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No Excuses


PCM

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I was hoping that I would have woken up from this nightmare this morning, but I guess the reality of it is, as Pat stated, that this team will be remembered in the same breath as the '97-'98 and '98-'99 Sioux teams... ;)

As soon as I heard Hennessey mention the '98-'99 team and their loss to BC in the regionals, I started getting nervous... If MN wins a 3rd title, I am gonna crawl into a hole and asked to be buried, at least that way I might not have to hear what Happy and Scooby have to say, in the event that MN wins again... :0

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PCM is right on - the Sioux did not bury their chances. The Sioux were not unlucky, they were just plain awful in shooting. I don't know how many times they missed the net on golden opportunities? They were probably trying too hard and getting frustrated, which are both deadly mistakes. I think it's abundantly clear that UND's biggest weakness over the last couple seasons has been their inability to score goals despite generating chances and dominating play in key games. It's the most frustrating thing to watch as a fan IMO.

I'll slightly disagree with PCM in the sense that having an offensive defenseman on the blue-line could have helped the Sioux generate different types of scoring opportunities and maybe sneak one by the goalie. IMO, Kyle Radke can't get here soon enough.

This team will go down as chokers. That's all there is to it. When you lose to an inferior team to end your season, you choked. I'd put this season on par with '97-'98 that lost to an inferior Michigan team in Ann Arbor. The '98-'99 team was much better than this team and, therefore, the loss to BC was more painful than the loss last night.

What worries me the most is that UND is now 4 years removed from a national championship. Everyone who won a national championship or made it to the frozen 4 is now gone. The continuity of champions is gone. It'll take a real special group (like the 1997 team) to get back. I'm not convinced we'll have that group next year. Yes, UND will be as talented as anyone. But I'm more conviced than ever that talent does not win a national championship.

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This team will go down as chokers. That's all there is to it. When you lose to an inferior team to end your season, you choked. I'd put this season on par with '97-'98 that lost to an inferior Michigan team in Ann Arbor. The '98-'99 team was much better than this team and, therefore, the loss to BC was more painful than the loss last night.

What worries me the most is that UND is now 4 years removed from a national championship. Everyone who won a national championship or made it to the frozen 4 is now gone. The continuity of champions is gone. It'll take a real special group (like the 1997 team) to get back. I'm not convinced we'll have that group next year. Yes, UND will be as talented as anyone. But I'm more conviced than ever that talent does not win a national championship.

Some people have forgot how difficult it is to win the NC, 4 years? Before 97 it was 10!. I don't the the Sioux will go down as chokers - ended the regular season by sweeping UMD to win the McNaughton Cup. There have been many good teams that did not win the NC, look to 1997 - that MI team was probably the best college hockey team in the last 10-15 years, but BU upset them, then the Sioux beat BU. I remember calling MI classless for saying the best team didn't win the NC.

Last nights game was very frustrating to watch, the missed nets, too many passes, nobody going to the net. That is how the Sioux have played all year, they have relied on talented forwards for the pretty goal instead of crashing the net for a Vanek/Potulny like goal. It seemed to work though, this was the first time the Sioux were shutout since 2001 :0 Losing to a hot goalie is a tough way to lose, but PCM is right on - no excuses, it's time to chear on the other WCHA teams or whoever else, then look to next season.

Go Bulldogs, I hope they can win their first NC, they have a great program and it would be nice to see someone other than UND, UM, BC, MI, or ME win.

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Some people have forgot how difficult it is to win the NC, 4 years? Before 97 it was 10!. I don't the the Sioux will go down as chokers - ended the regular season by sweeping UMD to win the McNaughton Cup. There have been many good teams that did not win the NC, look to 1997 - that MI team was probably the best college hockey team in the last 10-15 years, but BU upset them, then the Sioux beat BU. I remember calling MI classless for saying the best team didn't win the NC.

Last nights game was very frustrating to watch, the missed nets, too many passes, nobody going to the net. That is how the Sioux have played all year, they have relied on talented forwards for the pretty goal instead of crashing the net for a Vanek/Potulny like goal. It seemed to work though, this was the first time the Sioux were shutout since 2001 :0 Losing to a hot goalie is a tough way to lose, but PCM is right on - no excuses, it's time to chear on the other WCHA teams or whoever else, then look to next season.

Go Bulldogs, I hope they can win their first NC, they have a great program and it would be nice to see someone other than UND, UM, BC, MI, or ME win.

I agree completely. UND will not be chokers for as long as Dahl is at the helm of SCSU, at least. And as for gameplay, I cannot comment on the game because I didn't see it, but from other games I watched, a lot of the goals that came at clutch times for most teams were when the team crashed the net. I've been saying all year long that the Sioux need to crash their net, especially the forwards. I've seen two forwards in the same corner with one other forward on the win and two dmen at the blue line. No one on the other side of the net. That's HORRIBLE. If you are going to overload one side of the ice, the D will move there and stifle it or at least clog it up. There's gotta be a way you can break up the D and still be strong in the corners. And once that is figured out, we have to implement it right away next season.

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I'll slightly disagree with PCM in the sense that having an offensive defenseman on the blue-line could have helped the Sioux generate different types of scoring opportunities and maybe sneak one by the goalie. IMO, Kyle Radke can't get here soon enough.

I think an offensive defensemen would have made things worse. Most of the second and third period DU was sending a forward deep and just trying to bomb the puck down ice. If our defensemen had gotten caught deep we could've gotten in trouble.

At the beginning of the game I thought we needed to use our defensemen more, but by the end they were taking shots.

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Some people have forgot how difficult it is to win the NC, 4 years? Before 97 it was 10!.

I agree. It's enormously difficult. (For some strange reason this group of Gophers makes it look easy, but that's another story.) Think of some of the top programs: All of a sudden Michigan's last title was in 1998, BU 1995, MSU 1986. It's disappointing, but I just cannot say that UND choked because they played hard and well. It didn't happen, but that's hockey sometimes.

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I don't consider this to be a game that was choked away.

I think what it points out to fans like me is just how difficult and special it IS to win a national championship. Not only to have a great year, but to overcome the one game trip up that keeps you from even being able to compete for the big trophy.

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Geez, you guys are far too sensible. :0 I guess I'm the only one who is outraged we couldn't score a goal in the biggest game of the year. Bounces, no-bounces, bad luck, no luck, played hard, whatever. It makes little difference to me.

Winning an NC is difficult, but when the Gophers make it look easy and will probably 3-peat, it tends to throw perspective out the window.

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Geez, you guys are far too sensible. :0 I guess I'm the only one who is outraged we couldn't score a goal in the biggest game of the year. Bounces, no-bounces, bad luck, no luck, played hard, whatever. It makes little difference to me.

Winning an NC is difficult, but when the Gophers make it look easy and will probably 3-peat, it tends to throw perspective out the window.

So are the gooofers going to 3-peat?

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Geez, you guys are far too sensible. :0 I guess I'm the only one who is outraged we couldn't score a goal in the biggest game of the year. Bounces, no-bounces, bad luck, no luck, played hard, whatever. It makes little difference to me.

Winning an NC is difficult, but when the Gophers make it look easy and will probably 3-peat, it tends to throw perspective out the window.

Ask a Gopher fan how easy it was in the 80s and 90s. ;)

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I agree. It's enormously difficult. (For some strange reason this group of Gophers makes it look easy, but that's another story.) Think of some of the top programs: All of a sudden Michigan's last title was in 1998, BU 1995, MSU 1986. It's disappointing, but I just cannot say that UND choked because they played hard and well. It didn't happen, but that's hockey sometimes.

Trust me I know the most about a teams who's fans quickly forgot how difficult it is to win a National Title.

The Gophers undoing was what plagued them all year. Impatience with the young defense, and inability for Briggs to match the goalie at the other end. He certainly didn't play badly, but where he was close to stopping two of the three goals, Reichmuth stopped them.

Oh well, it was a hell of a run. You all have seen the last of G. Potulny, T. Riddle, M. Koalska, J. Waibel, not sure about you, but I'll miss them.

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I was at the game last night, and I have to say that the sioux did, absolutely choke in a sense that they could not find the back of the net. There was very little intensity from the sioux. This was for a championship in the West and to keep playing for hopes of winning a national title. If you lose, your seasons OVER. The sioux were playing as if they had an automatic berth into the frozen four. It was almost as if last nights game wasn't important to them. J Parise was excellent in the net and there were a couple players that were skating hard. The line with TWO Hobey Baker finalists and a Rookie of the Year...come on...they weren't much of a threat at all! Very dissappointed in that line! The sioux played pretty much the same way they played the night before against HC..lackadaisical!!

We'll see if Z. Parise stays put though...This team has WHOLE lot to prove! :0

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I'll slightly disagree with PCM in the sense that having an offensive defenseman on the blue-line could have helped the Sioux generate different types of scoring opportunities and maybe sneak one by the goalie.

I don't disagree that having a Travis Roche or Keith Ballard at the blue line might have helped. My point was that in the defensive end on the big ice, the Sioux defensemen didn't hurt UND. They played good defense, which is their primary responsiblity.

Against Minnesota in the Final Five, the Sioux D-corps deserved some criticisim for their play. They played well enough against DU to get the win.

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The problem wasn't so much that the Sioux played bad. They weren't at their best but they did outplay Denver. After getting stomped in the first three games Denver finally found something that worked. Keep icing the puck,grabbing and some holding. Normally it wouldn't be a problem for them but in the thin air they wore down. They maybe didn't find the back of the net but it sure wasn't from lack of trying so I don't think that it's fair to call them chokers.

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So are the gooofers going to 3-peat?

Actually I remember the Sioux_fan In Phoneix and I stating that the Gophers will not three peat this season. So look there is some satisfaction in this season. I also made a bet with my buddies wife (who is a goofer fan and alum) that UofM wouldn't make it out of the regional. Now I am getting two sleeves of Titleiest Pro-V1s. I also lost a case of beer to my brother's buddy, I took UND against the field.

I was watching the game in my basement and I sat there in disbelief as UND lost a very hard fought 1-0 game, to Denver. Today I still feel like you feel when your favorite girl friend says that she is breaking up with you. Miffed, sad, empty. Or liken it too a flock of green head Malards are coming into your deeks and your gun is jammed. UND will recover and come out fired up next season. Mark my words. You can put that in your signature file if you want.

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THe only flock of the season, and you miss twice with your $2K over and under.

LOL, thats funny, actually your autoloader jams and you throw it into the pond and realize that now have to dig in a dirty slough for your Berretta A391. Yikes.

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LOL, thats funny, actually your autoloader jams and you throw it into the pond and realize that now have to dig in a dirty slough for your Berretta A391. Yikes.

Sounds like someone who has to rent a boat to drag the water hazard for his favorite driver :0.

I was thinking more like Beretta 686.

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Regional goaltenders:

Reichsmuth: 6 periods, 1 goal

JPar: 6 periods, 1 goal

NCAA all-time best goals against average, tournament (min 2 games, 100 min):

Ken Dryden, Cornell 0.50

Gerry Powers, Denver 0.50

Tim Regan, Boston U 0.50

and

Jordan Parise, North Dakota 0.50

Still in progress:

Isaac Reichmuth, UMD 0.50

Jordan is in some pretty elite company.

Source: ncaasports.com men's ice hockey record book

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