NORTH DAKOTA vs. ST. CLOUD - Friday

[yzerman19]

I didn't stop watching, but I was as close as I have been in years.

I actually quit watching at the second intermission. Brutal.

[fightingsioux4life]

Would four straight Final Five's be enough 'winning' for you? Or is ANYTHING less than a national championship every-other-year considered failure?

I saw Chay Genoway and his minus 5 game as a freshie or soph against Maine. I'm glad he wasn't tossed off the team after that game.

Obviously not a good game by the Sioux last night...I'm anxious to see how they respond to adversity tonight.

"not a good game by the Sioux last night".....holy understatement Batman!!!

If you think "just being there every year" is good enough and expecting anything else is just asking too much, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. But don't expect everyone else to act like sheep and go along for the ride. I am very proud of the Final Five titles we have won (I go there every freaking year, thank you very much) . But, like I've said before, we can win all the league titles we want and we can send all the players to the NHL we want, but unless we start winning NCAA titles on a consistent basis again, we will start losing prestige and standing nationwide. Recruiting and media exposure are becoming more national (and even international in some cases) and a lack of national success will hurt us sooner or later. A lot of kids alive today don't even remember our last NCAA title (2000), they were too young or weren't even born yet! But we aren't supposed to talk about that here because "In Hak We Trust", "We have to wait for Jerry York to retire", "There are too many 'hot goalies' out there", "We have the greatest arena in the world; thus, we shouldn't complain about anything", "We get to watch former UND players in the NHL on NHL Center Ice, so life is good", blah, blah, blah!!! And God help anyone that challenges this mentality. Well, I will, I did, and I don't apologize for it.

What happened last night was much worse than "not a good game". It was totally and completely unacceptable for a program like ours. And this will come as a total shock to the "In Hak We Trust" crowd, but this was on the coaches. It is their job to get this team ready to play night in and night out. That doesn't mean they won't have a down night from time to time (everybody does), but it means last night should NEVER happen. Ever. This is a microcosm of what is wrong with this program under Hak and Company. Great arena to play in and show off to the recruits and fans, great talent year after year.....but unable to fulfill the full potential of the talent available almost every year. Hak gets a six-figure salary to run this program and has all the bells and whistles and pure, God-given talent you could hope to have.....and yet our full potential as a top-notch program remains unfulfilled under Hak's leadership. And I believe it is totally and completely fair to point this out and call it out for what it is.

I am NOT calling for a coaching change at this time. I WANT Hakstol and his staff to succeed. But Hakstol is on pace to end his coaching career just like Doug Woog at Minnesota. Great talent, great facilities........but severely unfulfilled potential. End rant, see you guys tonight. LET'S GO SIOUX!!!!

[yzerman19]

Then I guess UND missed recruiting some pretty darn good players. Our freshman class has been stellar for us this year. Oh and I heard Leblanc and Hanowski are pretty good too. Jensen and Prochno would start on any WCHA team....except for UND I guess...

Agree on Jensen and Prochno. Also, Leblanc and Hanowski really have become good players. Playing single A MInn HS, they did fall off a lot of school's radars. Good for them for working for it and becoming top tier scorers in the NCAA.

Interesting to hear Hanowski get interviewed. Their gameplan was to play defense first and shut down time and space for Kristo and Knight. They score a fluke to go up 1-0, with that game plan, executed well, against a UND team playing soft...good plan and good win.

IF SCSU and Motzko can do this to UND, Eaves and Blaiser are going to kill us.

[jk]

It's a long season, filled with ups and downs. This is a pretty low "down."

The coaches are proven winners, as evidenced by the last eight years of consistent success. As professionals near the top of their field, they are the ones with the best chance of figuring out how to get back to success this year.

Berry, in particular, has coached some of the best defensive units in recent Sioux history. Individuals and teams get better under his coaching.

The coaches and players care about the team and its success more than anyone posting on the board. These are their lives, professions, and future professions, and they have put countless hours into them. It's not a hobby or interest like it is for fans.

Last year's team had a ton of heart. Unless you think the "heart" resided in just one of two players, then the players on last year's team had heart. Almost all of the players from last year's team returned this year. I conclude they are the same high-character guys who won the hearts of Sioux fans last year, temporarily struggling. Not suddenly heartless. Heartless is a character conclusion, and not one you can just reverse with the next good game.

Poor effort and execution should be criticized, and last night provided ample opportunities for both. I laugh at silly juvenile overreactions suggesting that players and coaches don't care and have no heart.

[fightingsioux4life]

Agree on Jensen and Prochno. Also, Leblanc and Hanowski really have become good players. Playing single A MInn HS, they did fall off a lot of school's radars. Good for them for working for it and becoming top tier scorers in the NCAA.

Interesting to hear Hanowski get interviewed. Their gameplan was to play defense first and shut down time and space for Kristo and Knight. They score a fluke to go up 1-0, with that game plan, executed well, against a UND team playing soft...good plan and good win.

IF SCSU and Motzko can do this to UND, Eades and Blaiser are going to kill us.

Watch out, we aren't supposed to talk about him anymore!

[gfhockey]

Yeah youll start tovbe black listed and band from the chats if you mention blais...he built the program and now it is tumbling down

[AZSIOUX]

I actually quit watching at the second intermission. Brutal.

Absolutely brutal! Couldn't even tell the last time I watched a game knowing there was zero possibility of winning after 2 periods. Maybe never. Usually takes a 3/4 goal lead to start that thinking. Wholesale line changes are needed

Panz in Gleason out or at forward but isn't needed

Chyzk in unless he's in the dog house for something?? Someone has to know as he played decent earlier in the season

Pattyn never again to be even considered playing on a line with Rocco or even drake. Almost as bad and maybe worse as the rowney to wing failed experiment early this year

Zane in again and maybe a few hits would be nice!

Yeah we were brutal last night, time to come out flying and shoot the damn puck!

[MafiaMan]

"not a good game by the Sioux last night".....holy understatement Batman!!!

If you think "just being there every year" is good enough and expecting anything else is just asking too much, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. But don't expect everyone else to act like sheep and go along for the ride. I am very proud of the Final Five titles we have won (I go there every freaking year, thank you very much) . But, like I've said before, we can win all the league titles we want and we can send all the players to the NHL we want, but unless we start winning NCAA titles on a consistent basis again, we will start losing prestige and standing nationwide. Recruiting and media exposure are becoming more national (and even international in some cases) and a lack of national success will hurt us sooner or later. A lot of kids alive today don't even remember our last NCAA title (2000), they were too young or weren't even born yet! But we aren't supposed to talk about that here because "In Hak We Trust", "We have to wait for Jerry York to retire", "There are too many 'hot goalies' out there", "We have the greatest arena in the world; thus, we shouldn't complain about anything", "We get to watch former UND players in the NHL on NHL Center Ice, so life is good", blah, blah, blah!!! And God help anyone that challenges this mentality. Well, I will, I did, and I don't apologize for it.

What happened last night was much worse than "not a good game". It was totally and completely unacceptable for a program like ours. And this will come as a total shock to the "In Hak We Trust" crowd, but this was on the coaches. It is their job to get this team ready to play night in and night out. That doesn't mean they won't have a down night from time to time (everybody does), but it means last night should NEVER happen. Ever. This is a microcosm of what is wrong with this program under Hak and Company. Great arena to play in and show off to the recruits and fans, great talent year after year.....but unable to fulfill the full potential of the talent available almost every year.

UND makes a great case for professional hockey player wanna-be's to come...for a year or two or maybe three. Would it be better to recruit guys who will play for FOUR years as opposed to two or three at best? My favorite team ever was the '97 team. You couldn't pick Matt Henderson or Peter Armbrust out of a crowd today, but they wore that Indian-head with pride for four years. Maybe it's time to get back to recruiting those kinds of players?

We're on the same side, fightingsioux4life. What would you consider 'acceptable' in terms of national titles? Outside of Boston College recently, about every 10-15 years seems pretty much par-for-the-course for schools like Michigan, Boston U, Minnesota, Maine, North Dakota, etc.

[Oxbow6]

Interesting to hear Hanowski get interviewed. Their gameplan was to play defense first and shut down time and space for Kristo and Knight. They score a fluke to go up 1-0, with that game plan, executed well, against a UND team playing soft...good plan and good win.

And this worked because they knew Mitch wasn't capable of picking up the slack. That's why it is neccessary to either have Rocco or Mark Mac play on that line tonight.

But this game plan all gets back to starting with the soft goal...that has to stop. If a team scores at least make them earn it and we struggle with that as well.

[Oxbow6]

UND makes a great case for professional hockey player wanna-be's to come...for a year or two or maybe three. Would it be better to recruit guys who will play for FOUR years as opposed to two or three at best? My favorite team ever was the '97 team. You couldn't pick Matt Henderson or Peter Armbrust out of a crowd today, but they wore that Indian-head with pride for four years. Maybe it's time to get back to recruiting those kinds of players?

This^^^^.

[yzerman19]

UND makes a great case for professional hockey player wanna-be's to come...for a year or two or maybe three. Would it be better to recruit guys who will play for FOUR years as opposed to two or three at best? My favorite team ever was the '97 team. You couldn't pick Matt Henderson or Peter Armbrust out of a crowd today, but they wore that Indian-head with pride for four years. Maybe it's time to get back to recruiting those kinds of players?

We're on the same side, fightingsioux4life.

I could pick them out- they were both interviewed on TV for the Sioux Gopher series last weekend.

You need to balance four year guys with blue chip talent- no doubt

[AZSIOUX]

Took a serious hit in the pairwise rankings last night. Hopefully a win tonight can help UND climb back up a few spots. The crap ass play last night hurt in a few spots. 1. Just sucks to suck like that 2. Missed golden chance with Mankato beating umtc 3. Pairwise

Win tonight and at worst 2 points back on Scsu and 2 back of umtc. Loss tonight then.....well that's just not going to happen.

[fightingsioux4life]

UND makes a great case for professional hockey player wanna-be's to come...for a year or two or maybe three. Would it be better to recruit guys who will play for FOUR years as opposed to two or three at best? My favorite team ever was the '97 team. You couldn't pick Matt Henderson or Peter Armbrust out of a crowd today, but they wore that Indian-head with pride for four years. Maybe it's time to get back to recruiting those kinds of players?

We're on the same side, fightingsioux4life.

I have been thinking the same thing for some time, MafiaMan. I LOVED that 1997 team. That team had the best chemistry of any sports team I have ever watched. Their hard-working, never-say-die attitude. The passion and emotion inside the Old REA for every home game (really, for the first time in about 10 years). And most of those kids stuck around for 3-4 years and we won two NCAA titles and a bunch of WCHA gold. I was a student in the old student section for those years and it was pure bliss.

And yes, we are on the same side. Sorry if I got a little snippy with you. I am just so PO'ed after last night and I haven't had my breakfast yet! LET'S GO SIOUX!!!

[MafiaMan]

I could pick them out- they were both interviewed on TV for the Sioux Gopher series last weekend.

D'oh!

[MafiaMan]

The passion and emotion inside the Old REA for every home game (really, for the first time in about 10 years). And most of those kids stuck around for 3-4 years and we won two NCAA titles and a bunch of WCHA gold. I was a student in the old student section for those years and it was pure bliss.

I was at UND from 88 to 92 and in 1990, the sloooow decline that ultimately resulted in Gino losing his job was starting. By 1992, old REA was a half-full morgue. I was at the 1997 WCHA tournament and will never forget the excitement those kids showed when Armbrust slammed the game-winning rebound past Minnesota in OT. Contrast that with the 'business trips' and non-celebrations of the past few years...

Just look at UND's media guides and pictures. Plenty of shots of Toews and Commodore holding up the Stanley Cup...like I said, emphasis on making YOU, the recruit, an NHL hockey player, not a Fighting Sioux legend.

I like Zach Parise as a player as much as anybody here, but I will take the results of Matt Henderson's four years any day over Zach's team accomplishments in his two.

[NOCO SIOUX]

Someone earlier said we need Hextall. I couldn't agree more. The Sioux have been to the NCAA's the past years and have had physically dominant teams. These physically dominant teams in the NCAA's have not doing well due to to the big hits being called much tighter, this then takes them out of the game they have played all season. Not disagreeing with protecting players, but I think it has changed Hak's recruiting. We don't have any bruisers on the team this year other than Big Mac and we don't have any young potential of becoming a bruiser. If you are going to replace physically dominant you better recruit the speed and goal scorers. We continuosly lose races to the puck and when we get to the puck first we get scrubbed off the puck by a more physical player. Our team this year appears to be afraid to hit. You can't be a finesse team when you don't have the high end skill. I have not seen Forbort or Schmaltz put a legitimate check on anyone this year. The 5'6" player shouldn't be the player on the ice throwing all the checks.I think it is an issue of recruiting and player potential. Stop looking at body type and draft status and start looking for kids who can play the game and have the want to play the game. Not some prima donna who the coaching staff is afraid to sit because he may leave and go to the pro'sI hope the Sioux can win tonight and take the last three games as a learning lesson and build on it for the rest of the year. If not it is going to be a long road ahead. And if we thought we were lucky to only lose Brock Nelson this year, wait until the end of a season where we don't make the NCAA's and see who leaves. All the "first round" talent the coaches would not sit will be the first to go

[geaux_sioux]

Last night reminded me of a certain foosball team against a certain eastern Washington foosball team this last fall..... Not acceptable and pretty embarrassing. The least the players could have done ( I'm looking at you Pattyn) would be to start crushing everything that moves and make scsu not want to even be on the ice anymore.

Bottom line, we need more players like Hextall Malone and Pirpich and Kaip and (insert name of tough bastard that payed forward) to compliment the finesse guys. This isn't hockey east.

[yzerman19]

Yup, no fire, no passion...In an embarrassing display last night, Pattyn should've been looking for an excuse to go bananas on somebody.

[MafiaMan]

Yeah youll start to be black listed and band from the chats if you mention blais...he built the program and now it is tumbling down

Same exact thing people on here were saying in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and on...Blaiser's lost it...he can't win the big one anymore...only two national titles? We should have five or six!

Lather, rinse, change coaches, repeat...

[gfhockey]

Blaiser never had a 100 million dollar recruiting gem either... that guy could just coach and get his team to play in big games where has haks well we know haks history in big games... seem slike we run in to hot goalies too much

[SiouxScore]

After a performance like last night I would expect to see a few changes in the lineup. I know a lot of people have wanted to see more of Panz but I think we saw last night why he isn't in the lineup more and would guess Mattson will take his spot tonight. I think there were a lot of forwards who could find theirselves out of the lineup after last night. I thought Zane was good after the soft first goal and wouldn't mind seeing him back in there tonight, but also wouldn't be suprised to give Saunders a start tonight just to see if one of the goalies will take the job and run with it.This might be a game tonight were if the Sioux win they are right back in contention for the regular season title, but if they lose it is very tough to see the Sioux winning the MacNaughton Cup.

I think we see a lineup like this tonight:

Mark MacMillan-Knight-Kristo

Caggiula-Rowney-Grimaldi

Chyzk-St.Clair-Parks

Rodwell-Pattyn-Gaarder

Mac-Mattson

Forbort-Schmaltz

Simpson-Gleason

Gothberg/Saunders

[gfhockey]

Grimaldis offenwive talent is wasted. He needs to be with kristo and knight

[sprig]

Is Chyzk even there any longer? The GF Herald article lists only Mattson, O'Donnell, and Gaarder as healthy scratches.

[Oxbow6]

I think we see a lineup like this tonight:

Mark MacMillan-Knight-Kristo

Caggiula-Rowney-Grimaldi

Chyzk-St.Clair-Parks

Rodwell-Pattyn-Gaarder

Mac-Mattson

Forbort-Schmaltz

Simpson-Gleason

Gothberg/Saunders

Zero chance Mitch isn't in the lineup. Like any HC Hak's ego is way too big to sit a guy who he's been playing on the first line.

[MafiaMan]

Blaiser never had a 100 million dollar recruiting gem either... that guy could just coach and get his team to play in big games where has haks well we know haks history in big games... seems like we run in to hot goalies too much

I clearly recall plenty of whining on here after the regional playoff losses to Michigan in 98...Boston College in 99...Denver in 04...