SIOUX vs. GOPHERS - Thursday, F4 Philly style Gameday

[franchise]

I don't think anyone touches the skill of JG. If we get into addition of grit and things like that, then maybe he can be touched. Kid is just electric and probably what most were hoping Rocco would be.

[Old Time Hockey]

I spend most of the night and this morning thinking about and evaluating last nights heartbreaking loss. All I kept thinking about was, oh great, another semifinal loss in the Frozen Four. But after thinking about the other losses in the Frozen Four, for some reason, this one doesn't sting as much. And it should since it was against the Gophers. Our biggest rival. But as the morning goes by, it doesnt. Getting beat by a Michigan team when we were clearly the better team sucked. Getting our butts handed too by BC 6-1 sucked. Shoot, losing to Denver in the Regional Championship 1-0 with Parise and Bochenski in a season where we won 30 games was almost a worse loss. Yes this loss was to the Gophers. A rival. The biggest one. But it is somehow nat as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe it because this team over exceeded expectations. We were in last place at thanksgiving. We were a period away against CC from losing that game and not even making the Frozen Faceoff and having our season end. We were 5 mins away from not making the playoffs when Sconi was down 2 goals. We weren't supposed to beat Wisconsin since they had one of the beat goalies in the country and a 1 seed. We were outplayed by Ferris state but Gothberg stole that game and we scored in double OT. The Gophers are a rival and they say you can throw out the record books when you play a rival. But in this case versus Minnesota, they were the clear favorites. Had they won 5-1, it wouldn't have surprised me. We played them better than anyone has all year. No one had shut them out in the first two periods except last night. Did we have our chances to win , sure. But the Gophers got a lucky bounce and won. In a game where Minnesota had the advantage in almost every category, we hung with them when yet again, no one was giving us a chance.

We should be standing up and applading these guys for what they have accomplished this year. I am not trying to call this a moral victory. This was a season that we were almost left for dead and this team had the will, determination, and pride to fight back and get better. Many teams would have not had the resolve this team did. They would have called the season a loss and finished 500 and starting looking towards next year. One thing that we can always appreciate about Sioux hockey teams is their determination and their never give up attitude. Sure sometimes it takes a a loss to St Lawrence at home to get that fire going, but they always seem to finally get that.

Sure I hate losing to the Gophers. It sucks we lost in the semifinals. But, every person who has ever cheered for the Univerity of North Dakota hockey team should be pround of not only this team, but every team that we see skate year in and year out. I am glad that I am a fan of this team. Couldn't imagine ever cheering for anyone else. Proud to be a Sioux fan whether we win a NAtional Championship, or lose in the final secon in the Frozen Four to our biggest rival. Sioux fan for life....not just something we hashtag at the end of our posts. We as Sioux fans mean it.

I agree with 90% of this! I have felt way worse after other high stakes game losses. I don't really know why?? Is it because they played their tails off and just didn't get the bounce, or is it that I have become accustomed to them losing in the Frozen Four. I feel it is probably a lot of both.

When it comes to Hak, I am really starting to sympathize for him. As most of you know, he is 14-4 in regional play (outstanding) and 1-6 in the F4(pathetic). I'm starting to think that he is cursed cause that is all I can come up with to rationalize his misfortunes this time of the year.

Anyone it was a great run and today I am proud to be a Fighting Sioux fan!

[Dave Berger]

I don't think anyone touches the skill of JG. If we get into addition of grit and things like that, then maybe he can be touched. Kid is just electric and probably what most were hoping Rocco would be.

And what he might still be someday. Grimaldi has played in 86 college games (including the four during his first freshman season). Here are the numbers for Grimaldi, Rau, and Gaudreau in their first 86:

Rocco Grimaldi: 31 goals, 46 assists, 77 points (.8953 pts./game)

Kyle Rau: 34 goals, 57 assists, 91 points (1.0581 pts./game)

Johhny Gaudreau: 48 goals, 59 assists, 109 points (1.2674 pts./game)

Johnny Hockey didn't really start playing on another planet until this season (his junior year). He was at 1.2151 pts./game over his first two campaigns, and collected 80 points in 40 games this year.

Rau and Gaudreau will be seniors next season, while Grimaldi will be a junior (if they stay).

Dave

[Siouxperfan7]

And what he might still be someday. Grimaldi has played in 86 college games (including the four during his first freshman season). Here are the numbers for Grimaldi, Rau, and Gaudreau in their first 86:

Rocco Grimaldi: 31 goals, 46 assists, 77 points (.8953 pts./game)

Kyle Rau: 34 goals, 57 assists, 91 points (1.0581 pts./game)

Johhny Gaudreau: 48 goals, 59 assists, 109 points (1.2674 pts./game)

Johnny Hockey didn't really start playing on another planet until this season (his junior year). He was at 1.2151 pts./game over his first two campaigns, and collected 80 points in 40 games this year.

Rau and Gaudreau will be seniors next season, while Grimaldi will be a junior (if they stay).

Dave

I think that Rau and Gaudreau are all but gone. I have a gut feeling Rocco will be back based on the character of the guy and the way this season ended. Of course this is just wishful thinking I suppose!!

[Dave Berger]

And what he might still be someday. Grimaldi has played in 86 college games (including the four during his first freshman season). Here are the numbers for Grimaldi, Rau, and Gaudreau in their first 86:

Rocco Grimaldi: 31 goals, 46 assists, 77 points (.8953 pts./game)

Kyle Rau: 34 goals, 57 assists, 91 points (1.0581 pts./game)

Johhny Gaudreau: 48 goals, 59 assists, 109 points (1.2674 pts./game)

Johnny Hockey didn't really start playing on another planet until this season (his junior year). He was at 1.2151 pts./game over his first two campaigns, and collected 80 points in 40 games this year.

Rau and Gaudreau will be seniors next season, while Grimaldi will be a junior (if they stay).

Dave

I think that Rau and Gaudreau are all but gone. I have a gut feeling Rocco will be back based on the character of the guy and the way this season ended. Of course this is just wishful thinking I suppose!!

I agree. I would be shocked if Rocco left (I've got it at under 10%).

Dave

[Dave Berger]

I think that Rau and Gaudreau are all but gone. I have a gut feeling Rocco will be back based on the character of the guy and the way this season ended. Of course this is just wishful thinking I suppose!!

This Rocco Grimaldi tweet from January might make us rethink comparing him to Rau and Gaudreau.:

"Comparing (yourself) to others is dangerous. (You) risk becoming discouraged that (you're) not where they are, or prideful that they aren't where (you) are."

Dave

[GFG]

One thing....we were on the man advantage. Screw the .6 thing....we were on a PP. They should have been dumping the puck....we got lazy/too conservative at a time when you can never let your guard down....and we paid for it...in the worst way possible.

Myself and three friends that are Gopher fans were watching here in GF and as soon as Minnesota won the faceoff we just started yelling "DUMP IT!" and "CLEAR IT!"

Not one of us expected a rush to even happen. Just crazy.

[dagies]

Now I know how Ferris St. felt

Helluva game.

Hard to accept, but for me it doesn't hurt as much as some have in the past, even though this was MN. This was just a damn good game, and the Sioux really gave MN a better game than I expected. I was very happy with the performance, just shocked to lose it the way it went down. To be honest, this was better, to me, than getting embarrassed like we have at times in the past (BC, for example) or being a better team (higher expectations) but still losing.

In the end, what hurts the worst for me, is the uncertainty of making it this far again. As Schlossman said on the blog (and I was thinking the same thing before reading it) was they could be a better team and not even make it in the future. So here we were in the tournament, beating MN in the 3rd period (maybe not on the scoreboard, but giving them all the game they wanted) and it slipped away. Crap!

Couldn't be prouder of the team, or being a UND fan today.

[sprig]

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.

Good grief, I didn't see the high stick. An easy one to miss by the referees, but Holl does not get that shot off if Rocco doesn't get high sticked. Looks accidental, but, it still should have been a penalty, and a Sioux 5 on 3 starting the OT. Makes it even more painful to watch.

[MafiaMan]

An update from a story we ran late last night: MafiaMan is still depressed.

[franchise]

And what he might still be someday. Grimaldi has played in 86 college games (including the four during his first freshman season). Here are the numbers for Grimaldi, Rau, and Gaudreau in their first 86:

Rocco Grimaldi: 31 goals, 46 assists, 77 points (.8953 pts./game)

Kyle Rau: 34 goals, 57 assists, 91 points (1.0581 pts./game)

Johhny Gaudreau: 48 goals, 59 assists, 109 points (1.2674 pts./game)

Johnny Hockey didn't really start playing on another planet until this season (his junior year). He was at 1.2151 pts./game over his first two campaigns, and collected 80 points in 40 games this year.

Rau and Gaudreau will be seniors next season, while Grimaldi will be a junior (if they stay).

Dave

Very true. I'm a huge fan and have been since he was making headlines at like 15-16 yrs old. Great numbers you posted. Another add on is that Rocco did not play on arguably the top line in all of college hockey.

[scpa0305]

And what he might still be someday. Grimaldi has played in 86 college games (including the four during his first freshman season). Here are the numbers for Grimaldi, Rau, and Gaudreau in their first 86:

Rocco Grimaldi: 31 goals, 46 assists, 77 points (.8953 pts./game)

Kyle Rau: 34 goals, 57 assists, 91 points (1.0581 pts./game)

Johhny Gaudreau: 48 goals, 59 assists, 109 points (1.2674 pts./game)

Johnny Hockey didn't really start playing on another planet until this season (his junior year). He was at 1.2151 pts./game over his first two campaigns, and collected 80 points in 40 games this year.

Rau and Gaudreau will be seniors next season, while Grimaldi will be a junior (if they stay).

Dave

JG averaged a pt/gm as a 135 lb freshman...that's crazy.

[scpa0305]

Myself and three friends that are Gopher fans were watching here in GF and as soon as Minnesota won the faceoff we just started yelling "DUMP IT!" and "CLEAR IT!"

Not one of us expected a rush to even happen. Just crazy.

The Sioux gave them space...a little too conservative if you ask me. I looked...it was about 15 ft. That's how we play in men's league. Big time atheletes are aggresive and don't give you an inch. The Sioux played so well defensively last night....that 10-12 seconds was the only let down I saw personally.

[Snake]

Myself and three friends that are Gopher fans were watching here in GF and as soon as Minnesota won the faceoff we just started yelling "DUMP IT!" and "CLEAR IT!"

Not one of us expected a rush to even happen. Just crazy.

Again, the fact that there were only 9 seconds on the clock meant the Gophers had a chance at a free rush without the risk of a turnover costing them before time expired.

[scpa0305]

Again, the fact that there were only 9 seconds on the clock meant the Gophers had a chance at a free rush without the risk of a turnover costing them before time expired.

They shouldn't have had free rush...there were 2 defensemen and a backchecking forward.

[Oxbow6]

An update from a story we ran late last night: MafiaMan is still depressed.

So the full bottle of Prozac and the fifth of JD you got from gfhockey didn't help much......................

[hrkac]

Now I know how Ferris St. felt

Helluva game.

Hard to accept, but for me it doesn't hurt as much as some have in the past, even though this was MN. This was just a damn good game, and the Sioux really gave MN a better game than I expected. I was very happy with the performance, just shocked to lose it the way it went down. To be honest, this was better, to me, than getting embarrassed like we have at times in the past (BC, for example) or being a better team (higher expectations) but still losing.

In the end, what hurts the worst for me, is the uncertainty of making it this far again. As Schlossman said on the blog (and I was thinking the same thing before reading it) was they could be a better team and not even make it in the future. So here we were in the tournament, beating MN in the 3rd period (maybe not on the scoreboard, but giving them all the game they wanted) and it slipped away. Crap!

Couldn't be prouder of the team, or being a UND fan today.

As always Dagies, we'll stated.

[808287]

We should be standing up and applading these guys for what they have accomplished this year. I am not trying to call this a moral victory. This was a season that we were almost left for dead and this team had the will, determination, and pride to fight back and get better. Many teams would have not had the resolve this team did. They would have called the season a loss and finished 500 and starting looking towards next year. One thing that we can always appreciate about Sioux hockey teams is their determination and their never give up attitude. Sure sometimes it takes a a loss to St Lawrence at home to get that fire going, but they always seem to finally get that.

Sure I hate losing to the Gophers. It sucks we lost in the semifinals. But, every person who has ever cheered for the Univerity of North Dakota hockey team should be pround of not only this team, but every team that we see skate year in and year out. I am glad that I am a fan of this team. Couldn't imagine ever cheering for anyone else. Proud to be a Sioux fan whether we win a NAtional Championship, or lose in the final secon in the Frozen Four to our biggest rival. Sioux fan for life....not just something we hashtag at the end of our posts. We as Sioux fans mean it.

Epic Post.

And you are spot on. I hope the road from the Airport to the University is lined with fans, clapping for this TEAM when they get back to town. They've earned all of our respect and will, like so many other teams, live on in our memories.

[hrkac]

The Sioux gave them space...a little too conservative if you ask me. I looked...it was about 15 ft. That's how we play in men's league. Big time atheletes are aggresive and don't give you an inch. The Sioux played so well defensively last night....that 10-12 seconds was the only let down I saw personally.

2 def and a backchecker, other UND guys were at UM net, original shot was blocked, and a gift bounce landed on Holl's stick. Pretty hard to find much fault, It's one of those things that happens just as one of the tips on the PP could've gone in. Unfortunately, it was to the hated rival on top of it all. Good to know your mens league team plays that situation better though.

[MafiaMan]

I hope the road from the Airport to the University is lined with fans, clapping for this TEAM when they get back to town. They've earned all of our respect and will, like so many other teams, live on in our memories.

Now THAT would be pretty cool to see.

[scpa0305]

2 def and a backchecker, other UND guys were at UM net, original shot was blocked, and a gift bounce landed on Holl's stick. Pretty hard to find much fault, It's one of those things that happens just as one of the tips on the PP could've gone in. Unfortunately, it was to the hated rival on top of it all. Good to know your mens league team plays that situation better though.

As I've stated 3-4 times...I am talking in the nuetral zone. No worries though...I honestly need to attempt to forget about last night. It's making me sick again. Have a nice offseason guys!

[petey23]

I never said there were five skaters on the ice for the goal. Minnesota had five lined up for the faceoff after the goal.

Didn't matter, just found it interesting.

Dave

So. Drop the puck. Call the penalty. Move the faceoff to their end for a 6 on 3 with .5 left.......................so your telling me there is a chance!

[Snake]

They shouldn't have had free rush...there were 2 defensemen and a backchecking forward.

Basically I'm saying that because time was about to expire they had virtually no risk in pushing the puck up the ice and having Holl join the rush to make it an even 3-on-3.

[franchise]

Now THAT would be pretty cool to see.

Agreed. I was glad to read on Twitter that fans in the lobby of the hotel gave them a standing O. That was a helluva TEAM. I think it makes it sting more for because it seemed like they worked so hard and never gave up on each other. Would have been more special than say the 2011 all star squad that we assumed would win it all.

[franchise]

So. Drop the puck. Call the penalty. Move the faceoff to their end for a 6 on 3 with .5 left.......................so your telling me there is a chance!

Plus the 10 second add on for the team leaving the bench after the goal...oh wait...that's a 10 second run off for holding in the last two minutes of a football game