NORTH DAKOTA @ St. Cloud State - FRIDAY Gameday ********

[stoneySIOUX]

10 hours ago, Siouxman said:

Absolutely great game by the guys.  Back up to #4 in the pairwise.

Is it now a thing to start looking at the PWR before Thanksgiving? Lol.

[Wilbur]

Defensively I thought that may have been UNDs best game.  Cam had to be sharp at times, but he saw everything, and there wasn't a time when it was him against the world down close.  PK was active, which can be trouble against a good PP, but the killers did a great job attacking puck bobbles and indirect passes.

Ole said it on the radio last night, and I definitely agree that it was Casey Johnsons best game.  Showed confidence bringing the puck north out of his end and made a great recovery play on a two on one when he got his stick in there to deflect the puck.

Nice to see the team rewarded for a great effort.  Let's see how tonight goes. 

[stoneySIOUX]

11 hours ago, jukenjive27 said:

The key here is consistency, they did not do those things consistently against DU for 60mins+. DU is a good team and capitalized on the mistakes, SCSU is a good team too and I am going to say 70% was UND playing well and 30% was an off night for SCSU. I guarantee we see a different SCSU team tomorrow.

I have zero idea how that SCSU team swept the Gophers. Oof that was a terrible performance. We smacked them in the mouth and they folded like the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. 

I'm not sure the last time I saw that many neutral zone turnovers and failed zone entries. UND definitely set the tone, for sure, but I do agree that that isn't the SCSU team we'll see tonight.  

[Oxbow6]

Last UND sweep at SCSU..........1998.

Why not this weekend?!?!

[chicofelipe]

14 hours ago, bcblues said:

Of course, I couldn't do better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I probably couldn't do much worse, either.

And you know better than to try. This is the key.

[dagies]

53 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

I have zero idea how that SCSU team swept the Gophers. Oof that was a terrible performance. We smacked them in the mouth and they folded like the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. 

I'm not sure the last time I saw that many neutral zone turnovers and failed zone entries. UND definitely set the tone, for sure, but I do agree that that isn't the SCSU team we'll see tonight.  

Games like last night have one scratching their head, but i think the key comes down to "it's one game" and any team can be up and down.  We've seen UND put in some pretty decent games the last few weekends and some not so great.  Could be we found that sweet spot where our boys were on top of their game and SCSU just wasn't quite ready for one game.  I agree with you...I bet we see a different SCSU team tonight.

[Godsmack]

This sums up both teams' play last night....At about the twelve minute mark of the second period, with both teams even strength, color guy Mark Perrish says, rather cheeky, "Is North Dakota on a power play???" 

On a personal note, I like Cole Smith too. Man, what a banger! Love his grit and tenacity. He may make some inexperienced plays like any freshman along the way but you certainly don't see any signs of playing timid or scared. He looks like he knows he belongs.

[stoneySIOUX]

10 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

This sums up both teams' play last night....At about the twelve minute mark of the second period, with both teams even strength, color guy Mark Perrish says, rather cheeky, "Is North Dakota on a power play???" 

On a personal note, I like Cole Smith too. Man, what a banger! Love his grit and tenacity. He may make some inexperienced plays like any freshman along the way but you certainly don't see any signs of playing timid or scared. He looks like he knows he belongs.

I love hearing this. It made me so happy when he said this. We've had glimpses of dominant zone play a few times this season, but last night was so freakin' good.

[The Sicatoka]

Just four penalties and no allowed power play goals. That is a big key to last night. 

There are pairs of forwards that work: 22 and 16 (think to WMU last season); 25 and 27 (JJ's hat with Hoff setting them up); 19 and 17. I know there's a mindset we need a "heavy line" like last season, but it's currently this season. We're scoring challenged; don't make it easy for the other side to focus on shutting down one line. 16-17-19 allows the other team to focus on one line. 

I'd leave Pogo with Jost and Gersich; he's fast enough to keep up. I'd give Wilkie a shot with Gardner and Boeser to see if that can't get him going; if not, I'm not sure what to do with Wilkie (Yon's probably next up for that slot). That leaves Cole Smith for the Euro Express. A fourth line of some mix of 7-9-10-11-13 rounds it out. 

[Oxbow6]

16 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Just four penalties and no allowed power play goals. That is a big key to last night. 

There are pairs of forwards that work: 22 and 16 (think to WMU last season); 25 and 27 (JJ's hat with Hoff setting them up); 19 and 17. I know there's a mindset we need a "heavy line" like last season, but it's currently this season. We're scoring challenged; don't make it easy for the other side to focus on shutting down one line. 16-17-19 allows the other team to focus on one line. 

I'd leave Pogo with Jost and Gersich; he's fast enough to keep up. I'd give Wilkie a shot with Gardner and Boeser to see if that can't get him going; if not, I'm not sure what to do with Wilkie (Yon's probably next up for that slot). That leaves Cole Smith for the Euro Express. A fourth line of some mix of 7-9-10-11-13 rounds it out. 

Wilkie did next to nothing last night plus he missed a wide open net mid game. Jost was a pro among amateurs last night. I liked the top 2 lines as is. JJ has shown he can play and he'll go into the gritty areas where Wilkie won't. I'd give Yon a try with Hoff and Wilkie.

[Siouxman]

2 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Is it now a thing to start looking at the PWR before Thanksgiving? Lol.

It is if you want to get a sense of how it works.  When the movements are a bit larger it becomes easier to understand the nuances (that is my big word of the day).    In the last half of the season the day to day movements tend to be small and thus more difficult to grasp.  Besides, it is just fun.

[stoneySIOUX]

10 minutes ago, Siouxman said:

It is if you want to get a sense of how it works.  When the movements are a bit larger it becomes easier to understand the nuances (that is my big word of the day).    In the last half of the season the day to day movements tend to be small and thus more difficult to grasp.  Besides, it is just fun.

Nuances is a solid word

Fair enough, Siouxman. I feel like I get enough PWR talk in Feb, so I prefer to save my heartburn and nausea until then 

[stoneySIOUX]

AWESOME quote by Motzko last night in Brad's gamer:

"We got outplayed," St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko said. "That looked like a team that came in with the will. On the line of scrimmage, we just got slaughtered. Any possession puck, we got slaughtered. We had a handful of guys that were pushing. But we had a handful of guys that were just awful. We had too many guys who had bad nights tonight and it's the first time in awhile. We got outcompeted. They came in here much more desperate and took us down."

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

St Cloud will come out flying tonight, we need to handle the initial push like we did last night.

[stoneySIOUX]

3 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

St Cloud will come out flying tonight, we need to handle the initial push like we did last night.

I didn't honestly think SCSU pushed that hard. We were so good defensively, even in that first "rush". Everything was to the perimeter. 

But, the point stands, yes, we need to handle their start because Motzko was PISSED.

[Feff]

We need Jansen to be solid in the net again...

[Fetch]

Yeah they were semi- competitive at the beginning but then looked like they almost had nothing - It was confusing  - Or did we really play that good ?

How do u harness that attitude every week ? Hope it doesn't take another losing streak

Hope they are / have figured it out & even more start scoring with confidence 

Boeser still trying to hard to be elite or is he hurt ? The guy is also confusing right now - Hope he figures it out or heals up ? If injured it must be a kind that u can play through - did he even have assists last night ?

[stoneySIOUX]

7 minutes ago, Fetch said:

Yeah they were semi- competitive at the beginning but then looked like they almost had nothing - It was confusing  - Or did we really play that good ?

How do u harness that attitude every week ? Hope it doesn't take another losing streak

Hope they are / have figured it out & even more start scoring with confidence 

Boeser still trying to hard to be elite or is he hurt ? The guy is also confusing right now - Hope he figures it out or heals up ? If injured it must be a kind that u can play through - did he even have assists last night ?

Yeah he had one. Second A on Gersich's second goal. He clearly had a brace or wrap on his hand and you could see it when he lost a glove in the first period.

[burd]

8 minutes ago, Fetch said:

Yeah they were semi- competitive at the beginning but then looked like they almost had nothing - It was confusing  - Or did we really play that good ?

How do u harness that attitude every week ? Hope it doesn't take another losing streak

Hope they are / have figured it out & even more start scoring with confidence 

Boeser still trying to hard to be elite or is he hurt ? The guy is also confusing right now - Hope he figures it out or heals up ? If injured it must be a kind that u can play through - did he even have assists last night ?

I think the boys had a good attitude last week.  Different results, but different day and different opponent.  
Boesser will be fine. 

Real nice to see Gersich catching fire. 

I remember wondering outloud her earlier in the season who would take Strecher's place in rushing the puck up ice.  Someone said "Wolanin," and I believe they were right.  He really looked good a couple of times last night skating the puck into the zone. 

[stoneySIOUX]

10 minutes ago, burd said:

I think the boys had a good attitude last week.  Different results, but different day and different opponent.  
Boesser will be fine. 

Real nice to see Gersich catching fire. 

I remember wondering outloud her earlier in the season who would take Strecher's place in rushing the puck up ice.  Someone said "Wolanin," and I believe they were right.  He really looked good a couple of times last night skating the puck into the zone. 

Wolanin isn't as good as Stechy defensively, yet, but he is certainly becoming an offensive player. Taking big steps so far, this year.

[Godsmack]

Wow! At about the 16:17 mark, Wolanin went end to end and absolutely dangled and undressed four Husky players! Only thing he didn't do was score but credit the St. Cloud goalie for making a great save.

Did anyone pick up on Parrish's comment immediately following the play? "That was an absolute highlight film move but just not quite the finish....all Swedish, no finish" 

[Vegas_Sioux]

4 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

Wow! At about the 16:17 mark, Wolanin went end to end and absolutely dangled and undressed four Husky players! Only thing he didn't do was score but credit the St. Cloud goalie for making a great save.

Did anyone pick up on Parrish's comment immediately following the play? "That was an absolute highlight film move but just not quite the finish....all Swedish, no finish" 

Bad pun of the night wasn't it. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

30 minutes ago, keikla said:

I agree with this.  Wolanin made some risky choices last night.  Most of the time he didn't get caught and it paid off, though there was one move his defensive partner bailed him out on.  I trusted Stecher's judgment more, but I'm hoping that will come with experience.

Wolanin is creating a ton of offense and looks extremely confident. I'll take some risk if he plays like that. No one is gonna replace Stecher but #24 sure is showing some upside.

[burd]

I think Stecher, along with a few others from a long list of great defensemen at UND, will be considered the gold standard.  When you consider his strength at both ends of the ice, he is hard to top.   But he made a huge jump--I think it was--between his first and second year.  Hopefully, Wolanin will make a similar jump.  As you guys have said, he's not yet to the point where he can take the puck up ice frequently without exposing the team to the risk of turnover.    He's getting to be fun to watch, though.   

[Godsmack]

Wolanin rang one off the post on that PP in the third.