Great Lakes Invitational

[redwing77]

the one thing that scares me about this game is Jeff Lerg. this spartan squad is a wounded animal and we better come out ready to play or we'll be playing the early game tomorrow. that being said Sioux win 4-2.

He's really the only player on the team that has consistently played well this year. He'll be tough. Good thing he has very little D in front of him and even less O to support him.

[Goon]

He's really the only player on the team that has consistently played well this year. He'll be tough. Good thing he has very little D in front of him and even less O to support him.

I look for the Sioux forwards to be all over him. Get his feet moving and being small it could be a rough game for him.

[redwing77]

I look for the Sioux forwards to be all over him. Get his feet moving and being small it could be a rough game for him.

Didn't seem to stop certain undersized goaltenders we've had in the past.

The key is beating their D. MSU has left Lerg high and dry countless times this season. IF we can do that a lot, while limiting the number of times we do it to Eidsness, we'll come out on top. Theoretically. We won't know for sure until the game is over.

[Siouxtimestwo]

I sure wasn't impressed with my first GLI, and I'm not just talking about how terrible the Sioux played. Joe Louis Arena is a great arena for the Red Wings due to its history and all, but for college hockey it leaves a lot to be desired. Part of it is probably due to the fact I've gotten spoiled by the new Ralph and the Final Five at the X, but regardless, the PA guy didn't announce all the penalties (I'm still wondering why Kozek got pulled off the bench to serve a 5 minute period Saturday night), the place isn't noisy, and there were way too many empty seats. If Tech's band hadn't been there this afternoon, you would have been able to hear a pin drop for most of the game. My wife wasn't feeling well, so we left early in the title game, but even during the UM-MSU game, with more fans and two rivals playing for the title, it wasn't nearly what I expected or have experienced in the past. And don't even get me started on their selection of beverages or the red curtain dance when you are carrying drinks. Again, great arena for the tradition of the Red Wings and the NHL, not so great when you're watching a Sioux game.

[Goon]

Didn't seem to stop certain undersized goaltenders we've had in the past.

The key is beating their D. MSU has left Lerg high and dry countless times this season. IF we can do that a lot, while limiting the number of times we do it to Eidsness, we'll come out on top. Theoretically. We won't know for sure until the game is over.

Our team gave up four goals all weekend and yet we lost two games. Unbelievable eh?

[Kvasager]

Not with our offensive 'talent'

[yzerman19]

Even with a strong surge starting in 2009, we're in trouble in the PWR. Just stating the obvious.

I'm looking forward to 2009...and the start of the 2009-2010 hockey season.

Teams have found ways to beat us by playing defense first, playing physical and clogging up the passing and shooting lanes. We do not make adjustments against these teams, but continue to play the "system". Sometimes you gotta mix it up when the plan doesn't work.

Do you start playing all of the freshmen to get them experience? I might think of focusing on next year instead of this year.

[kfah1]

I sure wasn't impressed with my first GLI, and I'm not just talking about how terrible the Sioux played. Joe Louis Arena is a great arena for the Red Wings due to its history and all, but for college hockey it leaves a lot to be desired. Part of it is probably due to the fact I've gotten spoiled by the new Ralph and the Final Five at the X, but regardless, the PA guy didn't announce all the penalties (I'm still wondering why Kozek got pulled off the bench to serve a 5 minute period Saturday night), the place isn't noisy, and there were way too many empty seats. If Tech's band hadn't been there this afternoon, you would have been able to hear a pin drop for most of the game. My wife wasn't feeling well, so we left early in the title game, but even during the UM-MSU game, with more fans and two rivals playing for the title, it wasn't nearly what I expected or have experienced in the past. And don't even get me started on their selection of beverages or the red curtain dance when you are carrying drinks. Again, great arena for the tradition of the Red Wings and the NHL, not so great when you're watching a Sioux game.

I've been to the last five GLIs (which includes this dismal weekend) and what you've experienced is what I've experienced those last five years. Unless UM and MSU face each other, you definetly don't have anything close to a sell-out crowd. There is never much noise unless the Wolverines and Spartans play. Tech always seems to bring there share of fans but it is not large by any means.

I don't recall ever seen any invited team in the last five years bring their band. I was asked by several others if North Dakota had a band and if so, why they weren't there. UM always has their alumni band there and MSU has some makings of their pep band or their alumni.

About the announcer... I'm not sure who it is but in the past it has always been Bud Lynch, who was the announcer for the Wings. Great guy with a lot of history with the Wings but I thought it was getting embarrassing. at last year's GLI (or was it the CCHA Final 5) he could hardly say the player's names, say the penalties, etc. They ending up bringing in some else in half way through the first game that night and replaced him. I haven't been to a Wings game yet this season but I don't know if he announcing for them any more.

Regarding the Joe, well... it is what it is. You get used to it. I had the pleasure a couple of years ago to attend a weekend series at the Ralph and there is no comparison so it's easy to get spoiled I'm sure.

The CCHA (or whichever organization puts the College Hockey at the Joe series on) has gotten lamer each year. There's less for the fans other than the games themselves now.

With all of that in mind... I hope your first experience stops you from coming again if you have the opportunity... unless you go specifically to a university to catch a game, there's nothing like it (unless for the NCAA regionals). It is what it is and that's all we got

[kfah1]

From the "For What It's Worth" department... a few of my observations from this weekend:

The Sioux seem to:

Never get the puck to the net, get a man in there for the rebound, cycle to puck too much, when they get a shot off it's wide or high... some basic foundational hockey stuff. It was frustrating to see such a lack of offense.

Defensively they let Eidsness down several times, resulting in some lame goals.

I made a point of sitting right next to the Soux bench this afternoon (one of the great things when they don't sell these games out...). Not only did I want to do this because it is a rare but exceptional opportunity for me to see them play live, but I wanted to hear and observe what was going on the bench during the game.

I observed some obvious frustration from the team during the game. They had all of the chatter I would expect a bench to have during the game. I tried to catch what the coaches were saying and doing... I did not observe as much "coaching" to the players as I would've expected. Sure there was some but I never heard them "get on" the players at all (I'm sure it happens but I never saw it).

I would watch the players on the bench and on the ice and they had the fire in their eyes. I could tell they wanted to play hard and do what needed to be done, but it wasn't clicking for them. There was some angry players coming off the ice...

It was very apparent that the coaches and players were more than frustrated/angry after the game.

It seems to be a combination of things that is leading to such an unsuccessful season. What exactly it is we may never really know but if they don't get it together soon, this season will end earlier than we would all care for it to.

Based on those I've talked with during the weekend at the GLI, there were a lot of shock of how things turned out for the Sioux. Most everyone were expecting a Fighting Sioux/Wolverine match up (as all of us were). They couldn't believe UND lost to MTU. Most commonphrase I heard tonight, "It just ain't their year." That probably sums it all up there.

However; win or lose (rather win...) it was a thrill for me to watch the Sioux live. It may seem like the team might be falling on hard times and everyone is less than thrilled and very ticked off but come on... admit it, we all still love our Fighting Sioux!

And that is from the "For What It's Worth" department...

[petey23]

It is what it was.

The Debacle in Detroit.

Now we move on.

The Sioux still have goals to try and attain this year and they are still attainable....just harder to reach now.

Finish in top 4 of wcha(or 5)---home ice for first round of the playoffs

Win the WCHA

Move onto the national tournament

Win number 8.

Last time I checked, none of these have been scratched off yet.