NORTH DAKOTA @ MINNESOTA - Saturday, one last dance....

[SiouxScore]

One other thing that really hurt us was face-offs. Usually we are great on the draw. Not the case this weekend.

DId we really only get one powerplay tonight?

I thought part of the problem on the faceoffs was the linesman, a lot of the time guys weren't in and ready and the puck got dropped and also a lot more guys got kicked out of the faceoffs than normal.

Yes and I believe it lasted all of about 1 minute.

[iluvdebbies]

UM goal #2...Mac butchers a clearing attempt then kicks it around in corner.

UM goal #3...Forbort make a bad play on an attempted check on Bjugstad.

UM goal #4...Mattson whiffs on clear then Mac leaves Condon wide opening coming down slot.

you might want to watch the 4th goal again... Knight wins the draw and just stands and watches, i agree on the wiff, but if knight is moving to the goal line like he should to support the dman..the pass to Condon would have never been made

[runaroundsioux]

Half a power play.

[Oxbow6]

you might want to watch the 4th goal again... Knight wins the draw and just stands and watches, i agree on the wiff, but if knight is moving to the goal line like he should to support the dman..the pass to Condon would have never been made

So Knight wins draw back to I believe Nick who doesn't clear it and it winds up on a UM stick who centers it to Condon coming down the slot as Mac watches...you're right that's on Knight. Seriously...

[siouxweet]

positives to come out of this weekend. we didn't get swept and looks like we move up in the pairwise as bu and notre dame are pissing around more than us.

[Wilbur]

Thoughts:

~The d core.....ufff......goals 2,3,4 were all goals that they lost battles on and it ends up in the net.

~I'll eat half a crow. Zane was good. Wish he had one more save in him.

~Kristo-Knight-Rocco were fun to watch together. Two posts in OT. Fun to watch.

Feels like a loss. Didn't get swept like I was kind of expecting, but left a big point out there on the table. The way Minnesota has been playing its tough because they could have knocked off the best team in the country, the way North Dakota has been playing its nice because I had my questions after CC-and Holy Cross.

PS: Dean Blais wouldn't blow a two goal lead in the third period...... Sorry, had to....

[iluvdebbies]

So Knight wins draw back to Nick who doesn't clear it and it winds up on a UM stick who centers it to Condon coming down the slot as Mac watches...you're right that's on Knight. Seriously...

Seriously it takes 5 to defend your own end! Knight is just as responsible as the other two. My point isnt that its knights, kristos, or anyone player. But some of you have the peewee mom mentality that if a goal was scored it must have been the goalies fault....and if not the goalie then certainly the defensemen.

[yzerman19]

Someone called out going upstairs on Wilcox. Both Rocco and Knighter went high glove side to score. Kristo and Drake's goals were greasier. Good callout to whomever it was that noticed that there was room to go up high.

Every defenseman we have on the ice is drafted, including two number ones. How can we have such poor play out of them???

[Oxbow6]

Someone called out going upstairs on Wilcox. Both Rocco and Knighter went high glove side to score. Kristo and Drake's goals were greasier. Good callout to whomever it was that noticed that there was room to go up high.

Every defenseman we have on the ice is drafted, including two number ones. How can we have such poor play out of them???

I like Panz at some point next weekend after what I saw from our Dman this series.

[Wilbur]

I like Panz at some point next weekend after what I saw from our Dman this series.

Kind of surprised that Schmaltz was in the lineup. We've seen high profile guys get the suit after a bad performance before (LaPoint, Mattson).

I have a buddy that thinks Schmaltz will never be a healthy scratch because he's a flight risk that they want to keep happy. I don't think thats the case, but he's got to be better. Also, way too much talent to sit.

[Wilbur]

Ohhh one more thing. WCHA offensive player of the week....Nate Condon. Absolute beast mode this weekend.

[Mac]

Ohhh one more thing. WCHA offensive player of the week....Nate Condon. Absolute beast mode this weekend.

I agree. I really hope he gets put back on the top line with Bjugstad and Rau. He's quite the playmaker with his speed.

Kudos to NoDak for their performance tonight. That was a great game to watch. Just the kind of performance I would expect for the last game these two teams will play in the regular season as league opponents.

[LakotaNation]

MacWilliam kicking the puck directly to a gopher player and easily giving them the possession of the puck where seconds later they score was some stupid decision making. Should have attempted at pinning the puck against the boards with his skates while waiting for some help.

[dagies]

I have a buddy that thinks Schmaltz will never be a healthy scratch because he's a flight risk that they want to keep happy. I don't think thats the case, but he's got to be better. Also, way too much talent to sit.

So...you play a guy who shouldn't be in the lineup to ensure that he can't make himself unavailable for the lineup?

[SiouxScore]

Kind of surprised that Schmaltz was in the lineup. We've seen high profile guys get the suit after a bad performance before (LaPoint, Mattson).

I have a buddy that thinks Schmaltz will never be a healthy scratch because he's a flight risk that they want to keep happy. I don't think thats the case, but he's got to be better. Also, way too much talent to sit.

I agree with you coaches can't really worry about that type of thing and have to put the team out there that they feel gives them the best chance to win. I think the thing with Schmaltz is you see flashes of what he can do and good plays but then you see flashes of bad decisons and bad plays and he just needs to be more consistent in the good play and decisons. IMO he needs to play with a little more sense of urgency as I think he almost looks to nonchalant when handling the puck and making passes at times and maybe even keep things a little more simple.

[Slap Shot]

Damn sad to see this rivaly put on hiatus for a few years. Even if they were to play next year it won't mean as much with them being in different conferences, but still...

We're never going to see eye to eye, but this has been my favorite sporting event since I can remember and I went to my first UM game in 1973!! UND only got 1 point but you guys are far from done and who knows WCHA playoff and NCAA games could still be in their futures.

Good luck.

[jodcon]

I wouldn't be surprised to see these teams play twice more this year, that would be a fitting end to a great rivalry (for a while).

[Blackheart]

Went to the game tonight with a friend who unfortunately is a Gopher fan...but he had an extra ticket so how could I say no? Great seats and great action by both teams...the Sioux probably should have had the W but have had trouble closing teams out this year...(BU?) One thing both of us noticed was the number of odd man rushes the Gofers gave up tonite...I don't know if the Gofs were going super aggressive on the forecheck but they were getting burned repeatedly and Guentzel was visibly upset on their bench...either that or he just found out what a loser he is... jk Kristo was the man out there tonite but I gotta say everytime Rocco touched the puck, there was a definite buzz in the air...he was everywhere and made all the little plays that don't show up in the box score and one play that did...Rocco, Kristo, Knight seems like a no-brainer to me; what say we feed a little of that to St Clown?

[geaux_sioux]

One take away from this weekend is that Minnesota is for real and is excellent; and we can go toe to toe with them. We won 3 periods this weekend. They won 3 periods this weekend.

Toe to toe? Face meet palm. Palm, face.

[petey23]

I like Panz at some point next weekend after what I saw from our Dman this series.

I like Panzarella as well...Hak seems hesitant to play him on the big ice.

[sioux hockey is the best]

ok u guys we left 1 point on the table but at least we didn't get swept 1 is better than none hey we're right in this u guys keep ur heads up

[Emerald joker]

Went to the game tonight with a friend who unfortunately is a Gopher fan...but he had an extra ticket so how could I say no? Great seats and great action by both teams...the Sioux probably should have had the W but have had trouble closing teams out this year...(BU?) One thing both of us noticed was the number of odd man rushes the Gofers gave up tonite...I don't know if the Gofs were going super aggressive on the forecheck but they were getting burned repeatedly and Guentzel was visibly upset on their bench...either that or he just found out what a loser he is... jk Kristo was the man out there tonite but I gotta say everytime Rocco touched the puck, there was a definite buzz in the air...he was everywhere and made all the little plays that don't show up in the box score and one play that did...Rocco, Kristo, Knight seems like a no-brainer to me; what say we feed a little of that to St Clown?

Not trying to sound negative but when it comes to odd man rushes and I'm the other team the only guy I would worry about is Rocco cuz he seems to know how to handle them all the oppising team has to do for the rest of the sioux team is obsteuct their view of the goalie and keep their stick down to block the sioux guys pass, how many times have we seen that happen this year and Danny either has to get faster to skate around the d man or make sure he can make the pass, same goes for all the other sioux players. And the only thing I've noticed with the sioux d men is not as physical and Forbort shots more and they wait to long to take a shot cuz so many of their shots have been blocked by the other team! Frustrating to watch

[brianvf]

Wasn't it the poster Mariucci that said before the series that Wilcox had the quickest glove hand since Stauber?

Didn't take much for Knight and Grimaldi to expose that a bit...

I agree that you can't feel good after giving up a late 4-2 lead and settling for the tie. Two posts in OT makes it feel worse.

For as much as everyone was complaining about the D and the goalies...UND showed tonight that they can certainly play with UMN. Now they need to start finishing off some of these games.

[Oxbow6]

I agree that you can't feel good after giving up a late 4-2 lead and settling for the tie. Two posts in OT makes it feel worse.

For as much as everyone was complaining about the D and the goalies...UND showed tonight that they can certainly play with UMN. Now they need to start finishing off some of these games.

On the road up 2 goals mid 3rd period vs #1 team in the country and by far your biggest rival and in the last regular season game vs. them for years...it feels like a loss plain and simple. Great effort and play compared to Friday, but UND should of been on the bus back to GF with 2 points. This team, see BU Saturday night game as well, doesn't play well with a lead when you ask them to take their foot off the gas especially on nights when they are buzzing for most of the game. The "prevent" defense that occured after we got the 2 goal lead basically cost us the game as we are not defensively sound enough at this point to continually withstand pressure in our D zone because there is being no sustained offensive push on our part for half a period. I have no doubt that this was the effort and type of game Hak was looking for, but to have them not continue that same play the last 10 minutes of regulation and leave with a point can't be sitting well with him or the players.

[I Ranger]

Here are my observations/rant from last night that I just want to get out. I would assume some if not all might have been mentioned in this thread but I don't feel like reading 19 pages.

1. I don't think I would have played Schmaltz the last 8-10 minutes of the game and especially OT. He was obviously overwhelmed this weekend and has a long ways to go. I don't know how we sit Gleason and Mattson for a game or two for Panzarella and Schmaltz hasn't sat yet. I think he has been our worst D all year.

2. I've never seen a Sioux team lose so many puck battles along the boards expecially in their own end and especially the D (see tying goal) in my life. Come on Berry work your magic.

3. Rocco was the best player on the ice for the last two periods and a half. He needs to play with better talent period. He almost took the game over himself.

4. Why St. Clair hadn't played the last two games amazes me. I thought he played well last night and has been one of our most consistent forwards all year.

5. Jim can do his job at times but their are better options especially on the big sheet. He helps with depth but I don't like him in the lineup unless we have injuries.

6. I thought Zane was pretty good but we just can't seem to make the key save when we need to.

7. I thought Mitch might have been the answer last weekend with Knight and Kristo but this weekend he was exposed. I think we have to try Rocco there.

End of rant for now.