Final Five Championship

[dagies]

Big game tomorrow night. I thought MN looked way too good that last couple of periods. Dogs made a dumb mistake in their own end and give up a goal at the end of the 1st period and it was really all down hill from there.

MN was really clicking. They moved the puck with authority, and skated hard and fast. They won most of the races to the puck. Duluth didn't seem confident the last couple of periods and MN looked completely confident. Men against boys.

I think the Sioux have a better chance to withstand that because we are bigger and more physical than Duluth. Hopefully we can use that to disrupt the MN passing attack because if we don't....Jakey bar the door.

Briggs does a solid job but can be beaten. We've got to take a page from Duluth's book early on and crash the net and fire hard slappers that can bounce out to an open man. Briggs gave those up fairly regularly. Maybe we can capitalize.

Hit 'em hard, men.

[farce poobah]

I posted this on USCHO, but I thought the tide turned late in the first when Minnesota started hitting. UMD got tentative with the puck, turned it over, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I don't think MN will be able to physically intimidate the Sioux. In fact, I see the opposite - we'll hit Vanek and we'll hit Ballard. Neither will be on the scoresheet, except if we take a string of penalties.

KEYS for the Sioux:

1) Discipline. Don't get caught up in the chippy stuff.

2) Move the feet.

3) Penalty kill. Stop the diagonal pass, stop the Ballard one-timers.

[Greyeagle]

MN keys in my humble opinion.

1. Don't dink around with the puck in the defensive zone. In other words, get the puck out of the zone whenever possible. Three of UMD's goals were a direct result of poor clearing by MN.

2. Get traffic in front of UND net/goalie - Score ugly & shoot often.

3. Remain calm. When MN starts running - especially in the d-zone - around it's all over for them.

[cavedurtis]

MN keys in my humble opinion.

1. Don't dink around with the puck in the defensive zone. In other words, get the puck out of the zone whenever possible. Three of UMD's goals were a direct result of poor clearing by MN.

2. Get traffic in front of UND net/goalie - Score ugly & shoot often.

3. Remain calm. When MN starts running - especially in the d-zone - around it's all over for them.

May I add:

4. Get off to a fast start. I don't think we can come back against the Sioux like we did against the Dogs tonight.

[farce poobah]

I would agree with your MN keys. The first goal will be huge.

[Goon]

I think UND should be able to get to Briggs early the kid was shaky early. Make him pay with constant pressure on net. Also get Prpich on Vanek and have him pound him for a while. Check, Check and check some more. Hit them hard.

[sagard]

I posted this on USCHO, but I thought the tide turned late in the first when Minnesota started hitting. UMD got tentative with the puck, turned it over, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I don't think MN will be able to physically intimidate the Sioux. In fact, I see the opposite - we'll hit Vanek and we'll hit Ballard. Neither will be on the scoresheet, except if we take a string of penalties.

I think you are right about the physical play. The Gophers have to keep it up the rest of the way if they are going to make Boston. They survived viscious semi-finals with Michigan the last two years and I expect tomorrow will be more of the same.

Grant P. was a beast tonight. He didn't show up in the score sheet, but everytime the puck went behind the net he was back there absolutely banging the UMD defense around. Barry Talleckson also stepped up the checking in the last two periods. These two guys will be key, because they are really the only forwards that will be able to put some hits to the Sioux defensemen.

[cavedurtis]

I think the Gophers showed more grit tonight than they have all season. Regardless of tomorrows outcome I like their chances getting out of Michigan.

[Greyeagle]

I think UND should be able to get to Briggs early the kid was shaky early. Make him pay with constant pressure on net.

Ask me if I was thinking "here we go again" when UMD got two early goals.

The correct answer should be a resounding "YES!"

I admit I never thought we could come back 2-0 and 3-1, it just hasn't been this year's makeup so far this year. Glad to see though.

[Goon]

I think the Gophers showed more grit tonight than they have all season. Regardless of tomorrows outcome I like their chances getting out of Michigan.

I would be willing to put a wager on that one.

[sagard]

I would be willing to put a wager on that one.

I've been trying to bet you all year.

Your on. I pick your summer avatar if the Gophs get to Boston through GR, otherwise you pick mine.

Deal?

[Marty]

Personally I am excited to see the Gophers. I didn't really want the Sioux to have to beat Duluth for the 6th time this year. Minnesota looked great tonight and they will come out firing when the X is rocking with all them city folk. I think the Sioux are the far better team though. Briggs looked awfully shaky those first couple periods and it only gets more intense and more nerve racking for the little freshy. Look for the Sioux to light it up early and never look back.

This game is revenge for having to watch those measily Gophers win two straight NCAA championships.

[cavedurtis]

I've been trying to bet you all year.

Your on. I pick your summer avatar if the Gophs get to Boston through GR, otherwise you pick mine.

Deal?

That didn't take long...

[cavedurtis]

Personally I am excited to see the Gophers. I didn't really want the Sioux to have to beat Duluth for the 6th time this year. Minnesota looked great tonight and they will come out firing when the X is rocking with all them city folk. I think the Sioux are the far better team though. Briggs looked awfully shaky those first couple periods and it only gets more intense and more nerve racking for the little freshy. Look for the Sioux to light it up early and never look back.

This game is revenge for having to watch those measily Gophers win two straight NCAA championships.

I love your enthusiasm for your team, though you better watch it, some might accuse you of arrogance.

[farce poobah]

I think you are right about the physical play. The Gophers have to keep it up the rest of the way if they are going to make Boston. They survived viscious semi-finals with Michigan the last two years and I expect tomorrow will be more of the same.

Grant P. was a beast tonight. He didn't show up in the score sheet, but everytime the puck went behind the net he was back there absolutely banging the UMD defense around. Barry Talleckson also stepped up the checking in the last two periods. These two guys will be key, because they are really the only forwards that will be able to put some hits to the Sioux defensemen.

Tallackson. What an enigma. Tonight, he showed flashes of a pro prospect, the big hits you noted. He also showed some excellent speed on a couple rushes, nearly scoring on one break in the 3rd period. If he gets going, MN will be very tough to beat.

[Wild Sioux Fan]

oh, i hate this bus strike...

is there anyone going to the game tomorrow that could give me a ride to/from downtown minneapolis?

if you could, just give me an e-mail...

[tboneund]

Is there a local bar that a lot of Sioux fans will be at tomorrow night? I don't have tickets or cable so I would love to hang out with some of the faithful Sioux fans here in the Twin Cities. If anyone knows of a bar where a lot of Sioux fans will be tomorrow please post it or send me a personal message.

Thanks!

PS. Went to the car show and had several compliments about my jersey, even from a Gopher fan

GO SIOUX!

Start building the wall Jake!

[7>4]

Should be a great game tonight. Good practice for the Sioux playing in front of a full house cheering for the other team. I predict a similar situation in Beantown in a handful of weeks. IMO, UND, UM and UMD all have a good shot of making the final. However, I suspect that the powers that be will see to it that a few of the weak kneed east teams show up.

The Gophs seem to be peaking at the right time. How did a team with so much talent lose 13 games? They sure made a solid Duluth team look silly a few times last night. If Vanek had half the heart/hussle of guys like Parise or Potulny he'd be an all-star in the NHL now. Here's hoping Prpich knocks the curl out of his girlie perm tonight.

What color did the Gophs decide to paint their nails for tonights game?

LET'S GO SIOUX.

[sagard]

Should be a great game tonight. Good practice for the Sioux playing in front of a full house cheering for the other team. I predict a similar situation in Beantown in a handful of weeks. IMO, UND, UM and UMD all have a good shot of making the final. However, I suspect that the powers that be will see to it that a few of the weak kneed east teams show up.

The Gophs seem to be peaking at the right time. How did a team with so much talent lose 13 games? They sure made a solid Duluth team look silly a few times last night. If Vanek had half the heart/hussle of guys like Parise or Potulny he'd be an all-star in the NHL now. Here's hoping Prpich knocks the curl out of his girlie perm tonight.

What color did the Gophs decide to paint their nails for tonights game?

LET'S GO SIOUX.

The worst of it is that with UND being the #1 overall seed and UM being #4, the Western regionals will again meet in the semi-finals. That leaves BC or Maine in my opinion cruising to the NCAA Final, without likely having to beat a decent western team.

As for the thirteen losses, the Gophers are very young and often shaky defensively. For the Gophers to go deep into the NCAA's they will need to be popping 4 to 5 a game. They have a lot less margin for error than the previous two Gopher teams.

[redwing77]

I disagree with farce poobah on the first goal. I really think it has to do with defense. UMD scored the first goal last night and lost the game. The Sioux have come from behind many times this season. The first goal isn't as big as it should be.

To me, it has to do with the defense. How are we poised? Are we the calm defensive corpps that we had the 3 out of 4 times we faced the Gophers or are we going to be the rushed version we saw in Madison? Both Gophers and the Sioux have offenses to be feared when they get things rolling. So it will be a game of defense. The worst defense watches the other team with the trophy regardless of how good the other side of their game is.