UND 2013-14 season

[Cratter]

So in other words it's going to be a long season if UND doesn't sweep St Lawrence.

[burd]

You beat me two it.

Also according to Schloss, the Sioux turned it around turkey day weekend, let go boys! Go Sioux!

As I recall they had a guy called Frattin who turned into a beast that year. This team has a lot of talent, but not that kind of power sniper IMO. Still, it is possible for them to improve to contender status. They have played some very good hockey teams this fall.

[yzerman19]

As I recall they had a guy called Frattin who turned into a beast that year. This team has a lot of talent, but not that kind of power sniper IMO. Still, it is possible for them to improve to contender status. They have played some very good hockey teams this fall.

Aren't we all off by a year...wasn't the 2011-2012 (where Nov 2011 happened) team the injury plagued team that pulled the Final Five out of left field?

That wasn't our best team, but they played with heart to win the Broadmoor. I am certain that they were not a #1 seed come NCAA time.

If I

[keikla]

Aren't we all off by a year...wasn't the 2011-2012 (where Nov 2011 happened) team the injury plagued team that pulled the Final Five out of left field?

That wasn't our best team, but they played with heart to win the Broadmoor. I am certain that they were not a #1 seed come NCAA time.

If I

It was the 11-12 team, and they were a #1 seed. The Sioux got 'rewarded' for their #1 seed by playing Minnesota in St. Paul (after beating Western Michigan).

[yzerman19]

So, it wasn't the Frattin led team. It was the injured team.

I am surprised we ended up a #1 seed. I wouldn't have thought that just based on memory. PWR is an interesting thing...

[yzerman19]

I was probably in mourning that whole season after the loss to Michigan in April 2011...

[keikla]

So, it wasn't the Frattin led team. It was the injured team.

I am surprised we ended up a #1 seed. I wouldn't have thought that just based on memory. PWR is an interesting thing...

They certainly weren't a #1 seed before going into the Final 5. But winning that tourney had a way of boosting middle-of-the-pack teams to the top.

[yzerman19]

I remember Duncan's senior year we lost our way to a #1 seed in the F5 too...and Yale was the last team in last year

[scpa0305]

November 2011. UND started 4-7-1 that year. Translation: back away from the ledge and give the team a little time to figure it out. That 2011 team ended up as a #1 seed and won the Final Five.

Note: total credit to Schloss for looking up the info and sending out into the twitter world (though the 'translation' was from yours truly).

I was simply looking for the last time we weren't ranked. I knew it was sometime in the last 3-5 year (fully knowing those teams came back and had average to above average years). No need for the 3rd sentence.

[AZSIOUX]

I was simply looking for the last time we weren't ranked. I knew it was sometime in the last 3-5 year (fully knowing those teams came back and had average to above average years). No need for the 3rd sentence.

Sure been a while. I think most fans/observers can see that this team is way less talented than many others over the years. The whole thing that they turned it around couple years ago after thxgiving has zero to do with this years squad. If they don't start finishing good chances they will be nowhere near a NCAA birth. Yeah there is a autobid but nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade as of today and the reality is they have a huge pairwise hole to dig out of. Sure hope things start to click this weekend! Would be a nice baby step to get back to .500 then see what happens from there. Go sioux!! Beat up st Lawrence over turkey weekend!

[fightingsioux4life]

I was probably in mourning that whole season after the loss to Michigan in April 2011...

I didn't wear any Fighting Sioux gear for about a month after that. And that is a first (and hopefully last) for me.

[UNDBIZ]

I didn't wear any Fighting Sioux gear for about a month after that. And that is a first (and hopefully last) for me.

I sold my remaining frozen four tickets to some elderly Duluth fans, but kept wearing my Sioux jerseys for the remainder of the weekend. Took a little flak for it, but I wasn't going to cover up.

[UNDBIZ]

Sure been a while. I think most fans/observers can see that this team is way less talented than many others over the years. The whole thing that they turned it around 4 years ago after thxgiving has zero to do with this years squad. If they don't start finishing good chances they will be nowhere near a NCAA birth. Yeah there is a autobid but nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade as of today and the reality is they have a huge pairwise hole to dig out of. Sure hope things start to click this weekend! Would be a nice baby step to get back to .500 then see what happens from there. Go sioux!! Beat up st Lawrence over turkey weekend!

It's only been 2 years and we weren't real talented that year either. Had a very emotional captain in Lamoureux who willed the team to win gritty games.

[AZSIOUX]

It's only been 2 years and we weren't real talented that year either. Had a very emotional captain in Lamoureux who willed the team to win gritty games.

Good point and I must be living in 2015-16 already! Haha

[keikla]

I was simply looking for the last time we weren't ranked. I knew it was sometime in the last 3-5 year (fully knowing those teams came back and had average to above average years). No need for the 3rd sentence.

Sorry; the third sentence wasn't geared at you specifically. It seems every fall the wheels fall off, and this team won't amount to anything, and this and that. That sentence was pointed at the multitudes of doom-sayers who come out every fall.

And, before I get jumped on, I'm not saying that this team doesn't deserve some criticism, especially after seeing the difference between their play on Friday and Saturday nights at BU. I just tend to give them a little bit longer to get their stuff together before flying off the edge.

[brianvf]

I didn't wear any Fighting Sioux gear for about a month after that. And that is a first (and hopefully last) for me.

That loss and the regional final loss against DU when Parise/Bochenski were at UND stung about the same for me.

Those two years I for sure thought were destined to be title years...

[scpa0305]

Sorry; the third sentence wasn't geared at you specifically. It seems every fall the wheels fall off, and this team won't amount to anything, and this and that. That sentence was pointed at the multitudes of doom-sayers who come out every fall.

And, before I get jumped on, I'm not saying that this team doesn't deserve some criticism, especially after seeing the difference between their play on Friday and Saturday nights at BU. I just tend to give them a little bit longer to get their stuff together before flying off the edge.

No worries.

[yzerman19]

Biggest differentiators from 11-12 to 13-14?

Simple: Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson

The 13-14 team simply doesn't have those horses in the stable. Cags and Rocco might substitute for Knight and Rowney on that squad...

Lastly, the 11-12 team was not that good...so, to draw comparisons doesn't impress...

I'm not going to quit watching, but I'm surely less fanatical this year due to the product I'm seeing...

Flame away, question my fan hood, but I don't have the free world's supply of energy or time...I have to be judicious in those investments.

[fightingsioux4life]

Biggest differentiators from 11-12 to 13-14?

Simple: Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson

The 13-14 team simply doesn't have those horses in the stable. Cags and Rocco might substitute for Knight and Rowney on that squad...

Lastly, the 11-12 team was not that good...so, to draw comparisons doesn't impress...

I'm not going to quit watching, but I'm surely less fanatical this year due to the product I'm seeing...

Flame away, question my fan hood, but I don't have the free world's supply of energy or time...I have to be judicious in those investments.

No questioning your loyalty from this fan; there is nothing wrong with calling it as you see it. Of course, some people on here will give you an argument on that.

[The Sicatoka]

The senior class is four guys: two are transfers, another can't stick in the line-up, and the last is one of the calendar-youngest captains I can recall.

And they we have an underperforming junior class. There. I said it. Un. Der. Per. For. Ming. Under. Performing.

We need the freshmen to get to semester break, because there are no freshmen after semester break if they are doing it right.

[AZSIOUX]

That loss and the regional final loss against DU when Parise/Bochenski were at UND stung about the same for me.

Those two years I for sure thought were destined to be title years...

Probably didn't say a word to my grandpa driving from Denver back to Scottsdale. He still tells the story. Ill blame the combo of the loss and that we left at 330am after gun shots went off wherever the hell we were staying. The Michigan loss just flat out sucked as well. Ha drank that one away. Crazy games

[AZSIOUX]

Go sioux! Plenty of time to get some wins, has to start this weekend though vs SL! gobble gobble

[Goon]

Go sioux! Plenty of time to get some wins, has to start this weekend though vs SL! gobble gobble

There you go adding something positive to the forum.

[siouxhockeyfan11]

That loss and the regional final loss against DU when Parise/Bochenski were at UND stung about the same for me.

Those two years I for sure thought were destined to be title years...

Out shooing Michigan by 20 and losing in 2011 has always felt like payback for 97. I still can't believe we didn't win the national title that year. The shot margin was similar in 04 if i remember correctly, we hit a pipe in that game and Denver ended up winning the national title. I agree with your assessment, those are the two years that I thought we had the best team in the nation only to fall in the semis, heartbreak.

[yababy8]

Biggest differentiators from 11-12 to 13-14?

Simple: Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson

The 13-14 team simply doesn't have those horses in the stable. Cags and Rocco might substitute for Knight and Rowney on that squad...

Lastly, the 11-12 team was not that good...so, to draw comparisons doesn't impress...

I'm not going to quit watching, but I'm surely less fanatical this year due to the product I'm seeing...

Flame away, question my fan hood, but I don't have the free world's supply of energy or time...I have to be judicious in those investments.

No flaming but I disagree with your assessment.

First of all putting a '13-'14 Rocco down one in a comparison with the '11-'12 Nelson is silly.

Second I think this team has more overall talent front to back than the '11-'12 team. The biggest X factor will be in net..

I think I read in another post that you did not see much of the games this weekend? In any case the team looked very impressive especially on Sat night. I wrote the following in the Sat game thread:

(speaking about O'Donnell) in awe of his play. Sat night he looked awesome. He reminded me of Stafford. Pattyn has been playing with the puck in the zone on another level too. Chyzyk is starting to get some maxi on the offensive boards as well as Rodwell when he was playing healthy. Caligula (that's what I call him) should shine again when his line-mates get more consistent.

Grimaldi has the ability to completely dominate in the offensive zone. He has the skill to set up linemates like Ricky Rubio. I think the system should focus on him setting up line-mates more than shooting and I think that has been happening the last few games. The problem is when he puts the puck on the tape of their stick they need to put the puck in the net.

As far as the defensemen go, Schmaltz is the best offensive defensemen we have had since Chorney, no offense Genoway. Mattson has started to really shine since he has(or has been allowed?) to skate with the puck. Stecher has taken a little of the sting out of not having a guy like big MAC or Blood. Simpson is doing some pretty darn good things too-Good shot, good poise but I would like to see him go to the next level...

I have a healthy respect for Hak's style of coaching, although I do feel he favors the defensive/accountability element of the game over offensive prowess sometimes to an extreme. Having said that in many ways, when you consider the talent and skill set of our defensemen, the reality of the situation is this year's team is set up to have success playing within his system. I think we all saw a glimpse of that on Sat night. I thought the Sioux were dominant. Excellent decision making with the puck. Very few screw-ups that lost possession both in transition and in the zone. Tape to tape passing all night long. One element I would like to see added is some drop back passes to the trailer after we enter the zone on breaks. We tend to shoot and hope for a rebound a little (maybe way) to much. A bit to much focus on "greasy goals". If I was Haks coach I would tell him to lose that phrase. Moving a goalie out of position is a much better option. Leave the greasy goal concept to the rebounds that come from blue liners shots. On the break use your speed to get the goalie out of position or screened. Then maybe the score/shot ratio will be better than 5%...