Minnesota @ UND - Saturday night game thread

[Green Banner]

3 hours ago, bcblues said:

Hot goalie had as little to do with the outcome as the refs did for Minny fans last night.

It was sarcasm

[.357]

4 hours ago, JacksonW said:

First time this year an opposing team played a much more defensive system and they struggled with it. They will probably see lots more of it unless they can score first. Only a few  teams will be willing to play wide open with them.

Echoes of another team 113 mi east of GF, namely the mighty Beavers, that also like to plug up the neutral zone & who had UND's number last year.

Just like his predecessor, DJ didn't make any in-game adjustments tonight after the 1st period in an attempt to change the tempo of the game. The team was clearly struggling, but no adjustments were made for the entire 60 minutes. Call a timeout or put the Sharpie to use & start drawing up some other plans. Do something. 

It's guaranteed that other mediocre teams who don't have a lot of firepower will look at tape of tonight's game & will implement a similar strategy against UND. The onus is on DJ to find a solution to this nagging issue. If other teams have similar success like MN had tonight, it will mean that DJ & Smaby haven't successfully implemented an offensive scheme yet to deal with it.

Plus, not benching Strinden for a game or two sends the wrong message that crappy play will be tolerated. At this point, you'd think Klee couldn't do any worse. A good bet that he's more hungry & disciplined than Strinden currently is because he's desperate to crack the line-up. Benching an alt captain would definitely get every player's attention that there will be consequences for not playing at a high level.

So not huge red flags because it's very early in the year & DJ's body of work is too small with which to judge him. But the upcoming games against Clarkson, BSU & Mercyhurst (the NPI killers) will tell a story about whether DJ has left BB's old problems* behind or if they continue to haunt the team.

* lack of consequences for substandard play & an inability (or unwillingness) to make in-game adjustments

[90siouxfan]

My observation is Coach Jackson has put out the same lines for all games. Seems like a plan to promote line chemistry is in place.  Perhaps the correction Ben Strinden requires will be non game time event.  Perhaps Ben is still bag skating this morning?

[SIOUXELEVENS]

No passengers , #4 should watch this tape on not how to play D, he got beat at least 3 times clean and as an upper classman that should not happen. #21 is a head scratcher we he won the Ironman I thought he was poised for a big year and it still might be but he is struggling right know. Maybe a press box view would help. Homer needs to work on his glove 2nd and 3rd goals mishandled with his mitt. A lot of these miscues are easy fixes and 4 games in I think this team will be just fine as long as Jackson addresses some issues. 

[UND69er]

29 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

No passengers , #4 should watch this tape on not how to play D, he got beat at least 3 times clean and as an upper classman that should not happen. #21 is a head scratcher we he won the Ironman I thought he was poised for a big year and it still might be but he is struggling right know. Maybe a press box view would help. 

Amen. Livanavage has to learn to play Defense. He's like a 5 yr old at the water park, all over the ice and he's not that good to recover. With all the coaches being former Dmen you'd think he'd be more disciplined. As much as I'm impressed with team speed and talent I'm disappointed in the chaotic playmaking last night.

[The Sicatoka]

I saw an echo of past teams that had too much fun after a Friday win. Not sharp; just off. 

[90siouxfan]

Perhaps the boys need to be sequestered at the Ralph on Friday nights