

It makes me uneasy to hear so many say that other teams can't play with the Sioux. Minnesota and CC both play uptempo hockey, and both have had success with the Sioux this year. Mankato can stay with the Sioux, I think, and we will find out how UMD stacks up. UW's talented freshmen are making their team better with every game, even in an up-and-down game. I guess I remember '98 a little too well.

On any given night anyone can beat anyone. But if the Sioux come ready to play and play their game I don't think that there is anyone in the WCHA, except CC, that can skate with them unless their goalie has a great night.

[Diggler]

Jonesy is currently the silent leader of Murder, Inc. He is just biding his time and mark my words that time will come. He is like a dormant volcano. While he may seem nice and harmless, allowing you to walk all over him without a care in the world, one day, without warning, he will just explode and any living thing within a 50 ft. radius will be decimated.

[Shawn-O]

It's becoming more and more obvious that no one wants to play Murder, Inc. After every series coaches and fans whine about how big, mean and cheap Murder, Inc. is. I say awesome.

I smell a VIDEO MONTAGE! I'd do it myself, if I knew how. RED FROG!!! PAGING RED FROG!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Ri8nKwUmM

[WiSioux]

I am not sure that Malone has had a DQ this season.

You are correct.... Malone has 15 penalties for 38 minutes. The only penalty that was not a two minute minor was Saturday night in Minneapolis where he got a 10 minute misconduct. He does not have a DQ.

[dagies]

To me, the bottom line in all of this is that the WCHA has to get control of all of the chippy stuff that takes place before the whistle blows. If I'm the Sioux coaches, and my skill guys are getting hacked, hooked, poked and mauled the entire game without a call, I'm going to tell my other team member to back them up. If you want to call that intimidation, go ahead, but to me it's the best alternative available if my best players are getting beat up behind the play and out of the view of the officials. Clean up the game before the whistle and there is no reason to retaliate. There is a reason that NHL teams have goons -- to put that doubt in the back of the minds of opposing players who are going to take cheap shots and think they're going to get away with it. It goes both ways, and you have to be prepared to bring it if you think you're going to get away with the dirty stuff during play.

On fightingsioux.com I watched the booster lunch video from last Friday. Hakstol admitted that he's analyzing this from the point of view of being the coach of the team, but he said he watched the replay and felt that the commentary unfairly characterized the Sioux in that situation, that the Sioux didn't start it but they finished it. He said Zajac did the right thing. He said that Carman took 2 swipes at Oshie, one a swipe and 1 a cross-check, and then Anderson's knee, and that Zajac came to back up his teammate.

He also said that if the Sioux were looking to start anything, why would they have put Oshie on the ice?

This brings me back to a couple of points:

1. A former player said to me it's possible that Zajac overreacted but "who knows and who cares?". He said you only have a split second to know if an opponent has taken a cheap shot at your player and you cannot allow the opponent to think for a moment that they can take cheap shots at your teammate, especially the stars. And this didn't come from a Commodore type player.

2. Everyone blames the Sioux for starting these situations. Well, in this case Zajac cross-checked Anderson after the whistle....something that happens in almost every game by almost every team. Lucia took exception and went after Zajac. I don't blame him for that. But conveniently we're left with the Sioux being blamed for starting a fight. When the tables are turned and the Sioux player drops the gloves and initiates the situation then again the Sioux are blamed as instigating things.

Well, which way is it?

I think it is laughable that everyone thinks this team is so physical. They may outphysical many teams, but this team is a shadow of the Mean Greene machine three years ago that went to the east regional and beat up BU and BC. That was a physical team....

I just wish the WCHA and everyone else that is beefing about the Sioux would take time to see the games in their entirety and see what is taking place that is leading up to these "incidents."

I was thinking of that today. If the Sioux really were the big bullies everyone makes them out to be, you'd think it would have been the big rugged teams of a few years ago rather than a smaller, much more skilled team that Hakstol has on the ice these days.

It makes me uneasy to hear so many say that other teams can't play with the Sioux. Minnesota and CC both play uptempo hockey, and both have had success with the Sioux this year. Mankato can stay with the Sioux, I think, and we will find out how UMD stacks up. UW's talented freshmen are making their team better with every game, even in an up-and-down game. I guess I remember '98 a little too well.

I agree. Many teams can play with the Sioux which is evidenced by the very close games being played even during this unbeaten streak. The Sioux aren't heads above everyone else, but they are a very good team. This team is still very vulnerable.

[A Boy Named Sioux]

Do you think the Sioux would get the crap they get if they were not the "sioux"? I currently live in rodent country and it seems as if "abusive and hostile" is the basis for every negative comment.

[Fetch]

I was thinking today - if the name goes - lets go out Big Time as the Fighting Sioux

[Big A HG]

One thing we lacked most of the year is scoring. If we can keep scoring like we did against DU, we are a great team. If we can't score, we're gonna be battling in some tough games. Our defense is awesome, but not perfect.

[hrkac]

On fightingsioux.com I watched the booster lunch video from last Friday. Hakstol admitted that he's analyzing this from the point of view of being the coach of the team, but he said he watched the replay and felt that the commentary unfairly characterized the Sioux in that situation, that the Sioux didn't start it but they finished it. He said Zajac did the right thing. He said that Carman took 2 swipes at Oshie, one a swipe and 1 a cross-check, and then Anderson's knee, and that Zajac came to back up his teammate.

He also said that if the Sioux were looking to start anything, why would they have put Oshie on the ice?

This brings me back to a couple of points:

1. A former player said to me it's possible that Zajac overreacted but "who knows and who cares?". He said you only have a split second to know if an opponent has taken a cheap shot at your player and you cannot allow the opponent to think for a moment that they can take cheap shots at your teammate, especially the stars. And this didn't come from a Commodore type player.

2. Everyone blames the Sioux for starting these situations. Well, in this case Zajac cross-checked Anderson after the whistle....something that happens in almost every game by almost every team. Lucia took exception and went after Zajac. I don't blame him for that. But conveniently we're left with the Sioux being blamed for starting a fight. When the tables are turned and the Sioux player drops the gloves and initiates the situation then again the Sioux are blamed as instigating things.

Well, which way is it?

I was thinking of that today. If the Sioux really were the big bullies everyone makes them out to be, you'd think it would have been the big rugged teams of a few years ago rather than a smaller, much more skilled team that Hakstol has on the ice these days.

I agree. Many teams can play with the Sioux which is evidenced by the very close games being played even during this unbeaten streak. The Sioux aren't heads above everyone else, but they are a very good team. This team is still very vulnerable.

Right you are, Sir. Nice post.

[mikejm]

I think it is laughable that everyone thinks this team is so physical. They may outphysical many teams, but this team is a shadow of the Mean Greene machine three years ago that went to the east regional and beat up BU and BC. That was a physical team....

I agree that this team is not as physical as Mean Greene. But I'll wager this year's team has a little bigger chip on their shoulders than did that one. I like the way this team is starting to gel in the physical sense. There are a lot of really big checks being laid into people early in the game. That's setting a tone and sending a message.

I don't think I'd want to tangle with these kids right now. If the WCHA lays some extra penalties on the Sioux for Saturday's antics they might just say f**k it and send Malone and maybe Davidson out there to lay some serious smack on somebody. If that's the case, I hope they save it for tUMD or JBSU; Bemidji just seems like a bunch of really nice young men.

[sagard]

Do you think the Sioux would get the crap they get if they were not the "sioux"? I currently live in rodent country and it seems as if "abusive and hostile" is the basis for every negative comment.

Yes even if known as the UND Cocker Spaniels. This years Sioux play is closer to the edge than any of the bad ass Sioux teams of the past. I've only seen three incidents. The run the Sioux player took on the UW kid, the Kozek run at the end of the 2nd period at the Ralph, and the Zajac hit on Anderson.

These three plays don't seem like typical Sioux hard nosed hockey. I recognize there is validity in the concept that if the refs aren't going to call ticky/tack stuff the Sioux will make you pay double. I also see some of the stuff as players losing control of their emotions.

I'm getting the feeling that is mostly part of Haks plan. The only guys outside of Finley who are mixing it up are expendable third/fourth liners.

[brianvf]

I sent Gwoz a polite email earlier today, just asking him for clarificiation about the Testwuide/Gordon fight from last year and the Radke/Vossberg fight from this past weekend.

He sent me a nice email just a bit ago and among other things, mentioned that both Radke and Testwuide were given an additional game DQ today by the WCHA for Sat night's activities.

So Radke will be forced to sit out both BSU games, and both Testwuide and Vossberg from DU will be out for DU on Friday night against UAA.

[Riverman]

Two games for Radke?

[Siouxfan_inDenver]

I sent Gwoz a polite email earlier today, just asking him for clarificiation about the Testwuide/Gordon fight from last year and the Radke/Vossberg fight from this past weekend.

He sent me a nice email just a bit ago and among other things, mentioned that both Radke and Testwuide were given an additional game DQ today by the WCHA for Sat night's activities.

So Radke will be forced to sit out both BSU games, and both Testwuide and Vossberg from DU will be out for DU on Friday night against UAA.

That is dumb, but at least it is fair. No other penaltys?

[brianvf]

Two games for Radke?

Yep. Essentially they gave both Testwuide and Radke fighting DQ's for their earlier fight in the game.

[brianvf]

That is dumb, but at least it is fair. No other penaltys?

Those were the only two players that he mentioned, so I would assume no other additional penalties were assessed.

[Riverman]

And the CHA isn't a good fit because??

[nodak hockey fanatic]

I smell a VIDEO MONTAGE! I'd do it myself, if I knew how. RED FROG!!! PAGING RED FROG!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Ri8nKwUmM

i love the idea... im partial to this, this song reminds me of sioux hockey...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAmuzdGYGlo

also, the final two and a half minutes of this would be badass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDjKNvRCX0Q

speaking of MAN-tages, this is damn funny... not on topic, but still funny...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvltzwkUEEA

[Riverman]

I sent Gwoz a polite email earlier today,

You are way to kind.

Was this before you read the article in the Denver Post or after?

[Goon]

That is dumb, but at least it is fair. No other penaltys?

One person thinks Finley should be suspended for a clean check. That has to be the silliest thing I have ever heard.

[brianvf]

You are way to kind.

Was this before you read the article in the Denver Post or after?

After.

I figured I had to be polite about it, otherwise he would have no reason to respond.

[Oxbow6]

I sent Gwoz a polite email earlier today, just asking him for clarificiation about the Testwuide/Gordon fight from last year and the Radke/Vossberg fight from this past weekend.

He sent me a nice email just a bit ago and among other things, mentioned that both Radke and Testwuide were given an additional game DQ today by the WCHA for Sat night's activities.

So Radke will be forced to sit out both BSU games, and both Testwuide and Vossberg from DU will be out for DU on Friday night against UAA.

Nothing for Mannino for the punch to Finley? Again I'll got back to the 5 on 3 to begin the 3rd period for those who want to consider UND the instigators in the scrum on Sat. The flagrant swipe by Mannino wasn't the cause for the scrum? No mention I'm sure from Gwoz on that front?