It's showtime! Sioux @ Minnesota

[ScottM]

Well since nobody else has done it, I thought I would start the ball rolling.

While the GLI wins are nice to have, they don't mean anything when the puck drops at Mariucci next weekend.  I see alot of improvement in the younger guys, Boshenski, Massen, etc.  However, the team's inexperience shows as they move into the third period with a lead, only to blow it.  I think the GLI was a good "gut check" for the team and think it will pay off in the future.

Minnesota played exceptionally well Saturday, albeit against a mid-level Providence team.  They nearly lost Friday to a mediocre Ferris State squad.  They are streaky in some games, and nearly flawless in others.  Truth be told, I've seen more gopher games than I can count since I've lived here.  

I think the key to beating them or at least putting them on their heels is to pepper Hauser early and often.  History shows that if he lets in some early goals, he tends to unravel.  (Witness the HoF game.)  Weber is young, but pretty solid.  He may be easy to rattle in the same vein, presuming he starts either night.

If the Sioux play a full sixty minutes, offensive-oriented game they should be able to keep up with Minnesota.  I'm not predicting any wins, but I think it is important for the team to make Minnesota "earn" any points with bumps, bruises and shattered egos.  (If Lucia's squad is half as cocky as most Minnesota fans right now, they may not take the Sioux too seriously.)  A tough, physical game is a good way to slow them down and keep the momentum.  Minnesota's transition game seems to have some cracks, especially in the neutral zone and their own.  So it may be that the Sioux can pick off the puck and hopefully convert once in a while.

This series is important, IMHO, not only because we need the points and confidence, but it's Minnesota.  We're not that far out 4th and 5th place in the league, so this series is important to establish momentum and intensity for future games.  It's time for everybody on the team to play Sioux hockey!!!

[SiouxperFan]

I know I read it somewhere, but where do Sioux Fans go before the games in Minney???  We are new to this!!

[Goon]

Scott Said...

(If Lucia's squad is half as cocky as most Minnesota fans right now, they may not take the Sioux too seriously.)  A tough, physical game is a good way to slow them down and keep the momentum.  Minnesota's transition game seems to have some cracks, especially in the neutral zone and their own.  So it may be that the Sioux can pick off the puck and hopefully convert once in a while.

Scott you said some nice things here, I agree, very well put, if UofM team is cocky as their fans (Many who I think are great people) UND could just get a few wins. I really feel good about our chances after last weekends wins.

I think Hauser is very beatable, in fact I watched both there games this past weekend, and think if UND can get to Hauser early he can be his biggest enemy. Now if we can only keep Andy off the ice and go with the two new goalies we will be fine. I also don't want to see UND go into a shell if we get the lead. Attack, Attack that is the key to victory and don't take any stupid penalties we can't kill off...

[dagies]

I agree, Scott.  It's going to be tough to get points but there is a possibility if we play like we do in the first period of many of these games THE WHOLE GAME.

I would like nothing better than to toss some water on the goofer fans right now.  Many, not all, of them are pretty pompous.  Probably like some of the Sioux bandwagon jumpers of the past few years.

I don't expect to see Kollar play either game this weekend.  I expect a Brandt/Siembida rotation.

We gotta stay out of the box or we'll get killed.

Keep the aggressive approach going.

Get the puck OUT of our zone.

I'm excited about Massen playing on a higher line.  Looks like he is creating and getting some chances.  I thought he played well on Sat night game that I watched.

Saturday night is our chance to win, IMO.  

I think there is a gathering of fans to watch the game at Grandma's.  Otherwise, I don't know where people go before the game.

[Go4Fan]

Gopher fans are no more arrogant than fans at NoDak.

[dagies]

Go4Fan, I agree that there have been Sioux bandwagon jumpers, and a guy out there right now called Falconer who is the worst.  But to say that the Gopher fans are confident and not arrogant is not correct.  You probably aren't one of them.  And many of you are not arrogant.  But there are plenty of them coming through the woodwork.

If you were a Sioux fan and read these posts from other sources, you might perceive arrogance, not confidence.  To be fair, there are lots of "confident" posters out there as well.  But I believe anyone who says there are some pompous gopher fans is not exaggerating.

By the way, welcome to our board!

"Just win and the silence from sioux fans will be deafening. Like i siad, reality check for the sioux is coming. I guess they forgot we did just as well out there as they did."

"Then Ballard is back for sundays game. They can watch there powerplay guy in Marronn and gold. Do think Blais is still kicking himself in the butt."

"Okay i do have something to say. I expect a sweep, nothing less. UND is feeling good about themselves. It is time to put them back into reality"

UND stands no chance

Especially at Mariucci.

Ralph Engelstad is the devil

THE GOPHERS WILL SWEEP! Screw the Sioux.

Reality check is coming

The Gophers have a very good shot at the National Title this year, even better shot next year, and the year after that and so on..............North Dakota better head for the hills.

Meet the offense from ####. Your nightmare is just begining. Don't kid yourselves.

North Dakota's filled with nothing but right wing commies!!!!!!! Ralph Engelstad is the devil!

GO GOPHERS!

Re: North Dakota: Great Lakes Invitational Champs!!!!

Who the #### cares? Prepare to get demolished this weekend. It's payback time baby!

And here is one from a gopher fan to other gopher fans:

"Gopher fans don't need to get so arrogant because it looks like the team is tremendously better. Remember that is why every team in the country hates us. Let's let the team do the talking."

Hey fans do this stuff all the time.  I admitted already the Sioux have had their share.  It shows up when a team is playing great, they go away when they aren't.   the goofs are up right now, so some of the fans are feeling their oats.   Some of us read this stuff, and we want to win a game even more than before.

[PHE]

dagies,

Thanks for eloquently nipping this one in the bud.

[Goon]

SCOTT You  bring up more good points. I think it is funny that everybody has kicked UND while we are down. Some of these people are newbies that have jumped ship during a great time.

SCSU is probably more guilty of this than UofM, but a few of them have forgotten what has happened the last couple of years. A lot of them have slug mud and their program hasn't ever accomplished anything other than winning a final five banner which is now haning from the rafter of the concrete center. Now they have the odacity to call our team crappy.

[jk]

Well, I was away from a computer for the weekend, but, being back in the homeland, I was able to hear most of the weekend's games on the radio.  Besides the obvious great news about winning big games, I'm excited about the continued emergence of some of the newcomers.

If Massen can fit in with Bayda and Skarperud, keep them together.  Then you have two choices with Lundbohm - reunite him with Spiewak and Notermann, as that threesome was very dangerous at the end of last year, or perhaps put him with Fournier and Bochenski, producing three scoring lines:

Bayda, Skarperud, Massen

Spiewak, Notermann, Hale?

Fournier, Bochenski, Lundbohm

Then you have a high-energy, good speed, physical fourth line that could do just what you want from a fourth line, provide a boost after a PP or PK and mix it up a bit:

Canady, Connelly, McMahon

I love forward depth.

What scares me about the upcoming weekend is the special teams.  These numbers should be flipped:

Sioux PP -  16.1%

Sioux PK -  23.6%

Let's face it.  The Sioux PP has always seemed to underperform.  It struggled last year, with the Line of Fire and Roche.  Over the last five years, many times I have thought the Sioux were rolling 5-5, but the PP seemed to slow things down.

The main problem with the PK seems to be once the puck is set up in the zone, it's there for the duration of the PP.  I can't count the number of times I have heard, Schneekloth clears it to the line, ... not out.  

Anyway, really good step forward this weekend.  To steal one in Mpls. would be another.  

Oh, and one other thing.  The opponent can't score when the puck is 200 feet away (unless Andy is having one of those games).  If the Sioux could play part of the third period in the offensive zone, perhaps defending the goal would seem less arduous.

[Goon]

Just to add to that I sure Blaiser will remember Dahl leaving his top Power Play line in when UND got drilled by SCSU earlier this year...

I actually think UND can still make the tourney as a 12 seed.

[CAUNDfan]

That is one of the reasons we love to hate the Gophers.  The fans have always had a bit of an attitude that I noticed even as a kid.  

I would remember 100 of them or so sitting in a sea of green at the old REA and mocking our goaltender.  I'm surprised there wern't major fights in the stands sometimes.

We used to love it when the Badger fans would come to town.  They would bring their band, dress in goofy red & white clothing and dance around to the Budweiser song.  They were great.  

We love to hate UofM partly for the sheer hostility their fans have always had towards us.

Go Sioux.

[dagies]

Go4Fan, I want to be clear that I agree there are plenty of Sioux fans capable of acting in the same manner as I am currently accusing goofer fans.   Just that the goofs are on top now so you notice more of them.

Every team has plenty of good fans, reasonable people who enjoy talking up their team, and beating the competition.  Every team has their share of fans who cruise the gutters.

CAUNDfan, be careful.  Fans should mock the goaltender whereever they are! :biggrin:

That being said, no one said one has to like the fans from another team.  I myself have heard enough goofer fans yelling "Oh Canada!" when the Sioux were beating the gophers to last a lifetime.  

Go4Fan, I hope you will participate in this board.  I think you might be the first poster from another team I have ever seen here.

[Goon]

I THINK A GOOFER FAN SAID THIS

St. Clown fans never cease to amaze me. If they didn't give the Hobey to Miller last year, then a goalie could never win it ever. And the CCHA isn't a competitive conference? Gimme a break. Fora school that's never won anything before I've never seen such annoying fans. You people are embarrassing for the rest of us in the WCHA

This pretty much sums up my feelings too. I think most of the Gopher fans have been pretty good. However, I think it is assine to assume UND is going to mail the points into the Gophers. Like Hennesey says Blais refuses to be swept by the Gophers. I actually think Blaiser is a good coach and is good for a win this weekend. Like I tell the others if Hauser is in net there is a chance for the Sioux...

[Huskie]

Quote: from Goon on 1:11 pm on Dec. 31, 2001

SCOTT You

[CAUNDfan]

Quote: from dagies on 1:46 pm on Dec. 31, 2001

I myself have heard enough goofer fans yelling "Oh Canada!" when the Sioux were beating the gophers to last a lifetime.

[Goon]

Huskie,

What ever, go back and when your team wins the NCAA title come talk to me. Besides I don't have to like your team, your newbie fans piss me off with their lack of knowledge about college hockey. One clueless huskie fan (not you by the way) Called the CCHA a weak league. I think Michigan has a more storied history than SCSU. That is the kind of stuff that pisses me off...

Notice I didn't say anything about your team this season.I have reserved my criticism for the your bone headed coach. Classic liberal, great at spining anything and has a excuse for his teams losses. I feel the SCSU players have been short changed if anything.

I have said anything less than a final four appearance and a national title will be unexceptable this season for SCSU, he can't hide behind his new to the league and other stuff that he spouts. Dahl can't spin this... He has not response but a title.

However, Dahl will also see how hard it is to get to the top an stay there. Winning the NCAA title is all about Good Karma, i took UND 100 years to win the NCAA division II title, once in a life time shot sometimes. The right bounces, pucks going in instead of hiting a post ask the gopher fans they came a hair from winning the NCAA title in 1989.

[choyt3]

Quote: from Huskie on 4:55 pm on Dec. 31, 2001

[Goon]

Clayton one other point UND used to have banners for NCAA runners in the old Ralph but now in the new Ralph there is only NCAA titles and WCHA regular season titles.

[Huskie]

So whats your point Clayton, we shouldn't have put the banner up, or we shouldn't be proud of that accomplishment, or since we haven't won the big one we shouldn't mention the little one or what. So we haven't won titles like UND or UM yet, we're still proud of our team and our sucesses!

[dagies]

Good one, CAUNDfan!  :biggrin:

[sprig]

Quote: from Huskie on 7:47 pm on Dec. 31, 2001

So whats your point Clayton, we shouldn't have put the banner up, or we shouldn't be proud of that accomplishment, or since we haven't won the big one we shouldn't mention the little one or what. So we haven't won titles like UND or UM yet, we're still proud of our team and our sucesses!

So hang it and be proud. Just don't expect Sioux fans on a Sioux board to thump their chests for you.

BTW, is the banner a bit lonely in those rafters?

(Edited by sprig at 11:17 am on Jan. 1, 2002)

[ScottM]

Quote: from Huskie on 7:47 pm on Dec. 31, 2001

So whats your point Clayton, we shouldn't have put the banner up, or we shouldn't be proud of that accomplishment, or since we haven't won the big one we shouldn't mention the little one or what. So we haven't won titles like UND or UM yet, we're still proud of our team and our sucesses!

Interesting, but not surprising, that a SCSU fan would come onto another team's board to tout their own lone success.  Enjoy the banner.  

Now, do you have any lucid comments about the upcoming Minnesota series?

[Huskie]

ScottM, sure do, I think the Sioux have come out of their funk and have a good chance of getting points if Brandt or Siemba? can put in a solid game. I thought the sioux had good team speed when we played them earlier this year but they will have trouble matching it with the Gophers speed. Maybe you will get lucky and they will play Hauser in goal, get shots on him early and the goals will follow. I'd like to see at least a split for the Sioux this week-end. Oh Yea, the banner is lonely but give us time....

[Heidisioux]

Oh, how I miss the good ol' days.

[The Sicatoka]

My spin on the Minnesota series?

Mighty #2 in the polls versus a team that had to struggle (with a four game, road, barely won them, took a couple of OTs, winning streak) to reach back to the 0.500 level (9-9-1).

Yes, Minnesota should take four points defending their home ice. Anything less is weakness on Minnesota's part.

Next, if North Dakota hung banners for winning the WCHA post-season tournaments, space would have to be made for seven MORE banners (1967, 1968, 1979, 1980, 1987, 1997, 2000) than the seven NCAA titles and eleven WCHA regular season titles.

For the record:

NCAA Division I National Champions:

1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000

NCAA Division I National Runner-Up:

1958, 1968, 1979, 2001

NCAA Division I National Semi-finalists (other appearances):

1965, 1967, 1984

NCAA Divison I National Appearances (all):

1958, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

WCHA Regular Season Champions:

1958, 1964, 1967, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001

WCHA Tournament Champions:

1967, 1968, 1979, 1980, 1987, 1997, 2000