UND Ranked #1 in uscho.com poll

[siouxfan512]

I believe there will still be fans that hate Hakstol no matter what.

Which is so absurd. If he keeps doing what he is doing, I hope to see him around for another 10-20 years. I think he is a great coach, only thing missing is a National Title, and it will come.

[siouxfan512]

With away series at Miami and UNO next semester and UMD at home, it will be a real challenge to replicate their usual second half surge.

But there is something about this team that is special. Not sure what it is, maybe he lack of a real star. They skate well throughout the lineup, and maybe they understand that they all can and must make a difference. It's a good bunch.

 

Agreed, the second half gets MUCH tougher, but they could still have a nice run in there. Nice to see a Sioux team that started the season strong vs struggling and needing the phenomenal run to make the tourney.

[Ray77]

Hak wins a natty the Gobc will lay off

 

For how many months?

[choyt3]

Hak wins a natty the Gobc will lay off

I'm confused. Does the %GOBC run Grand Forks AND UND? Or just Grand Forks? And what business do you own? I need to make choices as to my consumption options, and whether I contribute to non-%GOBC businesses or not. Without knowing the involved parties in the %GOBC, how does one make those choices?

[choyt3]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/content/mens-hockey-und-ranked-no-1-both-polls-first-time-end-2010-11-season

[Cratter]

At least it appears fans won't have to worry about not making the Fargo regional.

[fargosioux]

At least it appears fans won't have to worry about not making the Fargo regional.

 

As much as I have confidence in UND making the NCAA tournament, they are in no way a lock at this point. All it would take is a loss against LSSU along with a mediocre performance the rest of the way to make them a bubble team. That Bemidji loss really hurt. I'd be curious to know where we'd be in the PWR if we'd have won that game.

[hrkac]

As much as I have confidence in UND making the NCAA tournament, they are in no way a lock at this point. All it would take is a loss against LSSU along with a mediocre performance the rest of the way to make them a bubble team. That Bemidji loss really hurt. I'd be curious to know where we'd be in the PWR if we'd have won that game.

Bemidji loss won't hurt as much if the Beavers can pick off a win against a strong PWR team once in a while.  they still play Mankato x 3 possibly, Duluth, Tech x2, and possible Minnesota. 

[tnt]

At least it appears fans won't have to worry about not making the Fargo regional.

Last week UND was # 11 in the Pairwise, which is pretty close to the bubble, especially when you have teams like Boston College that will be much better at the end of the year and possibly needing to get an automatic to get in.  Things change very fast, especially with a loss to teams like Lake Superior or the sort.  I remember last year in January people were thinking we had no shot, then later thought we were a shoo-in to make the tourney, only to need Wisconsin's help to eek our way in.

[Goon]

Bemidji loss won't hurt as much if the Beavers can pick off a win against a strong PWR team once in a while.  they still play Mankato x 3 possibly, Duluth, Tech x2, and possible Minnesota. 

 

Now you're clouding the issue with fact my friend.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

As much as I have confidence in UND making the NCAA tournament, they are in no way a lock at this point. All it would take is a loss against LSSU along with a mediocre performance the rest of the way to make them a bubble team. That Bemidji loss really hurt. I'd be curious to know where we'd be in the PWR if we'd have won that game.

 

I'd be curious to know where we'd be if we hadn't won 10 games already. There's not many teams in the nation that won't have one of those bad losses, ask UMN, BC, BU etc. They've all lost to teams that will greatly hurt their PWR.

 

Last week UND was # 11 in the Pairwise, which is pretty close to the bubble, especially when you have teams like Boston College that will be much better at the end of the year and possibly needing to get an automatic to get in.  Things change very fast, especially with a loss to teams like Lake Superior or the sort.  I remember last year in January people were thinking we had no shot, then later thought we were a shoo-in to make the tourney, only to need Wisconsin's help to eek our way in.

 

Yeah things change very fast in the Pairwise this time of year, which is why it's not even useful to look at.

[ihatethegophers]

Amazingly, computer rankings in December mean even less than polls in December.

You are right that you can't put too much stock into any sort of ranking this time of year. I do think it is important that the NCHC has 5 teams currently in the top 13 though. The overall non conference play has been amazing this year compared to last. The NCHC is 33-16-2 in nc games including 12-2 vs the Big10. At the end of the year that is great news for all of the teams in the NCHC. When we are beating each other up, wins will help more and losses will hurt less. We did pretty well in the conference last year but still barely squeaked in as the last team. This year I think we don't have to dominate the conference just to make it in. 

 

It is kind of like the SEC in football. All the SEC teams are the best (in some people's minds) so all of your losses to SEC teams are quality losses and your wins are quality wins.

[MafiaMan]

Last week UND was # 11 in the Pairwise, which is pretty close to the bubble, especially when you have teams like Boston College that will be much better at the end of the year and possibly needing to get an automatic to get in.

BC will be much better at the end of the year? What are you basing that on?

[Irish]

Which is so absurd. If he keeps doing what he is doing, I hope to see him around for another 10-20 years. I think he is a great coach, only thing missing is a National Title, and it will come.

I think Hak has done some things really well and I am in no way saying fire him, but hearing that the National Title will come in time year after year is getting really old.  Time to get it done.  

[Oxbow6]

I think Hak has done some things really well and I am in no way saying fire him, but hearing that the National Title will come in time year after year is getting really old. Time to get it done.

I'm w you.

Good coach=Hak

Great coach=Hak w a NC or as gfhockey calls it "natty"

[GFG]

Bemidji loss won't hurt as much if the Beavers can pick off a win against a strong PWR team once in a while.  they still play Mankato x 3 possibly, Duluth, Tech x2, and possible Minnesota. 

The Mankato, Duluth and Tech games are important. Since Minnesota already has 2 wins against them I'm not quite sure how much one BSU win against Minnesota technically helps UND because MN still takes the PWR comparison against them, IIRC. I think it would more or less just hurt Minnesota's RPI numbers, which could drop them in the PWR.

 

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm certainly no PWR expert.

[scpa0305]

BC will be much better at the end of the year? What are you basing that on?

I actually agree with him.  BC has a crop of young (highly talented) kids and they have been missing Santini (defensive anchor) for almost a month now I believe.  I would guess that BC would get much better by the end of the year as compared to their current state.  They were actually solid before Santini was hurt.

[Siouxperfan7]

I think Hak has done some things really well and I am in no way saying fire him, but hearing that the National Title will come in time year after year is getting really old.  Time to get it done.  

 

So what would you rather have.  A coach who year in and year out is one of the top teams in the country and legitimately competing for a National title every year or have a team that makes the playoffs every 3 years or so?  We have made the playoffs every single year Hak has been here.  If his job is in question, that every coach in the country should be considered on the hot seat. 

[Siouxman]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm certainly no PWR expert.

Pairwise is really quite simple: Winning = good, Losing = bad

It is the degree of each of these for each game that is complicated.

[Shawn-O]

Hakstol's resume after 10 years reads so much like Woog's it's scary.  That's intended as a neutral comment.   

[fightingsioux4life]

So what would you rather have.  A coach who year in and year out is one of the top teams in the country and legitimately competing for a National title every year or have a team that makes the playoffs every 3 years or so?  We have made the playoffs every single year Hak has been here.  If his job is in question, that every coach in the country should be considered on the hot seat. 

False choice.  You don't have to give up year to year consistency to win NCAA titles.  And vice versa.  Right now, Hakstol = Woog.  Not meant to be an insult to Hak, but it's just the plain and simple truth.  I do think this team has the potential to put this issue to rest once and for all.

[burd]

I do think this team has the potential to put this issue to rest once and for all.

I agree and can't even say why. There have certainly been more talented teams in recent years, but this group has a resilience that is very appealing. The locker room leadership must be good.

[MafiaMan]

False choice. You don't have to give up year to year consistency to win NCAA titles. And vice versa. Right now, Hakstol = Woog. Not meant to be an insult to Hak, but it's just the plain and simple truth. I do think this team has the potential to put this issue to rest once and for all.

Says the guy who left the Tom Osborne conversation over in the FBS thread...let me refresh your memory: You suggest that Osborne's legacy is secure because of his 3 national championships...the first of which took him 21 seasons to obtain.

[jdub27]

False choice.  You don't have to give up year to year consistency to win NCAA titles.  And vice versa.  Right now, Hakstol = Woog.  Not meant to be an insult to Hak, but it's just the plain and simple truth.  I do think this team has the potential to put this issue to rest once and for all.

So has every single one of Hakstol's teams, which is kind of the point.  You can't win it all if you don't make the playoffs.  Once you're there, anything can happen in a one and done situation.  Hakstol has put his team in a position to have a chance to win the national championship every single year. I get they haven't won it yet, I'm just as anxious as the next person, but I'm glad UND has a coach who gives his team a chance without fail.

[Siouxperfan7]

False choice.  You don't have to give up year to year consistency to win NCAA titles.  And vice versa.  Right now, Hakstol = Woog.  Not meant to be an insult to Hak, but it's just the plain and simple truth.  I do think this team has the potential to put this issue to rest once and for all.

 

Let's compare 2 schools over the past 10 years:

 

In the past 10 years, School A has 1 leaugue tournament Championsip, 4 playoff appearances, 1 Frozen Four, and 1 National Championship.

In the past 10 years, School B has 2 league championships, 4 tournament championships, 10 playoff appearences, 6 Frozen Four's, and 1 runner up.

 

So I guess you can debate which school has had more success in those 10 years, and if the one Natty trumps all.  But, IMO, Shool B has had more sustained success over those years.  And that is a bigger feat than 1 season flash in the pan.