So - Is there a missing link ?

[Goon]

playing 6 games in 9 days did not help our chances either against yale.

The guys kind of looked like they were skating in cement.

[sioux rube]

The guys kind of looked like they were skating in cement.

But all of a sudden they found their legs in the third? Doesn't make sense. They waited to long to realize that Yale wasn't going to roll over. Hopefully lesson learned going into next year.

[Fetch]

so what's more important coaching - recruiting or luck ?

[Irish]

so what's more important coaching - recruiting or luck ?

Obviously you have to be a solid recruiter or you can never get to the top. But at the highest level where talent is fairly even, I think it is coaching. Remember, BC and us were the two hottest teams last year going into the tournament. They were 4th and we were 5th. Compare York's preparation and game plan against Wisconsin with ours against Yale. To me, that's what made them champions.

[Goon]

so what's more important coaching - recruiting or luck ?

I don't ever think it's bad to be lucky...

[stickboy1956]

Usually the last team standing has had the the best/superior goaltending. Our recent Frozen 4 losses bear that out I believe.

I hope that changes this year.

[The Sicatoka]

Usually the last team standing has had the the best/superior goaltending. ...

... or the offensive firepower and confidence in it to overcome letting a couple bad goals get by.

[buckysieve]

Usually the last team standing has had the the best/superior goaltending. Our recent Frozen 4 losses bear that out I believe.

I hope that changes this year.

Yep. In '02 and '03 the Gophers on paper did not have the best goaltending but they played the best that weekend.

[sagard]

Yep. In '02 and '03 the Gophers on paper did not have the best goaltending but they played the best that weekend.

I felt that in '02 Hauser single handedly tried to lose both games. I will not gloss over his poor effort. He was way worse in the Frozen Four than he had been all season. A goal from behind the goal line vs. Michigan, then again vs. Maine from behind the goal line. Maine's second goal was a fluttering bouncer that most squirts stop. Then he tried to negate the OT PP with a selfish poke at the Maine player. All that said he really improved as a pro and looks to be having a pretty good career overseas.

I'll with you that in '03 Weber was great vs. Michigan and UNH. Played much better than the fancy Cornell kid, the UNH kid and the Michigan sieve.

How it relates to UND? Eidsness won't have to be great all tourney in the NCAAs next year, but the Sioux will probably need him to be great for at least part of one of the games.

[stickboy1956]

I felt that in '02 Hauser single handedly tried to lose both games. I will not gloss over his poor effort. He was way worse in the Frozen Four than he had been all season. A goal from behind the goal line vs. Michigan, then again vs. Maine from behind the goal line. Maine's second goal was a fluttering bouncer that most squirts stop. Then he tried to negate the OT PP with a selfish poke at the Maine player. All that said he really improved as a pro and looks to be having a pretty good career overseas.

I'll with you that in '03 Weber was great vs. Michigan and UNH. Played much better than the fancy Cornell kid, the UNH kid and the Michigan sieve.

How it relates to UND? Eidsness won't have to be great all tourney in the NCAAs next year, but the Sioux will probably need him to be great for at least part of one of the games.

... but it sure wouldn't hurt, either.

or

... but it would be nice, for a change.

[I Ranger]

How it relates to UND? Eidsness won't have to be great all tourney in the NCAAs next year, but the Sioux will probably need him to be great for at least part of one of the games.

I agree with this in that a goalie needs to make big saves at key times in order for a talented team to win. For instance, the save Eidsness made against Denver in the Final Five semi where Denver could have tied the game on that 4 on 2 in the 3rd period but Eidsness came up with the big save. If that goes in, it's a totally different game possibly with a totally different outcome. Those are the crucial big saves that the Sioux have not be able to get come NCAA tournament time and especially in the Frozen Four.

[siouxweet]

I agree with this in that a goalie needs to make big saves at key times in order for a talented team to win. For instance, the save Eidsness made against Denver in the Final Five semi where Denver could have tied the game on that 4 on 2 in the 3rd period but Eidsness came up with the big save. If that goes in, it's a totally different game possibly with a totally different outcome. Those are the crucial big saves that the Sioux have not be able to get come NCAA tournament time and especially in the Frozen Four.

we let yale off the hook. there is no way we should have had three goals beat us against a backup goalie that hadn't played since what nov. eids should not have needed to be great that game, just solid which for the most part he was.

[buckysieve]

I felt that in '02 Hauser single handedly tried to lose both games. I will not gloss over his poor effort. He was way worse in the Frozen Four than he had been all season. A goal from behind the goal line vs. Michigan, then again vs. Maine from behind the goal line. Maine's second goal was a fluttering bouncer that most squirts stop. Then he tried to negate the OT PP with a selfish poke at the Maine player. All that said he really improved as a pro and looks to be having a pretty good career overseas.

I'll with you that in '03 Weber was great vs. Michigan and UNH. Played much better than the fancy Cornell kid, the UNH kid and the Michigan sieve.

How it relates to UND? Eidsness won't have to be great all tourney in the NCAAs next year, but the Sioux will probably need him to be great for at least part of one of the games.

Wow, we'll have to agree to disagree on that. I believe he stopped 42-45 shots against Maine considering it was OT for the title I cant complain about that. Against Michigan he made the save of the year with his glove that he had no business making in the second period when it was a two goal game.

[petey23]

Wow, we'll have to agree to disagree on that. I believe he stopped 42-45 shots against Maine considering it was OT for the title I cant complain about that. Against Michigan he made the save of the year with his glove that he had no business making in the second period when it was a two goal game.

I was at that game and Hauser had a few meltdowns....the goal from behind the goal line being one and he could have easily been called for 3 or 4 penalties as well.

[redwing77]

It's funny. It's months post game and some of us are STILL fishing for a scapegoat.

Fine. So I'll sum it up:

We lost to Yale because Eidsness is a subpar goaltender and Hakstol doesn't know how to prepare teams for the post season. I wish we still had Blais or got Steve Johnson instead. Waaaah Waaah Waaah.

BUT I'M NOT FLAMING ANYONE I'M JUST SAYIN'.

Pathetic. Simply Pathetic.

[yzerman19]

It is amazing that we melted down with the DOT line considering how unbelievably clutch JT and TJ are.

They are even proving it at the highest level, especially JT...how they didn't get it done still shocks me.

[Goon]

we let yale off the hook. there is no way we should have had three goals beat us against a backup goalie that hadn't played since what nov. eids should not have needed to be great that game, just solid which for the most part he was.

Whose numbers/stats were unimpressive.

[Big A HG]

It is amazing that we melted down with the DOT line considering how unbelievably clutch JT and TJ are.

They are even proving it at the highest level, especially JT...how they didn't get it done still shocks me.

No doubt. BC was darn good though, and our defense/goaltending didn't play good enough in any of our recent BC failures. If we held them to even 3 goals in '06 or '07, we win.

[yababy8]

No doubt. BC was darn good though, and our defense/goaltending didn't play good enough in any of our recent BC failures. If we held them to even 3 goals in '06 or '07, we win.

A series of penalties made that game very difficult. We got a five minute against us early on and had a couple more in close proximinty to that one that set us in a very defensive posture and tired us out.

It was the tpye of game that you really needed your goalie to have a big game and that didn't happen.

I would love to watch that game again and see how well it was called, I didn't record it as I was there on that cold April Thursday in St Lioui..

[Big A HG]

A series of penalties made that game very difficult. We got a five minute against us early on and had a couple more in close proximinty to that one that set us in a very defensive posture and tired us out.

It was the tpye of game that you really needed your goalie to have a big game and that didn't happen.

I would love to watch that game again and see how well it was called, I didn't record it as I was there on that cold April Thursday in St Lioui..

I don't remember the 2008 game in Denver being poor officiating...although i could have been completely stunned out of focus. The 2007 game had some sketchy calls, but in the end, they scored a lot of goals either way.

Refs didn't make up the difference in the 2008 game when we lose 6-1 for sure. Lammy made that great "cartwheel" save in 2007, but all-in-all, it wasn't a great game for him. It got even worse the next year.

[Irish]

It's funny. It's months post game and some of us are STILL fishing for a scapegoat.

Fine. So I'll sum it up:

Pathetic. Simply Pathetic.

Well excuse me for daring to post that the Sioux didn't look particularly well prepared against Yale or that BC had a great game plan against Wisconsin (prove it). And then to have the nerve to suggest that Coaching has something do do with tournament success (pathetic). The title of this thread is "So - Is there a missing link?" - Expect some speculation on why the Sioux seem to struggle come tournament time. Our season ending losses have been very frustrating, mainly because of how we looked in those games. Loyal Sioux fans have the right to speculate on what is missing without a lecture from you. I'm sorry if the suggestion that everything is not perfect is upsetting to you.