UND at Denver

[GForks]

Last night in a vacuum: go on the road against a top 5 team, completely carry play, outshoot, and outchance them, and lose 2-1. That's just fine.

Unfortunately last night is not in a vaccum. And this has happened too many times now. Sweep canisius and you're 15-10-1 and probably about 9-10 in pairwise. That series hurt them more than we can fathom.

[ChadR]

The boys played a good road game last night but the NCHC its not enough when you can’t score. We have no pure goal scorers. This shouldn’t be a surprise to our coaches either as none of these guys were pure goal scorers in juniors or high school. Bad thing is we have none coming in next year also.

[TheFlop]

14 minutes ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Donovan is going to end up being another Mitchell Mattson. First round talent, but only against high school competition.

Definitely a possibility, but I'd still take my chances with him versus the Adams, Yons, Hoffs, Bowens, JJ, Casey Johnson (at forward), etc.  Even if Donovan only turned into a Poganski type player (who I thought underperformed during his time here)........that's still a double digits scorer.  Think about that for a second, if a player could just score 10 goals in a season he'd have a shot at leading this team.

[MafiaMan]

1 hour ago, SiouxForever said:

... the UND squad has to win tonight. Win or bust!

Fing' get it done!!!

Hasn’t every game since the opening series loss and tie with Bemidji State been “win or bust?”  I know some folks think this team has less luck than Clark W. Griswold in Las Vegas, but this team is who it has been since losing 2-1 to the Beavers.  

[GForks]

5 minutes ago, ChadR said:

The boys played a good road game last night but the NCHC its not enough when you can’t score. We have no pure goal scorers. This shouldn’t be a surprise to our coaches either as none of these guys were pure goal scorers in juniors or high school. Bad thing is we have none coming in next year also.

I don't know how you are defining "pure goal scorer" but a lot of these guys were very high end offensive guys in high school/juniors that just for whatever reason haven't continued to develop that part of the game. Also, next year we have Pinto (Tied for 6th in goals in ushl) and Blaisdell (3rd in BCHL in goals) coming in. Both high end talents so far that have shown they can score.

[Oxbow6]

13-12-1

#21 Pairwise

Not one player in double digits goal wise

6 players double digit points wise and 3 of the 6 are defenseman

SCSU has 12 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

DU has 11 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

[MafiaMan]

2 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Not one player in double digits goal wise

SCSU has 12 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

DU has 11 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

To summarize, North Dakota just doesn’t have the “puck luck” that SCSU and DU do, right?

[Oxbow6]

13 minutes ago, GForks said:

I don't know how you are defining "pure goal scorer" but a lot of these guys were very high end offensive guys in high school/juniors that just for whatever reason haven't continued to develop that part of the game. Also, next year we have Pinto (Tied for 6th in goals in ushl) and Blaisdell (3rd in BCHL in goals) coming in. Both high end talents so far that have shown they can score.

Is it possible that the system at UND curtails production?

I say no........the quality chances this team gets most games is ridiculous. 

I have no answers. IMO this team at worst should be 17-8-1 right now.

[Oxbow6]

2 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

To summarize, North Dakota just doesn’t have the “puck luck” that SCSU and DU do, right?

Yup. "Bad bounces" cost UND the game vs SCSU last Friday.

[MafiaMan]

2 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Yup. "Bad bounces" cost UND the game vs SCSU last Friday.

Well, I just hope that the Magness Arena staff doesn’t arrange North Dakota’s warm-up pucks in the shape of an ‘L’ before the start of tonight’s game...

[GForks]

17 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Is it possible that the system at UND curtails production?

I say no........the quality chances this team gets most games is ridiculous. 

I have no answers. IMO this team at worst should be 17-8-1 right now.

I don't really think so. I can't explain it. A system doesn't cause you to forget how to pick a corner.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Don’t no why anyone thinks next year will be any different then the last 2.5 years. So whatever reason this is Berry’s mo,close games, lots of ties, guys work hard take stupid penalties and nothing from the coach. I remember Matt Greene was told by Blais (against Mankato) if you take more the one penalty just go right to the showers, the ref had to get him out of the locker room after his second penalty, when he served it he was fine for the night. Hold your players  responsible don’t be their buddy. I think as long as Berry is at the helm this is what we have.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

34 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

Well, I just hope that the Magness Arena staff doesn’t arrange North Dakota’s warm-up pucks in the shape of an ‘L’ before the start of tonight’s game...

Seen what you did here.

[MafiaMan]

5 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

Seen what you did here.

Saw.  Saw.  You saw what I did there.  

[scpa0305]

53 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

13-12-1

#21 Pairwise

Not one player in double digits goal wise

6 players double digit points wise and 3 of the 6 are defenseman

SCSU has 12 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

DU has 11 in double digits points wise and multiple double digit goal scorers

Has to be the worst statistical (offensive) team of all time.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

1 minute ago, MafiaMan said:

Saw.  Saw.  You saw what I did there.  

Sorry Mr. Mafia

[Godsmack]

Well, if UND has to travel on the road in the first round, I’d like our chances against DU given the way we played and matched up against them. I thought that UND deserved a better fate last night, particularly the first period which UND dominated. 

[scpa0305]

30 minutes ago, GForks said:

I don't really think so. I can't explain it. A system doesn't cause you to forget how to pick a corner.

From where?  Our only shots originate from the point.  Zero cycling and containment down low.  This team will never see a goal with all three forwards in on it.

as I’ve mentioned too many times, when we have the puck in the ozone the first, second, and third option is going out to the point for a perimeter shot.  That play is supposed to be used as an outlet...to catch the Dzone players sleeping.  Our boys only do that.  It’s like running a play action in football every play.  DU knew none of our forwards would even attempt to beat them low.

[MafiaMan]

3 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

Sorry Mr. Mafia

It’s just my OCD typing...

[bigmackattack]

 

1 hour ago, MafiaMan said:

 

... the UND squad has to win tonight. Win or bust!

Fing' get it done!!!

I love the attitude, but there is only one way for this team to make NCAA's and that is to win the NCHC tourney (oh and winning every game left on schedule is another way--aint gunna happen).  Splitting games against these teams does nothing for the pairwise when your sitting at 20--you need to sweep.  Pairwise is not forgiving when you get swept by a team like Cansius when you have a team like ours this year.  Let's hope for a 1980 Olympic miracle coming NCHC tourney time.

[mauiman]

Tough loss last night. 

I like our chances tonight and the way this team hustles.  

Puck luck IS a factor and we didn’t have it last night and same with the Friday night SCSU game.  One or two bounces and this team (and our board, frankly) is radically different.  

I’m with the Sioux - how ‘bout you?

#siouxnationforever

[Godsmack]

12 minutes ago, mauiman said:

Tough loss last night. 

I like our chances tonight and the way this team hustles.  

Puck luck IS a factor and we didn’t have it last night and same with the Friday night SCSU game.  One or two bounces and this team (and our board, frankly) is radically different.  

I’m with the Sioux - how ‘bout you?

#siouxnationforever

That huge save Larsson made when UND had a gaping net on the short handed opportunity was the epitome of our season. Our guy basically one-timed it at an open net and didn’t score. Not sure what more he could’ve done. That was an example of the puck luck DU was getting and we weren’t getting. I liked our compete level and a buddy of mine who went who never watches college hockey thought UND out-played Denver. 

[GForks]

23 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

From where?  Our only shots originate from the point.  Zero cycling and containment down low.  This team will never see a goal with all three forwards in on it.

as I’ve mentioned too many times, when we have the puck in the ozone the first, second, and third option is going out to the point for a perimeter shot.  That play is supposed to be used as an outlet...to catch the Dzone players sleeping.  Our boys only do that.  It’s like running a play action in football every play.  DU knew none of our forwards would even attempt to beat them low.

Look at the shot chart from last night and tell me all the shots were from the perimeter. Especially in the first period when they dominated. I count at least 10 shots that resulted in saves in the first period alone that were from between the circles and below the faceoff dot.

[Old Fella]

10 hours ago, MafiaMan said:

All part of the trade-off you felt was fine since they won that natty...

Not sure what the trade-off was?  Hak decided to leave UND for the pro's/no problem with that.

[Irish]

1 hour ago, GForks said:

I don't really think so. I can't explain it. A system doesn't cause you to forget how to pick a corner.

It's lack of talent up front - pure and simple.  Teams can get snakebit for a game, maybe 2 or 3 in a row, but not for two plus seasons.  The game is faster here and we don't have guys who can keep up.  We don't have the speed or puck skills.  Watch our "Power" Play - when pressured we have an extremely hard time even gaining the zone and setting up.  When we do, we spend an enormous amount of time teeing it up out front - the defense always has time to adjust - we don't have the skills for quick passes and movement.  Of the top 50 freshman scorers in the country there are NO UND players - none.  There is absolutely no excuse for this lack of talent at our school - none.  This with the best facilities, fans, history in the country 3 years after our 8th National Championship.  All "culture" no talent.  It's nice we have guys who will support a teammate in a mile run.   It would be much nicer if we had guys who could also score.  Berry and company have a serious recruiting problem and we see the results on the ice.  Time for Berry to go.  If we are relying on next year's class to save us we are delusional.