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Friday....the Clowns....St. Paul. YES!


Wilbur

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What all of these Ifs and Buts tell me, especially when comparing to the way UND has played over the last month is that the talent was always there to compete with anyone (we saw that with the Goofs) but now the team has gelled and seems to be playing a much more complete game. The questions will be is it "too little, too late"? OR will this be somewhat of a Hakstolish type of year where the team started off poorly, he found a way to right the ship, sneak in and we have a chance at a run. 

There is no doubt that this team CAN play with anyone, but WILL they?

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1 hour ago, siouxfan512 said:

absolutely. And at this point it doesn't really matter. Team needs to control what they can and for now that is just SCSU. I'm thrilled the season didn't end this weekend, but I really want to see us make it to the NCAA tourney. Sneaking in to the tourney with the season we've had would be a big time win, and once you're in the regionals, anything can happen.

I've always said it takes a loss or two in the NCAA tourney to have a bad enough taste in your mouth to set your mind to not let it happen again.  Obviously that didn't help us from last year, but I always wonder how much more determined Kawaguchi, Pinto and company would have come out had they lost a tournament game in the Covid cancellation year.  Hopefully we get in this year so guys like McLaughlin, Blake and James have the experience to draw on, win or lose. 

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18 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

What all of these Ifs and Buts tell me, especially when comparing to the way UND has played over the last month is that the talent was always there ...

So what wasn't there? 

My top guesses: Leadership. Culture.

Leadership recognizes and solves problems early, before they grow. That didn't happen early. What I will note is that I see more of 15 than 19 with the media the last six weeks or so. Something changed in the dynamic there. 

Culture? How many guys on the roster today were in the room on Mar 27, 2021 after 5OT? I count just ten, yes, ten*. That's 10 of 27. Talk "culture" all day, but it doesn't survive that much churn. It has to be rebuilt and re-established. I suspect that is finally happening. 

Last thought on churn: We'll have a bunch yet this spring (six guys out of eligibility, pro signings, portals). Whatever leadership finally is getting the culture re-established needs to be held onto to keep the trend going the right way. 

 

* 19, 10, 13, 15, 28, 4, 11, 17, 25, 27

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15 minutes ago, siouxweet said:

How about even tying Duluth on Sat night instead of giving up winning goal with under 2??

How about holding on to a three goal lead against Western Michigan?  That would have given us the series win against them, and really helped out our pairwise, as well as our confidence. 

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5 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Does anyone know what end UND will be shooting at twice?  Zam door end?

Guessing you are correct since the visitors shoot towards section 123 (zamboni door). We should be the visitors considering we are #3 and the Clowns are #2. My seats are in 120

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3 minutes ago, johnsowe said:

Kinda nervous we don't have a good record with clown at the frozen faceoff...but if we play like we did against them in grand forks should be fine.

SCSU has also never lost in the Frozen Faceoff semis. I’m hoping that means they are due for a loss. 

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59 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

Not technically. We’ve gone down there a few times not knowing our NCAA fate. This is just the first time knowing we need to win both games. 

One year we won the third place game, which gave us an at-large berth, IIRC.

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2 hours ago, siouxforce19 said:

Not technically. We’ve gone down there a few times not knowing our NCAA fate. This is just the first time knowing we need to win both games. 

I'm really excited about it. I think the atmosphere will be almost as good as it gets. The fans have always WANTED us to win and the team sure did, too. But, everyone in that arena will be aware what a loss does. Gonna be incredible, IMO.

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12 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Gonna be incredible, IMO.

Personally, I am flushed with excitement to see UND come out guns a-blazin' on Friday night.  Get a goal in the first five minutes of the game, and that place will explode.

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