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Sioux vs. Mankato


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Aside from scoring any points, I thought TJ might have had his best game of the year on Saturday. He just has more of an impact when he plays at the center position. I think his "skills" would make another line that much better. I don't think he would add "scoring punch" to a checking line, but maybe create some more opportunities to a second scoring line with his playmaking ability.

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I'm planning to go for at least one game. Any one else from the Twin Cities? Any word on tickets?

Yes, I'll be there both Friday and Saturday evenings. I've had my tickets since the day they went on sale, but I'm sure there are good seats still available with Ticketrobbers, er, Ticketmaster.

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Wow. Turns out it's all YOUR fault.

Crap. I just knew it.

I'm also 0-4 with games involving Maine. I cheered for them when they played in the 2002 NCAA championship...and they lost to Minnesota in OT. I cheered for Maine again in the 2005 Western Regional...and they lost again to Minnesota in OT. I obviously cheered for the Sioux this past weekend...and UND was promptly swept at home. :) I'm sensing a pattern here.

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Crap. I just knew it.

I'm also 0-4 with games involving Maine. I cheered for them when they played in the 2002 NCAA championship...and they lost to Minnesota in OT. I cheered for Maine again in the 2005 Western Regional...and they lost again to Minnesota in OT. I obviously cheered for the Sioux this past weekend...and UND was promptly swept at home. :) I'm sensing a pattern here.

I'll bet you are a Vikings fan, too!?!?

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Toews didn't play up to his potential when he scored a hat trick?

Just because he has been held scoreless for a couple games shouldn't make people forget about his games previous to that.

Wasn't that against Quinnipiac?

Speculating that the team might be better with different line combinations isn't an attack on the team.

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Wasn't that against Quinnipiac?

Speculating that the team might be better with different line combinations isn't an attack on the team.

I never said you were attacking the team and I agree that different line combinations should probably be looked at, just didn't agree with your assessment of Toews so far.

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I'll be in Mpls over the weekend. Is it worth the drive to Mankato in terms of the rink? The best seats I could find were in section 100...might not be too bad....

Yes, it's worth the drive. Mankato is 1-1.5 hours away, and the drive isn't bad. The rink is fine though I find Mankato fans the least desirable of any I've encountered (Duluth, GF, Mariucci, SCSU). Still, no reason not to go.

There are also 300 level seats available, and I believe I've sat up there before. The rink isn't so big that any seat is all that bad. Down low can be nice, but you'll be looking through the glass/posts to the far end of the ice, so keep that in mind. I think that's why the 200 level seats are all sold out as the prime locations.

Also, if you are buying off Ticketnazi (I think that's your only choice), pay attention to which end of the rink you are asking for tickets. The rink is in the shape of a horseshoe and the Sioux attack the open end of the horseshoe twice.

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Last year was unusual in that UND had two legitimate first PP units. This year I think they miss having the strong second group. Any thoughts on which forwards should be out with the second unit?

I haven't been able to see much, but I think I've heard Kaip, Watkins, Kozek, Porter and Forney out there from time to time. I could see arguments for almost anyone else: Fabian, Miller, Martens, Zajac.

Kozek seems like a natural choice, with his great wrist shot. I like the idea of Fabian parked in front of the net, since almost all of his career goals have been scored within about five feet of the blue paint. And I don't know who else, but I'm open to suggestions.

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TJ just has more of an impact when he plays at the center position. I think his "skills" would make another line that much better. I don't think he would add "scoring punch" to a checking line, but maybe create some more opportunities to a second scoring line with his playmaking ability.

I'm in agreement with thetriouxper here. Although until JT makes it back to the lineup (and until Hak asks for our input on his lines :) ) all this talk is just that...talk.

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Aside from scoring any points, I thought TJ might have had his best game of the year on Saturday. He just has more of an impact when he plays at the center position. I think his "skills" would make another line that much better. I don't think he would add "scoring punch" to a checking line, but maybe create some more opportunities to a second scoring line with his playmaking ability.

I agree.

I think that splitting up Oshie and Toews at this point might spread around the scoring a bit and give us 2 formidable lines for opponents to defend against.

Plus, like you said, I think they both play better at the center position.

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Last year was unusual in that UND had two legitimate first PP units. This year I think they miss having the strong second group. Any thoughts on which forwards should be out with the second unit?

I haven't been able to see much, but I think I've heard Kaip, Watkins, Kozek, Porter and Forney out there from time to time. I could see arguments for almost anyone else: Fabian, Miller, Martens, Zajac.

Kozek seems like a natural choice, with his great wrist shot. I like the idea of Fabian parked in front of the net, since almost all of his career goals have been scored within about five feet of the blue paint. And I don't know who else, but I'm open to suggestions.

2nd power play line: Watkins, Kozek, Zajac ? Possibly with Radke and Genoway ? Just throwing ideas out there. Like mikejm stated it's all talk.

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As much as I would love to see Johnny and TJ keep playing together, it may be time to split them up. They are both natural centers and their abilities are similar. It may be what is missing, TJ will make another line better rather than having one super line and three other so-so lines. I mean that with all due respect to the rest of the team.( You don't just get handed a scholarship to play hockey at one of the best programs in the country, so if you're on this team you've earned the right to be there.) Here is my line-up Porter-Toews-Duncan, they had some success last year. Watkins-Oshie-Kozek, I think Watkins' speed and skating ability would be better used out on the wing. TJ plays better in the center spot with his face-off skills and ability to distribute the puck. Kozek would benifit from this situation as well as I think he would have a few more scoring opportunities. Third line would be Fabian-Kaip-Zajac, already proven to be the gritty, hard nosed, hard working line, with Zajac giving them the option of scoring some hard fought goals down in front of the net. The fourth line has endless combinations. Use your imagination, but I think Bishop, Miller, and Martens have all showed they can work hard out there when they have a chance. There are six guys in the mix for playing time on that fourth line every weekend. It may be that we will see different combinations of players all year long on that fourth line (whether that is good or bad remains to be seen I guess). I still think Phil is the man between the pipes, however, I wouldn't have minded seeing Grieco in the net Friday late in the second, it really couldn't have hurt anything at that point. A couple more thoughts. I usually don't like to blame officials, however Don Adams should be cooking french fries at McDonalds, but I'm sure he'd find a way to _uck that up too. Lastly, if anyone thinks the clutching, tripping, spearing, and after-the-whistle crap is going to get any better this weekend in Mankato, they better wake up and smell the coffee now, cause it may be even worse.

I agree that a shake-up in the lineup is necessary......with only 6 goals scored in the past 4 games, I think consideration is needed to split up the Toews/Oshie/Duncan line and see if we can develop some additional offense from the other lines.

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I'll be in Mpls over the weekend. Is it worth the drive to Mankato in terms of the rink? The best seats I could find were in section 100...might not be too bad....

It is worth it. Sioux fans sit on the end of the rink in sec 100, 200, 300 and 101, 201 and 301 sometimes too. Just make sure you sit on the end we shoot twice. There is always a good Sioux fan turnout there.

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We knew the freshman coming in this year were going to be slower to adjust to this level than Oshie, Toews, and Duncan last year. From what I have seen Vande Velde, Zajac, and Forney are not the greatest of skaters. They all have potential but will take longer to develop. This team is going to be a work in progress. A lot of talent that was heavily depended on is gone. Mankato is always pesky so if the boys don't bring their top end game, we may not like the results.

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Hak hasn't asked me yet. :D

But, when he does I will suggest that a team can currently have it's best possesion, defensive players out against Toews and Oshie because they are on the same line. If they were on different lines it increases the likelyhood of a mismatch.

Yep, that is what I'll say when he asks for my take...

:)

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