The Sioux finally have the "X" factor in a goalie!

[bigskyvikes]

Just like I have been saying! Every weekend it gets a little more reinforement to be proven correct!

Saunders is the missing link for the last 7-10 years with all these stellar teams Hak and crew has put together, but that, in your face, stand on your head, SHUT YOU DOWN goalie has been missing. Even though the goalies the Sioux have had are truely good goalies, they werent the "X" factor type goalie........like , UMD, The beavs, Michigan, etc.............had for big wins.

Now the Sioux have theirs, it is going to be a good season!

GO FIGHTING SIOUX!!!

[yababy8]

I can't decide who I would start tonight if it was up me. just like eveyone I am super stoked about Saunders. Like 12 years in the making! But never the less playing Gotberg would be a good move with respect to his development. It would put him in a situation where he would have some real pressure (first sweep of the year hanging in the balance and knowing that Saunders has three bar set way up). I'm a believer in performance under pressure cause it changes performance and pressure is inevitable in the end game with respect to what your working toward-a Championship.

A Fighting Sioux Championship!

[Big A HG]

I really like Saunders as well. I think mixing in Gothberg here and there is still the right thing to do, though I think Saunders goes again tonight.

I hesitate to put Saunders on a pedestal quite yet since it's early. Remember, JP Lamoureux started pretty darn hot in 07-08. He didn't give up a goal in his first 9 periods of play that year and had 4 shutouts by the end of October. (One of those shutouts I counted was the shortened BC game that was cancelled after two periods and a score of 0-0).

[sioux rube]

Saunders is the man unless he falters and I don't see that happening.

[passit_offthegoalie]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess is my philosophy. I don't know how you can take a goalie out after he just pitched his second road shutout of the year. I get that Gothberg is a highly regarded prospect and everything, but it's also about winning right now.

I wish Hak would've played Saunders last Saturday. Maybe we would have won both games and won the H2H Pairwise comparison with BU, which is a pretty big deal for the national tournament picture.

but, I'll leave it to the coaching staff. they know more than I do.

[bigskyvikes]

I can't decide who I would start tonight if it was up me. just like eveyone I am super stoked about Saunders. Like 12 years in the making! But never the less playing Gotberg would be a good move with respect to his development. It would put him in a situation where he would have some real pressure (first sweep of the year hanging in the balance and knowing that Saunders has three bar set way up). I'm a believer in performance under pressure cause it changes performance and pressure is inevitable in the end game with respect to what your working toward-a Championship.

A Fighting Sioux Championship!

I agree with this, but I also agree with the idea of what would have happened last Saturday if Saunders would have played? Even though I would not put the loss on Gothberg, but that shut down type goalie might have helped during the defensive melt down! Never will know I guess! Just can't help but be super jacked about Saunders!

I also believe we will be having discussions like this in a couple years when Gothberg is the main stud, with hopefully a back up goalie like now!

GO FIGHTING SIOUX!!

[burd]

It is nice to have a goalie whose college experience has been knowing that it was up to him to keep his team in the game--that his team would not win in spite of him but because of him.

His positioning is so good. Last night he made some huge plays on cross net passes without flopping all over the place. He was just where he needed to be. I wonder what coaching he had at UAB, if any.

[collegehockeywatcher]

Eidsness and Dell were part of WCHA Championship teams and between them earned rookie, all-star, playoff MVP, tournamment all-star, all-American honors.

[Oxbow6]

Saunders>Dell>BE

Saunders is the real deal.

Zane reminds me alot of BE with his style and play.

If the 18 guys play decent in front of Saunders tonight, if he starts, a shut out is likely IMO.

[tnt]

Just like I have been saying! Every weekend it gets a little more reinforement to be proven correct!

Saunders is the missing link for the last 7-10 years with all these stellar teams Hak and crew has put together, but that, in your face, stand on your head, SHUT YOU DOWN goalie has been missing. Even though the goalies the Sioux have had are truely good goalies, they werent the "X" factor type goalie........like , UMD, The beavs, Michigan, etc.............had for big wins.

Now the Sioux have theirs, it is going to be a good season!

GO FIGHTING SIOUX!!!

Remember, UND had goalies with awesome numbers before NCAA tournament time, and even some that seemed to be on a roll. The bottom line is you can't have one bad game or be off a bit in the NCAA tournament, and even if you accomplish that, the other goalie can't have the game of his life like the Michigan goalie did. Hopefully Saunders is that guy, but regular season play isn't going to tell us if that is the case or not.

[UNDBIZ]

I'll just say I'm not going to crown anybody in November......

[sioux rube]

Eidsness and Dell were part of WCHA Championship teams and between them earned rookie, all-star, playoff MVP, tournamment all-star, all-American honors.

National Championship missing.

[jk]

_{I'm happy with Saunders as well, but Dell gets too little respect. When it counted most, he allowed 2 goals in 3 NCAA tournament games. He faced 67 shots, with a save pct. of .970 and GAA of about .667. Some of the earlier years may be attrbutable to faltering goaltending on the big stage, but not 2011. He was also outstanding in the Spring of 2012; although the numbers aren't as strong, he carried an overmatched team to the Final Five title. Among the many reasons the 2011 failure is a shame is that Dell won't go down in UND history as one of the best to play the position. Which he was.}

[sioux rube]

_{I'm happy with Saunders as well, but Dell gets too little respect. When it counted most, he allowed 2 goals in 3 NCAA tournament games. He faced 67 shots, with a save pct. of .970 and GAA of about .667. Some of the earlier years may be attrbutable to faltering goaltending on the big stage, but not 2011. He was also outstanding in the Spring of 2012; although the numbers aren't as strong, he carried an overmatched team to the Final Five title. Among the many reasons the 2011 failure is a shame is that Dell won't go down in UND history as one of the best to play the position. Which he was.}

Good points and it's to bad he left. That leaves a sour taste in alot of fans mouths.

[fargosioux]

_{I'm happy with Saunders as well, but Dell gets too little respect. When it counted most, he allowed 2 goals in 3 NCAA tournament games. He faced 67 shots, with a save pct. of .970 and GAA of about .667. Some of the earlier years may be attrbutable to faltering goaltending on the big stage, but not 2011. He was also outstanding in the Spring of 2012; although the numbers aren't as strong, he carried an overmatched team to the Final Five title. Among the many reasons the 2011 failure is a shame is that Dell won't go down in UND history as one of the best to play the position. Which he was.}

Couldn't agree more.

[J.B.]

_Bump

[bigskyvikes]

_Bump

So what your saying is he shouldn't be human?

Wonder what the Sioux record would be now without Saunders?

[fightingsioux4life]

So what your saying is he shouldn't be human?

Wonder what the Sioux record would be now without Saunders?

Probably in the toilet of the WCHA.

[brianvf]

Wonder what the Sioux record would be now without Saunders?

I wonder what the Sioux record would be if even half of Rocco's post shots had went in the net instead.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

I wonder what the Sioux record would be if even half of Rocco's post shots had went in the net instead.

I think by April, they will be going in!

[scpa0305]

So far, Saunder has played pretty well. He absolutely stole Friday night's ND game and I heard he played extremely well against SCSU that Friday night. He has also played some below average game....last Friday and Saturday night. Either way....he is an upgrade over Dell. I would like to see more of Gothberg...I actually thought he would have the job by now. His leash was much shorter than Saunders....give the kid a break Hak!

[siouxweet]

as for the title of this thread I'm going to say in the words of lee corso on this, not so fast my friend. we might as well start gothberg just to see what he is really made of cuz we're gonna give up 3-5 goals tonight no matter who starts tonight.

[ringneck28]

This is what you get for making an assessment in early season. Saunders is very inconsistent and Gothberg is the same. I have a feeling the big stage is affecting him. Yes he didn't lose 8 in a row, but that was then, what is he going to give us now that we are in the grind? I am thinking we are going to be like a yo yo, up and down.

[bigskyvikes]

Oh my god, this website is full of lurkers waiting to pounce. And i cheer for the same team!!!!We have had guys great this time of year for the last ten years! Lets have a guy great at the end of the year once, see what that gets us, and if you don't see the potential with Saunders and Gothberg, i could careless what you think! Lets see what happens when it counts for something, shall we? Oh and I'm sure this happened because I made this thread........... What losers!!!!!

[bigskyvikes]

Lets not forget we lost to the #1 team in the country. It was hardly Saunders fault, and you know what? There's another game!!!