Sioux Loss Hurts

[Hiram]

According to USCHO.com last nights loss moved UND out of the projected NCAA bracket.

NCAA Bracket

I know we can get back in, we just need to get more shots on goal.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Cripes almighty!! A solid win tonight is important, especially with the road ahead.

I suspect that we will see the boys flying, not unlike they were on January 14 after their last loss.

[sprig]

MN would be more than happy with that REA regional. Doesn't even look like reasaonable competition. Not so good for ticket sales.

Playing Denver and CC helps, but Sioux need to win at least a couple of those games, plus no more losses to non-TUC's. Series remaining against Duluth and MTU cannot help.

[AZSIOUX]

MN would be more than happy with that REA regional. Doesn't even look like reasaonable competition. Not so good for ticket sales.

Playing Denver and CC helps, but Sioux need to win at least a couple of those games, plus no more losses to non-TUC's. Series remaining against Duluth and MTU cannot help.

there is still a ways to go with this, this will change every day on the weekends, i will be back for the regional and i will be watching my fighting sioux at the ralph!!

[NorthDakotaHockey]

there is still a ways to go with this, this will change every day on the weekends, i will be back for the regional and i will be watching my fighting sioux at the ralph!!

Damned straight we will.

[sprig]

Me also; let's just not go into the Mich Tech series on the bubble.

The 5 vs 6 WCHA series looks to be a tough one, no matter who gets home ice.

[mksioux]

Watching Minnesota use the Ralph as its own personal playground on the way to the Frozen 4 will be too much for me to stomach. If UND doesn't make it, I won't be making the trip up there.

[Goon]

According to USCHO.com last nights loss moved UND out of the projected NCAA bracket.

NCAA Bracket

I know we can get back in, we just need to get more shots on goal.

That stupid Bracket thing doesn't mean crap right now. UND will be in the playoffs if they quite losing to crap bag teams like SCSU. I say no more Lammy in net Parise the rest of the way and we will be ok.

[shep]

That stupid Bracket thing doesn't mean crap right now. UND will be in the playoffs if they quite losing to crap bag teams like SCSU. I say no more Lammy in net Parise the rest of the way and we will be ok.

First, with the schizophrenic way this team has played (some good moments followed by many bad) I'm not predicting anything for them.

Second, I know the second goal was a bad one, but it got deflected and the reason for the loss last night was not goaltending it was the other 20 guys in front of the goalie getting less than great scoring chances all night. A lady down my row was sleeping during the second period and I felt jealous of her.

[redwing77]

That stupid Bracket thing doesn't mean crap right now. UND will be in the playoffs if they quite losing to crap bag teams like SCSU. I say no more Lammy in net Parise the rest of the way and we will be ok.

As much as I dislike shep's negative attitude (and how negative my attitude has become as of late), I will disagree wholeheartedly with this.

Goaltending wasn't the issue, like shep said. I think the best scenario is that we have BOTH goaltenders playing well. The fact is, neither goaltenders are bad, but neither are game stealers either. Goephert is a game stealing goaltender (heh, with the way he is playing it's conceivable that he might be signed by the craptacular Rangers after the season). That being said, it falls on OFFENSE to give the Win column a boost. You have to realize that the Sioux were outscored 4-2 this weekend. 4 to 2 isn't a bad margin, even if it is a pair of losses. This doesn't say that defense was the problem. It doesn't say that goaltending was the problem. It says that OFFENSE was the problem.

As I look at the stat sheet, Oshie and Toews scored for the Sioux this weekend. Notice something? Yeah, both are freshmen. Where was the upper classmen? Why did Stafford and Zajac and Porter and Fabian (even though he's not a true scoring forward) take the night off? As far as I'm concerned, I can't hold Smaby accountable for this, he's not known for offense.

I think the Sioux played ok this weekend but SCSU played better than ok and still only managed to score 2 goals a game against us.

One final point: If we relied on only ONE goaltender season in and season out, what do you think we'd end up being if that goaltender got injured? If you want an answer, look at UW right now. Any questions?

[PCM]

Good points, redwing77. I agree.

[BringDeanBack]

As much as I dislike shep's negative attitude (and how negative my attitude has become as of late), I will disagree wholeheartedly with this.

Goaltending wasn't the issue, like shep said. I think the best scenario is that we have BOTH goaltenders playing well. The fact is, neither goaltenders are bad, but neither are game stealers either. Goephert is a game stealing goaltender (heh, with the way he is playing it's conceivable that he might be signed by the craptacular Rangers after the season). That being said, it falls on OFFENSE to give the Win column a boost. You have to realize that the Sioux were outscored 4-2 this weekend. 4 to 2 isn't a bad margin, even if it is a pair of losses. This doesn't say that defense was the problem. It doesn't say that goaltending was the problem. It says that OFFENSE was the problem.

As I look at the stat sheet, Oshie and Toews scored for the Sioux this weekend. Notice something? Yeah, both are freshmen. Where was the upper classmen? Why did Stafford and Zajac and Porter and Fabian (even though he's not a true scoring forward) take the night off? As far as I'm concerned, I can't hold Smaby accountable for this, he's not known for offense.

I think the Sioux played ok this weekend but SCSU played better than ok and still only managed to score 2 goals a game against us.

One final point: If we relied on only ONE goaltender season in and season out, what do you think we'd end up being if that goaltender got injured? If you want an answer, look at UW right now. Any questions?

You know, I like how the Fabian, Prpich, Kaip line will bang people around. However, when they are on the ice I get the feeling that there is almost no chance that they will score. Even checking lines should be able to chip in with a goal now and then.

Goaltending has not been the problem. This team has two very good goalies that both deserve to play.

[shep]

You know, I like how the Fabian, Prpich, Kaip line will bang people around. However, when they are on the ice I get the feeling that there is almost no chance that they will score. Even checking lines should be able to chip in with a goal now and then.

Goaltending has not been the problem. This team has two very good goalies that both deserve to play.

[82SiouxGuy]

The Prpch line scored 1 goal last week against Mankato, 1 against Minnesota and 2 against Anchorage. They don't score a lot, but they have been helping out before this weekend.

[siouxperfan06]

Watched both games on t.v. this weekend, thought Kaip, Prpich and Fabian worked hard. Watkins, Kozek and Duncan line didn't get a lot of ice time, but I thought they were effective when they were out there. Given a chance this line could produce. With the talent the Sioux have, they should be able to get it together.

GO SIOUX!!!!!!!!!!

[tnt]

When things aren't going well offensively, you need to keep it simple. I know it sounds kind of weird to say they need to shoot more when they had about 37 shots on net Saturday, but in some circumstances they do. Their powerplay just isn't working. St. Cloud was practically giving them the shot from the center of the ice at the blueline, but they kept trying to work it down low. When the way to get to St. Clouds goalie is through screens and rebounds, I don't know why they don't take the shot and crash the net. How much simpler can you get than that.

Also, when you are having trouble scoring, why not bring Watkins back to the Fabian, Prpich line and let Brad Miller have a chance with the fourth line. I know he isn't the answer for everything, but it seems to me that the people in the lineup know they will be in the lineup, no pressure to produce. There isn't much depth sitting from games now, but Miller is one choice that would make sense with a struggling offensive team and a struggling Kaip.

Splits at CC and Denver and winning at home should get us into the NCAA tourney. Anything less than that, and Ralph Engelstad Arena truly will become Mariucci West, and the Sioux will have nobody to blame but themselves. Games like last weekend are hard to take with the effort they put out, but that is the very reason you can't afford to lose the kinds of games they have with a lack of effort, because you can expect a goaltender to steal a few during the course of the year.

Let's go forward from here and put on a run like last year, before it is too late.

[siouxperstar]

When things aren't going well offensively, you need to keep it simple. I know it sounds kind of weird to say they need to shoot more when they had about 37 shots on net Saturday, but in some circumstances they do. Their powerplay just isn't working. St. Cloud was practically giving them the shot from the center of the ice at the blueline, but they kept trying to work it down low. When the way to get to St. Clouds goalie is through screens and rebounds, I don't know why they don't take the shot and crash the net. How much simpler can you get than that.

First of all, it pains me to read commentary from those of you who did not actually watch this last series & are just relying on T.H.'s radio broadcast--it's easy to ASSUME, judging from the end scores, that the defense was great & the offense sucked. However, what I saw was NOT a lack of effort on the offense's part, but so many turnovers from our inexperienced defense. Also, If you've got your forwards constantly digging out the puck in our own zone, trying to make plays with 2 SCSU guys wrapped all over you, it's going to be extremely difficult to score! St. Cloud's defense was really unbelievably sound & knew just who to cover this weekend (top scorers). That's when the other players need to step in.

Second--many of you need to check the stats section--(check link below) we lead in most of all areas compared to opponents, except Powerplays. This is where we need to make changes most of all, i.m.o. Hakstol changed it up a few times this weekend--had all top forwards with no defensemen at least one time, maybe twice. Though I don't believe it resulted in goals, it did appear to have some life & promise(crowd loved it). Another time he had Stafford out for the whole 2 min.'s. Speaking of him, since when does the top power play unit not have the leading scorer?? What's up with that??

UND hockey stats

[Sioux87]

I have to agree, I felt the offense was on-track. The defense gave away to many fast brakes thye other way.

[siouxnami]

BTW,

The Sioux are now #8 in KRACH, which is the most fair rating system. The PWR is kind of screwing the Sioux because they play an incredibly difficult schedule.

[sprig]

I have to agree, I felt the offense was on-track. The defense gave away to many fast brakes thye other way.

They should have been skating rather than braking, in other words

[tnt]

[

First of all, it pains me to read commentary from those of you who did not actually watch this last series & are just relying on T.H.'s radio broadcast--it's easy to ASSUME, judging from the end scores, that the defense was great & the offense sucked. However, what I saw was NOT a lack of effort on the offense's part, but so many turnovers from our inexperienced defense. Also, If you've got your forwards constantly digging out the puck in our own zone, trying to make plays with 2 SCSU guys wrapped all over you, it's going to be extremely difficult to score! St. Cloud's defense was really unbelievably sound & knew just who to cover this weekend (top scorers). That's when the other players need to step in.

Second--many of you need to check the stats section--(check link below) we lead in most of all areas compared to opponents, except Powerplays. This is where we need to make changes most of all, i.m.o. Hakstol changed it up a few times this weekend--had all top forwards with no defensemen at least one time, maybe twice. Though I don't believe it resulted in goals, it did appear to have some life & promise(crowd loved it). Another time he had Stafford out for the whole 2 min.'s. Speaking of him, since when does the top power play unit not have the leading scorer?? What's up with that??

UND hockey stats

[redwing77]

tnt's right. I have been very critical on the offense this past series because 1 goal a game doesn't cut it.

Giving up 2 goals a game isn't good, but it isn't bad either. I think if we could have scored 2 goals a game this weekend, we would have takent three points.

[schmidtdoggydog]

Giving up 2 goals a game isn't good, but it isn't bad either.

A team that gives up only two goals a game is generally going to have more wins than losses. Wins are a good thing.

[DAR]

A team that gives up only two goals a game is generally going to have more wins than losses. Wins are a good thing.

After these two losses this team is really on the brink of playing themselves out of the regional. We have not had a whole lot of success in Colorado Springs as of late and that must change because if we get swept out there the fat lady will be singing and the Ralph will be empty for the regional, what a shame that would be.

[sagard]

After these two losses this team is really on the brink of playing themselves out of the regional. We have not had a whole lot of success in Colorado Springs as of late and that must change because if we get swept out there the fat lady will be singing and the Ralph will be empty for the regional, what a shame that would be.

The Ralph won't be empty. Not full, but no where near empty if UND doesn't qualify. Especially if the Gophers and Bemidji did make it.