Sioux vs Mavericks

[mygarske]

You should come to Senser's one of these days, next time there are lots of people going.

I'm assuming next weekend: 'Dogs on TV, Sioux on TV.

I have been to many hockey and football games in Bloomington, but started going to Roseville becaue we could always get a seat RIGHT in front of the big screen.

I have season tickets at the Ralph, so we may be making the hike, other wise I will get a sitter and me and Mrs. will drop down for a frosty and some good hockey. Maybe get you that birthday shot?!?

[Runninwiththedogs]

I have been to many hockey and football games in Bloomington, but started going to Roseville becaue we could always get a seat RIGHT in front of the big screen.

I have season tickets at the Ralph, so we may be making the hike, other wise I will get a sitter and me and Mrs. will drop down for a frosty and some good hockey. Maybe get you that birthday shot?!?

MafiaMan dislikes it when I drink... so yes.

[redwing77]

According to Brad's blog and my "calculations" here's the points for this weekend:

Miller 4g 1a

Duncan 3g 1a

Kozek 2g

Porter 1g 1a

Watkins 1g 1a

Genoway 1g 3a

Radke 1g

Lee 4a

Martens 3a

Oshie 2a

Chorney 1a

VandeVelde 1a

Kaip 1a

Finley 1a

Forney 1a

Bolded the things I would have liked to have seen (I didn't get to watch or listen to the game today ). I'm happy Oshie got some assists. Maybe that will help him get over his slump?

Kozek's 2 goals really are good to see, though I was competing in Tae Kwon Do today so I didn't hear any of the game (just the second period intermission).

Martens must have had a really good game! Does anyone think he could be another Rory McMahon or Erik Fabian?

Vandevelde, Forney, and Finley I just want to succeed badly.

BTW- In the second TH said there was a "scrum." What was he talking about?

And I'm very intolerant of giving up Shorties. How could you let 4 players beat you when you have 5 on the ice? I realize, according to Schlossman's blog, that the puck jumped over Chorney's stick, but that shows that we need to practice better passing. I don't think there is an excuse for giving up a shortie. Props to MSU for capitolizing on what HAD to be a sloppy play. Again, if it wasn't sloppy, it PROBABLY wouldn't have been even a shorthanded chance.

P.S. I'm glad I was wrong when I said if the Mavs score 4 or more goals tonight we'd lose. But anyone want to put a guess as to how many times we can give up 5 goals in a period and still win the game from here on out? Do you think we could still win if we gave up 5 goals to UW in the 2nd after being up by 3? Sorry, no offense Mavs fans, but we got lucky this was the Mavs and not someone like Minnesota, UW, DU, or even SCSU. Let's stop playing like the 2nd period is the period that we can take the night off each night. I think we'd be better off that way.

[Sioux Traveler]

The feed came back up, and apparantly Todd Anderson got nailed in the forehead with a puck

He didn't get nailed he gat hammered behind the goal line!!! Left him in a pile of blood!!!

[Goon]

I actually think that Brad Miller should be given offensive player of the week in the WCHA. But knowing the league they will probably give it to a goofer.

[Siouxmama]

yep - class of '75'

class of 88. I bet Adrian Hoffmeyer was your typing teacher too? Maybe Bill Brown?

[LeftyZL]

I actually think that Brad Miller should be given offensive player of the week in the WCHA. But knowing the league they will probably give it to a goofer.

It in fact could go to a UofM Gopher guy. Okposo(sp?) had a hat trick tonight, Golikoski, Barriball, and Hirsch all had good series against CC. Instead of sounding like the league has it out for all schools minus the UofM and UW, maybe you could just give props where props are due. And besides, who cares about the WCHA offensive player of the week? It's not like the kids have a contract lined with incentives should they receive the award. There's always questionable and iffy calls on which player deserves the award.

[redwing77]

I actually think that Brad Miller should be given offensive player of the week in the WCHA. But knowing the league they will probably give it to a goofer.

He has a strong shot. Here's my unofficial tally of contestants. I counted up goals and assists on all WCHA teams and counted only those who achieved 3 or more points on the weekend.

Brad Miller's weekend: 5g 1a

Ryan Duncan's weekend: 3g 1a

Brian Lee's weekend: 0g 4a

Alex Goligoski's weekend: 0g 4a

Peter Rouleau's (MTU) weekend: 3g

Kyle Okposo's weekend: 3g

Ben Gordon's weekend: 1g 2a

Ryan Martens 0g 3a

There are more I missed.

My projection:

WCHA Offensive POTW: Brad Miller (Honorable Mention to Ryan Duncan, Okposo, Rouleau, and Gordon)

WCHA Defensive POTW: Alex Goligoski (Honorable Mention to Brian Lee and a few other also-rans)

WCHA Rookie POTW: Dunno.

[keikla]

Brad Miller actually had 4g 1a.....you added an extra goal

And on a completely unrelated note, when is the last time that Michigan Tech. got a sweep on back to back weekends?

[siouxnami]

I'll post some additional thoughts tomorrow, but wow, Zach Jones is a very angry man...

[Sioux-cia]

Who won?

I got back from Flagstaff, went to my new digs and friggin' internet doesn't work. I messed with the damn thing, swore, screamed and cried and couldn't get the damn thing to work!!! I'm sitting in the lobby of the Hampton right now ready to say screw it to the temp job and go home!!!

[Sioux-cia]

... but wow, Zach Jones is a very angry man...

I told Zach last season that my kid's nickname for him was 'Psycho'. He thought it was funny.

[Sioux-cia]

OK, fine, I'll search through the posts to see who won.

[keikla]

Sioux won 8-5

Scoring against UND by period for the season:

1st - 1

2nd - 22

3rd - 6

[dagies]

Boy am I glad I made the game tonite. Thanks again NDH!

Someone asked what Hak said to the team before the 3rd period tonite. I don't know but I think this morning he asked "Would the real Sioux Men's Hockey Team please stand up!". And they did.

Like Hak said in the postgame, it wasn't perfect, but in my eyes this was a much better Sioux team than I saw last night.

Tonite the boys were much sharper. Passes crisp, mostly caught, very few dribbles off the blade, etc. Less fumbling around and not clearing the zone (except on the pk). The team did show some resiliency again by continuing to battle back after giving up goals to Mankato. I credit Porter for some of that.

I watched the 1st and 3rd periods from high up over the Sioux offensive zone and watched the 2nd from a few rows behind the Sioux bench. I thought it would be fun to watch the bench and see if there's anything interesting that goes on there during play. Unfortunately, that meant I couldn't see much that happened down in the Sioux defensive zone. But that's ok. It was fun to watch the bench for a while, because with a 3 goal lead you maybe don't have to watch everything that goes on on the ice. I didn't realize how short a time I'd have to watch the bench before it became very important to pay closer attention to the action on the ice.

Unlike yesterday, and from what I read about last Friday, I don't think the Sioux fell apart in the 2nd period tonite, other than they took way too many penalties. Something wasn't working on the PK and that really compounded the problem. But 5 on 5 I didn't think the ice was tilted in the Mav's favor the way it felt for long stretches last night.

Wow, I've read about Jonesy snapping last year and it makes me wonder if tonite was similar or not as bad or? When Morin? planted Bina in the Sioux net Jones just snapped. It was instantaneous. I know I was glad not to be on the wrong end of it. Once the linesman had him out of there I was very afraid of a possible suspension because he wanted to get back in and I was afraid he was going to do something really stupid to the linesman in the attempt. Fortunately he didn't. In a way it's fun to watch, but it's kind of scary, because he does appear to just lose it. The Mav had it coming, but Jonesy probably took it a bit too far, because of his extra roughing minor the boys ended up 1 man down, and that lead to the Finley slash and the Mav goal, etc. Personally, I was surprised that a 5 min fighing major wasn't called with a DQ. Glad it wasn't.

Mankato was called for a 2 minute CFB. I didn't realize that was an option. I don't recall the play exactly but I remember thinking at the time it wasn't much of a penalty, so it was probably reasonable.

Hakstol said there were no weak players in the 3rd tonite and from what I saw I'd have to agree. Really, for most of the game.

Finley played the puck better in his own zone, and in the first had a very nifty work-around of a defender to deliver the puck to a forward and create the rush. I don't recall exactly but it was early enough in the game that it might have been the assist on Kozek's goal. Finley sure was surprised to be called for the second slashing penalty. He didn't see that coming at all. I didn't see it so can't comment.

To borrow some baseball vernacular, I think Chorney would like to have that one back. I'm talking about the attempt to keep the puck in the zone on the PP that lead to the shorty. 4 Sioux players were all deep when that puck slid out to the high slot. Had Chorney successfully kept it in it would have been a great play, but it was a close call, and while Schlossman's blog said it skipped his blade (he was higher up than I so might have had a better view) to me it looked like he just didn't quite get there in time. He's got great wheels and nearly caught up with Morin to break up the attempt but couldn't quite get there. He took a good slash at Morin's feet and was lucky a penalty was not called.

Lee played a very steady game. I was surprised to find out he had 4 assists, not because I don't think he played that well, he did, I just didn't notice the plays he made. For instance, I thought it was Watkins who made the pass to Porter for the tip-in goal.

That was a very nice goal. That wasn't just a tap it into the open side of the net goal. The pass came from way out by the blue line diagonally across the zone to Porter who was open out in front of the crease. Porter had to redirect the shot high past the goalie. When he first touched the puck I thought "no way" but he made it work. Great effort by both players.

Speaking of "no way". I know why TH called that Mav goal and was then surprised that Grieco made the save. I was sitting almost in the exact same line than TH, except a little farther from the action, so we had the same perspective. When the Mav player cut across the crease with the puck you could see he had a good foot + of open space on Grieco's left side. You could see the Red Sea had parted and the Egyptians were sitting ducks waiting for the massive walls of water to close on them. As a fan we've all seen those situations, where you know the puck is about to be scored. There's no doubt. This was one of those times, yet AFTER he releases the puck, from no where (possibly not connected to his body) Grieco's big glove arm swoops down and covers the ice before the puck gets in. Are you kidding me?

Grieco looked much better tonite handling the puck than last night. I almost never had to go in search of toilet paper.

Watkins is continuing to impress me with his very strong overall play. Not a high scorer, maybe, but that line is probably the hardest working, and the best at cycling the puck. Watkins seems to know the right thing to do.

Martens looked solid tonite but not as exciting as I thought last night. But I don't think he had any glaring mistakes.

VandeVelde seems to be catching up to the game. IMO this was the best game I've seen him play so far. He seemed to play with more confidence and authority, and was one of the only Sioux really using his size and physical skills. I like how he is developing.

Miller had a very strong game. I think he's found a spot on one of those top lines. He didn't look out of place at all, and while Kozek might be able to fire the puck through a brick wall Miller seems to bring a bit more overall game to the table.

Kozek also had a good game, obviously. On a lower line he might find a little less defensive attention and more open space. It worked for him tonite, and he's a natural selection for the PP with his shot and a bit more open space to work in.

How about Martens on the 2nd PP unit? I didn't see that coming.

Bina had a very strong game, I thought.

Oshie had an excellent game. While he wasn't rewarded with a ton of points, he made great plays all night long. Sometimes his linemates just weren't able to convert, or these plays might have been the "keep it in the zone" or break up the Mav transition game, or whatever. His feed to Miller on the 2 on 1 was a thing of beauty. Against Bucky Oshie had a 2 on 1 with Toews and kept the puck and almost, but didn't score. This time, almost identical situation Oshie held the puck till the last instant, then saucered the pass across to Miller who pounded it into the open net. The goalie had no chance as he finally had to commit to Oshie, and the defender was prone having to try and break up the pass, unsuccessfully. In the first period Oshie was all alone on the right of the goalie and could and possibly should have shot, but noticed Duncan all alone across the crease. He fed the puck across and the result was another goal. Great decisions by Oshie.

After Finley's first slashing penalty, as Porter hopped off the bench to kill the 5-3, it appeared he turned to the team and told admonished the dumb penalties. After the goal was scored and Miller (who was serving Jonesy's extra penalty skated to the bench and seemed to rip into them for the same thing. At least that's how it appeared to me.

Forney's shoulder must be feeling ok. He wasn't afraid to throw his weight around. Just coming on the ice on one shift he met a Mav breaking into the zone with the puck and put his football skills to work and just bent over and put him down. It wasn't a crushing blow, but it destroyed the attempt. Later, when a Mav player hit Chorney? after the whistle and put him on top of Grieco Forney was the first on the scene and put that guy right down too. Then Chorney and Fabian got into it and Forney found himself outside the ruckus and didn't even get a penalty. Good to see him go to his teammates assistance like that.

Funny thing during that skirmish. Zajac was tied up with a Mav player. It looked like Zajac would look around and see if anyone was looking at him, and if not, poke the guy in the face with his left hand. He did this probably close to a half-dozen times. It was amuzing. I was waiting for the other guy to decide to go, but he didn't want to break loose, I guess.

Radke seemed to play a much better game tonite. I would have said that had he not scored either. He didn't look so much like the play was going around him. From the opening face-off when he planted a Mav player taking the puck into the UND zone along the boards, he seemed to be much more ready to play.

Finally, a shout out to Russ and Shawn (Sean?) who I met tonite having a beer at the Irish bar across the street from the arena. A couple of nice guys who enjoy their hockey. Hopefully they'll never sit by me again. They sat next to me for most of the 2nd period, and the Sioux were up 3-0 until about 30 seconds after they sat down. The second period went to hell in a handbasket after that. I went and sat by myself for the 3rd!

Cudos to NDH for continually starting the Sioux fans singing the "Ole Ole" song after Sioux goals.

And to the Mav fans sitting in front of me and mocking Sioux fans for having only 2 cheers ("Let's go Sioux!" and "Go Sioux!", obviously mocking me and those around me), I have one thing to say. When you left with 48 seconds left you missed the 3rd cheer "BEAT THE TRAFFIC!". HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That one's for you.

I must be living in a parallel universe or something. I go to 2 Mav games in Mankato. The Sioux win them both. The Sioux try to give them both away but still find a way to battle back for the win. All of the Maverick fans I ran into (with the exception of the above, and how bad is that, really?) were decent and good to talk to. This is not the normal experience for me.

To PCM, yes it appears I DID step up for Toews, like I promised.

To me, last night's win almost felt like a loss, because of the weaknesses that showed in the team. Tonite's win feels like a good win, because the team shows a lot to be optimistic about.

[Goon]

It in fact could go to a UofM Gopher guy. Okposo(sp?) had a hat trick tonight, Golikoski, Barriball, and Hirsch all had good series against CC. Instead of sounding like the league has it out for all schools minus the UofM and UW, maybe you could just give props where props are due. And besides, who cares about the WCHA offensive player of the week? It's not like the kids have a contract lined with incentives should they receive the award. There's always questionable and iffy calls on which player deserves the award.

I was being silly should have put a smiley face to it. It pretty obvious that were some great efforts all over the league (well except in Madison I was actually cheering for them because I can't stand HE or B.C.) and Minnesota ussually gets the props. Okposo is a good player, its going to be sad to watch him leave after this season next season when the NHL throws a bunch of money his way.

I care because I like to see our program get notice and the props they deserve. I think Miller is a nice story because he isn't from the Northern Part of the country he is from Georgia, a non traditional hockey area. The fact that he has to score to stay in the line up, reminds me of Matt Henderson. I think he is going to surprise a lot of people this season.

Even though we gave up a bunch of goals this weekend, I like scoring feasts. It proves that the Sioux have scoring punch, I am sure Hak will reign in the defense this week in practice but offense is catchy and a lot of guys got points this weekend. I don't come to the games or turn on the tubes to watch defense, I love watching scoring, more exciting. The boys have given us that in half the games they have played. I think it is a plus. They will be dialed in come tourney time.

[Goon]

Sioux won 8-5

Scoring against UND by period for the season:

1st - 1

2nd - 22

3rd - 6

I wonder if we can eliminate the second period.

[Goon]

My projection:

WCHA Offensive POTW: Brad Miller (Honorable Mention to Ryan Duncan, Okposo, Rouleau, and Gordon)

WCHA Defensive POTW: Alex Goligoski (Honorable Mention to Brian Lee and a few other also-rans)

WCHA Rookie POTW: Okposo

Lets say tha Okposo goes in the Rookie of the week then I think we have it.

[farce poobah]

Dagies, thanks for the great recap. And for sitting by yourself the 3rd period.

[HockeyMom]

Who won?

I got back from Flagstaff, went to my new digs and friggin' internet doesn't work. I messed with the damn thing, swore, screamed and cried and couldn't get the damn thing to work!!! I'm sitting in the lobby of the Hampton right now ready to say screw it to the temp job and go home!!!

Email me your cell phone number and I can add you to the text message score update list if it ever happens again.

[HockeyMom]

Thanks for the great recap, dagies!

[PCM]

To PCM, yes it appears I DID step up for Toews, like I promised.

You certainly did!

Thanks for the great recap. Very informative and interesting.

[Siouxmama]

Email me your cell phone number and I can add you to the text message score update list if it ever happens again.

Hockey Mom,

Remember where she is...no such thing as cell reception there.

[HockeyMom]

Hockey Mom,

Remember where she is...no such thing as cell reception there.

I forgot about that, I guess I took it for granted because I live in the middle of nowhere and I still get cell service. I would die without text messaging. Poor Sioux-cia.

[dagies]

You certainly did!

Thanks for the great recap. Very informative and interesting.

I just reread it to look for any information. At least the spelling and grammar was interesting.