SAT. NITE HOCKEY GAME

[BBELOFF]

I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND WHEN THE SIOUX FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS.

THEY ARE SO CLOSE.........I THINK THEY HAVE GREAT PLAYERS AND GREAT GOALTENDING. PARISE MADE SOME INCREDIBLE SAVES ON BREAK AWAYS TONIGHT.........I KNOW THEY LOST A TOUGH ONE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN OVER A LOT SOONER HAD HE NOT HAD A GOOD NITE IN THE NET........I THINK THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE JUST FINE............A LITTLE FINE TUNING, AND SOME BREAKS GOING THEIR WAY........WATCH OUT.!!!!!

[PCM]

HEY! I THINK YOUR CAPS LOCK KEY IS STUCK!

[U2Bad1]

I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND WHEN THE SIOUX FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS.

THEY ARE SO CLOSE.........I THINK THEY HAVE GREAT PLAYERS AND GREAT GOALTENDING. PARISE MADE SOME INCREDIBLE SAVES ON BREAK AWAYS TONIGHT.........I KNOW THEY LOST A TOUGH ONE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN OVER A LOT SOONER HAD HE NOT HAD A GOOD NITE IN THE NET........I THINK THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE JUST FINE............A LITTLE FINE TUNING, AND SOME BREAKS GOING THEIR WAY........WATCH OUT.!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The goaltender stood on his head.. that's the excuse we have been using all season and during the great offensive collapse that capped off the 2002-2003 season.

[mksioux]

The "Bad Bounces" excuse is getting really old. I don't buy into it anymore.

[ScottM]

The teams that win consistently are those that create their own opportunities. "Hot goalies", "bad ice", "bad bounces", "tough schedule", etc., means s**t when it comes to getting a Title. Maybe somebody should point out that losing should never be accepted or condoned. The attitude of the team and coaches seems apathetic at best. Maybe a few jobs should be put on the line, if that's what it takes to get a fire under their asses. Rust or not, there is no reason we should lose to Mankato in our barn, especially when you look at both rosters.

[Smoggy]

You're right, we shouldn't lose to Makato in our barn. Though now I believe MSU is like 3-2-1 or 4-3-1 against us in our "new" place.

[Northcountry]

The word for what is missing is "heart". This team does not seem to display the joy that should come with victory nor the despair that should come with a loss. Teams with true heart will not let "hot goaltenders" (which we seem to create), "bad bounces" (which we seem to get in abundance) or poor officiating (which we constantly whine about) to get in the way.

Early in the season Doug Woog of all people, commended the Sioux for not changing their style despite these things against Minnesota. The following night we put everything in the tank and put away our heart. It's time to start playing with some joy and desparation (these are emotions), if not there are troubled times ahead.

[Siouxhockey03]

This team doesn't have the depth or skill that the Sioux teams have had the last 7 or 8 years. The have a lot of seniors who are worthless. I have no idea why guys like Fylling, Fabian, Canady ect.... where even recruited, because they are worthless.

[BringDeanBack]

This team doesn't have the depth or skill that the Sioux teams have had the last 7 or 8 years. The have a lot of seniors who are worthless. I have no idea why guys like Fylling, Fabian, Canady ect.... where even recruited, because they are worthless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Amen, and add Massen to that list. Why do some of these guys continue to get playing time?

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Cry, Cry, Cry. This is the WCHA for crying out loud.

It appears that too many of us have been spoiled for too long.

The league is no longer what it was a few years back. Check it out. It

is the premier conference in all of college sport. Consider yourself

lucky to follow a great team in a great conference.

This year especially, any team can beat any other team (except, perhaps, Clown and the Bullpups)any given week of the year. The Mavericks are no slouches.

I would not want to get them, or any of any number of other teams in the league, for the playoffs.

Fair Weather Fans? See you in St. Paul, Mariucci, and Columbus come Spring.

Fans taking what I consider to be cheap shots at the Seniors? Go watch the Vikings, or any of the pro sports where you have legitimate reasons to take

cheap shots at players. These kids are kids, and solid kids, top to bottom.

Now, go drown your sorrows in your bowls of ice cream.

[ScottM]

The league is no longer what it was a few years back.  Check it out.  It

is the premier conference in all of college sport.  Consider yourself

lucky to follow a great team in a great conference.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great? Are you f'ing high? If this team is "great", I'd hate to see what mediocre is like.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Great?

[CoteauRinkRat]

Sorry, but this team is far from being great.

[Comfortably Numb]

Keep Parise on the bench opening doors and fetching water bottles.

Bonehead plays like the one that allowed for Mankato's third goal is totally and completely UNACCEPTABLE! He will get burned again, next time it could be in the

Regions or worse yet Final Four......but this team won't have to worry about either of those games if they keep playing "Randy Moss Hockey"...play when you want to play and only for 3/4 of the game!

[redwing77]

Keep Parise on the bench opening doors and fetching water bottles.

Bonehead plays like the one that allowed for Mankato's third goal is totally and completely UNACCEPTABLE!  He will get burned again, next time it could be in the

Regions or worse yet Final Four......but this team won't have to worry about either of those games if they keep playing "Randy Moss Hockey"...play when you want to play and only for 3/4 of the game!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Everything is his fault really. I think, when it comes down to it here's what needs to happen: Cut JPar from the team and our record will improve.

As everyone knows, that one goal loss to Denver last year was ENTIRELY JPar's fault. If he had just flopped at the right minute, that would have been an easy save and the game would have gone to overtime.

Sorry, Numb, I don't care what anyone thinks and I think neither does Hakstol. JPar is a valuable asset to this team and will remain so until JPar either leaves the team or graduates (which will probably be one and the same). He will get his playing time as the #2 goaltender.

Gosh, if Phil hits a wall either late in this season or next season, I'm not sure I want to be around to hear what all of you would want in nets. Suddenly, everyone will suck.

Jordan made a mistake. Ok. The result TIED THE GAME. It did NOT win the game for the Mavericks. What happened to covering Backes? Why aren't we trying to pin this on whomever it was whose job it was to cover David Backes? WHY would you allow the, arguably, most talented scorer on the team to remain open at the side of the net?

[PCM]

Jordan made a mistake.  Ok.  The result TIED THE GAME.  It did NOT win the game for the Mavericks. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, the result of Parise's mistake gave MSU a 3-2 lead. Without that, the Sioux might have been playing for the win instead of a tie. And Backes' goal would have tied the game rather than won it.

What Parise did last season is irrelevant this season to this season. Nobody is blaming him for the game-winning goal by Backes. It wasn't Jordan's fault. There wasn't anything he could have done about it.

However, we do know that Blais was on Parise last season for playing the puck too much. Hakstol has mentioned it being a problem this season. At what point should Jordan be held accountable for refusing to listen to his coaches?

[Goon]

This team doesn't have the depth or skill that the Sioux teams have had the last 7 or 8 years. The have a lot of seniors who are worthless. I have no idea why guys like Fylling, Fabian, Canady ect.... where even recruited, because they are worthless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fyling and Canady are seniors and will play out the string for the year. I am not sure what Quin's problem this year is but he is a fourth line player with his talent, he must have a bad attitude or something.

I think Fabian should have his bags packed for him to make room for another player. The major crux of the problem is attitude and desire, and itts not there. I am not a hockey genius but it apparent the Sioux have bagged the season already. I can't imagine how bad it will be next weekend when we get swept by C.C. and lose each game 6-1 or 7-2. Our defense this season has been pathetic. I can't imagine how bad it is next season after loosing this senior class and Matt Greene.

Point blank There is no way MSU-M should be beating UND. Frankly they suck. And they have one player. Can't blame the goaltender for this loss. However, I wish Jordan would stay in the net and leave the puck alone. When he assisted on #18 first goal I was watching the play on the screen next to the beer stand and you could see no defensemen any where in the picture. Thats unexceptable. Bina shouldn't play any more and Kyle Radke should be in his place. I thought between the two Kyle played much better.

After watching this team on Saturday nights it appears that Hak doesn't have the control that Blais had and I beginning to wonder why UND didn't try and pry Scott Sandelin away from UMD or gone after a high profile type coach. This decision hire Hak as the head coach looks worse and worse all the time.

But I digress. To take a phrase from Tice's Phraseology, "enjoy the season." Because we suck.

[Goon]

However, we do know that Blais was on Parise last season for playing the puck too much. Hakstol has mentioned it being a problem this season.  At what point should Jordan be held accountable for refusing to listen to his coaches?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think he should sit and watch next weekends games from the bench.

[jloos]

I agree with most of what is said on this forum. The Sioux have the talent, but they are not coming together as a team. The Stafford-Zajac-Murray line is a good example, they are three of the best players in college hockey, but they never know where each other are, they make bad passes and are out of position much of the time.

As far as players like Canady and Fabian go, I think they are the only one's doing there job. Fabian is a fourth line player, the goal of the fourth line is to give the others lines a rest and not get scored on. The Sioux fourth line hasn't given up many scoring chances. I put more blame on the middle of the roster. Players like Fylling (who is not usually on the 4th line), Prpich, Masson and Porter need to be up where McMahon is in scoring (averaging a little over a point every series).

These guys, especially the seniors should be putting up 25-30 points per season. Think back to the national championship years the Sioux had, yes they had some great top end scorers and good goaltending, but they also had a good scoring threat from the second and third lines. Players like Noterman come to mind.

Now to finish off this crappy sports weekend with another Viqueens playoff loss.

[Comfortably Numb]

[Comfortably Numb]

[jk]

A single mistake by a goaltender and it's "get a rope."

Many times, the correct play for a goalie is not to stay in the net. He is in the best position to reach the puck and play it properly to safety. Of course it's not always such a black-and-white situation, so judgement is usually necessary, and sometimes the goalie makes a mistake. In this case, Parise misplayed it, and it cost a goal. I know there have been close calls in the past, but is this the first time his wandering has actually cost a goal? I wonder how many goals he has prevented by playing the puck to safety, preventing an opportunity from even getting started.

By the way, Karl Goehring misplayed a puck and it was 1-0 Boston College in April. You count on them to make the right play and they usually do ... but sometimes not.

I think Parise stopped Backes on a SH breakaway last night, which qualifies as one of the "some he shouldn't" in the phrase: "the goalie needs to stop all the shots he should, and some he shouldn't."

I'm not happy about things either, but I'd like to know who let Backes go the net alone with five seconds left. That's the bigger mistake to me.

I'd like to see Phil and Parise both continue to do well. Even with last night, goaltending is not a problem or weakness with this team. Failing to make territorial possession and scoring chances translate to the scoreboard is the big problem.

[Diggler]

What ever happened to the rule that you never make a cross ice pass in front of your own net? Especially when you are the goalie and aren't in the net at the time of the pass?

It's not Jordan's fault they lost the game, that was just a frustrating play on his part.

[schmidtdoggydog]

I'm not happy about things either, but I'd like to know who let Backes go the net alone with five seconds left.  That's the bigger mistake to me.

I'd like to see Phil and Parise both continue to do well.  Even with last night, goaltending is not a problem or weakness with this team.  Failing to make territorial possession and scoring chances translate to the scoreboard is the big problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

According to collegehockeystats.com and my recollection of the play, Schneider, Greene, McMahon, Prpich and Fuher (?) were on the ice when Mankato scored the winning goal. I am not sure about Fuher, but the only four seem correct.

Those are arguably the best players UND could have on the ice at the time (solid defensemen and two of the team's best defensive forwards) and mistakes were still made. In defense of Schneider and Greene, they both logged a lot of minutes on Saturday (moreso after Smaby's benching) and had been on the ice for a very long shift when the goal was scored. But, in reality there is no excuse!

As for goaltending, Parise play was boneheaded in that he threw it across ice, but goaltending is not this team's problem:

WCHA GOALTENDING LEADERS (USCHO)

(Minimum 33% of team's total minutes needed to qualify)

Rk Name GP W-L-T MIN GA SV SV% GAA

1 Philippe Lamoureux, Fr, UND 9 6-3-0 537:13 18 222 .925 2.01

2 Kellen Briggs, So, UMN 13 9-4-0 785:52 31 344 .917 2.37

Bernd Br

[jk]

There are going to be a lot of positive memories from this era of Sioux hockey, but one of the frustrating aspects has been the penchant for giving up game-losing goals in the final seconds of a tie game. It's happened a lot in the last four years, and I can't remember too many going the other way. These are NOT tying goals with the extra-attacker, just defensive lapses at the end of a game.

2-9-02 Waibel 19:50 Final 3-4 MN

3-1-02 Doell 4:51 (OT) Final 3-4 DU

12-15-03 MacKenzie 19:58 Final 1-2 DU

12-11-04 Schwabe 19:28 Final 3-4 UMD

1-8-05 Backes 19:56 Final 3-4 MSUM

That doesn't count several similar goals given up in the last two minutes -- Leopold in MN, Novak for UAA at REA, Iannazzo for SCSU a couple of months ago, the DU kid about 10 months ago (ouch).

It's gotta be gut-wrenching for the team, because it sure is tough on the fans.