Sioux at Bulldogs

[UMDDogz]

From what I've seen, even when they make penalty calls, they get them wrong. They need to be told only to call a penalty if it's blatant, and to shut up and concentrate on offsides and icing.

At least MI and ME also lost, so UMD is still in line for a #1 seed.

[Fedorov]

Don't understand the huge problem linesmen seem to be having with offside and icing.

AR's don't need to learn icing to become the main ref. Last night Schmitt (high school state hockey) showed that by calling icing when the defenseman went for the hit, and ignored the puck.

[mksioux]

I watched the tape to see where the offsides occurred. The puck was coming out of the zone and Parise used his glove to knock it back into the zone as he was coming in. It was very close and happened very fast. The puck was in the air, so it wasn't as if the blue line could easily be used as a point of reference. I can see how that one was missed.

Besides that, the Sioux didn't score as a direct result of the offsides. The Bulldogs had two chances to clear the puck after that and they didn't do it.

I agree. I was sitting on that blue line and it was a close call, wasn't blatantly off sides IMO. I admit that I would have been crying foul had it gone against my team...but it was in the air and a close call that could have gone either way

[farce poobah]

A few more random thoughts, partly inspired by NDH's good post.

1. "No laps for you"

Our seats were on the walkway level, so before the game the Cops came by and warned us that students take laps after UMD goals. They also said if any UMD students gave us trouble, they would remove them from the arena, which was nice. Anyway, my reply to the Cops was "no laps tonight".

2. "Faster than fast"

I've said a number of times how impressed I am with Duluth's speed, especially on neutral zone transitions. But the Sioux tempo in the first period Friday was incredible. We were faster than fast.

3. "Cleaner than clean"

In a series played with tremendous emotion, with a raucous house two nights, the players played under control very very well. Only a couple times was there after-whistle rough stuff, and that was all minor. No cheap shots away from the play, no spears when the AR's were looking the other way. This is a tribute to both teams and their coaching staffs.

4. "UMD student section - just plain loud"

I don't know if they get letters on their seats, but I do know they were loud, consistently enthusiastic, and not (very) profane. I heard one "B.S" chant, but it was deserved and spontaneous. Oh, and I didn't see any brooms.

5. "The invisible Shepherd"

Yes, the crew made a couple mystifying calls, including an icing on UND that appeared to go between the skates of a UMD defender at center ice. But for the most part, the players decided the game, not the officials. I'm happy when Shepherd is as invisible as he was this weekend.

6. "Lord of the Rink - The return of the Schneider"

I thought Andy Schneider was outstanding this weekend. He's playing better all the time, and right now he's playing like the end of next month.

7. "Stopping gets us started Saturday"

I thought the timeout 7 minutes into the second period Saturday was a brilliant move. Preceding it, we had made some bad passes with the puck, and we had stopped skating. Most coaches seem to wait until after giving up a couple goals, but Blais and Co often stop the action and take the TO before. I like that, and it sure worked last night.

8. "Zach and Bucks"

As much as I like splitting them on the road, I thought the line juggling that the Sioux coaches did after the TO Saturday messed up the 'Dogs just a bit. Long enough for Zach and Bucks to team up for the critical first goal. When we really needed to make some plays, those guys stepped up and got it done. After a short stint on the same line, they went back to the original combo's.

9. "Why is Duluth using Alaska's powerplay?"

Our play 3x5 in the 3rd was just spectacular. Starting with Parise and Bochenski - does any other coach in the nation take a Defenseman off the ice when down 2 men? - we cleared the zone 7 or 8 times during that PK, which was a result of terrific jump. McMahon won a couple key d-zone draws. At the end of the powerplay, my 10-year old daughter asked why Duluth was using Alaska's powerplay ... I don't know where she hears that stuff.

10. "Our Density, I mean our Destiny"

When this Sioux team shows up, when the whole roster is ready to go, I think we're the best team in the nation. Destined for greatness, am we.

[Diggler]

Hennessy questioned why Blais took that time out. I thought it was a great move as this was a huge game. While nothing had happened yet, it could and that in turn could help to decide the game. It did. Blais calls a time out and 3 minutes later UND scores, then they score again.

Duluth was all over UND and Dean called a timeout, made it short and sweet and calmed the guys down. Very smart move I thought.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

At the end of the powerplay, my 10-year old daughter asked why Duluth was using Alaska's powerplay ... I don't know where she hears that stuff.

You That's probably one of the funniest things I've ever heard

[Fedorov]

No cheap shots away from the play, no spears when the AR's were looking the other way.

5. "The invisible Shepherd"

Yes, the crew made a couple mystifying calls, including an icing on UND that appeared to go between the skates of a UMD defender at center ice. But for the most part, the players decided the game, not the officials. I'm happy when Shepherd is as invisible as he was this weekend.

You must have missed #7's cheap stick work during one of the scrums.

I think some of you need to watch a game where you are neutral and don't care who wins. The biased calls are there way too often. If they only happen so many times, people are getting used to it and assuming that it was a good called game. If UMD would have scored on the 5X3, people would be all upset about the calls. The officiating should not be based on if we pay for bad calls and non-calls.

[farce poobah]

You must have missed #7's cheap stick work during one of the scrums.

I think some of you need to watch a game where you are neutral and don't care who wins. The biased calls are there way too often. If they only happen so many times, people are getting used to it and assuming that it was a good called game. If UMD would have scored on the 5X3, people would be all upset about the calls. The officiating should not be based on if we pay for bad calls and non-calls.

If UMD had scored on the 5x3, I would have said we should not take needless penalties ... both were Real Penalties, but neither came in a situation where we needed to take the penalty to stop a scoring chance.

I'll stand by my statement, "...for the most part, the players decided the outcome..."

Think of it this way - the Sioux played as well as we have all year, and so did Shepherd.

[Fedorov]

Think of it this way - the Sioux played as well as we have all year, and so did Shepherd.

The first part is saying a lot, but the second part isn't.

[PCM]

If UMD had scored on the 5x3, I would have said we should not take needless penalties ... both were Real Penalties, but neither came in a situation where we needed to take the penalty to stop a scoring chance.

After watching the tape, I'd say the slash on Porter that gave UMD the 5-on-3 wasn't a "real" penalty. Porter had his stick on a Duluth player who fell on his own as he was trying to avoid going offsides.

A hook? Possibly, but only if Shepherd decides to call something that happens a hundred times a game and goes uncalled. A slash? No way.

The roughing penalty on Prpich that gave UMD a power play was bogus, too. He should have been called for spraying the goalie, but he did absolutely nothing to warrant a roughing call.

Shepherd told Prpich he wanted to put the Bulldogs on the power play, and so he did.

That being said, there were a number of fairly obvious penalties on the Sioux that went uncalled.

Edited February 29, 2004 by PCM

[sioux fan in phoenix]

PCM:

Your abscence from this thread during the game last night speaks volumes about your ambivalence & general disregard for your fellow posters. Sure, join us during the week and after the game but once the puck drops you're AWOL. Nice to know that sitting in a cozy recliner drinking & eating God knows what & enjoying an exciting game on t.v. is more important than the people on this forum. Sad, truly sad.

[Diggler]

Don't set PCM off. He'll hit you with his cane, throw his dentures at your dog and put Ben-Gay in your cake.

[PCM]

Don't set PCM off. He'll hit you with his cane, throw his dentures at your dog and put Ben-Gay in your cake.

Why you young whipper snapper, if'n I wasn't plum outta Geritol, I'd box your ears and give you a whuppin' you'd not soon forget!

[Goon]

Don't set PCM off. He'll hit you with his cane, throw his dentures at your dog and put Ben-Gay in your cake.

Watch who you call old. LOL

[dagies]

Some of this stuff has already been mentioned. I was there, both nights behind the net the Dogs defended twice, so didn't have as clear a view of the far end.

I agree with the comment about Schneider. I really think he's back on his game.

4th line? We were calling them the first line by half-way through Saturday's game. That line created as many chances as anyone I think. And they didn't look overmatched in their own zone either.

Hale is playing as well as I've seen him play.

Stafford is STRONG on the puck. That guy isn't as shifty as Lundbohm but he can keep control of the puck. He works SO well with Hale and Fabian. Keep them together.

Fabian looked like he belonged out there.

Smaby looked very solid. For the criticism he has taken on this board, I don't think he warranted any this weekend.

Parise is an animal on the ice. On Friday night in the first period the Sioux were all over the Dogs. Parise had a shift that I can't even describe. He was behind the net, and even while being hauled down he was working the puck with his skate, sliding it under him and working it to an open linemate. It wasn't just once that he was working so unconventionally. My 2 friends and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. On numerous occasion he would be chasing a Dog player trying to get to the puck and somehow leverage himself to the front, gain the puck and make a play. Just amazing.

Murray. A month or so ago I said he was about 6 inches away from making some great plays. He seems to have caught that up now. He might be the most exciting player to watch on the Sioux team. Which doesn't take anything away from Parise. Just that Brady is electric when he has the puck.

None of them have Lundbohm's ability to dangle however, and that was clearly on display on Friday night which was the best I've ever seen David play. He was fast and playing aggressively.

Sioux defense was outstanding. I don't remember an odd man rush. I remember many players dropping to block shots.

Jones seems to me to be the best passer of the d-corp. His passes are always flat and crisp. He probably wants a couple of those cross-ice defensive zone passes back, however. Can't be doing that down the stretch. We barely got away with it this weekend.

Brandt looked great from what we could see. One thing I really appreciated is, even on Saturday when the Dogs were ALL over our Sioux (and they were, too), when Jake would be scrambling and flopping at some point he'd get that mit on the puck and get a big stoppage of play.

Our guys looked gassed at the end of Saturday's game. Lundbohm could have iced the puck in the EN with half a minute left but had no wheels left. When he finally fell over in the offensive zone he could barely get back to the bench so we could get another player on the ice.

There was a period of time in the 2nd period Saturday that was the most exciting few minutes of up and down hockey I've ever seen. Both teams were flying and making plays and creating chances with no stoppages. What a blast!

Dogs are a very very good team. I can't believe we've got their number. Saturday night they really had us back on our heals, but Jake shut the door on them. They were amazing. Yet we were playing hard and not just standing around. Dogs just had Mo and were smelling blood. We kept working but just couldn't clear the zone. Way to many passes that just didn't have the mustard to cross the line before being intercepted, etc. Scary.

About the Sat goal scored when we should have been offsides...couldn't tell from our angle, but the Dogs absolutely should have cleared that puck and didn't. And I remember thinking as Bo went to get the puck that this is the type of thing that so often leads to a goal.

I think Blais had Bo up with Parise and Murray for the last half of Saturday's game. I have to say it must have worked as Bo and Zach teamed for the one goal but overall I thought the second line of Porter, Lundbohm and Bo had a great weekend and was surprised to see that split up.

The hustle play of the weekend was the Porter/Lundbohm goal on Friday. That was just wheels by Porter to blow by the Dog point man to gain the puck and Lundbohm to get into position that, even though he was defended he could get a blade on the puck. How it got past Reichsmuth I have no idea. It was a heck of a play by Lundbohm just to get his stick trailing to catch the puck.

What have I forgotten? (Oh, that you are already bored with this rambling?)

Very impressed was I with this team this weekend.

[PCM]

Thanks, dagies. I always enjoy the recaps from those who attend the road games.

[jnv]

I have to agree with Daggies...........I too was there for both games this weekend. What an Awesome display of excitement! I think Friday's game by the Sioux was one of the best games I have seen in a long time, if not ever! The excitement of up and down the ice play from both sides was great too! I tell you one thing, my adrenaline was to the boiling point, I can only imagine what the players were feeling!

The UMD fans sitting next to me kept mentioning how we were moving the puck so well! Can't say much for the "over confident, UNDER educated" UMD fan to my side. All he could say was on Saturday "look how cheap all the UND players are"......"they are all from Canada"........other than that, it was very SWEET to go in and SWEEP two games, especially against fans like that! The fans the first night I sat by, were great........Saturdays....AWFUL!

Overall, AWESOME series by the Sioux.....no wonder they were all gassed towards the end of Saturday's game.........."they left it all on the ice"! GO SIOUX!!

[UMDDogz]

I agree that you got excellent play from your fourth line. Sandy got a UMD#1 v. UND #4 matchup several times, and your fourth line was outplaying our first at times. What else could we ask for...a fifth line??

[The Sicatoka]

Does anyone have the photo that ran in Sunday's Duluth newspaper?

It's a picture of a Geisler hit on Zach Parise (a no call).

Geisler

- left his feet

- had both gloves to the mask/helmet.

PS - It was not the only bad "no call" either direction on the weekend. Both teams got away with a few. I was just surprised they'd run it given the NCAA's "special attention to hands to the head" enforcement this season.

[UMDDogz]

It's a picture of a Geisler hit on Zach Parise (a no call).

Geisler

- left his feet

- had both gloves to the mask/helmet.

I was just surprised they'd run it given the NCAA's "special attention to hands to the head" enforcement this season.

They won't catch us...we're on a mission from god!!