#1 Sioux vs. #4 Western Michigan

[yelo09]

Anyone heard if/where UND is having a pre-game party on Saturday AM?

Men’s Hockey NCAA Regionals: Cheer UND On To The Frozen Four

UND Fans attending the NCAA Regional games in St. Paul, MN this weekend are invited to join the UND Alumni Association and UND Athletics for pregame parties beginning 2 hours prior to any game that UND is playing. McGovern’s will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and will keep the tent open after the games, giving priority entrance to North Dakota fans. The events will be held in the tent outside of Patrick McGovern’s Pub, which is walking distance from the Xcel Energy Center.

Patrick McGovern’s Pub

Pregame Parties:

225 7th St. West

Saturday: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Game time – 12:30 p.m.)

St. Paul, MN 55102

Sunday: 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Game time – 4:30 p.m.)*

*Only if UND wins on Saturday afternoon

All UND alumni, family and friends are invited to attend this free event filled with a DJ, cash bars, the UND Pride of the North Band and cheer squad and much more! A full menu will also be available inside the pub. We hope to see you this weekend as we flood the streets of St. Paul in UND green and cheer our team on to victory! Here’s a little taste of last weekend’s parties when the men’s hockey team took home the Broadmoor Trophy for a third straight year!

Here’s a little taste of last weekend’s parties when the men’s hockey team took home the Broadmoor Trophy for a third straight year!

[Sioux-per-man]

Tickets in hand today boys. 4th row for the weekend.

[SiouxFanatic]

If any of you want to come talk hockey with us, we can be found at wmu.ncaabbs.com

Thank you for the link, I remember visiting there in the summer when the NCHC-talk was all the rage during the summer but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the url.

Welcome to SiouxSports, ubish and flushtheherd.

Hoping for a fun/entertaining game on Saturday!

[littlebreadman]

What's this no BEER? Details please?

[Watchout for Flying Pucks]

What's this no BEER? Details please?

NCAA

[crb1]

WMU fan here. We are looking forward to the game (although I must admit I was hoping for Union).

If any of you want to come talk hockey with us, we can be found at wmu.ncaabbs.com

I'd make a prediction for the game, but I have no idea which team will show up. I'm hoping it's the team that beat 2 #2 seeds and a #1 seed in the last few weeks and not the team that lost to alaska and BG on consecutive saturdays.

Another WMU fan here... pretty cool that in another year we are going to be conference mates... Let's get the NCHC started! Let's show the nation what these two teams are going to bring to the atmosphere of college hockey.

My heart rate is finally starting to slow down from watching the last period of that WMU/UofM game last weekend... not sure im ready for this weekend!

Not just glad to be back in the NCAA's... now its time to get past your Souix team.... hoping for health on both teams... Like Ubish said... im curious to see what WMU team shows up Saturday... If the team that ive been watching since the sweep of then #1 ranked Ferris shows up again then I will be comfortable, but this team had a tendancy to fall asleep in games. Not sure their captain will let that happen this weekend... (Ian Slater may not be the most skilled hockey player on the ice, but he's been the heart thats been pumping a ton of life into this WMU team... ). Wish I was making the trip this weekend...

Here's to the future of NCHC hockey!

Nice to have fellow college hockey fans stop by and especially new conference mates. Good luck to your team and ours this weekend. I am sure it will set the stage for some good battles in the future. We don't have much in these parts but good, honest people and we love our Sioux Hockey and we travel to the dark side of the moon for them.

[ticklethetwine]

Nice to have fellow college hockey fans stop by and especially new conference mates. Good luck to your team and ours this weekend. I am sure it will set the stage for some good battles in the future. We don't have much in these parts but good, honest people and we love our Sioux Hockey and we travel to the dark side of the moon for them.

I agree. Welcome WMU fans.

[Kooshnitz]

Wait what about no BEER? No beer at the XCEL?

[ubish]

There was plenty of beer at JLA for the CCHA championship. They can sell it for conference championships but not the ncaa tournament? That seems odd to me

Anyway, thanks for the welcome. We are excited about the new conference. You all seem like some nice people. I was kind of hoping you'd be a-holes... lol It'd be easier to hate you. Any teams we should watch out for in terms of horrible fans? I'm sure nobody in the NCHC will have anything on michigan fans when it comes to being obnoxious. I'm kind of sad we only have one more year of knocking them out of the CCHA tournament....

[fightingsioux4life]

The next thing the NCAA will do is ban soda because it promotes childhood obesity and is not consistent with "the values of our organization".

After what has transpired over the past six years, I wouldn't put it past them.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

NCAA

They ruin everything!

[Blackheart]

There was plenty of beer at JLA for the CCHA championship. They can sell it for conference championships but not the ncaa tournament? That seems odd to me

Anyway, thanks for the welcome. We are excited about the new conference. You all seem like some nice people. I was kind of hoping you'd be a-holes... lol It'd be easier to hate you. Any teams we should watch out for in terms of horrible fans? I'm sure nobody in the NCHC will have anything on michigan fans when it comes to being obnoxious. I'm kind of sad we only have one more year of knocking them out of the CCHA tournament....

Michigan fans=Minnesota fans?

They kinda deserve each other...

[Wilbur]

Michigan fans=Minnesota fans?

They kinda deserve each other...

When they're playing each other in an empty arena for the Big Ten conference tournament everyone will find out. I hope I'm wrong because it won't be good for college hockey, but if Michigan can't even fill the Joe for their conference championship game, I don't think it's going to happen anywhere else.

Imagine Michigan State vs. Michigan in the Big Ten Championship hockey game at the XCEL energy center.....5,000 maybe?

[TheEagle]

There was plenty of beer at JLA for the CCHA championship. They can sell it for conference championships but not the ncaa tournament? That seems odd to me

Anyway, thanks for the welcome. We are excited about the new conference. You all seem like some nice people. I was kind of hoping you'd be a-holes... lol It'd be easier to hate you. Any teams we should watch out for in terms of horrible fans? I'm sure nobody in the NCHC will have anything on michigan fans when it comes to being obnoxious. I'm kind of sad we only have one more year of knocking them out of the CCHA tournament....

What you need to know about the current WCHA teams joining the NCHC:

North Dakota. We're the bad@sses of the league. 7 national titles, 15 conference titles, 19 Frozen Fours--all the most or tied for the most in the conference. We play an NHL style of hockey--which means we hit. That's not always a good thing when it comes to tourney time, but we like our hockey that way. I think somebody from the CCHA can appreciate that--not like those pansies in the Twin Cities and out east. Bunch of good people in North Dakota, and about the only time we get obnoxious is when some Gopher fan is acting all high and mighty. (They were the Michigan of the WCHA--except they didn't dominant the league.) Our biggest rival has been Minnesota. Our biggest rival in the new conference will probably be Denver because of how good the programs have been historically--although most teams want to beat us real bad. With the rise of Minnesota-Duluth, they are becoming a good rival. The adminstrators at St. Cloud State led the charge to eliminate our nickname, so we don't like them much. We have a devoted fan base that travels well. We perhaps travel better than any team in the country. We have a great rink. It's the second biggest rink in the country, and is almost always sold out.

Denver. Great program. Likely underrated by those out east. 7 national titles, 13 conference titles and 14 Frozen Fours. Their rink is pretty big and their attendance numbers are good, but their fans don't travel well. They recruit very well nationally.

Colorado College. Solid program. They have a couple of national titles, but those were a long time ago. They haven't been able to breakthrough lately. It seems like they are always in the top half of the league. At least, in the last 10-15 years. They generally have a lot of skill.

Minnesota-Duluth. Their program has kind of underachieved historically--except the Brett Hull years. However, one of our guys is the head coach there now, and he's turned that program around. I think as long as Sandelin stays there, they'll be a tough program. Much like yourselves and Miami, I think that program has turned the corner.

Nebraska-Omaha. New to big time college hockey, but their metro area is pretty big (and supports college sports well), they are committed to hockey as their flagship sport, are led by former UND coach Dean Blais, have a good rink, and are in the heart of USHL country. They should be very competive. I think Omaha is a likely location for the conference tournament.

St. Cloud State. We don't know how they got in. They've actually been competitive in recent years and are upgrading their rink.

On the whole, seven of the eight teams have made the tournament the last two years, and five of them have made it both years. It's going to be a tough conference. Attendance-wise, this conference is golden. It has some of the biggest rinks and most well-attended games. We ranked #1 in total attendance this year (because we had more home games than Wisconsin). Nebraska-Omaha was #4, Colorado College was #5, Minnesota-Duluth was #7, Denver was #10, St. Cloud State was #12. Unfortunately, you and Miami play in small rinks, and I see you were almost at capacity this year.

[Big A HG]

We actually don't have the 2nd biggest rink in the country. Both Wisconsin and UNO's are bigger.

[TheEagle]

I love when my fellow Sioux fans correct me when I'm wrong. I'm old school. I think the Ralph was the second biggest rink when it went up. Also, I now know that we apparently don't have 15 MacNaughton Cups, but we have 15 regular season conference titles--even though the MacNaughton wikipedia site states that we have 15 MacNaugton Cups.

[MissSioux85]

My apologies if this has already been mentioned

Via Schlossman's blog - Team Practice Times on Friday (Open to the Public)

Western Michigan 11:30 – 12:30

UND 12:45 – 1:45

Boston University 2 – 3

Minnesota 3:15 – 4:15

[stoneySIOUX]

no matter where your tickets are, you'll be able to move around fairly easily i think. i just remembered how lame these regional games are for atmosphere. long timeouts and the NC$$ propaganda on the screen during breaks make for a pretty sterile environment. those who haven't been to one, don't expect it to be like the final five that's for sure.

Last year in Green Bay was a pretty good atmosphere. That being said, the Recsh Center is not the X and is way smaller. However, I do think if UND gets by WMU and the Gophs beat BU, that arena will be pretty damn packed and will be oozing with atmosphere. Sioux-Gophers with a chance to go to Tampa.... just got chills

[siouxnews]

North Dakota. We're the bad@sses of the league. 7 national titles, 15 conference titles, 19 Frozen Fours--all the most or tied for the most in the conference. We play an NHL style of hockey--which means we hit. That's not always a good thing when it comes to tourney time, but we like our hockey that way. I think somebody from the CCHA can appreciate that--not like those pansies in the Twin Cities and out east. Bunch of good people in North Dakota, and about the only time we get obnoxious is when some Gopher fan is acting all high and mighty. (They were the Michigan of the WCHA--except they didn't dominant the league.) Our biggest rival has been Minnesota. Our biggest rival in the new conference will probably be Denver because of how good the programs have been historically--although most teams want to beat us real bad. With the rise of Minnesota-Duluth, they are becoming a good rival. The adminstrators at St. Cloud State led the charge to eliminate our nickname, so we don't like them much. We have a devoted fan base that travels well. We perhaps travel better than any team in the country. We have a great rink. It's the second biggest rink in the country, and is almost always sold out.

well in painting a little more clear picture- denver has won the most regular season/wcha playoff/ncaa titles at 35. UND has 33. minnesota has 32. so historically denver is the premier program of the league. recently UND has won 3 playoffs championships in a row- but duluth has the most recent ncaa title- then wisconsin in 2006.. denver going back to back in 04/05.. gophers back to back in 02/03.. sioux's last is 2000. so this has been a great conference with no one team being the dominant team. there is no "michigan" of this league- from a historical standpoint in terms of titles it would be denver. from a hatred stantpoint it would be minnesota.

for the western michigan fans- the sioux have a great top line. if you can keep that line limtied to 1 goal on the game your chances will be good of pulling off the win. blood and forbort are two big defensemen that will play big minutes. dell has been good when it counts. what are the keys to western michigan winning? are they a deep team.. and do they have any shut down D-men??

[as15]

well in painting a little more clear picture- denver has won the most regular season/wcha playoff/ncaa titles at 35. UND has 33. minnesota has 32. so historically denver is the premier program of the league. recently UND has won 3 playoffs championships in a row- but duluth has the most recent ncaa title- then wisconsin in 2006.. denver going back to back in 04/05.. gophers back to back in 02/03.. sioux's last is 2000. so this has been a great conference with no one team being the dominant team. there is no "michigan" of this league- from a historical standpoint in terms of titles it would be denver. from a hatred stantpoint it would be minnesota.

for the western michigan fans- the sioux have a great top line. if you can keep that line limtied to 1 goal on the game your chances will be good of pulling off the win. blood and forbort are two big defensemen that will play big minutes. dell has been good when it counts. what are the keys to western michigan winning? are they a deep team.. and do they have any shut down D-men??

From things I have read, they have one of the top d-corps in the country led by Matt Tennyson and Danny DeKeyser, who is the top free agent defenseman in the NCAA. They are very good defensively, leading the country in fewest shots on goal allowed.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

well in painting a little more clear picture- denver has won the most regular season/wcha playoff/ncaa titles at 35. UND has 33. minnesota has 32. so historically denver is the premier program of the league. recently UND has won 3 playoffs championships in a row- but duluth has the most recent ncaa title- then wisconsin in 2006.. denver going back to back in 04/05.. gophers back to back in 02/03.. sioux's last is 2000. so this has been a great conference with no one team being the dominant team. there is no "michigan" of this league- from a historical standpoint in terms of titles it would be denver. from a hatred stantpoint it would be minnesota.

for the western michigan fans- the sioux have a great top line. if you can keep that line limtied to 1 goal on the game your chances will be good of pulling off the win. blood and forbort are two big defensemen that will play big minutes. dell has been good when it counts. what are the keys to western michigan winning? are they a deep team.. and do they have any shut down D-men??

Denver has only 34 combined titles (15 Tourney, 12 Regular Season, 7 National), but it is important to note that of Denver's 15 WCHA Tourney titles, 8 were as co-champions (7 as sole champion). Minnesota also has 8 co-championships for the WCHA Tourney (6 as sole champion). Meanwhile, North Dakota has only 4 co-champions (7 as sole champion). If you count co-championships as 1/2 a title, then it comes out UND - 31, DU - 30, Minnesota - 28. Whatever way you look at it, UND/DU/Minnesota are the top three programs in the WCHA.

[TheEagle]

well in painting a little more clear picture- denver has won the most regular season/wcha playoff/ncaa titles at 35. UND has 33. minnesota has 32.

Since there are a lot of history buffs, can somebody explain to me why multiple teams are listed as tourney champions in the first 20-30 years? How many of those co-tourney championships do Denver, Minnesota, and UND have?

[spook]

I just hope the referreeing doesn't slow this game down. Both teams have big physical d men and I don't know if ECAC or HE refs have encountered much of what they are going to see on Saturday . Could really put a premium on special teams play if they call it really tight.

[TheEagle]

Denver has only 34 combined titles (15 Tourney, 12 Regular Season, 7 National), but it is important to note that of Denver's 15 WCHA Tourney titles, 8 were as co-champions (7 as sole champion). Minnesota also has 8 co-championships for the WCHA Tourney (6 as sole champion). Meanwhile, North Dakota has only 4 co-champions (7 as sole champion). If you count co-championships as 1/2 a title, then it comes out UND - 31, DU - 30, Minnesota - 28. Whatever way you look at it, UND/DU/Minnesota are the top three programs in the WCHA.

Funny. I should have read further. Those co-tourney championships were shady to me. Why the hell would you have co-tourney champions?

I agree with you. UND has the lead.

[Big A HG]

I love when my fellow Sioux fans correct me when I'm wrong. I'm old school. I think the Ralph was the second biggest rink when it went up. Also, I now know that we apparently don't have 15 MacNaughton Cups, but we have 15 regular season conference titles--even though the MacNaughton wikipedia site states that we have 15 MacNaugton Cups.

Wasn't trying to be off-putting, my apologies.