University of North Dakota Hockey 2019-20 Season

[Siouxman]

I think a very telling statistic would be if anyone can compare the percentage of shots from the point this year compared to last year.  We have gone from literally no net front presence and bombing slap shots from the point last year to most of our shots are now from close in around the net.  A huge difference.

[Fetch]

7 minutes ago, tnt said:

Some of it is that, and some of it is just finishing better and getting a few more breaks.

Duh ! But like I said winning & playing better is contagious - & for all lines playing this good is like I said a great thing & yes last year sucked - but it was a compliment to the whole team & coaches 

Go light your fuse & blow up on someone else :' )

[Godsmack]

In my expert opinion, we’re winning games because we are scoring more goals than the opposition. 

[burd]

28 minutes ago, Siouxman said:

I believe the difference is in coaching and the systems being coached.  The style of play this year is entirely different than the past couple of years.

Assuming you are not talking about just being better at what they do, what two styles of play are entirely different?

[Irish]

6 hours ago, 90siouxfan said:

I was referring to the recurring theme on here, that the program was full of a bunch of duds.  Personally I think they are a very talented group and team chemistry is very important, rock stars like Boeser help immensely but are not the be all end all of a successful season.

I agree that chemistry is very important - I would include in my definition of chemistry having the right skill sets on each line - ones that complement each other and make each player better.  Reading about Janatuien's struggles last year made the second half of last year a bit more understandable.  As to the theme of "a bunch of duds" - if you watched us absolutely struggle to put the puck in the net while almost every other team in the league seemed better up front it is easy to understand.  We added some key pieces this year and I don't underestimate the power of a determined off season.  As to rock stars - don't forget that during our championship season we had a first line of NHL ready talent.  Do you think we would have won it without Boesser and Schmaltz?  Remember, we narrowly got by Denver in the semis - saved in the final seconds by Schmaltz.  It seems to me that we have changed our recruiting a bit - we are more enamored with finding the next Caggula (under the radar high end talent who stays for 4 years) and less with getting in the next Toews, Parise, Oshie, or Boesser.  I think this is the harder path as it is much more difficult to figure out who has great potential and is flying under the radar (especially with younger and younger players being signed.  Just look at our young signees who didn't end up here for next year's class) than it to figure out the impact of a Boesser or Parise.  With our pipeline to the NHL, fans, tradition, and facilities there should be no reason we don't get high end studs on a regular basis.  I hope to see some added to the next couple of classes.

[Oxbow6]

2 hours ago, Godsmack said:

In my expert opinion, we’re winning games because we are scoring more goals than the opposition. 

Huh.......who knew?

I thought most face offs won and most SOG determined the outcome of games.

[Sodbuster]

31 minutes ago, Irish said:

I agree that chemistry is very important - I would include in my definition of chemistry having the right skill sets on each line - ones that complement each other and make each player better.  Reading about Janatuien's struggles last year made the second half of last year a bit more understandable.  As to the theme of "a bunch of duds" - if you watched us absolutely struggle to put the puck in the net while almost every other team in the league seemed better up front it is easy to understand.  We added some key pieces this year and I don't underestimate the power of a determined off season.  As to rock stars - don't forget that during our championship season we had a first line of NHL ready talent.  Do you think we would have won it without Boesser and Schmaltz?  Remember, we narrowly got by Denver in the semis - saved in the final seconds by Schmaltz.  It seems to me that we have changed our recruiting a bit - we are more enamored with finding the next Caggula (under the radar high end talent who stays for 4 years) and less with getting in the next Toews, Parise, Oshie, or Boesser.  I think this is the harder path as it is much more difficult to figure out who has great potential and is flying under the radar (especially with younger and younger players being signed.  Just look at our young signees who didn't end up here for next year's class) than it to figure out the impact of a Boesser or Parise.  With our pipeline to the NHL, fans, tradition, and facilities there should be no reason we don't get high end studs on a regular basis.  I hope to see some added to the next couple of classes.

Maybe they're shying away from the big names because of Jost's one and done?

[Brett0909]

23 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Huh.......who knew?

I thought most face offs won and most SOG determined the outcome of games.

Me too... But in fairness, folks around here give Hennessy a lot of respect and according to him, “puck luck” is really the only thing that decides games. To the point of mocking frustrated fans last year who were critical of the poor product on the ice and could easily see “something“ was wrong the last couple years. Thankfully, all it took was for those same players to get “puck luck” this year, and all is good again! I don’t know where you shop for this puck luck, or how much it cost them, but I hope it’s like the REA with their refrigerant and the coaching staff bought up at least several years worth of it.

[Irish]

12 minutes ago, Sodbuster said:

Maybe they're shying away from the big names because of Jost's one and done?

It makes sense, but I think it is the wrong approach.  Sure, we lost Jost after 1.  But how about the contributions of Parise, Boesser, Oshie, Schmaltz, Nelson, and the rest?  We would have had no where near the success without our high enders.  No one is suggesting that we go full BU, but having blue chippers in the mix is a very positive thing.

[scpa0305]

4 hours ago, Gma loves hockey said:

Anyone else get the feeling that having Karl Goehring instead of Matt Shaw has been a part of the difference this year?

Who knows, but the group is another year older. That’s helps immensely and we had a nice crop of freshman come in.  

[mattim]

5 hours ago, Gma loves hockey said:

Anyone else get the feeling that having Karl Goehring instead of Matt Shaw has been a part of the difference this year?

Definitely! Karl will be a head coach somewhere before long. He is a very smart guy who knows the game! If Berry leaves for some reason, I vote Karl for head coach.

[SiouxFan100]

We are 8-1-2

After the last few years I can hardly believe it

I can’t be happier about where we are right now!

[burd]

16 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

We are 8-1-2

After the last few years I can hardly believe it

I can’t be happier about where we are right now!

I don't know;  maybe our standards have fallen.  I remember not that long ago under Blais we would either be undefeated or pissed that we lost one.   Sigh. 

[Siouxman]

5 hours ago, burd said:

Assuming you are not talking about just being better at what they do, what two styles of play are entirely different?

The biggest difference to me is the area from which most shots are being taken.  The past two years it was from the point and UND was almost nonexistent in front of the net.  This year, we are having very few shots by defensemen at the point unless they are taken with someone near the net and the intent is to get a tip.  The focus of the offense is down in front of the net, not out at the point.  Second, we are seeing far more passes cross ice without sending it out the point, then across to the other point, and then down to the forward, and then repeat in the opposite direction.  It shortens the time the goalie has to move across the net front.  Third, the scoring is being led by forwards, not defensemen.  I like having defensemen score, but that should not be the emphasis of the team.

[burd]

I appreciate the response Siouxman

[Sioux Lite]

This Sioux team is big, heavy, and talented. Gonna be a matchup nightmare for just about any team they play. The addition of Michaud and developments of Gucci, Adams, and even Weatherby are the biggest reasons for this team's success. Of course Scheel is the most important player on this team, and the health of the back end is crucial. I like what I'm seeing out of Frisch thus far too and looks like JBD and Tychonink are taking big strides.

[tnt]

5 hours ago, Fetch said:

But many of the new guys are contributing & many of last years guys have stepped up & the combination has been amazing - Sorry never felt this way last year & Ive been a Fan for along time - How about you ?

Been a fan a long time, but one wouldn’t have had to be a fan long to remember the team we had three years ago that was loaded up and down the lineup.  This team is doing quite well, and has the makings of a very good team, but we still aren’t even near Christmas, and we know how other teams get mocked for their first half mythical championship.

[iramurphy]

2 hours ago, Sodbuster said:

Maybe they're shying away from the big names because of Jost's one and done?

Never. UND will always recruit the best kids available. Most NHL teams still feel their draft picks get excellent coaching and continue their development while at UND.  Most of these players have stayed at least 2-3 years with the approval of the NHL team that drafted them. Very few have left after one year. 

[Oxbow6]

25 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

Never. UND will always recruit the best kids available. Most NHL teams still feel their draft picks get excellent coaching and continue their development while at UND.  Most of these players have stayed at least 2-3 years with the approval of the NHL team that drafted them. Very few have left after one year. 

This....^^^

.....and I'm pretty sure there is not a single player that left UND early for the pros who ever said he wished he would have left sooner.

[cberkas]

30 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

This....^^^

.....and I'm pretty sure there is not a single player that left UND early for the pros who ever said he wished he would have left sooner.

Tambolini?

[Oxbow6]

6 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Tambolini?

Didn't he leave for the WHL? Then moved onto the AHL?

[The Sicatoka]

3 hours ago, mattim said:

Definitely! Karl will be a head coach somewhere before long. He is a very smart guy who knows the game! If Berry leaves for some reason, I vote Karl for head coach.

I see Karl Goehring as the heir apparent. (Sorry Dane, but I do.)

[UNDMOORHEAD]

20 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Didn't he leave for the WHL? Then moved onto the AHL?

That is correct. 

[stoneySIOUX]

9 hours ago, Gma loves hockey said:

Anyone else get the feeling that having Karl Goehring instead of Matt Shaw has been a part of the difference this year?

The power play is light years ahead. Having guys hit the net is a big deal, of course, but the difference in confidence in that unit is massive.

[stoneySIOUX]

9 hours ago, tnt said:

So, we are winning more and all of a sudden they have more good players than you can remember?  Were you saying the same things last year, because a good many of the players were here last year.

Some very important players have made a very large step -- Guchi, Adams, Mash, Bowen, Weatherby, most noticably. An influx of playmakers, ala Pinto, Michaud and Blaisdell to some extent, is the next biggest difference.