Momentum or "prove the world wrong"

[PCM]

That was a bald spot? I thought it was a camera flash or something directly behind and above your head...that explains it...

I thought it was a super nova!

[siouxguyinstpaul]

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.

I think what happened is that the Gophs convinced themselves that "these games didn't matter anyway" and fell victim to their own arrogance.

[Goon]

There was a group of about 6 30-35 year old Goofer fans sitting a row behind and to the left of me. When they lost, they sat there speechless with their arms folded over their big "M" jerseys for a good 20 minutes. I think a couple of them were even crying. I didn't see them after that.

There was a group of Gophers we met after the game that were being pretty good sports. We (and others) bought them some "green" shots to ease their pain.

I can't fault them for that, when we lost to denver in 2004 1-0 I sat in the basement in disbelief as the Sioux had just lost, I think I just sat there and stared at the tv for like an hour. Finally my wife came down and asked me if I was going to be sociable. So I can't fault a person for being shocked about a hockey game.

[Fetch]

My wife kept saying she felt sorry for em "I know how they feel"

[Southernmn]

No need to to feel sorry for us Gopher fans....we will be back. Every team loses games that they should win once in while, though they usually don't completely disappear at this time of the year.

They Gophers did play the game as though they were entitled to win simply by pulling a sweater with a big "M" on it over their heads. They had no heart, no fire, and no emotion....and that is the most disturbing thing. I never expected that out of this years squad, other years, yes, but not this years team.

So now I am Sioux fan for the next 2 games !! I have no problem cheering a program that honors the game, has a great tradition, and truely love and understands the great game of hockey.......unlike that 'other' team to our east. I want the championship to remain in the WCHA where it belongs.......as long as there no red attached to it.

You can find me at the Bradley Center, still wearing the jersey of my beloved Gophers, and cheering as heard as anyone for green.

GO GET 'EM SIOUX !!!

[MafiaMan]

No need to to feel sorry for us Gopher fans....we will be back. Every team loses games that they should win once in while, though they usually don't completely disappear at this time of the year.

They Gophers did play the game as though they were entitled to win simply by pulling a sweater with a big "M" on it over their heads. They had no heart, no fire, and no emotion....and that is the most disturbing thing. I never expected that out of this years squad, other years, yes, but not this years team.

So now I am Sioux fan for the next 2 games !! I have no problem cheering a program that honors the game, has a great tradition, and truely love and understands the great game of hockey.......unlike that 'other' team to our east. I want the championship to remain in the WCHA where it belongs.......as long as there no red attached to it.

You can find me at the Bradley Center, still wearing the jersey of my beloved Gophers, and cheering as heard as anyone for green.

GO GET 'EM SIOUX !!!

Great...it's Gopher fans like this that, for a moment, make me feel guilty for despising their team so much.

OK, that moment is over...whew.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

They Gophers did play the game as though they were entitled to win simply by pulling a sweater with a big "M" on it over their heads. They had no heart, no fire, and no emotion....and that is the most disturbing thing. I never expected that out of this years squad, other years, yes, but not this years team.

GO GET 'EM SIOUX !!!

I guess they must have pulled on their "M"ercyhurst Jerseys for that one.

[Rick]

I think what happened is that the Gophs convinced themselves that "these games didn't matter anyway" and fell victim to their own arrogance.

I thought they might have learned their lesson after last year. They had the same attitude after UND came into St. Paul and Matt Greene, Matt Jones, Smaby and Andy Scheider pushed them all over the Xcel ice. That game didn't mean anything.

Then they came into this years Final 5 and St. Cloud runs them up and down the ice like they're an underachieving JV team. So, you figure they will come out with fire in their eyes and take out two years of frustration on Bucky. So what do they do? They let the Badgers slap them around the rink and they don't even get a sniff of the goal.

A few years ago, tDon always said the regular season was meaningless. He didn't want to wear his Gophers out during the season so they would have some gas left in the tank for the playoffs. Of course, he was saying that as Blaiser was winning most of the regular season championships. So now, tDon makes a run for the regular season championship and then they get their season handed to them by the Holy Cross Crusaders. tDon better go back to his old philosophy. At least when Blaiser was winning all those regular season championships, he also was winning national championships.

What the Sioux coaches have done the last two years is remarkable. Last year they took a team with limited offensive skills and rode them to the national championship game on the strength of their defensemen. This year they're taking a team with 4 freshmen, one soph, and one junior defensemen, along with 6 freshmen forwards back to the Frozen Four.

How many times do you hear the word "underachiever" and Gopher Hockey in the same sentance. It's rare that you hear that same term used in the same sentance with the Fighting Sioux Hockey.

Bob Norton had them pegged. But you would have thought after he embarrassed them on national TV, they would have taken out their anger on their next opponent. What did they do? They let the Holy Cross Crusaders prove Bob Norton was right.

Isn't it great being a Sioux fan?

[Goon]

My wife kept saying she felt sorry for em "I know how they feel"

I don't, because eventually they will actually have a stretch where they are on top again and we will never hear the end of it. They are the most in your face fans in college hockey.

[MafiaMan]

At least when Blaiser was winning all those regular season championships, he also was winning national championships.

Sorry, Rick, I have to show you the true stats here.

Don Lucia's Minnesota Record: 189-86-26, 7 seasons at MN, 1 regular season title, 2 conference tournament titles, 2 NCAA titles.

Dean Blais' North Dakota Record: 244-115-33, 10 seasons at UND, 5 regular season titles, 2 conference tournament titles, 3 NCAA championship game appearances, 2 NCAA titles.

Bottom line: 5 regular season titles to 1. 2 conference tournament titles to 2. 2 NCAA titles to 2.

Who's the better coach? I think both of them are excellent coaches and their records speak for themselves.

All that being said, of course I'd rather have Dean Blais behind my bench than Lucia.

[Marty]

If you think Lucia is in the same boat as Deano you're head is not attached properly. It seems to me that Blais was able to get his teams playing consistently great hockey throughout the entire season. With Hakstol it's so unpredictable nobody knows what is going to happen during the regular season, but his teams will be the best during the playoffs.

Lucia's teams seem to have to be having troubles in the post season lately. If Chia didn't get lucky with those two national championships he would've been fired by now .

[siouxtatoo42]

If you think Lucia is in the same boat as Deano you're head is not attached properly. It seems to me that Blais was able to get his teams playing consistently great hockey throughout the entire season. With Hakstol it's so unpredictable nobody knows what is going to happen during the regular season, but his teams will be the best during the playoffs.

Lucia's teams seem to have to be having troubles in the post season lately. If Chia didn't get lucky with those two national championships he would've been fired by now .

he wouldn't get fired for that, otherwise, why would they have left wooger at the helm for so long. We all know that it takes at least $600 bucks to get fired from the "U"

[BleedGrn]

Sorry, Rick, I have to show you the true stats here.

Don Lucia's Minnesota Record: 189-86-26, 7 seasons at MN, 1 regular season title, 2 conference tournament titles, 2 NCAA titles.

Dean Blais' North Dakota Record: 244-115-33, 10 seasons at UND, 5 regular season titles, 2 conference tournament titles, 3 NCAA championship game appearances, 2 NCAA titles.

Bottom line: 5 regular season titles to 1. 2 conference tournament titles to 2. 2 NCAA titles to 2.

Who's the better coach? I think both of them are excellent coaches and their records speak for themselves.

All that being said, of course I'd rather have Dean Blais behind my bench than Lucia.

Jeez, MM, what in the name of biscuits has gotten into you?

I do feel bad for the gophers, but not all that much. A woman on the bus to the game was ranting about the gopher fans, and had some very good points. But as it's also been said on this board, each team has those fans. One thing she did say though was that consistently throughout the WCHA if you ask any team which fans they hate the worst, they will say gopher fans. Too funny.

Anyway, tough loss. Can't say that I wasn't cheering for the Crusaders and giving gopher friends a lot of grief, but with each October brings a new season, a new set of players, and the same old rivalry. It'll be fun to see how the Frozen Four plays out, but best of luck to everyone next season.

[Rick]

Sorry, Rick, I have to show you the true stats here.

Don Lucia's Minnesota Record: 189-86-26, 7 seasons at MN, 1 regular season title, 2 conference tournament titles, 2 NCAA titles.

Dean Blais' North Dakota Record: 244-115-33, 10 seasons at UND, 5 regular season titles, 2 conference tournament titles, 3 NCAA championship game appearances, 2 NCAA titles.

Bottom line: 5 regular season titles to 1. 2 conference tournament titles to 2. 2 NCAA titles to 2.

Who's the better coach? I think both of them are excellent coaches and their records speak for themselves.

All that being said, of course I'd rather have Dean Blais behind my bench than Lucia.

Actually, what I was getting at there was......Blaiser was winning conference championships and national championships in the same year. It's very difficult to do, but Blaiser did it twice and Gino did it two or three times. The Gophers aren't able to do it. Lucia said a couple years ago that he didn't want to wear his Gophers down trying to win the conference championship because it's too difficult to win both in the same year. Blaisers philosophy was you go out and win, every game, regardless of regular season or post season.

Hak's philosophy is a lot like Blaisers (although he probably wants them on a more even keel throughout the season), and if he doesn't lose too many players to the pro's next month, he'll have a good chance of winning everything next year. He's did a remarkable job of making it to the National Championship game in his first year as a head coach last year. This year he has a boatload of freshmen and he has them playing like juniors and seniors right now.....another remarkable achievement. If he only loses his seniors along with Smaby and Stafford (that's a lot to lose) to the pro's, I think he'll have a good chance to win everything again next season.

[MafiaMan]

If you think Lucia is in the same boat as Deano you're head is not attached properly. It seems to me that Blais was able to get his teams playing consistently great hockey throughout the entire season. With Hakstol it's so unpredictable nobody knows what is going to happen during the regular season, but his teams will be the best during the playoffs.

Did I say Lucia was in the same boat as Dean? I listed their records and accomplishments at their respective programs and that's all. What Rick was pointing out was that at least Dean was winning NCAA titles while winning WCHA titles, to which my first thought is "huh?".

[MafiaMan]

Actually, what I was getting at there was......Blaiser was winning conference championships and national championships in the same year. It's very difficult to do, but Blaiser did it twice and Gino did it two or three times. The Gophers aren't able to do it. Lucia said a couple years ago that he didn't want to wear his Gophers down trying to win the conference championship because it's too difficult to win both in the same year. Blaisers philosophy was you go out and win, every game, regardless of regular season or post season.

Now that makes sense and I agree: winning the conference and winning the NCAA tournament is difficult. How about all three, WCHA, the Final Five, and the NCAA tournament? George Gwod in Denver also accomplished that trifecta if memory serves me right (2005).

[MafiaMan]

Lucia's teams seem to have to be having troubles in the post season lately.

I think Sioux fans were saying the same thing about Dean Blais in 1998 and 1999.

[Rick]

With Hakstol it's so unpredictable nobody knows what is going to happen during the regular season, but his teams will be the best during the playoffs.

I think the reason for that is that he started out the year with 13 freshmen on the roster and 10 of them played a regular shift. With that many freshmen playing, it's going to take a while to get the right combinations. If all he would have had to do is insert Toews, Oshie and Duncan in with 9 veterans. And then insert Lee and Chorney in with 4 other veteran defensemen; he would have breezed through the season. But he had to insert Toews, Oshie, Duncan, Kozek, Watkins and Miller

[dagies]

A few years ago, tDon always said the regular season was meaningless. He didn't want to wear his Gophers out during the season so they would have some gas left in the tank for the playoffs. Of course, he was saying that as Blaiser was winning most of the regular season championships. So now, tDon makes a run for the regular season championship and then they get their season handed to them by the Holy Cross Crusaders. tDon better go back to his old philosophy.

What's interesting is that Lucia didn't seem to gun for the regular season title this year either. That's what makes this "lack of emotion" even stranger, to me. They won the McNaughton, but did it without trying for it. So how did they get burned out?

How many times do you hear the word "underachiever" and Gopher Hockey in the same sentance.

Before the playoffs one of the things I feared most was that Lucia's teams never lost important games that they SHOULD win. With as good as they were playing I didn't see who would derail them, as they'd pretty much be favored throughout the playoffs. Not sure what happened...

Bob Norton had them pegged. But you would have thought after he embarrassed them on national TV, they would have taken out their anger on their next opponent. What did they do? They let the Holy Cross Crusaders prove Bob Norton was right.

Of course, I thought that the SCSU game woke up the Gophers and I was wrong there. But I thought for sure Norton calling them out on a national stage would light their fire. To me, it's shocking how last Friday went down after all.

[siouxnami]

George W in Denver also accomplished that trifecta if memory serves me right (2005).

The president?

George G. did do it, but the WCHA regular season was not outright.

[sagard]

I don't think anyone is going to go on run like the Blais did in the late 90s for a long time. The competition is far more fierce now. Blais was far superior to both Woog and Sauer and the results speak for themselves.

With Lucia and Eaves at the Big 10 schools, DU's return to power, CC's steady program and solid coaching in place at UMD and SCSU now, I don't see a run of four WCHA titles in five years as realistic for anyone.

As the for great accomplishment of winning the league and then the NCAAs, to each there own. The league title was far more of an accomplishment in the days of a balanced WCHA schedule. The best team will usually win the league now, but the craziness of a team playing UAA and MTU four less times than another just reeks to me.

[Southernmn]

I don't think anyone is going to go on run like the Blais did in the late 90s for a long time. The competition is far more fierce now. Blais was far superior to both Woog and Sauer and the results speak for themselves.

With Lucia and Eaves at the Big 10 schools, DU's return to power, CC's steady program and solid coaching in place at UMD and SCSU now, I don't see a run of four WCHA titles in five years as realistic for anyone.

As the for great accomplishment of winning the league and then the NCAAs, to each there own. The league title was far more of an accomplishment in the days of a balanced WCHA schedule. The best team will usually win the league now, but the craziness of a team playing UAA and MTU four less times than another just reeks to me.

Can also be a curse having to play these teams more than others. Minnesota ended up playing the last month of the schedule, and first round of the playoffs against these types of teams, and there is no question that's where they lost their edge.

North Dakota on other hand, played MEANINGFUL games during that time span........games they HAD to win to even qualify for the NCAA's. Essentially every week was playoff hockey for them.

I think the last weeks of the regular season had as much to do with the Gopher's fall as anything.

[MafiaMan]

The president?

LOL...fixed my post. I meant George "Gwod" and got "W" stuck in my head.

[Cratter]

I don't think anyone is going to go on run like the Blais did in the late 90s for a long time.

Don't be so sure.

There is a little thing called The Ralph Engelstad Arena, others call it the finest rink in college hockey. Pile that upon the already storied tradition of the Fighting Sioux and who knows what will happened.

[Sioux87]

Don't be so sure.

There is a little thing called The Ralph Engelstad Arena, others call it the finest rink in college hockey. Pile that upon the already storied tradition of the Fighting Sioux and who knows what will happened.

I like the way you think!!