Sioux/Gophers

[The Sicatoka]

Open memo to Sioux coaching staff:

Dave, Brad, Cary, seen it three times this year, both live and on television. It's pretty clear.

Even strength:

Don Lucia knows your system. He has his guys clogging up your standard passing lanes and pinching to pressure your youth into making poor decisions and passes. If you have another breakout scheme or system it might be time to implement it because what you're doing now is completely neutralized. That's when your team has the puck. Now the other 90% of the time (and I'm not kidding, and that's a problem), you have to either (a) get your guys to win races to and battle for the puck, or (b) have them play defense and get the puck away from Lucia's guys. Not winning races to the puck is a problem on so many levels, starting at the top. Missing standard defensive assignments is a problem too, also starting at the top.

Up a man:

Your team is young. Donny knows this. He's going to be playing a pressure penalty kill. I have three games worth of proof of this. The counter is to put it on net and get a couple garbage goals by outmuscling their smaller defense with your bigger "garbage" forwards. Playing with it out high when they're playing pressure kill is playing to what Donny is hoping for: mistakes and clears.

Down a man:

Donny's guys like that "around the umbrella" passing to set up the quick, open, diagonal pass to a one-timer shot from a down, low position (inside the dot) where the goalie (in this case Phillippe) has to move, and is moving, pipe to pipe. It works great on that glacier in Mariucci because the passing lanes are much larger than on an 85' rink like REA. They've done this; they're doing this. Either (a) tighten up the box to take the diagonals away and make them fire straight on (giving Phillippe a chance to square up) and have your big defense outmuscle and make clears or (b) chase and pursue like they're doing to you and try to get them to make mistakes. This loose, passive box plays right to what they want to do.

All times:

Discipline? Heard of it?

Your team can win a 5x5 game. It can not win when it is down a skater for more than 10 minutes per game, and especially if some of that is major time.

Signed,

A guy who needs to buy a new bottle of Pepto and a new bottle of Maalox

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Redwing if you think I'am a Gopher fan you can stick it in you Arse Amen Sicatoka amen,popping pedcid like lifesavers last night

[redwing77]

I have never seen a game where the Sioux were so outclassed,outworked and very out coached.We have had Hakstol for a year and a half and when can you say he outcoached anyone.Last year if it wasn't for the senior class finally waking up it would have been a dismal year also. There doesn't seem to be any fire or desire from this team at all and i think it starts at the top with Hakstols blank stares from the bench wtf. When have you seen a Sioux team get outshot by almost every team,home and away.A very dismal home record no forecheck pressure, no breakout from there own zone and nobody can pass or catch a pass,maybe they need to go back to the basics! I think Hakstols reign should be short and lets get back to Sioux hockey. when sitting through the last of Ginos year its like deju vu all over again.when Blais was here it was the "teams" goal to hold every team under 20 shots per game not per period and if you were a forward and your assignment got an uncontested shot off from the point you sat the next shift,you caught on or you sat period.the lack of fire and discipline is very disturbing and it points to the coaching staff,at least we lead the league in one area,checking from behind and considering what happened to Bina that doesn't make much sense. Looks like we can all sell our regional tickets to a CC fan or worse the Gopher fans.Hopefully this year goes by fast and we have a change at the top(the whole crew) and we can get back to Fighting Sioux hockey not the high school product we have now

Hmmm when has Hak outcoached anyone?

How about last year starting at about this time? He outcoached Lucia 3 out of 4 times last year. He took a team and outcoached BC, who was the #1 team in the nation.

I will say that Hakstol should be judged after his contract and say that it is truly sad that ONE GAME can have someone who has been through bad years with Blais, Gino, and everyone in between calling for his head.

a year and a half head coaching experience... Isn't it a little soon to expect domination akin to Scotty Bowman in the NHL?

TIME is needed. If you aren't willing to give Hakstol time, then I highly suggest you take NDH up on his offer because you're not going to be happy watching a team who has faith in Hakstol as well as the majority of Sioux fans.

[redwing77]

Redwing if you think I'am a Gopher fan you can stick it in you Arse

More of a general statement. No offense was intended.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Was it coaching or was it the Seniors finally taking it on there shoulders and playing with fire(hmmm maybe this years team should try that) It seems like every team has Hakstols forecheck or lack of one figured out and maybe the Coaching Staff should try something different, like changing the powerplay when they are pressing the points,Bemidji did this very well in there own barn and the Gophers our feasting on this.Redwing whose job is it to make sure the team is ready to go,play with discipline change things when it isn't working,hmmmmmm.Sitting through Ginos years we could still score but we would lose 6-5 and Blais's teams always played hard even 01-02 which was his worse year it was goaltending that let them down not lack of effort.

[redwing77]

Was it coaching or was it the Seniors finally taking it on there shoulders and playing with fire(hmmm maybe this years team should try that) It seems like every team has Hakstols forecheck or lack of one figured out and maybe the Coaching Staff should try something different, like changing the powerplay when they are pressing the points,Bemidji did this very well in there own barn and the Gophers our feasting on this.Redwing whose job is it to make sure the team is ready to go,play with discipline change things when it isn't working,hmmmmmm.Sitting through Ginos years we could still score but we would lose 6-5 and Blais's teams always played hard even 01-02 which was his worse year it was goaltending that let them down not lack of effort.

Maybe it was both? Last year's team was senior laden, sure. This year's team is freshman laden. Should Hak change things? Yes.

I don't think anyone here would disagree with you that there needs to be some changes in play on the power play or even in the offensive zone.

But saying that there needs to be a change of coaches is a little more harsh than saying that the coaching staff needs to address the problems on the ice. I'd rather see Hakstol and staff make those changes than UND make a coaching change.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

I want them back to there winning ways whatever it takes,if this Staff can make it happen lets do it or move on and far as I am concerned. Hakstol was a excellent assistant and recruiter but maybe in over his head as far as a head coach,lack of respect,not able to motivate etc. Anyway we all have different opinions so lets agree to disagree.

[Goon]

From Jim Souhan: It's understood that the Wild admires Irmen's game and would like to sign him at the end of the Gophers season. Depending on how long the Gophers play and whether the Wild remain in contention, Irmen, 22, could even find himself lacing skates at Xcel Energy Center this spring.

I guess there could be some good news after all. Maybe we won't have to watch him tug on his jersey and see him in REA anymore. http://www.startribune.com/150/story/183280.html

After watching last night's game I feel cheated, the effort displayed from the UND hockey team not worth a trip out of the house or down the highway to see, explained in one word pathetic. What a horrible effort on the ice. Most of us on the message board could put more heart into the game than this team.

I watched the game with a Gopher fan at BWW and whomever

[dagies]

My group ALWAYS stays....sadly we have too many frat boys/girls ready to leave and tap a keg in Mecca, or is it each other?

NDH, saw ya last night and I must say, most posts I've seen from you in a while! Stop by for a bump today!...dags, I am sad you never stopped down ad said hi...

As for the sign, totally classless, and I doubt you'd find many who thought it was....good job by your boys, altho, maybe should have left it up to security so no possible issues could have arose....

Drop the puck, looking forward to tonight!

WPoS

The concourses are way too messed up to try and walk around between periods. I had written yours and Sagards seats down but never bothered to move except for a water break.

[Goon]

The concourses are way too messed up to try and walk around between periods. I had written yours and Sagards seats down but never bothered to move except for a water break.

So was it as bad in person as it was on TV? Yikes.

[#1 Sioux Fan]

Looking at WCHA scores last night, who are the 4th and 5th place teams going to be? Could well be SCSU, UAA, Mankato, or even MTU. At any rate, there appears to be a large gap between 1-3 and 4-10. 4-10=ECAC or CHA.

THe dollar signs in the eyes of the high draft picks ought to be disappearing soon. We may not lose anyone early, why would any pro organization want to sign anyone in green, based on last night's effort.

Hard to tell on TV, but it appeared the Sioux were playing with just a goalie and one skater on the ice, as no more than one ever appeared near the puck, and noone (except a gopher) ever appeared on the screen at the other end of a Sioux pass. No forecheck, gophers had an unbelievable amount of room to operate. Brutal.

I love the second paragraph - Maybe we should start talking about next year when us and Denver rule the hockey world again!! So it wasn't just me that thought that it was our seniors - and Phil were the only players on the ice!!!

[MafiaMan]

Hmmm when has Hak outcoached anyone?

How about last year starting at about this time? He outcoached Lucia 3 out of 4 times last year. He took a team and outcoached BC, who was the #1 team in the nation.

I will say that Hakstol should be judged after his contract and say that it is truly sad that ONE GAME can have someone who has been through bad years with Blais, Gino, and everyone in between calling for his head.

a year and a half head coaching experience... Isn't it a little soon to expect domination akin to Scotty Bowman in the NHL?

TIME is needed. If you aren't willing to give Hakstol time, then I highly suggest you take NDH up on his offer because you're not going to be happy watching a team who has faith in Hakstol as well as the majority of Sioux fans.

Thanks for making two valid points, redwing77. I scrolled thru this thread trying to find anyone (AND I MEAN ANYONE!) who would rip Foyt for his cheap shot and instead I actually saw a poster say that it didn't look like that bad of a hit. That 2-0 hockey game turned into 4-1 during that 5:00 that Foyt spent taking off his jersey for the night. I wonder, if Foyt had broken the guy's neck, would Sioux fans today be calling for him to be benched for the remainder of the season a la a certain Denver player who was discussed on this board last year. I'm tired of seeing these penalties, and given the fact that the Sioux watched one of their own carted off on a board last year, one would think they would be a bit more careful.

And here we go again with the whining about Dave Hakstol...thanks for sticking up for him, redwing77.

In other news, are you going to the Wild/Red Wings game on January 30th? I'll be there...front row, baby, section 115!

[redwing77]

Thanks for making two valid points, redwing77. I scrolled thru this thread trying to find anyone (AND I MEAN ANYONE!) who would rip Foyt for his cheap shot and instead I actually saw a poster say that it didn't look like that bad of a hit. That 2-0 hockey game turned into 4-1 during that 5:00 that Foyt spent taking off his jersey for the night. I wonder, if Foyt had broken the guy's neck, would Sioux fans today be calling for him to be benched for the remainder of the season a la a certain Denver player who was discussed on this board last year. I'm tired of seeing these penalties, and given the fact that the Sioux watched one of their own carted off on a board last year, one would think they would be a bit more careful.

And here we go again with the whining about Dave Hakstol...thanks for sticking up for him, redwing77.

In other news, are you going to the Wild/Red Wings game on January 30th? I'll be there...front row, baby, section 115!

Yeah. If Foyt broke the other guy's neck.... Well, I'd snap at him like I snapped at Paukovich. Suspended for the season? HA! More like dismissed from the team.

I will stick up for Hakstol. I like him. Never met him though (even if I've been accused of actually being him )

And I WISH I could go. The Wild will get SMOKED! I did go see the Capitols vs. the Wings though (HEY JIM DAHL!). Ovechkin got the first goal but Zetterberg got 2 and Lidstrom got one IIRC. It was a TON of fun (and, since I wore my Sioux uni, I got comps on the jersey too!).

Anyhooooooooooo... Go Wings! Go Sioux!