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UND Coaches Show


PCM

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My apologies for the late posting. Between MidcoNet Internet problems and my daughter's homework, I wasn't able to get it on until now.

Disclaimer: This is a summary of the weekly Fighting Sioux Coaches how. It is NOT a verbatim transcript of the show. Comments by the show's hosts and the coaches are paraphrased to the best of the author's ability and are NOT direct quotes. This summary contains selected highlights from the show and is NOT a comprehensive account of all topics covered or discussed. This broadcast summary represents the interpretation of the author and is not associated in any manner with SiouxSports.com, the University of North Dakota or US College Hockey Online. This summary MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED without the written permission of the author.

Live from Lola's Authentic Northern Italian Restaurant in beautiful downtown Grand Forks. Tim Hennessy is the host with UND head coach Dean Blais.

TH opens the show by announcing that Brady Murray will be on US junior team.

Blais says Brady's father, Andy Murray, called the Canadian team several times to see if Brady could get on the team and nobody returned his calls. TH said he read article quoting Andy as saying that Brady wants to play in a top-notch Christmas tournament.

Blais said that he called Mike Eaves and encouraged him to watch Stafford and Murray as prospects for Team USA. He didn't know what had changed with Murray, but now USA Hockey will allow him to play for them. He has to get US citizenship and an American passport to do it.

TH said this would permanently commit Brady to play for Team USA. Blais said it's like when Brett Hull played for the US instead of Canada. TH said he thinks the Canadian are crazy for not wanting a fast, outstanding skater like Murray on the Olympic ice.

TH said the Murray has to be the fastest player on the Sioux team. Blais said that in sprints, Parise and Bochenski both keep up with Murray, but that might be because of their competitiveness.

Blais said that the Sioux could also be without Drew Stafford during the World Juniors. He's an alternate and there is a forward on the team who has a high ankle sprain.

It will be tough for the Sioux to play their WCHA series at St. Cloud without those key player. Blais said the Roger Thomas is on WCHA scheduling committee and he's trying to balance the schedule so that they play 14 WCHA games before Christmas and 14 after.

TH asked what effect the long layoff going to have on the team when they play UM-Duluth. Blais said they need to play games to play sharp, but there's no excuse for not being mentally ready.

Blais said he thinks UND will make a good run at the WCHA title during the second half of the season and he wouldn't bet against them. He said they have a class group of guys who are fun to coach.

TH said that Blais has an all-senior line of Hale, Lundbohm and Palmiscno. Blais said that line might not play against the US under 18 team. He said that even though the upcoming game is an exhibition, the Sioux need to win the game or they won't maintain their number-one national ranking. He said that Canady, Fabian and Massen will have an opportunity during the game to show what they can do. He mentioned that Massen and Canady have been injured and haven't played much.

TH said that Matt Smaby collided in practice with Mike Prpich and now has a sore neck. Blais said he doesn't know how serious it is and thought it was more of a concussion. He said Smaby practiced Monday and looked okay, but Tuesday he didn't feel well and didn't practice.

TH said the biggest surprise in the WCHA is Mike Eaves at Wisconsin. They've beat some quality teams. Blais said Mike had to work with what he had last season and they had player problems. Now he has everyone buying into the program.

A caller asked if the possibility of an NHL strike improved the chances of UND keeping Parise and others around for another year. Blais said Parise came here to develop into an NHL player and won't leave until he's ready. Parise and Bochenski are both interested in earning their degrees.

TH said he thinks the younger players on the NHL rosters will be moved down to the minors to keep them playing. That means there's not much room for unsigned players to come aboard, especially when the teams have no source of revenue.

Blais mentions Bryan Lundbohm left UND early because Nashville promised him playing time that he never got. TH said Tim Skarperud is afraid for his job because of all the young NHL players who will be moved down. He believes it will be good for college hockey because the top-level players will be staying longer.

Blais said that there are players on the Sioux roster who came here to win a national title and that's one of their goals. Bochenski and Parise want to win a title while they're hear, he said.

A caller asked about Bochenski's chance of winning the Hobey Baker. Blais said that he thinks Bochenski has an excellent chance because of what he's accomplished in two years. The longer UND is ranked number-one, the more voters for the Hobey look at who's on that team. Blais said Bochenski and Parise both have excellent chances, and that he wouldn't discount the Sioux goalies, either.

TH pointed out that UND

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Whew. I was getting worried Pat. We've become so spoiled with the coach's show that I don't think I could have gotten any sleep tonight without it. Thanks again for your time and efforts.

When was this all senior line put together? If it happened in Denver I missed it. So are they now considered the 4th line while Massen and company are the 5th? Or are they both 4th lines?

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Good to hear about Karl, it's nice to know I'm not the only person who thinks he can make it in the NHL...

I am also looking foward to seeing Ziggy play, even if it is against the Under 18 team. I still think Brandt is our #1 and the best goalie we have, but I've been looking forward to see what Ziggy's got.

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When was this all senior line put together? If it happened in Denver I missed it. So are they now considered the 4th line while Massen and company are the 5th? Or are they both 4th lines?

I don't think that Blais will use the senior line if they won't even be together for the USNDT game. Blais will probably just keep lines close to the same as what he's been using, I would guess.

And as always, thanks again PCM!!

And I'm with Sioux fan in Phoenix, would be nice to keep the top line together for another year!

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Blais said that he called Mike Eaves and encouraged him to watch Stafford and Murray as prospects for Team USA. He didn't know what had changed with Murray, but now USA Hockey will allow him to play for them. He has to get US citizenship and an American passport to do it.

As opposed to another coach who whined because his guys were taken away from him and didn't get enough playing time...

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