UND @ Miami -- Saturday Gameday

[Irish]

It's nice to win these games - however since Christmas break we have seen some of the same issues as last year - lack of focus.  Our extremely talented defense gives up grade A chances early in the game - and our extremely talented goalie(s) don't bail us out.  The big difference is that this year we have some guys who can put the puck in the net.  This series had early scores from our opponents, inopportune penalties, a hot goalie, us giving up a goal immediately after we score,  and a games in which we seriously out shot our opponents yet let them hang around.  We must clean up our play and regain total game focus in order to compete with the best.  We have the talent.   We need to refocus. This is something Berry and Company need to correct.  Why Christmas break (which should be a time to get healthy) caused us to regress is a mystery.  We have the talent to do big things.  Time to play for 60 minutes.

[stoneySIOUX]

24 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

Thome may be the back up, but the save he made on the breakaway in the 2nd period is the kind that Scheel made regularly in the first half of the season.  I want to see that Scheel again!  I also want our D to step it up and quit giving the other team so many Grade A's in the first period of every game.

No doubt. Couple of really big ones tonight. I'm confident we can win games with Thome if need be, but I have no doubt that Scheel is our No. 1.

[runaroundsioux]

 

Miami goalie tonight. 

[Goon]

39 minutes ago, Irish said:

It's nice to win these games - however since Christmas break we have seen some of the same issues as last year - lack of focus.  Our extremely talented defense gives up grade A chances early in the game - and our extremely talented goalie(s) don't bail us out.  The big difference is that this year we have some guys who can put the puck in the net.  This series had early scores from our opponents, inopportune penalties, a hot goalie, us giving up a goal immediately after we score,  and a games in which we seriously out shot our opponents yet let them hang around.  We must clean up our play and regain total game focus in order to compete with the best.  We have the talent.   We need to refocus. This is something Berry and Company need to correct.  Why Christmas break (which should be a time to get healthy) caused us to regress is a mystery.  We have the talent to do big things.  Time to play for 60 minutes.

Reading this thread, you'd think the sky is falling. I hope people realize that the Hawks are  18-2-3 (9-1-2 NCHC)    Pairwise: 1 | KRACH: 2 ? 

You'd think our favorite team was sucking wind and last in the NCHC standings. They've also played the fourth hardest schedule. I guess I am seeing the silver lining.

[burd]

41 minutes ago, Irish said:

It's nice to win these games - however since Christmas break we have seen some of the same issues as last year - lack of focus.  Our extremely talented defense gives up grade A chances early in the game - and our extremely talented goalie(s) don't bail us out.  The big difference is that this year we have some guys who can put the puck in the net.  This series had early scores from our opponents, inopportune penalties, a hot goalie, us giving up a goal immediately after we score,  and a games in which we seriously out shot our opponents yet let them hang around.  We must clean up our play and regain total game focus in order to compete with the best.  We have the talent.   We need to refocus. This is something Berry and Company need to correct.  Why Christmas break (which should be a time to get healthy) caused us to regress is a mystery.  We have the talent to do big things.  Time to play for 60 minutes.

Talk from fans about what "we" must do is so easy.   These kids have done well.   We must appreciate that. 

[brianvf]

30 minutes ago, Goon said:

This weekend definitely helped in opening up a gap in the standings, and we can send a little thank you card to SCSU and UNO for stealing points both nights from UMD and DU right behind us.

Now there's a cluster of 2-4 teams and 5-8 with us 8 points clear.  3+ points next weekend at UMD makes it even harder for a team below us to catch up.
Getting Pooly back will be a big help against a UMD team that lives on the PP.

[SiouxFanatic]

46 minutes ago, burd said:

Talk from fans about what "we" must do is so easy.   These kids have done well.   We must appreciate that. 

The team is definitely able to deal with adversity way better than the fans. 

[Brett0909]

Huge weekend for Kawaguchi in making up some ground for serious Hobey contention. He cut into Dugan and Thompson’s point totals from Providence and a lot of the less tangibles are in his favor. I think Schlossman drawing attention to these will also help throughout the season. Ie, not just the points but highlight goals, late game/OT/winners, nearly all primary assists and many of those “layups” created for his line mates, almost all 5x5s, impressive +\-. Looking at the stats, he’s a bit behind Thompson in goals, but on far fewer shots and penalty minutes. Adding leading the top ranked team and no “sharing” the credit on that line like Providence’s guys risk, he could definitely make a run, if a forward gets it this year. Will be interesting to see the points race play out! 
 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

5 hours ago, Brett0909 said:

Huge weekend for Kawaguchi in making up some ground for serious Hobey contention. He cut into Dugan and Thompson’s point totals from Providence and a lot of the less tangibles are in his favor. I think Schlossman drawing attention to these will also help throughout the season. Ie, not just the points but highlight goals, late game/OT/winners, nearly all primary assists and many of those “layups” created for his line mates, almost all 5x5s, impressive +\-. Looking at the stats, he’s a bit behind Thompson in goals, but on far fewer shots and penalty minutes. Adding leading the top ranked team and no “sharing” the credit on that line like Providence’s guys risk, he could definitely make a run, if a forward gets it this year. Will be interesting to see the points race play out! 
 

There was an article saying Kawaguchi's shooting % is due for regression (I think by Ryan Lambert, who is a 3rd-rate east coast-biased writer) and I remember thinking "I'll take that bet." His shot selection is a big part of his success.

He's got his pivot back too, he wasn't doing it the first few games of the season. Won't embarrass opponents like Cagguila's stick work but very effective for creating space.

[MafiaMan]

8 hours ago, SiouxFanatic said:

The team is definitely able to deal with adversity way better than the fans. 

  RIGHT?  I was told the season was lost after the Mankato weekend!

[Wilbur]

7 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

  RIGHT?  I was told the season was lost after the Mankato weekend!

They moved the Fargo regional right after that loss.  Now it's at a beer garden.

[siouxfan512]

So unless I have this wrong, next years Nashville game could likely be the second game we play against Penn State. Seems likely that we would land in the Midwest regional which would mean going to Allentown. 

I supposed there is the possibility of going to Colorado too.