SIOUX vs. GOPHERS - Thursday, F4 Philly style Gameday

[sprig]

Thought on the last play, we had three guys between the Gopher shooters and Goth erg and not one of them laid down. Anybody lays down and we go to OT. There was only 2 secs left, block it!

I know, hindsight 20/20. Damn.

Schmaltz blocked Rau's shot. Puck bounced directly to Holl, who slides it by the Sioux forward down to block it. That forward is screening Simpson, both are screening Gothberg. If either Simpson or Gothberg sees that soft shot, they block it.

[Oxbow6]

Woke up...sun is coming up. My beautiful daughter's are smiling that it's Friday and it's the last day of the school week.

Bottom line is last night's game is just what happens in sports...the players and coaches move on and fans do too.

My youngest daughter has a pink "sleeping" shirt she wears nightly...it reads "FOREVER SIOUX"...in our home that's true win or lose.

Can't wait til the puck drops in the '14-'15 season.

[MafiaMan]

Hmnn...the sun's coming up. Honestly didn't expect that today.

[bypolairxam]

All the fancy skating and passing doesn't mean squat if ya don't have people that can bury the puck..Time to find those people..

[keikla]

The last second of this game left me utterly stunned. That being said, while I'm disappointed, I think this one actually hurts less than those of years past.

1) In the past, when the Sioux got utterly spanked (repeatedly) by BC, it was hard to stomach even watching the game. The Sioux would look like absolute crap, and BC seemed to be skating circles around them. I remember being in Denver, and a ton of Sioux fans were already back at the pregame party bar by the end of the first...it just wasn't worth sticking around to watch the suffering.

That wasn't the case this game. UND played it's gameplan perfectly for 59.59:59. We're not walking away from this feeling like the players didn't try or didn't give it their all. It was readily apparent that they did. There was a shift where Simpson blocked a shot, broke up a cross-ice pass (that looked a certain goal had it made it through), and then blocked another shot. Mattson had the play of his career getting the puck out of the crease with Zane sprawled out. There was a shift when Rocco put in an amazing effort just to hold the zone.

2) I had low expectations for this group at the beginning of the year, and even lower by the end of November. I would have been crushed had they lost to CC on Sunday or Ohio State getting the OT goal. But somehow they made it in. Considering the regional had two Hobey finalist goaltenders, I didn't expect the Sioux to even make it to the Frozen Four. But somehow they made it in. So, maybe it's just the fact that I had significantly lowered expectations this year that made every opportunity to keep playing a bonus.

The thing that makes me feel sick is thinking about how the players feel. You could tell Zane was absolutely crushed as teammates came up to him after the loss. Everyone just stood on the ice looking stunned. I think about how Simpson didn't want to take his gear off after the Frozen Faceoff because he didn't know if it would be the last time. My expectations may have been low, but they fully expected to win it all.

[Boogieman]

All the fancy skating and passing doesn't mean squat if ya don't have people that can bury the puck..Time to find those people..

Keep in mind that the guys burying the puck for us down the stretch were replacement walk-ons for highly drafted recruits who decided to bail out. The two things I'm looking at with guys returning next year are Luke Johnson and Drake Caggiula. I think they will be keys. And I think both are capable if 15-20 goals. We'll be just fine.

[Walsh Hall]

Horrible ending and outcome but this team came to play, was prepared and was the better team tonight.

It's hockey...it's sports...it's life.

Proud of the effort and the game they played.

I 100% agree. The Sioux played an incredible game, out shot and out chanced them. Wilcox and Gothberg both were great. A great hockey game (minus that last few seconds). They played their hearts out and did all they could. Sometimes the bounce goes our way, sometimes it doesn't.

I have nothing but pride for the team's play last night.

[MafiaMan]

Schmaltz blocked Rau's shot. Puck bounced directly to Holl, who slides it by the Sioux forward down to block it. That forward is screening Simpson, both are screening Gothberg. If either Simpson or Gothberg sees that soft shot, they block it.

Did you notice the Holl stick to the mask of Grimaldi just before the goal? Watch the video at the 12-13 second mark...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4UdUgDUz0A

I just wish that one of these years, a bounce would go North Dakota's way...still feel like I woke up to a punch in the gut.

[Remotehero]

Losing big to BC hurts way more than this. Proud of our team and how they played.

[SiouxperDave]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[passit_offthegoalie]

[Fetch]

yeah evil does ok in this world

[scpa0305]

Schmaltz blocked Rau's shot. Puck bounced directly to Holl, who slides it by the Sioux forward down to block it. That forward is screening Simpson, both are screening Gothberg. If either Simpson or Gothberg sees that soft shot, they block it.

Schmaltz should have pinched before Rau even hit the blue line...he was the best player on the ice all night long, one mistake ended up being a pretty big one.

[MafiaMan]

_{http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/254849281.html}

_{Apparently a SEMI-FINAL win is reason to riot in Dinkytown these days...}

_{Love this quote:} “Whether the Gophers win or lose [on Saturday], it’s going to be out of hand.”

[jk]

Sagard mentioned it, but the last play was reminiscent of Armbrust in 1997. The game, though, felt a lot like the title game against Denver in 2005, where an undermanned Sioux team really was the better team on the ice that day. Then, it was Denver goals going in off Sioux defensemen, and Fabian's shot getting caught by the goalie's glove while in the net. This time, it was a bounce off a Sioux skate that turned what was really a fairly harmless rush into disaster.

I can't think of any truly, literally, last second NCAA tournament losses other than the two which live in dark places in our hearts. It's not that they stopped playing, either. That's just when the bounce happened.

The tricky part, as Brad mentioned on his blog last night, is that UND could be a powerhouse next year and not make it as far. The tournament is unforgiving. Even if they reach the tournament, they may not be playing at their peak, or they may be nicked up. They may also be feeling the pressure, as 2011 seemed to, and not playing loosey goosey as this group was. One thing you can say about this team is they played their best at the end. They had a good game plan, and it was well executed.

This one will linger for fans, and has got to be a killer for the players and coaches.

[Walsh Hall]

Schmaltz should have pinched before Rau even hit the blue line...he was the best player on the ice all night long, one mistake ended up being a pretty big one.

Holl picked up the puck around the top of the circle in his own end. Schmaltz had no option of pinching. In his own end he was in perfect position and blocked the shot. I see no mistake and Rocco was in position on his back check. It was really just an untimely seeing-eye shot after the blocked shot landed on a covered gopher's stick.

Warnings goal was odd as well. Rau was trying to shot far corner off his own rebound and pretty much fanned on the shot. It dribbled to Warning for a tap in.

[sagard]

Did you notice the Holl stick to the mask of Grimaldi just before the goal? Watch the video at the 12-13 second mark...

I just wish that one of these years, a bounce would go North Dakota's way...still feel like I woke up to a punch in the gut.

For sure. Grimaldi had him tightly covered, but Holl popped him a bit to make space. Very similar to pushing off. Doubt he meant to hit him in the chops, but definitely wanted some space in case the puck came his way. Guys who camp in front of the net are masters at this type of play.

[Doc Holliday]

For gfhockey and Dave Berger claiming there was too many men on the ice for the goal, they're wrong.

Great game by North Dakota. I'm pretty sure that every Minnesota fan (minus those that just cheer because it's a thing to do if they're in a game like this) knows that it sometimes comes down to a bounce that determines this stuff. I know I was holding on for dear life every single time UND unloaded another shot in the 3rd.

[scpa0305]

Holl picked up the puck around the top of the circle in his own end. Schmaltz had no option of pinching. In his own end he was in perfect position and blocked the shot. I see no mistake and Rocco was in position on his back check. It was really just an untimely seeing-eye shot after the blocked shot landed on a covered gopher's stick.

Warnings goal was odd as well. Rau was trying to shot far corner off his own rebound and pretty much fanned on the shot. It dribbled to Warning for a tap in.

Respectfully....are you kidding me? I am talking about before MN even entered our zone...on the wall. WIth time expiring you simply pinch to get in the way and run clock. I was at Sensors screaming pinch...no pinch....goal.

[UNDColorado]

This was one of the best games I have seen in quite a while. Heartbreaking loss but great season boys. Remember this come October.

[scpa0305]

On a side note....I think Hak's game plan worked well last night. Keep the puck on the wall and slow the pace down. I am biased but I thought we had the advantage....only slightly. That was a tough game....the ending was unfortunate.

Better luck next year!

[Doc Holliday]

On a side note....I think Hak's game plan worked well last night. Keep the puck on the wall and slow the pace down. I am biased but I thought we had the advantage....only slightly. That was a tough game....the ending was unfortunate.

Better luck next year!

It seemed like UND always had 6 guys on the ice, and I mean that in a good way. Whenever the Gophers were coming out of the zone, it always seemed like it took great effort to get it out, and then there were still 3 guys back, making any offense difficult. The Gophers are really good at a guy jumping into the play when they hit the blue line, hitting a trailer for a good shot. There was hardly any of that opportunity.

UND had the ice tilted in the 3rd I thought, especially the last half. I thought it was pretty even the first two periods with both having great scoring chances and both having some sustained zone time.

[wsdSIOUXfalls]

For gfhockey and Dave Berger claiming there was too many men on the ice for the goal, they're wrong.https://www.youtube....UsOFYDCb3c#t=15

Dave's exact words were, "Just to clarify (others' assertions)... five Gopher skaters on the ice for the final .6 (after the goal)."

[MafiaMan]

For sure. Grimaldi had him tightly covered, but Holl popped him a bit to make space. Very similar to pushing off. Doubt he meant to hit him in the chops, but definitely wanted some space in case the puck came his way. Guys who camp in front of the net are masters at this type of play.

There's not much lee-way in the rule for "well, he didn't mean to get his stick in the guy's face." I'm not griping that this is the NCAA hockey version of the Raider/Patriot "tuck rule" game but it still sucks.

[MafiaMan]

Dave's exact words were, "Just to clarify... five Gopher skaters on the ice for the final .6 (after the goal)."

I don't care if Lucia, Potulny, and sagard were out there in the face-off circle with .6 to play...big frickin' deal. The game was over.