Article about UND's goalies

[jk]

The date UND's season-ending slide began was Feb. 8, 2003. That's when the Sioux lost at home for the first time that season to Michigan Tech, a team they beat 8-0 the previous night.

Late in the third in the 8-0 game, Massen had the puck on the left wing in the offensive zone with Connelly heading up the slot. Even though no one was pressuring him and he had the shot, he waited and waited ... and waited... for an opening to get the puck to Connelly for his first goal of the year. When he couldn't get the pass in, he finally just shot, and scored.

As we listened to the post-game show on the radio in the parking lot, Massen, in a loud, happy lockerroom, talked about the play. They noted that Leinweber had his first goal of the year in the game, and he said he was trying to get Connelly his. Then he said, "we'll just have to get the rest of the [goal-less] guys there's tomorrow" (paraphrased).

I thought right then that I wished he hadn't said that. Sure enough, their heads were not in the game the next night, ane the rest is sad history. To me, the slide started February 7th at about 10 pm, when I heard that overconfident quote on the radio. (This is not to suggest that I blame Massen for the slide. His comment was just an indication.)

[PCM]

If I were a Sioux fan, this is the number one thing I'd be concerned about. Goalies and defensive lapses are often forgiven if you are scoring 4+ per game.

Hypothetically, if the Sioux would have averaged 4 goals per game the last 14 games of the season, their record would have been closer to 10-2-2 rather than 4-8-2.

[dickgraham]

It's hard for a coach to show patience when their "all world" goalie recruits keep letting in ultra soft goals, some from 30' - 50' out, game after game after game! Part of the problem is that the vast majority of coaches, from the NHL through college down to the high school ranks, have very little knowledge of goal tending. Quick, name 1 NHL or college coach who is a former goal tender. I suppose there are a few, but I can't think of any. All most all of them were forwards or played on the blue line and have no clue what to look for when their net minder hits a slump or how to correct technique faults. The smart head coaches bite the budget bullet and hire a goalie coach. Far too many don't. It makes as much sense for a college or pro hockey team not to have a goalie coach as it would for a major league baseball team to not have a pitching coach. Rarely do you see a goalie coach on the bench during a game, however the pitching coach is, more often than not, sitting right next to the manager during a major league ball game.

DG

[skateshattrick]

The date UND's season-ending slide began was Feb. 8, 2003. That's when the Sioux lost at home for the first time that season to Michigan Tech, a team they beat 8-0 the previous night. From that date on, UND was 4-8-2. During this stretch, they averaged 2.57 goals per game while giving up 2.86 goals per game. UND's power play was at 18.6 percent (14-75).

In the last 14 games of the season, lack of scoring -- especially in the third period -- was the biggest problem for the Sioux. Take away the 10 goals in 2 games against the bottom-feeding Badgers and UND averaged slightly better than two goals per game.

During the playoffs, the Sioux averaged just 2 goals per game and their power play was 2-23 (8.6 percent). Contrast that to the 2000 championship Sioux team that averaged 4.36 goals per game throughout the season with a much tougher schedule. During the playoffs, the 2000 Sioux averaged a stunning 4.5 goals per game and were at 24 percent on the power play.

Giving up 2.86 goals per game doesn't look so bad when you're averaging 4 per game.

You are making my case for me. The Sioux lost to Mankato 5-4 in a game where they outshot them 52-21, and Hennessy called the goaltending by Ranfranz awful. I was at both UMD games the following weekend, and the Sioux got tied 3-3 the first night despite outplaying them badly and outshooting the Dogs 38-20. The next night, they battled back to tie it late (outshooting the Dogs 37-24), but Siembeda gave up one of the worst goals ever when he came way out of the net where Stapleton had no angle, and basically gave him an empty net goal. Blais and Hennessy were very critical in the post-game comments. By the way, the goal was scored when a defenseman fell down, not a forward. The Sioux also outshot Denver the following weekend, only to lose and tie.

It seems like we always lose to a so-called "hot" goaltender when the Sioux outshoot/outplay the opponent. How many times did the Sioux steal a game last year when we were badly outshot or outplayed because of our goaltending?? Never?? We have come to expect mediocrity from our goaltending, when we should be winning some 2-1, 3-2 games. You have to win some of the close games in the league, even when you only score 2 or 3 goals. If goaltending had come through, we should have beat MSU-Mankato on the road, swept the Dogs and taken at least 2 points from Denver.

[OETKB]

There were 3 distinct segments to last season, IMO. Firstly, there was UND offensively outmatching everyone they played early in the season, with poor goaltending. Next, there was an offensive collapse, also with poor goaltending and a shaken defense due to Hale's illness.

Finally, at the end, Brandt was playing pretty well, the defense seemed to be coping, but the offense never recovered. In the playoffs, the goals for of around 2 per game were just too low, which was a shame considering that Brandt was finally giving consistent, solid efforts.

Looking at the above posts, it seems like people are talking about the season as a whole. There was so much change over the course of the season, I don't think you can do that.

[sagard]

It seems like we always lose to a so-called "hot" goaltender when the Sioux outshoot/outplay the opponent. How many times did the Sioux steal a game last year when we were badly outshot or outplayed because of our goaltending?? Never?? We have come to expect mediocrity from our goaltending, when we should be winning some 2-1, 3-2 games. You have to win some of the close games in the league, even when you only score 2 or 3 goals. If goaltending had come through, we should have beat MSU-Mankato on the road, swept the Dogs and taken at least 2 points from Denver.

I've been lamenting the Gophers always playing a "hot" goaltender and wondering when a Gopher goalie would steal a game since the '81 final against Bucky.

UND did however win some close low scoring WCHA games in the beginning of the year:

11/09/2002 W 3 @ St. Cloud State 2 ot

11/16/2002 W 1 Alaska-Anchorage 0

11/22/2002 W 2 Wisconsin 0

11/23/2002 W 3 Wisconsin 2

However, close results will often balance out over the course of a season. Towards the end of the year UND lacked the scoring to put teams away. You really don't want to be in a situation where you are relying on your goalie to be MSU and UMD anyway.

[PCM]

You are making my case for me.

Outshooting the opposition means nothing unless you can also outscore them. The fact remains that with the exception of two games against Wisconsin, the Sioux were in a scoring slump for the last third of the season. That's very uncharacteristic of a Blais-coached team and hardly a formula for success with average goaltending -- especially at playoff time.

[The Sicatoka]

What it takes to win the WCHA under the 28-game schedule:

Year GF GA Diff

1998 127 80 +47

1999 142 76 +66

2000 112 70 +32

2001 115 80 +35

2002 108 63 +45

2003 125 70 +55

If that's any indicator of "what it takes," you have to give up 80 or fewer and be at least +32.

UND last year was 103 GF, 82 GA, +21.

That is pretty clear that the defense (82 versus 80) is closer to "championship calibre" than the offense (+21 versus +32).

I know someone has said the offense suffered because the forwards were always back helping out; however, if that's the case, why wasn't generating shots an issue?

They need to start burying all those chances.

[PCM]

There were 3 distinct segments to last season, IMO.

OETKB, I agree with your analysis. I think the reason the Sioux started the season outmatching everyone offensively was because they were in excellent shape and had spent much of the summer playing together.

But that only took the team so far. Eventually, as other teams got into game shape and began to jell, UND's advantage began to fade. The Sioux needed to kick their game up another notch and it never happened.

Not to pick on James Massen, but I recall another post-game comment he made late in the season to Tim Hennessy. It was something to the effect that the Sioux players believed they could outwork any opponent in the third period. If you looked at the stats at that time, it absolutley wasn't happening. The Sioux were consistently being outplayed, outshot and outscored in the third period.

Yet for some reason, the mindset among players seemed to persist that the Sioux were a good third-period team when, in fact, they became less and less of a third-period team as the season progressed.

[skateshattrick]

That's very uncharacteristic of a Blais-coached team and hardly a formula for success with average goaltending -- especially at playoff time.

Finally you concede what I've been saying all along-- the Sioux have had"average goaltending" since Karl graduated. It is very difficult to win in the WCHA with average goaltending, unless the team in front of you is exceptional like the Gophers 2 years ago. The Sioux will score this year, and will have great defense. To really do something (especially when the offense has trouble scoring, which happens to all teams), the Sioux must have better than average goaltending. I think Brandt could be that guy IF he plays like he did at the end of the year and is consistent, but that is still the critical issue with this team. Hopefully, Ziegelmann and Parise will also at least be steady and consistent. If the Sioux can get solid and consistent goaltending (not necessarily spectacular), they will make it to the Frozen Four.

[PCM]

Finally you concede what I've been saying all along-- the Sioux have had"average goaltending" since Karl graduated.

I concede nothing because I never claimed the Sioux had anything other than average goaltending. Nobody is even arguing that point.

My point is that in the first half of the season when the Sioux were an offensively potent team, they beat the opposition in spite of some horrendous goaltending. They came back and won games in the third period because of their ability to score.

In the last third of the season when the scoring fell off significantly and the power play all but disappeared, the only teams the Sioux could beat were Denver and Wisconsin. And remember, UND was 2-2-1 against seventh place DU. In five games, the Sioux were outscored 13-11 by the Pioneers.

Otherwise, I agree with your last post.