Minnesota @ UND - Rivalry Renewed - Friday Gameday

[fightingsioux4life]

55 minutes ago, Cratter said:

At least there's always UND Football.

They at least made the playoffs last year!

Let's please not do that FB vs. MH crap. I want both of them to succeed on a national level.

[brianvf]

12 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

The idea that UND can't compete with these schools and is now a "plucky little mid-major" program that "backfills with overagers" to be competitive is pure baloney.

Where did this come from? I don’t think anyone has said or even implied this. 

[farce poobah]

8 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

UND is a good team. They have the pieces. 

I agree we are a good team.
sometime soon, I think we will be a great team.   

[fightingsioux4life]

Just now, brianvf said:

Where did this come from? I don’t think anyone has said or even implied this. 

Certain posters on here believe the B1G is going to take over the sport and UND will get left behind. I am simply pushing back on that narrative with facts.

[gfhockey]

If we don’t make the playoffs again is Berry on the hot seat

[cowboys5xsbs]

1 minute ago, gfhockey said:

If we don’t make the playoffs again is Berry on the hot seat

I wish but it seems like mediocrity is our goal nowadays.  

[SiouxBoys]

27 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

But those pieces have to work together and not take whole periods off. I think we'll know more by Christmas.

You don't say?

[gfhockey]

Think we could get Lennon to speak to the boys

[brianvf]

Posters already mailing in the season after one loss against the #1 team in the nation. In October. 

[Cratter]

48 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Let's please not do that FB vs. MH crap. I want both of them to succeed on a national level.

It's tongue and cheek....its the 3rd game of the season...

[Cratter]

47 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Certain posters on here believe the B1G is going to take over the sport and UND will get left behind. I am simply pushing back on that narrative with facts.

Are you still waiting for that 3rd division one football category to form.

[Cratter]

34 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

If we don’t make the playoffs again is Berry on the hot seat

[Hans8891]

If we play like we did in the first period and sustain that for an entire game, I like our chances.  Minnesota is a very good team.  They are fast and skilled.  We matched that and maybe surpassed it in the first period but looked sluggish the second and third.  Too many turnovers and odd man rushes given up after the first and just lacked the intensity and team play we saw in the first.  Our goalie looks legit and we do have some high level talent.  Maybe I’m overly optimistic but I expect we will be a much better team this year and hope by the second half we will find our consistency and our chemistry.  There were glimpses in the first of how good we can be.

[Green Banner]

In the first 3 games of the season and Gaber has stood out to me, not for scoring goals but for taking penalties.

[Oxbow6]

Can we all agree Schmaltz is a center? McLaughlin and Blake need Johannes to give some physical presence along with skill. I like James as an option there too. 3rd line is Schmaltz centering Strinden and Johannes/James. The V centers 4th line with 29 and 13. Was expecting more from the top line. I thought Berg was terrific vs WI. Last night....meh. That line will be better tonight. Emerson looked good with his limited shifts. Defensively considering UM speed and skill they played well overall. 32 is as good as advertised. This team is put together much better than the last couple seasons. Berry has no excuses if this group misses the NCAAs. The PP....more shots and less passing.

[I Ranger]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

Can we all agree Schmaltz is a center? McLaughlin and Blake need Johannes to give some physical presence along with skill. I like James as an option there too. 3rd line is Schmaltz centering Strinden and Johannes/James. The V centers 4th line with 29 and 13. Was expecting more from the top line. I thought Berg was terrific vs WI. Last night....meh. That line will be better tonight. Emerson looked good with his limited shifts. Defensively considering UM speed and skill they played well overall. 32 is as good as advertised. This team is put together much better than the last couple seasons. Berry has no excuses if this group misses the NCAAs. The PP....more shots and less passing.

100% on this and he really never was one with a ton of offensive skill/upside which is why I was surprised they were trying him as wing when you have James ready for that slot. I've said this to a few people this summer/fall Schmaltz is a solid third line center on a good team who can kill penalties and maybe even matchup against other teams top lines. Don't force him into what he isn't. 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

It looked like we ran out of gas last night, happened lots of times last year also. Maybe time to rethink the training plan. Just my take. 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Just now, I Ranger said:

100% on this and he really never was one with a ton of offensive skill/upside which is why I was surprised they were trying him as wing when you have James ready for that slot. I've said this to a few people this summer/fall Schmaltz is a solid third line center on a good team who can kill penalties and maybe even matchup against other teams top lines. Don't force him into what he isn't. 

But that’s what Berry does, look at the top line from last year. 

[I Ranger]

7 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

It looked like we ran out of gas last night, happened lots of times last year also. Maybe time to rethink the training plan. Just my take. 

Agree with this take as well. It seemed like we gave everything we had in the first and then had nothing left the last two periods. Sure hope that isn't the case or that's a scary proposition! Everything came so easy for Minnesota after the first. We had no forecheck and they broke the puck out with ease and fluidity. Never made it hard on their defencemen. 

[gfhockey]

14 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

It looked like we ran out of gas last night, happened lots of times last year also. Maybe time to rethink the training plan. Just my take. 

Agreed maybe it’s time to take the cute stuff out of the locker room and just use ole fashion ladder skates on the rink and treadmills and iron weihhts

[Snake]

I think the lack of a returning D corps showed. There are some decent guys back there and it will get better. Goaltender was solid.  We have to be less stubborn up front and be willing to chip it in and go get it when the play isn’t there. Also shoot more!

[SIOUXELEVENS]

2 minutes ago, Snake said:

I think the lack of a returning D corps showed. There are some decent guys back there and it will get better. Goaltender was solid.  We have to be less stubborn up front and be willing to chip it in and go get it when the play isn’t there. Also shoot more!

Agree on the shooting, one too many passes a lot last night. 

[Wilbur]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

Can we all agree Schmaltz is a center? McLaughlin and Blake need Johannes to give some physical presence along with skill. I like James as an option there too. 3rd line is Schmaltz centering Strinden and Johannes/James. The V centers 4th line with 29 and 13. Was expecting more from the top line. I thought Berg was terrific vs WI. Last night....meh. That line will be better tonight. Emerson looked good with his limited shifts. Defensively considering UM speed and skill they played well overall. 32 is as good as advertised. This team is put together much better than the last couple seasons. Berry has no excuses if this group misses the NCAAs. The PP....more shots and less passing.

32 was in his comfort zone last night, nobody scoring for him and his team giving up four breakaways. 

He has been as advertised.  Just a calm presence in the net that doesn't get super out of position.  As the d grows together he could have a great season. 

[jk]

Evolution of our opinions:

Off-season:  The returning players had great moments last year, and this year they'll play like that every shift.  The new guys are the exceptional players their junior coaches describe to Schlossman.  Destined to compete with each other for the Calder trophy in a few years.  

Manitoba and Army:  Peak optimism.  And a little worry that everyone is so good they're all one-and-done.  We're back, baby!

The rest of the first half:  Uh oh.  The other guys want to win too.  And holy crap they're pretty good.  We're in trouble.

Second half:  (Hopefully).  Made sense the new guys needed time to gel.  We're gonna be hard to handle the rest of the way.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

The Ralph is famously hospitable to 25 year old Canadians like Close.