North Dakota vs. St. Cloud State

[AZSIOUX]

Sitting nice in the Pairwise after a 1 point weekend!

WCHA title well up for grabs and UND can jump right back up with a sweep. GO SIOUX

[SiouxScore]

Good chance to gain some ground in the standings this weekend and get on a roll for a couple weekends at home before heading back on the road for a couple tough matchups.

[SiouxTupa]

St. Cloud will be riding high after sweeping Denver. I'm interested in seeing if they're really that good or if DU is sliding.

[Oxbow6]

This series will determine if UND has a legitimate chance to win the McNaughton Cup. A split vs. SCSU at this point isn't going to get it done. IF UND plays 2 games like last night, I have little doubt it will be a sweep.

[ringneck28]

Like I said in the gophers thread, we can't let this weekends games beat us next weekend. We will see what kind of team we have when we lace em up against st cloud.

[MafiaMan]

Sitting nice in the Pairwise after a 1 point weekend!

WCHA title well up for grabs and UND can jump right back up with a sweep. GO SIOUX

Whoa whoa whoa, AZSIOUX...do you mean UND is NOT ranked 50th in the Pairwise this morning and Bruce McLeod is NOT boxing up the MacNaughton Cup and shipping it to Mariucci Arena?

Somebody better put out a bulletin on Siouxsports.com ASAP before any more fans jump off a bridge.

[Wilbur]

Whoa whoa whoa, AZSIOUX...do you mean UND is NOT ranked 50th in the Pairwise this morning and Bruce McLeod is NOT boxing up the MacNaughton Cup and shipping it to Mariucci Arena?

Somebody better put out a bulletin on Siouxsports.com ASAP before any more fans jump off a bridge.

Fans always jump off the bridge. Only once in the last 8 years have we not had bridge jumping at some point in time. I think most of us knew that UND is fine in the pairwise right now, and even had they been swept they still would have been fine.

Even Brian jumped off one year.....even Brian!!!!

But that troll came back.

[yzerman19]

The Gophers are currently the best team in the country. They manhandled a Johnny G-less BC team. They handily defeated Notre Dame.

We had a 4-2 lead in the third on their ice and ended up tied.

I think that we are legitimately a contender. In fact, I like the idea of being the slight underdog. It should inspire us down the stretch.

Remember the Frattin team dominated all year and fell just short. That same season, UMD was considered a one trick pony with a lethal top line and they won the NCAAs as an underdog.

[SiouxScore]

The Gophers are currently the best team in the country. They manhandled a Johnny G-less BC team. They handily defeated Notre Dame.

We had a 4-2 lead in the third on their ice and ended up tied.

I think that we are legitimately a contender. In fact, I like the idea of being the slight underdog. It should inspire us down the stretch.

Remember the Frattin team dominated all year and fell just short. That same season, UMD was considered a one trick pony with a lethal top line and they won the NCAAs as an underdog.

The funny thing is since losing to Minnesota both BC and Notre Dame have struggled a little bit. BC is just 2-2-1 since the loss and Notre Dame was swept at home by Alaska this weekend.

[NOCO SIOUX]

Just looking at this from a Coloradoan's perspective. The Broncos won 11 in a row to end the regular season. They went into the playoffs on high and an underdog who wanted it more beat them. Now I am not comparing football to hockey but the underdog to should win. The Sioux have a lot going for them and if they can keep it going they are going to make some noise in the end. Something clicked last night in the second period and I hope they remember that feeling. We are only two points out of the top spot in the league with a lot of hockey left. Sioux YA YA. Sweep the Huskies right out of the Ralph!!!!

[Wilbur]

I'm glad that the team played pretty well with still a lot of question marks.

~When is the D going to catch up?

~Who is our goalie now?

~What is our regular lineup?

~What are our regular line combos?

They tied a pretty good hockey team that in my opinion doesn't have a lot of question marks at the moment.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

When will the d catch up? It seems like our players have regressed in that area since last year. We have given up way to many quality chances this year.

[SiouxScore]

I'm glad that the team played pretty well with still a lot of question marks.

~When is the D going to catch up?

~Who is our goalie now?

~What is our regular lineup?

~What are our regular line combos?

They tied a pretty good hockey team that in my opinion doesn't have a lot of question marks at the moment.

~When is the D going to catch up?

Seems to me that they have improved in some areas but still need to improve in other areas. I think they will continue to get better but I agree that is the biggest question mark right now.

~Who is our goalie now?

I would say Zane should get the start Friday night and if he plays well Friday throw him back in on Saturday.

[Oxbow6]

~When is the D going to catch up?

Seems to me that they have improved in some areas but still need to improve in other areas. I think they will continue to get better but I agree that is the biggest question mark right now.

~Who is our goalie now?

I would say Zane should get the start Friday night and if he plays well Friday throw him back in on Saturday.

As to question #1...improved where?

As to question #2...agree. Zane earned a Friday start vs SCSU

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Not sure what is up with Clarke but he doesn't look the same since the break

[siouxfaninseattle]

I'm glad that the team played pretty well with still a lot of question marks.

~When is the D going to catch up?

~Who is our goalie now?

~What is our regular lineup?

~What are our regular line combos?

They tied a pretty good hockey team that in my opinion doesn't have a lot of question marks at the moment.

Not a lot of question marks but the ones you listed are pretty big. The play of the D has got to get better, and quick. Even though Saunders and Gothberg each let in 4 goals this weekend, I thought Zane played much better than Clarke, and deserves the start on Friday, and let's see how he does. The lines seem to be shaping up. Given the injury situation that we had earlier (Parks), Mitch becoming eligible, and Rocco back from WJ, it made for some neccessary shuffling. I like the lines from this weekend.

[brianvf]

Even Brian jumped off one year.....even Brian!!!!

But that troll came back.

I call shenanigans!!

[Oxbow6]

I like the lines from this weekend.

In games with equal skill on borh sides it was obvious Mitch isn't a top line winger.

Also obvious is Pattyn has no business centering a line with Rocco on it.

[Wilbur]

I call shenanigans!!

I remember somebody having it in their tag line or whatever its called "Fighting Sioux too young to win anything this year".....

[Goon]

Fans always jump off the bridge.

Ha, If you jump off the bridge now you would break your neck on the ice. This isn't pointed at Wilber, I was just using your jump off of the bridge post..

I don't get the sky is falling mentality. Some one Hakstol fired after a loss at the Frozen Four in 2011, others think that a goalie with a .915 save percentage and a 2.37 GAA with a 10-5-3 record sucks. After securing one point in the Gophers barn, UND is sitting at 6th in the Pairwise rankings. They have played one of the toughest schedules in college hockey, UND isn't going 42-0-0. I don't think UND has even peaked yet. Unlike other teams.

[SiouxScore]

As to question #1...improved where?

As to question #2...agree. Zane earned a Friday start vs SCSU

I know its not saying much but positionally we seem to be in the right places although really not executing much better more in our zone and running around a little less. I also think we have been a little better in the last 3 games (although there was really no way to get any worse than the Friday CC game) with tying guys up in front but it still needs to much better. I think some of the d-men need to just make the simple play more and get rid of the puck at times rather than making that extra stickhandle and then getting the puck tipped and the puck never ends up leaving the zone.

[siouxfaninseattle]

In games with equal skill on borh sides it was obvious Mitch isn't a top line winger.

Also obvious is Pattyn has no business centering a line with Rocco on it.

But who do you put with Knight and Kristo? Mitch is a left wing, and we seem to have a shortage there. I don't see changing the second line because there is good chemistry there. Who do you put as center on the third line?

[geaux_sioux]

Rocco Kristo knight

Rowney parks cags

Mitch mark st Clair

Rodwell Gleason Pattyn

Panz on d instead of Gleason

Split the goaltending duties since Zane looked sharper against the gophers

[Oxbow6]

But who do you put with Knight and Kristo? Mitch is a left wing, and we seem to have a shortage there. I don't see changing the second line because there is good chemistry there. Who do you put as center on the third line?

To your 2 questions...Rocco and St Clair.

Kristo Knight Rocco

RPM

Mitch Colton Drake.

Kristo can play off wing...he did during the failed Rowney at wing experiment earlier this year.

IMO solidifying line spots for Rocco and Mark Mac is the key to get this team humming offensively.

Or the above post is an option too

[MafiaMan]

I don't get the sky is falling mentality. Some one Hakstol fired after a loss at the Frozen Four in 2011, others think that a goalie with a .915 save percentage and a 2.37 GAA with a 10-5-3 record sucks. After securing one point in the Gophers barn, UND is sitting at 6th in the Pairwise rankings. They have played one of the toughest schedules in college hockey, UND isn't going 42-0-0. I don't think UND has even peaked yet.

Whoa whoa whoa, Goon, let's not let reason, common sense, and facts get in the way of spontaneous reactions to last night's tie. Obviously UND needs to fire Hakstol tomorrow morning, replace two of their three goalies, and re-join the WCHA because the team simply cannot compete with Miami, Denver, and CC.