Clown Week

[stoneySIOUX]

Our "gauntlet" hasn't been perfect, but two Saturdays of solid hockey have made up for two poor Fridays. How we gonna do against Clown?

I expect this series to be a lot like the one with Minny, lots of pace and speed. UND can grind down a team like St. Cloud as they've done it against Quinnipiac and Minny who both have tremendous team speed. 

I said I wanted to go 4-2 in these six games, but I was always completely fine with 3-3. I'd still be fine with it.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Sweet little Jan Brady is all grown up, and her power play is.....lethal

[siouxforce19]

I feel like the last time we won any games in St Cloud, Driscoll was their goalie 

[mattim]

Schmaltz with Gaber and Caulfield

Ford with Senden and Hain

Jammer with Budy and Portz

or some set of lines with those guys.

Then we have just Montgomery, Ness and Albrecht remaining (healthy) unless Kunz and Costco are back, Is that correct?

 

Hoping Constantini and Kunz are back but also hoping that Albrecht keeps his spot, he is earning minutes. Calder is definitely out, I think, Berry was talking like he’ll need this weekend, next (CC) and the Christmas break to return. 

 

Will Kleven have to sit some more or will he get his regular spot back?

[The Sicatoka]

2 hours ago, mattim said:

Hoping Constantini and Kunz …

If I can only get one let it be Constantini. His skill set (speed) would be more valuable on the big ice. 

[Goon]

17 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

If I can only get one let it be Constantini. His skill set (speed) would be more valuable on the big ice. 

Last week, It sounded like Costantini was going to be one more week. Crosses fingers on him being back this week. 

[siouxforce19]

Costantini. No N. 

[mattim]

8 hours ago, siouxforce19 said:

Costantini. No N. 

Spellcheck puts the N in there if you aren’t careful.

[Siouxperfan7]

Our November/December schedule definitely has tested this team.  We have played 15 games so far and 8  of those games have been against teams currentl ranked no lower than 12.  And now we play the Huskies who are currently ranked 5th!   I don't mind a loaded schedule like this early.  Prepares the team for the grind of the NCHC and really tests them mentally and physically against good teams.  Will definitely payoff come conference and national tournament time. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

2 hours ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

Our November/December schedule definitely has tested this team.  We have played 15 games so far and 8  of those games have been against teams currentl ranked no lower than 12.  And now we play the Huskies who are currently ranked 5th!   I don't mind a loaded schedule like this early.  Prepares the team for the grind of the NCHC and really tests them mentally and physically against good teams.  Will definitely payoff come conference and national tournament time. 

Completely agree, I always worry when we're playing cream puffs at the beginning of the year and Denver or UMD are getting battle tested with a loaded non-con schedule.

TBH Quinnipiac might be the best team in the country at the current moment so getting them on the schedule and getting a W was huge

[stoneySIOUX]

17 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Completely agree, I always worry when we're playing cream puffs at the beginning of the year and Denver or UMD are getting battle tested with a loaded non-con schedule.

TBH Quinnipiac might be the best team in the country at the current moment so getting them on the schedule and getting a W was huge

From what I have seen, Minny is the most talented group of players we've played, Quinny is the best overall team we've seen, and Duluth is as structured and sound as always but maybe lacks a little offensively. I think Clown, from what I've seen from other games, is potentially the best overall. Very excited to see how we play against them. Wins against Q, Minny, and Duluth make me feel great about our team when we're at our best. We've also gotten spanked against all three. Another big litmus test this weekend at JBU.

Simply put, we still need to find a way to score goals more consistently. Still love our pieces and each week brings me hope that we are going to be there when it counts down the stretch.

[siouxnatty#8]

20 hours ago, mattim said:

Schmaltz with Gaber and Caulfield

Ford with Senden and Hain

Jammer with Budy and Portz

or some set of lines with those guys.

Then we have just Montgomery, Ness and Albrecht remaining (healthy) unless Kunz and Costco are back, Is that correct?

 

Hoping Constantini and Kunz are back but also hoping that Albrecht keeps his spot, he is earning minutes. Calder is definitely out, I think, Berry was talking like he’ll need this weekend, next (CC) and the Christmas break to return. 

 

Will Kleven have to sit some more or will he get his regular spot back?

I want the three amigos back together (Senden, Hain and Jammer) to wreak havoc on the forecheck.  I love Smaltz, Gaber and Caufield.  How bout Ford Portz and Albrecht.  I'll throw one more in Kunz, Costantini, Albrecht possibly a combo also and put Ness with Ford and Portz.   Albrecht and Kunz will free pucks up down low and constantini will provide the magic while Kunz has talent and Albrecht has the grit.  Kleven I think will be back full time on #2 pair. He's too good to sit and he was a good boy Saturday night even though he should have sent a message to McLaughlin.  I also love Albrechts game (heavy with an edge).  I will get eye rolls but I still say we are very deep.  Maybe not so in scoring but our depth in what I call intangibles has gotten us some huge wins when we were shorthanded some of our main cogs.

[stoneySIOUX]

22 hours ago, mattim said:

Schmaltz with Gaber and Caulfield

Ford with Senden and Hain

Jammer with Budy and Portz

or some set of lines with those guys.

Then we have just Montgomery, Ness and Albrecht remaining (healthy) unless Kunz and Costco are back, Is that correct?

 

1 hour ago, siouxnatty#8 said:

I want the three amigos back together (Senden, Hain and Jammer) to wreak havoc on the forecheck.  I love Smaltz, Gaber and Caufield.  How bout Ford Portz and Albrecht.  I'll throw one more in Kunz, Costantini, Albrecht possibly a combo also and put Ness with Ford and Portz.   Albrecht and Kunz will free pucks up down low and constantini will provide the magic while Kunz has talent and Albrecht has the grit.  Kleven I think will be back full time on #2 pair. He's too good to sit and he was a good boy Saturday night even though he should have sent a message to McLaughlin.  I also love Albrechts game (heavy with an edge).  I will get eye rolls but I still say we are very deep.  Maybe not so in scoring but our depth in what I call intangibles has gotten us some huge wins when we were shorthanded some of our main cogs.

I'll play with this, too.

With Calder out and assuming we get Costo and Kunz back:

17-8-28
10-27-19
18-21-20
13-11-9

I really liked the Ford, Sendo, Hainer line against Minny on Saturday, so I am totally fine with that one if they flip Ford and Jammer.

Albrecht has earned a nightly spot and so has Ness, IMO. Budy is trending upward. Once Calder gets back, slot him with Costo and Ford and Kunz and Budy battle for that last spot.

Gotta get Kleven back in. He's just too talented to not play regular shifts. I trust he's learning how to best "use his body?" I guess haha.

26-15
25-7
4-2
24 - Bast earned his shifts last weekend

33

[Kevin G]

UND has not looked like the faster team in any series it has played this season. So racehorse hockey on a big sheet against SCSU would not play to our strength, IMO. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Just now, Kevin G said:

UND has not looked like the faster team in any series it has played this season. So racehorse hockey on a big sheet against SCSU would not play to our strength, IMO. 

Not true

[stoneySIOUX]

5 minutes ago, Kevin G said:

UND has not looked like the faster team in any series it has played this season. So racehorse hockey on a big sheet against SCSU would not play to our strength, IMO. 

 

4 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Not true

Yeah, maybe speaking generally, but we definitely looked faster in many series. I don't think our overall strength is team speed, but team forechecking/pressure and there is a difference. With that said, racehorse hockey against SCSU is not ideal. We'll need to play like we did against Minny on Saturday to win games, as I see Minny and Clown as very similar teams talent/speed wise.

[tnt]

1 hour ago, stoneySIOUX said:

 

Yeah, maybe speaking generally, but we definitely looked faster in many series. I don't think our overall strength is team speed, but team forechecking/pressure and there is a difference. With that said, racehorse hockey against SCSU is not ideal. We'll need to play like we did against Minny on Saturday to win games, as I see Minny and Clown as very similar teams talent/speed wise.

Do you think we'll get away with the kind of trip that Minnesota did against St. Cloud in overtime?   

[iluvdebbies]

41 minutes ago, tnt said:

Do you think we'll get away with the kind of trip that Minnesota did against St. Cloud in overtime?   

I know we won't get away with a slash like they did last weekend!

[stoneySIOUX]

53 minutes ago, tnt said:

Do you think we'll get away with the kind of trip that Minnesota did against St. Cloud in overtime?   

HA! I sure hope so 

[mattim]

5 hours ago, Kevin G said:

UND has not looked like the faster team in any series it has played this season. So racehorse hockey on a big sheet against SCSU would not play to our strength, IMO. 

We have some true speed, Calder and Budy had big jets on their assist and goal against the Dogs. Each line has a speedster or two but we are not small and fast or big and slow, somewhere in-between?   

[bcblues]

I think we have speed.  WHEN the boys feel like playing fast, they are plenty quick. BUT, when they are in a funk, they play like molasses.

Neither of these two states of speed are necessarily dependent on the opponent either, it is something else in the team chemistry. Hopefully Brad and the rest of the coaching staff can bring out the best in the team.

[Kevin G]

46 minutes ago, bcblues said:

I think we have speed.  WHEN the boys feel like playing fast, they are plenty quick. BUT, when they are in a funk, they play like molasses.

This is closer to reality than my earlier hyperbolic statement. 

[siouxforce19]

1 hour ago, mattim said:

We have some true speed, Calder and Budy had big jets on their assist and goal against the Dogs. Each line has a speedster or two but we are not small and fast or big and slow, somewhere in-between?   

Yeah so… Collectively as a group I don’t think our team speed is as fast as it has been the previous 2 seasons. We have some guys with good speed but overall I wouldn’t say we will be known as a fast team. Not slow either though. 

[Kevin G]

UND playing at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center brings to mind one of my favorite hockey memories. The first Sioux game I ever brought my son to was in St. Cloud, November 19, 2016. My dad had brought me to some games when I was little (at the old Ralph); now I was able to bring my son to see the Sioux.

The highlight on the night was the first goal of the game, scored by Rhett Gardner off of a shot by Brock Boeser. The only replay I could find doesn't show the goal very well (at the 00:30 second mark), but after Gardner tipped the puck, it took forever for the puck to get through the SCSU goalie and slide oh so slowly across the goal line. The puck almost ran out of gas (at least as I recall). We were sitting goal line extended a couple of rows behind the glass, and we had a perfect view of the puck. It was like slow motion. And it was awesome. My son is now a die-hard Sioux fan, his room covered with UND pennants and posters. 

 

On a sidenote, the SCSU goalie that night? Zach Driscoll.

[brianvf]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/hockey/7304719-UND-expecting-two-players-back-for-St.-Cloud-State-series

Costantini and Kunz both expected to be cleared to play this weekend.
Calder will still be out, as expected.

Hentges for SCSU is still out and won't play this weekend.