Saturday Gameday: Denver at the Ralph part 2

[fightingsioux4life]

1 hour ago, franchise said:

We're gonna hang #9

Don't jinx us. 

[Blackheart]

Huge win tonight!  Loved the fast pace they played all weekend.  Power play is pretty hot right now and D played awesome.  Enjoy it tonight then get ready for Miami!

[jk]

Pretty amazing that Denver has 10 freshmen and is the second youngest team in the country.  Man was I ever looking forward to them slipping when Monty left, but looks like I'm going to have to wait for Carle to go to the bigs for my next shot.  I imagine his WJC gold got some attention up there.

[tnt]

5 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Don't jinx us. 

It’s what this fanbase does consistently, say how bad of a team we are one weekend, then say we will hang another banner the next.  The bottom line is they have to get on a hot power play streak like they are in right now when we hit the tournament games.  This weekend just helps us gain the confidence, and hopefully the positioning to make some noise in the postseason.  

[fightingsioux4life]

2 minutes ago, jk said:

Pretty amazing that Denver has 10 freshmen and is the second youngest team in the country.  Man was I ever looking forward to them slipping when Monty left, but looks like I'm going to have to wait for Carle to go to the bigs for my next shot.  I imagine his WJC gold got some attention up there.

It depends on how many of those guys leave early in the coming years.

[fightingsioux4life]

1 minute ago, tnt said:

It’s what this fanbase does consistently, say how bad of a team we are one weekend, then say we will hang another banner the next.  The bottom line is they have to get on a hot power play streak like they are in right now when we hit the tournament games.  This weekend just helps us gain the confidence, and hopefully the positioning to make some noise in the postseason.  

My comment was meant as tongue in cheek, but I agree with you.

[Blackheart]

5 minutes ago, tnt said:

It’s what this fanbase does consistently, say how bad of a team we are one weekend, then say we will hang another banner the next.   

It’s part of what makes us so fun to be around.

[fightingsioux4life]

1 minute ago, Blackheart said:

It’s part of what makes us so fun to be around.

Honestly, I think the average American sports fan gets like this every once in awhile.

[farce poobah]

Credit Denver coaches for making changes coming into tonight, that gave them the edge early in period one.  Generally, they looked to move the puck faster to teammates, and spend less time dangling where we forced a lot of turnovers last night. 

Credit to Berry and staff, and our guys, for second period changes.  My favorite pass of the night:  Abram Wiebe getting his second point in a UND jersey with the 150 footer to McLaughlin who fed Kunz for the breakaway goal. 

Come tournament time, surviving a long stretch of extra-attacker against a potent offense will be nice to draw when that time comes.  Both nights, we looked really well prepared to handle the 5x6.   

[Oxbow6]

Very entertaining well played hockey by two really good teams. Great college atmosphere.  Just a really fun series to watch.

[jk]

I have to give credit to Kunz, not because he scored and not because he's a billboard in front of the goalie.  He seems to have caught up to the game.  I don't know whether he's using his frame and reach better or what it is exactly, but he's coming away with the puck more often.  He obviously doesn't have the quickest first step on the team, but he seems faster as well.  A memory of Goren flashed through my head at one point Friday.

[cowboys5xsbs]

Siouxeep and we are playing some of our best hockey.  

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Didn't see it live, but watching what happened, props to Striden for popping back up and not trying to draw it. Love his game and grit, he's a true Sioux.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

2 hours ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Didn't see it live, but watching what happened, props to Striden for popping back up and not trying to draw it. Love his game and grit, he's a true Sioux.

If that was a bulldog player, he’d still be writhing in pain trying to draw a major.

[Vegas_Sioux]

4 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

If that was a bulldog player, he’d still be writhing in pain trying to draw a major.

A du player would have needed a stretcher. 

[SiouxFan100]

I wish he would have stayed down for a while. 

[Godsmack]

Kudos to Schmaltz for anticipating and pinching down low to stop goalie Matt Davis’ wring attempt on the PP that led to Gaber’s goal. I didn’t hear much about his successful attempt to keep the puck in the zone so wanted to throw that out there. Between his block as well as Blake’s and Lavanivage’s keeps in the zone, those helped lead to those two huge goals. 

[Wilbur]

5 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

If that was a bulldog player, he’d still be writhing in pain trying to draw a major.

They would have had to open the roof and life flight him out of there.

*still would have been out on the ensuing power play. 

[nodakgirl93]

The zone entry on the 4th goal was very close to be offsides from Gaber. Thankfully DU didn't challenge but I think from their view on the bench they didnt notice. 

Nevermind. That was the 1st entry on that shift. The puck left zone after it. 

[SiouxScore]

Really solid weekend of hockey.

Seeing a lot of growth in guys. Kunz and Ness are two that have stepped up and grown their game a lot from the beginning of the season, Jamernik and Strinden are another couple.

 

[stoneySIOUX]

On 1/27/2024 at 9:15 PM, Oldguy said:

The boys seem to have taken a sudden step forward.  I don't know how they managed to conjure this speedy, defensively solid identity all of a sudden, but keep it going, and you can hang some banners.  Looked great this weekend.

We had this in the beginning of the season a little bit, caught a funk, and the past two weekends we got back to it. I said it Friday and it held up on Saturday... elite, championship-level defense.

Starts with the tremendous poise of guys like Pehrson, Weibe and Zmolek (Seriously, how good has this kid been? Absolutely dominant defensive player) nearly always making the patient, easy smart play in d zone. Also, the solidly consistently play in net by Persson. He did enough this weekend to help us get two massive wins.

The past two weekends saw a huge difference in all four lines constantly getting back into plays on the backcheck. Blaker has basically done a 180 on this. Huge for them. All effort, all 120 minutes this weekend. 

Let's not forget how dynamic and game-breaking our offense is. My goodness, this power play. So many guys can make the big play and I think that is a big piece of what can be a big run. Think 2016... elite defense, top line studs, but scoring through the last forward group. This weekend was the formula personified.

Cannot undersell what our D did against DU's top line. Unreal performance. 

Of course, check the boxes on the way out, but this weekend legitimized what this team can be. If the country had any doubt that UND can be there in St. Paul in April, holding the best offense in the country by far to under 3 goals for the first and second times all year proves who this team is. Any bumps along the way, just get back to this weekend's play. Play like this, and we're celebrating in a big way in April.

[stoneySIOUX]

On 1/27/2024 at 8:38 PM, nodakvindy said:

That ppg to take the lead has a chance to go into UND lore. The cycle power play game. Really feels like a turning point. 

My goodness, the building was just so ready to explode and another pure snipe did the trick. So memorable.

[stoneySIOUX]

On 1/27/2024 at 9:49 PM, jk said:

Pretty amazing that Denver has 10 freshmen and is the second youngest team in the country.  Man was I ever looking forward to them slipping when Monty left, but looks like I'm going to have to wait for Carle to go to the bigs for my next shot.  I imagine his WJC gold got some attention up there.

On the contrary, they feel like a 1.5 line team with 3 really great defensemen. We shut down their big boys this weekend and we all see what happened. Very good team, but our depth is better. Not really a shot at DU, but more of kudos to UND's staff constructing this year's squad.

[Dustin]

On 1/27/2024 at 8:34 PM, franchise said:

We're gonna hang #9

It's possible that the playoff road to the title goes through Grand Forks (NCHC quarterfinals), St. Paul (NCHC semifinals and championship), Sioux Falls (NCAA Regionals), and then back to St. Paul (NCAA Frozen Four).  That has to be a geographical travel advantage to UND.  Plus, at those venues, the crowds would skew heavily towards UND fans.  Let's do this.

[Dustin]

On 1/28/2024 at 10:07 PM, stoneySIOUX said:

Think 2016... elite defense, top line studs, but scoring through the last forward group.

Watched Friday's game live, then finally saw the whole Saturday game on the Midco replay Monday night, and this was my thought as well.