Momentum or "prove the world wrong"

[Upper Deck]

I'm just curious on which scenerio you'd rather have our favorite college hockey team in

1) Getting embarrassed in the Final 5, getting dumped on by the national and local media, but now have the "us against the world," "prove the no grit thing wrong, " with a now"underdog" attitude and going to an arena where they've played pretty well.

Or

2) Came out an unexpedidly won the Final 5, are now the somewhat the favorites to win it all, and now host the regional.

Just wondering.

[sagard]

I don't like either of their situations. We have the #1 Krach team lined up to play the #5 Krach team in the quarterfinals. Regular season champ vs. Playoff champ. This is not how brackets should be drawn, but that is another topic.

I expect a shootout. If UND is willing to give the Gophers the same amount of shots they gave SCSU, I like the Gophers chances. If UND plays like they did the last 50 minutes vs. UW, the Gophers don't have a shot.

[mksioux]

I'd rather the Gophers had won the Final 5, remained fat and happy, and perhaps UND could have caught them overconfident and sleepwalking a little in the regional. Or at the very least, I wish they would have beat Wisconsin on Saturday.

The last time the Gophers got kicked around and beaten twice in the same weekend, they rebounded by sweeping UND in Grand Forks.

[MafiaMan]

I'm just curious on which scenerio you'd rather have our favorite college hockey team in

1) Getting embarrassed in the Final 5, getting dumped on by the national and local media, but now have the "us against the world," "prove the no grit thing wrong, " with a now"underdog" attitude and going to an arena where they've played pretty well.

Or

2) Came out an unexpedidly won the Final 5, are now the somewhat the favorites to win it all, and now host the regional.

Just wondering.

1997...Sioux win WCHA Final Five which propels them into the tournament...where they go on and win it.

1998...Sioux stumble in WCHA championship game and lose to Denver...then are promptly bounced out by BC in the tournament.

2000...Sioux win WCHA Final Five which propels them into the tournament...where they go on and win it.

2001...St Cloud wins WCHA Final Five...and then is bounced in the first round of NCAA's a week later.

2002...Denver wins WCHA Final Five...and is eliminated by Michigan in second round of NCAA's. Gophers upset in WCHA Final Five title game go on to win NCAA title.

2003...Minnesota rolls in WCHA Final Five playoffs...and steamrolls to another title.

2004...Denver doesn't even make Final Five...Minnesota wins playoff. End result? UMD defeats Minnesota a week after losing 7-4 and Denver goes on to win NCAA title.

2005...Denver wins WCHA Final Five playoff title...and NCAA title.

What's it mean? Who knows. Looks like teams have used it as a spring-board of momentum towards bigger things while others have turned losses in the Final Five (or not even making the Final Five) into national championships.

My opinion? After giving up 12 goals in 2 games this weekend, one would think that even sunny Don Lucia (although he says otherwise in the paper today) is a bit worried about his team. They're 0-4 in their past four Final Five games. I'd rather be in the Sioux shoes today in terms of confidence level.

[Old Barn Guy]

Each team has a question to ask themselves:

UND........."Who is going to score the winning goal for us?"

Minn........ "Who can stop the puck for us?"

I don't believe there is a magic switch that players can just turn on or off (sort of like the "Easy Button" commercials). Once a ball gets rolling and gathers momentum, it is hard to stop. I like the way the Sioux have been playing for the past few weeks, and I think the Gophers' D-zone problems are coming to the surface at a very inopportune time for them.

The real issue is for the Sioux to defeat Michigan, and then we can begin to look at the Gophers' situation.............that is if they happen to defeat Holy Cross.

[jloos]

Don't overlook Holy Cross. I believe they are bringing their vomiting goalie with them. Maybe the Gophers are all sympathetic vomiters, this could be the Crusader's key to a victory.

Seriously, the only decent teams Holy Cross played this year destroyed them. I predict the Gophers take out some frustration and win a 5-1 game (if the HC goalie is on) or a 12-1 game. 60 shots on goal by the Gophers would not suprise me. Bemidji is a much better team and should not have been given the lower seed. At least they scheduled some good games.

[MafiaMan]

Don't overlook Holy Cross. I believe they are bringing their vomiting goalie with them. Maybe the Gophers are all sympathetic vomiters, this could be the Crusader's key to a victory.

Seriously, the only decent teams Holy Cross played this year destroyed them. I predict the Gophers take out some frustration and win a 5-1 game (if the HC goalie is on) or a 12-1 game. 60 shots on goal by the Gophers would not suprise me. Bemidji is a much better team and should not have been given the lower seed. At least they scheduled some good games.

I concur, jloos. I looked at the Crusaders' schedule and didn't see anybody noteworthy. I was stunned that Bemidji was the 16th team when looking at Holy Cross sorry performance against teams of at least some stature: If you consider Darthmouth and RPI as quality teams.

[ScottM]

Don't overlook Holy Cross.

Just like our guys should not look past Michigan, if that's even possible.

[MafiaMan]

Just like our guys should not look past Michigan, if that's even possible.

I've said it before already...Hakstol just needs to dust off that 1998 regional tape and show that to the Sioux players. He**, he should show it to the Sioux FANS, too. Michigan used the regional well in 1998 and 2002 to advance to the Frozen Four and Minnesota took advantage of the home ice in 2004. It's UND's turn now.

[siouxtatoo42]

Just like our guys should not look past Michigan, if that's even possible.

you can guarantee that they aren't looking past michigan. I don't care if it is for the opportunity to play the gophers again in the dance.

i don't think it matters if you are the team with the momentum or the prove the grit/world is against us because either way you have to bring it this time of year. momentum can be taken from you and us against the world can snowball if you get down early. either way it makes for a hell of a game and hopefully they get to play it.

[THETRIOUXPER]

Hack's philosphy is a good one. One game at a time.

[Runninwiththedogs]

I've said it before already...Hakstol just needs to dust off that 1998 regional tape and show that to the Sioux players. He**, he should show it to the Sioux FANS, too. Michigan used the regional well in 1998 and 2002 to advance to the Frozen Four and Minnesota took advantage of the home ice in 2004. It's UND's turn now.

I hope you don't run into the Michigan team again...

[cavedurtis]

I hope you don't run into the Michigan team again...

Um, if you meant to add an emoticon I missed it. I think they run into them Friday, 8:30 p.m.

[MafiaMan]

Um, if you meant to add an emoticon I missed it. I think they run into them Friday, 8:30 p.m.

That's an inside joke, cavedurtis. In 1997-1998 while on a trip to Sault Ste Marie to see Lake Superior State play Michigan, I wore my Sioux jersey. Several of the players took notice of this as they took the ice before the game since I was standing right next to them. After the game, my friends and I went to a local establishment and I got to meet Red Berenson and Marty Turco along with the entire Michigan team. I wished them good luck, not realizing that a short time later, our teams would meet at Yost Ice Arena. I'm hoping Red didn't poster-ize me and tell his team in his pre-game pep talk "remember that a-hole with the Sioux jersey in Sault Ste Marie? He's in the crowd tonite...let's send him home crying."

[dagies]

I'd rather the Gophers had won the Final 5, remained fat and happy, and perhaps UND could have caught them overconfident and sleepwalking a little in the regional. Or at the very least, I wish they would have beat Wisconsin on Saturday.

in a way, me too.

[MafiaMan]

in a way, me too.

No way. ANY Gopher loss is a good thing, I don't care if it's against St Cloud, Wisconsin, or a reunited Soviet 1980 Olympic team. 8 goals in one game followed by 4 goals in a second game and Donny Lucia thinks he'll just change light bulbs this weekend and flick the switch. There's a chink in the armor boys, mark my words!

[Upper Deck]

I guess I wish the Gophs had won the FF - even against our squad. My fear is the "Wisconson Syndrom - Part Deux" happening again. I do like the wave of momentum for our squad, but now they are somewhat favorites and play on home ice. I may be naive, but I do think the Gophs have the talent to turn the switch on - hopefully I'm wrong.

[bincitysioux]

I'd rather the Gophers had won the Final 5, remained fat and happy, and perhaps UND could have caught them overconfident and sleepwalking a little in the regional.

I'd rather have the Gophers goaltenders wondering if they could catch a cold, much less a puck, which is what they're probably wondering right now. Briggs and Frazee are to the point where they are gonna be wondering what the opposing goaltender is gonna be doing rather than what the opposing forwards are doing.

That said, I'm focusing on what Michigan is gonna be doing, not Minnesota.

[PCM]

I'll go with momentum every time.

Jeez, it wasn't long ago that some were saying that the Sioux would have been better off finishing fifth in the WCHA. How silly does that sound now?

[redwing77]

I'll go with momentum every time.

Jeez, it wasn't long ago that some were saying that the Sioux would have been better off finishing fifth in the WCHA. How silly does that sound now?

I don't know. Not half as silly as other comments made about the Sioux during the course of the year.

[rushmore88]

I suppose I'd rather be in the Sioux's position, but I think the Gophs aren't in as much trouble as people are saying. In my opinion, the goaltending wasn't THAT bad on Friday. 3 or 4 of Briggs' goals were tipped in, which means we need to work a lot harder in our defensive zone at taking the body and breaking the puck out. If the whole team can do that, the goaltending falls into place.

I didn't get a chance to watch all of the championship game, but didn't St. Cloud handily outshoot the Sioux? It looked like St. Cloud was playing very tough, and that Goepfert had his worst weekend of his life, yet the Huskies made a game out of it by the end of the 2nd period. Although I think think the Sioux are a fine team, I'm not ready to say they are the favorite to win it all (same applies to the Gophs, however).

This whole tourney is pretty wide open. If Miami gets hot, the might have a shot.. if Wisco stays hot, they have a great chance. And it looks like BU is a real contender from out east. I can't wait for this weekend to come, we should all be treated with some amazing college hockey!!!

[mikejm]

Final Five results are meaningless. Gophers are going to be po'd, and if they find their heart, they'll be dangerous. The Sioux have to do a better job controlling, and getting the puck out of their own zone. Man, several times against both UW and St.C the Sioux looked like they were scared to touch the puck!

That being said, though, I think the Sioux have the advantage in that:

1. Two months ago people had written them off. They're not supposed to be here, so why not play like hell and continue the run;

2. These kids simply don't know they're too young to win it all;

3. Raw, innate talent.

It'll be a fun weekend @ The Ralph, regardless of who punches their ticket for the Frozen Four.

[PCM]

In my opinion, the goaltending wasn't THAT bad on Friday. 3 or 4 of Briggs' goals were tipped in, which means we need to work a lot harder in our defensive zone at taking the body and breaking the puck out. If the whole team can do that, the goaltending falls into place.

I was sitting behind and above Briggs when he took himself out of the game. Minnesota's team defense, overall, was that bad. It certainly wasn't only Briggs' fault that SCSU scored five goals while he was in the game. However, when a team such as SCSU, which had problems scoring three goals in a game, puts 8 on the scoreboard and wins with a bad-angle shot in overtime, there's good reason to be concerned about goaltending and team defense.

I didn't get a chance to watch all of the championship game, but didn't St. Cloud handily outshoot the Sioux?

After UND went up 5-1, the Sioux probably sat back more than they should have. That's when the shot totals went way up in SCSU's favor. The Huskies were also throwing the puck on net as much as humanly possible.

It looked like St. Cloud was playing very tough, and that Goepfert had his worst weekend of his life, yet the Huskies made a game out of it by the end of the 2nd period.

At the end of the second period, UND still had a three-goal lead. I didn't get nervous until SCSU scored a flukey goal to make it 5-3 with about 15 minutes left in the third period.

[Siouxdonyms]

The Sioux were outshot in both games this weekend, which isn't anything new this year. However, as PCM already stated, the Sioux went into defensive mode on Saturday night after they scored their 5 goals, and St. Cloud was shooting anything that got on their stick. The same thing happened on Friday night in the 3rd period. The Sioux pretty much played defense out, and towards the end of the 3rd, the Badgers were shooting everything. I didn't really like the game plan in either game, once we started focusing on defense, but luckily, it turned out good both nights. The Sioux being outshot the majority of the year simply states why JPar is the most important player for our team right now. Goaltending will be the key again this weekend, and I'm sure Jordy will come to play.

[specifics]

I think after a poor showing in the Final Five, the Gophers are gonna be determined. Bad news for Holy Cross. I think the biggest mistake any team can make at this point in time is get in the way of Irmen and Potunly. They have won a championship at every level and it's only a matter of time until they decide "enough is enough".

GO GOPHERS.