Sioux vs MSUM -- Sat night

[brianvf]

I think you all should stop doubting me.

I disagree. The doubting will continue.

[redwing77]

I disagree. The doubting will continue.

Bah. That's ok. It makes my victories, that much more sweet

Anyways, saw MNS on the TV tonight after the empty netter by Zajac. Tried to give high fives all around and NO ONE gave it back. Poor MNS. No love.

[brianvf]

I thought this is worthy of a seperate post. I will note that the not all of the assists for tonight's game are reflected in this post because the box score isn't up yet at USCHO as of 11:52PM.

http://www.collegehockeystats.net/0506/boxes/mmnsndk1.j21

[BigGreyAnt41]

Another thing they made not have made it to the TV, because of all the other goings-on....

Finley was in a shove match with somebody (I didn't catch which player) in the bottom right corner (trying to think how it would be viewed on TV). It almost got out of hand when Oshie went streaking over to the corner, shoved the Mav player away, then turned to Finley and shoved him away just as hard.

This was before Finley headed over to the top corner to join in with that little fiasco, and clearly before Oshie got tied up.

It was pretty funny to watch Oshie shove his own teammate away from a fight, though. Which is why I was all that much more surprised when he snapped.

[farce poobah]

Tonight was a lot like last night, only it was different. (my weak attempt at a Yogi Berra style comment)

What was a lot like yesterday is that our best forwards played excellent again. Porter maybe even a little better, maybe the best player on the ice, Toews another good game, Zajac, Stafford.

Kozek with the nice "pass" to Porter on the first goal ... timing the shot and placing it on the ice toward the far post so the only place Tormey could put the rebound was right at Stafford, who outmuscled/outhustled the Mav D for the opening goal.

Toews with the highlight reel second goal, a bit of bad break for the Mavs. Radke with the snap wrister toward the corner that hit a Mav D and bounced right at the hustling Toews, who converted on the semi break with a great backhand fake that froze Tormey on his left post and couldn't cover the far post when Toews moved at full speed to the other side. Great display of speed agility and hockey smarts.

Again like last night, Chorney played a monster game, Lee looked a big tired, Smaby was solid, and Jones played with great emotion. Prpich took a couple unnecessary penalties again, and UND got good goaltending early to set up the lead.

What was different than last night was also interesting. Mankato did a better job of not getting intimidated by Sioux bodychecks, and they were much better in their own zone. Without all those mistakes, Sioux didn't get as many scoring chances.

Also different was the finish. The scrum (fight) and the resulting half-hour delay (OK it was probably only 15 minutes but it seemed like forever), really helped MSU for a couple reasons. Foremost, they are a one-line team, and Backes-Morin got basically an entire 3rd intermission to rest up for the final 10 minutes of game time. With that rest, they put some better chances on the Sioux net. Also, UND minus 2 D is much easier than the 5-man rotation I would have expected to see in that situation.

With about 2:30 left, after the wave off, we were flinging the puck around and could readily have conceded the tieing goal, but managed to get an icing and a change.

I liked the combo late of Stafford-Zajac-Prpich, late in a tie game. 3 physical, experienced guys who compete hard. And they got rewarded with the ENG.

The waved-off goal was scored primarily because of the interference on JP. If that one doesn't get waved off, there's no way you can ever wave off a goal. Kudos to Zelkin for getting it mostly right. It was goalie interference, but I'll settle for a faceoff just outside the blue line in this case.

I am not one who likes fights. In this case, I gotta give credit for pure courage to Kyle Radke (who I've been critical of at times), for going head on with their biggest guy on the ice and whipping the snot out of him. He got his money's worth.

I don't understand the rest of the penalties in that scrum. If Spirko got a DQ for wrestling, whatever, but Finley threw at least 4 punches, and Oshie was worse than Spirko.

At that point in the game, Mankato really NEEDED to throw us off our game, and again the result was different than Friday. Friday, we dominated after the scrum, but Saturday, we lost our mojo and da#$ near lost the game.

Big Ups to the student section for creative, loud, clean support.

[MafiaMan]

I you.

Trying to make me jealous?

[redwing77]

UND's scoring for the weekend including Saturday:

Stafford: 3G 1A 4pts.

Porter: 2G 1A 3pts.

Oshie: 2G 1A 3pts.

Toews: 1G 2A 3pts.

Zajac: 1G 1A 2pts.

Chorney: 0G 2A 2pts.

Fabian: 1G 0A 1pt.

Duncan, Watkins, Parise, Smaby, Kozek, Radke and Prpich: 0G 1A 1pt. each.

There it is.

NOW:

I think Stafford has a good bid for WCHA Offensive POTW.

I don't think the Sioux will be represented in any other categories unless there isn't a single rookie that scored more than 3 points this weekend in the WCHA.

IMO the Sioux POTW are:

Offense: Stafford HM: Porter, Oshie

Defense: Jones HM: Lamearoux, Parise, Smaby, Chorney

Rookie: Oshie HM: Chorney

EDIT: Yeah, Chorney played EXTREMELY well, but Jones was amazing defensively all weekend long.

[farce poobah]

I think Stafford has a good bid for WCHA Offensive POTW.

I don't think the Sioux will be represented in any other categories unless there isn't a single rookie that scored more than 3 points this weekend in the WCHA.

IMO the Sioux POTW are:

Offense: Stafford HM: Porter, Oshie

Defense: Jones HM: Lamearoux, Parise

Rookie: Oshie HM: Chorney

I bet Paukovich will be the WCHA (and maybe national) POTW. GWG both nights in Wisconsin.

Otherwise, agree with your Sioux picks.

[redwing77]

I bet Paukovich will be the WCHA (and maybe national) POTW. GWG both nights in Wisconsin.

Otherwise, agree with your Sioux picks.

2 GWG is better than a 4 point weekend? I suppose. Ah well. DU beating UW twice is the bigger game/upset. C'est la vie I suppose.

EDIT: Editted this and my first post. I counted a Stafford goal twice.

[PCM]

[The DQs won't be reviewed. Greg Shepherd wouldn't dare overturn a DQ. What he WOULD do is implement his "accountability" protocol with Zelkin. Let me outline what happens in a case like this:

Maybe you should refer to the NCAA rule book before going through the trouble of writing a fictional one-act play. The rules say that no penalty can ever be reduced or rescinded. Tapes can be reviewed for the purpose of adding additional penalties or increasing the severity of a penalty, but never to overturn a penalty.

Every time a game DQ is called, we go through this same pointless discussion about the possibility of penalties being appealed. You'll never see it happen because the NCAA rules say it can't happen.

End of story.

[Diggler]

That's really a stupid rule. I don't know if Spirko should have gotten a DQ, but if he didn't it certainly sucks that he got one. Same thing happened to Harrington for the Gophs. It should be reviewable, because when the ref messes up, he messes up. With all the hell that broke lose, could Zelkin really be blamed if he did mess it up?

[farce poobah]

2 GWG is better than a 4 point weekend? I suppose. Ah well. DU beating UW twice is the bigger game/upset. C'est la vie I suppose.

EDIT: Editted this and my first post. I counted a Stafford goal twice.

Upon further review, I have to go with BC goaltender Cory Schneider as the likely national POTW. Double shutout of Vermont (#5 in the polls coming in).

In the WCHA, DU sweeping is the big news clearly. But on the merits of it, not just on the scoresheet, I have a hard time imagining anyone playing better than Stafford this weekend.

[Goon]

Mavs aren't only talentless they are gutless too. Attack the smallest guy on the ice and then they don't back it up.

Mankato is a classless bunch of no talent hacks, their play this weekend was some of the dirties play I have ever seen in a WCHA game. Its obvious they can't stay with UND so they decided to Goon it up and take liberties with out skilled players.

Sparky got a DQ (he has like three penalties his whole career) for being jumped and suckered, I am not sure he even threw a punch, it is hard to throw a punch when there is someone on your back. The play that resulted in the four DQ's looked as if it was a planned play to get our top players out of the game. I have no respect for Troy Jutting at all, the man is a bush league coach. His teams run their mouth up and down the ice and throw more cheap shot than Tie Domi. Thank God Radke pummeld that goon.

Zelking should be ashamed of himself for letting this game get out of hand. Big Kudoos to team leader Drew Stafford for huddling the boys up and telling them to settle down and stay out of the extra B.S.

[jloos]

Spirko's a killer!

[Siouxman]

What I really liked about the two wins were the lines. Stafford, Porter, and Toews; Zajac, Spirko. and Oshie; Prpich, Kaip, and Fabian really seems to work. All of the lines skated with energy and the top two lines seem to be clicking. Hak may finally have hit on some combinations that work.

Impressive victories and a team that is sticking together and working for each other.

[redwing77]

Maybe you should refer to the NCAA rule book before going through the trouble of writing a fictional one-act play. The rules say that no penalty can ever be reduced or rescinded. Tapes can be reviewed for the purpose of adding additional penalties or increasing the severity of a penalty, but never to overturn a penalty.

Every time a game DQ is called, we go through this same pointless discussion about the possibility of penalties being appealed. You'll never see it happen because the NCAA rules say it can't happen.

End of story.

What was the point? Both what you said and what I said were basically the same. Only mine had a Hollywood twist to it.

I DO believe that that is what Greg Shepherd calls his "accountability" for his officials though. It may not happen with Zelkin because, in all honesty, he really didn't do that badly of a job all weekend long.

Goon- It's one thing to call a team dirty and classless, but it is another thing entirely for the opposition to fall for it. Northeastern was just, if not, more dirty than Mankato was, but the Sioux didn't fall for it. We did the last two games and Mankato nearly made us pay score-wise and did succeed in making us pay against the Friday game vs. SCSU. IMO, however, Northeastern was dirtier than Mankato even without the retaliatory rubbish.

[PCM]

That's really a stupid rule.

Tell it to the NCAA. It's their rule. It didn't change for Harrington and it's not going to change for Spirko.

[PCM]

What was the point? Both what you said and what I said were basically the same. Only mine had a Hollywood twist to it.

The entire premise of your pointless play was based on this: "Greg Shepherd wouldn't dare overturn a DQ."

It has nothing whatsoever to do with what Greg Shepherd would "dare" to do. He can't do anything other than what the NCAA rule book says he can do.

[Goon]

Goon- It's one thing to call a team dirty and classless, but it is another thing entirely for the opposition to fall for it. Northeastern was just, if not, more dirty than Mankato was, but the Sioux didn't fall for it. We did the last two games and Mankato nearly made us pay score-wise and did succeed in making us pay against the Friday game vs. SCSU. IMO, however, Northeastern was dirtier than Mankato even without the retaliatory rubbish.

Maybe so but I think we are probably done with the thugs from Mankato. UND is definately a better team but stooped to their level. The thing that p!$$ed me off was an out right attempt to goad our stars not our tougher players, it was funny to see Prpich not in the middle of all the fighting and extra bs after the wistle. Seems kind of bush league to do it at the end of the game like that I can see the first game of the series thats fine. That is why I hate the fighting rule in hockey the big talkers/slash and hack artists can run their mouths all game without having to pay for it. I like the fact that they all stood up for each other, it shows character and guts. I also liked what I have seen the last three games.

Don't worry we can beat SCSU without Sparky and Radke. We need to take the puck to the net on their big goalie too.

[The Sicatoka]

I saw Saturday's third period coming at about the 15:00 mark of Friday's third period. (And no, I have no mistakes in that sentence.)

And I blame two people for it.

- Troy Jutting

- Scott Zelkin

Jutting's teams always seem to play that chippy style, and it goes overboard when they get down. You could see things going on Friday that were going to carry over.

Then Saturday Zelkin starts to referee the scoreboard and not the game. When it was even he was calling it both ways. At 2-0 he saw that MSU-M was out of it and started letting them hold onto sticks and grab onto players, but he'd call ticky-tacky crap on UND.

Case Study: At ~00:20 left in the second Chris Porter has the puck at center and is across the red line and looking to dump it deep. He gets hauled down by 2 (3?) Mavericks. Zelkin? Nothing. And where else but the puck should the referee be looking. But at the 00:02 second point in the period, when the puck has just been shot around behind the UND net into an open corner, where no possession much less scoring chance is possible, somehow Scott Zelkin sees Matt Smaby grab onto and slow down a Maverick who is for some unknown reason heading full-bore toward Jordy Parise and the Sioux net. (Don't say "centering pass." No one had the puck.) Porter with puck hauled down: nothing; Smaby slowing a guy on a run for Jordy when there is no scoring opportunity much less puck possession: a deuce for Matt.

At times it seems that the league has a "down goals" factor in calling penalties:

- if you are down one, they only call every other penalty that you commit on you

- if you are down two, they only call every third penalty that you commit on you

- down three, is every fourth and so on.

The league needs to look at how Mankato plays the game. They've been doing this "style" since the late 1990s. It's not good hockey to watch and it's dangerous (see horsecollaring Sparky).

The league also needs to (and not the referees, McLeod and Shepherd) stop refereeing the scoreboard. There is no "scoreboard factor" that allows you to overlook infractions by teams down by a number of goals.

[dagies]

Handy, are you taking notes?

[dagies]

BTW, with all the grief that Kaip has gotten lately on these boards, I think it's fair to point out when he plays a solid game. I was at Friday's MN game, and watched Saturday's gopher and last night's game on TV. It looked like last night was Kaip's best performance of the games I saw. Keep it up!

I'm wondering how the 3rd period scrum would have looked if Prpich and Kaip had been on the ice? Radke does seem to like the rough stuff as well.

[Goon]

I saw Saturday's third period coming at about the 15:00 mark of Friday's third period. (And no, I have no mistakes in that sentence.)

And I blame two people for it.

- Troy Jutting

- Scott Zelkin

Jutting's teams always seem to play that chippy style, and it goes overboard when they get down. You could see things going on Friday that were going to carry over.

Then Saturday Zelkin starts to referee the scoreboard and not the game. When it was even he was calling it both ways. At 2-0 he saw that MSU-M was out of it and started letting them hold onto sticks and grab onto players, but he'd call ticky-tacky crap on UND.

Case Study: At ~00:20 left in the second Chris Porter has the puck at center and is across the red line and looking to dump it deep. He gets hauled down by 2 (3?) Mavericks. Zelkin? Nothing. And where else but the puck should the referee be looking. But at the 00:02 second point in the period, when the puck has just been shot around behind the UND net into an open corner, where no possession much less scoring chance is possible, somehow Scott Zelkin sees Matt Smaby grab onto and slow down a Maverick who is for some unknown reason heading full-bore toward Jordy Parise and the Sioux net. (Don't say "centering pass." No one had the puck.) Porter with puck hauled down: nothing; Smaby slowing a guy on a run for Jordy when there is no scoring opportunity much less puck possession: a deuce for Matt.

At times it seems that the league has a "down goals" factor in calling penalties:

- if you are down one, they only call every other penalty that you commit on you

- if you are down two, they only call every third penalty that you commit on you

- down three, is every fourth and so on.

The league needs to look at how Mankato plays the game. They've been doing this "style" since the late 1990s. It's not good hockey to watch and it's dangerous (see horsecollaring Sparky).

The league also needs to (and not the referees, McLeod and Shepherd) stop refereeing the scoreboard. There is no "scoreboard factor" that allows you to overlook infractions by teams down by a number of goals.

Dude that was awesome. I agree with what you said here.

[Goon]

I'm wondering how the 3rd period scrum would have looked if Prpich and Kaip had been on the ice? Radke does seem to like the rough stuff as well.

It might have been ugly. Radke worked his dance partner pretty hard. It looks as if he has been in a few fights over the course of his career.

[PCM]

Then Saturday Zelkin starts to referee the scoreboard and not the game.

One of the media jackals in the press box made the exact same comment late in the second period. And, no, it wasn't the Queen of All Sioux Hockey Moms, although her take on the game was very similar.