Swept again

[OETKB]

Sioux dominate in terms of shots on goal, but again are swept. Losing is becoming all too familiar for this team. What a horrible tailspin they are in.

[sprig]

Missed this one; just stopped in to check the thread. 16 saves, 5 goals. Was this a goaltending nightmare again?

[Hopper]

I also listened to the game, but I have nothing to say except this. I believe the Sioux team should click on the website www.therestoftheseason.com and register to WIN! IF they don't, this could be a great season for Altru, because the prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs shall soar!!!

Why is it that all of the other WCHA games go down to the wire, but when it's our game, we end up defeated. I have high hopes, as all of you do, but for God sakes something has to change. The way I heard the game, all but one of the goals were on rebounds and carelessness again. I don't think Ranfranz has much fault in this...although the numbers don't show it. I could care less who starts in net, but Metcalf's goal sounded like the only one that was on the first attempt. Like I mentioned, I didn't see the game, but I too am depressed by the score. I think some of our big dogs are going to have to step it up, or a lot of the ticket-holder's will get a playoff refund again this year!

[PCM]

Missed this one; just stopped in to check the thread. 16 saves, 5 goals. Was this a goaltending nightmare again?

Unfortunately, yes. I was surprised that Blais stuck with Ranfranz in the third period.

[jk]

I'm sorry but I just won't be able to rip the team up and down for this streak. It stinks, as they have played themselves out of the coveted Top 3 spot in the league, maybe out of home ice (they are two points out of sixth place) and right onto the NCAA tourney bubble.

But I can't just blindly rip them because they aren't playing terrible hockey. After last night, I thought questions about the team's character were appropriate. But I (and I realize I will probably be in the minority) can't question the team's heart after tonight's game. They knew it was a must win and did everything they could to get it. It just didn't happen.

In Denver the Sioux earned at least two points with their play. They only got one because Dubie stood on his head and Denver got a bounce with two seconds left in the weekend. In Mankato the Sioux also probably earned two points. Four pipes on Friday, followed by an admittedly weak effort to close out the third period. Then a couple more pipes and outshooting the Mavs badly on Saturday, with another goalie standing on his head. Bochenski puts one in about four seconds later than MacKenzie did the weekend before.

Points, and NCAA positioning, are what really matter, and UND is failing badly on those important measures. But I don't think they're failing because they suck, or because they lack character. It's just not working now. I firmly believe that if you just continue to do the right thing, results will follow. Obviously I've been let down badly by this belief, but I'm a stickin' with it.

The only bright side I can see right now is that the "Last 16" is no longer a pairwise component. Whew!

Go Sioux.

[soSIOUXme]

I think some of our big dogs are going to have to step it up, or a lot of the ticket-holder's will get a playoff refund again this year!

I never thought these words would pass my lips but I DON'T WANT MY MONEY BACK!

CB's comments in the Dec 4 coach's show about the team not winning without David Hale are starting to look prophetic

[PCM]

But I can't just blindly rip them because they aren't playing terrible hockey. After last night, I thought questions about the team's character were appropriate. But I (and I realize I will probably be in the minority) can't question the team's heart after tonight's game. They knew it was a must win and did everything they could to get it. It just didn't happen.

I agree with you. If you are in the minority, at least you're not by yourself.

[Taz Boy]

Went to the game tonight and thought the Sioux played well enough to lose. A very lackluster second period put them into a 2pt hole that quickly turned to three points early in the third. Too bad for Ranfranz who had a couple of weird goals slip past him. Also, the Sioux getting caught on a line change was just plain embarrassing. The third period was all Sioux, but not enough to overcome Jensen and the point deficit.

This team has lost its ability to focus and move the puck. They played scared, and to the contrary Mankato played with the confidence of a champion. Amazing how strong they were at times, just swarming, waiting for any little mistake. UND was beat by a better team this weekend, no question.

I'd say CC has a battle on their hands next weekend.

taz not impressed

[sprig]

A couple weeks ago it seemed that the Sioux, although not playing well, could still back their way into the NCAA's. That's no longer the case. They'll have to win their way in, or stay at home.

Duluth looks very good, and should provide a tough opponent to start the winning streak, if it's going to happen. Still a bit hard to grasp that sweeping Wisco may be a necessity. Not a given after watching their performance against SCSU (who, right now, is in the position to visit the REA in the playoffs).

[jk]

After sleeping on it and reading the post by Taz (who always does a great job of calling it as he sees it), I'm more negative than I was last night. Wasn't it Parcells who said something like "you are your record"? Regardless of having played "well" at times and running into hot goalies, the Sioux are 1-6-1 and that's how good they are.

It must be very disappointing for the team.

[sprig]

It must be very disappointing for the team.

As well as Sioux fans

[ScottM]

After reading recaps of the game, and thinking about it, I take a small measure of comfort in the fact that we didn't suffer a third period collapse, as opposed to the second period breakdown.

I think the team's overall youth is really starting to show. We have a boatload of sophomores and some highly regarded frosh upon whom we have heaped a great deal of praise, criticism and hope. A more mature team would probably be able to correct itself more readily than one primarily comprised of 19-20 year olds. A case in point is Ranfranz. He's one of the older members of the team, and generally more stable in goal than Brandt and Siembida, last night's game notwithstanding. Unfortunately, we don't have that level of maturity and poise spread more readily across the forwards and d-men.

That said, age and immaturity don't really account for the fact that the TEAM should tighten its guts and play at a higher level which we know they are capable of. This is the responsiblity of the team's leadership, most of whom seem noticeably absent of late. Anybody, with any degree of lucidity, expected the team to take some losses this time of the season, as witnessed by the pronouced lack of "newbies" on USCHO and here the past couple of weeks. However, the true measure of a good team is how they regroup and refocus on their game. Unfortunately, I think the jury is still out on this team.

I think the team needs to take a good look at itself and make whatever changes they have to end the season on a winning note. People have mentioned PWR and other criteria for getting into the playoffs. However, IMO, the way we're playing right now, we don't deserve any post-season consideration and should probably just focus on playing a full 60 minute game each night. If we can at least manage that aspect, the post-season cards will fall where they will.

On a related note, after reading alot of the crap Mankato "fans" have been spewing, I've become a very big, temporary CC fan.

[sprig]

On a related note, after reading alot of the crap Mankato "fans" have been spewing, I've become a very big, temporary CC fan.

No kidding. Were the bandwagon Sioux fans really this bad earlier in the year? Time for a CC sweep, IMO.

[mksioux]

I just don't think the Sioux can reach the NCAA's at this point. The way they are playing, not much can be expected next weekend against a pretty good Duluth team. And Wisconsin is so bad that the Sioux will probably fall a couple of spots even if they sweep them. I think the Sioux need to somehow reach the Final 5 and then make a deep run to get an NCAA-bid (or win the F5 and get the auto-bid). It just seems very unlikely at this point. As I've said many times before, I truly hope they prove me an idiot.

Assuming the Sioux don't make the tounament, I will definitely pull for CC. I used to be a Sioux-first, WCHA-second kind of fan, but a few things have completely changed my outlook. First, the advent of uscho and the constant bickering and ripping by fans makes me hate most WCHA teams. Second, the Frozen Four last year solidified these feelings when all non-Gopher WCHA jersies shown on the jumbotron were promptly and loudly booed by the Gopher faithful. But I still like CC. But if they go out, I'll be rooting for a non-WCHA team.

[skateshattrick]

ScottM--With all due respect, the fact that the Sioux are a young team is an excuse and excuses are for losers. The fact of the matter is that the so-called great sophomore class has not produced as expected. Look at the statistics and you will see that Connelly, Genoway and Canady do not score. McMahon and Fylling have flashes, but are not consistent and do not score much. The Freshman class consists of Greene, Marvin, Parise and Prpich. Prpich looks good and Parise is great, but other schools have freshman contributing in scoring including Vanek, Hirsch, Guyer, Harrington, Sterling, Sertich, Mark Stuart and a bunch of young players from Denver and UMD. Sophomores include Grant Stevenson of Mankato and Ballard. The bottom line is that you are expected to produce in this league by the time that you are a sophomore. There are many who produce as freshman. Most of the players have spent a year or 2 in the USHL before coming to college, so age or experience are not major issues. Except for Parise and Bochenski, and Massen when he gets hot, this team has virtually no scoring from the freshmen and sophomores. A Gopher fan told me at Christmas that this team is vulnerable because it does not have balance and if you can shut down the Parise line, they will have trouble scoring. He also said that teams would start to do that by putting the checking lines on the big line. It has turned out to be prophetic. Although Notermann, Spiewak and Lundbohm have played well, there are not enough scorers. Unless some of the other players step up and start scoring, this team is not going anywhere. The problem is magnified by the loss of David Hale. The scary part is what would this team be like if Parise had decided to go to Minnesota?

[ScottM]

I don't believe I used youth as an "excuse" so much as a "reason" for the team's current funk.

Older teams tend to be more resilient, and generally more capable of working themselves into a winning mindset. I think it's myopic to leave the team's fortunes on a few guys like Prpich, Parise, Money, etc. while letting some of the older guys, including the captains have a free ride. It's great to have talented underclassmen, but those guys should not have to carry the entire team, especially if the older guys are taking up space.

I think too many of the team members have been content to ride on the coattails of whomever is producing at the moment. If EVERYBODY on this team is not committed to getting back on track and ending the season on a winning note, I'd suggest those players have the balls to turn in their sweater before their mindset becomes terminal to those who actually care about winning.

[mksioux]

UND was beat by a better team this weekend, no question.

Wow, UND outshot them 52-21 and you say the better team won? That's a strong statement...not wrong, but strong. I didn't go to either game and didn't listen to Saturday's game, so I'll take your word for it. It's just very strange. I watched both Mankato games earlier in the season and -- in my mind -- there was no question that UND was the better team. It just goes to show how fast things can change in this league. It's quite difficult to come to grips with it though. I don't think any of us can successfully diagnose what went wrong with this team.

[skateshattrick]

Agreed. My point is that some of the sophomores have not produced, so it is not realistic to expect that they will be substantially better when they are are juniors and seniors. Frankly, I hope that our incoming class is good because there are a number of players who have been disappointing, including some upperclassmen. I doubt that the coaching staff will be content to just say "wait until next year" if these players do not show something in the next few weeks. I also wonder if the Sioux will start recruiting western Canada more heavily after seeing the success of Grant Stevenson, Shane Joseph, TJ Caig and some of Denver's young players.

[PCM]

Most of us don't knows what's going on behind the scenes, but I think we can get a feel for some of it.

David Hale's absense might be more keenly felt in the locker room than it is on the ice. Blais mentioned in last night's pre-game show that there had been some finger-pointing going on in the locker room after the loss to Mankato on Friday. That tells me that some of the team chemistry is gone that helped make the Sioux winners in the first half of the season.

In another thread, I suggested the possibility of breaking up Bochenski and Parise. I didn't propose it as a means of spreading the scoring talent out. I suggested it because based on some of Blais' recent moves, I suspect that there might be some friction between those two players.

Why did Blais try moving Parise to a wing and making Lundbohm the line's center at Denver? Why did he put Palmiscno on that line Friday? It appears to me that once Parise's goal-scoring numbers went up after the WJC, his assists went down and the number of goals Bochenski scored went down. Could that be a source of friction between the two players? Could it be why Blais has recently tinkered with putting different set-up men on the line as a means of helping them both score more goals?

I disagree with the idea that the team doesn't have enough scoring depth. The Sioux can put two very good scoring lines on the ice and, frankly, that should be enough. They won their last championship with two scoring lines. Going into the Mankato series, UND was third in the nation in scoring. At one point, four of the WCHA's top 10 scorers played for North Dakota.

Every team has a certain number of players who don't score much. Putting Canady in that category is unfair because he hasn't played much because of injuries. Although I expected more of Genoway, for all practical purposes, this is his freshman season. Some guys have to be role players rather than scorers.

There's still time to turn this season around with a strong finish, but time is rapidly running out.

[Goon]

Agreed. My point is that some of the sophomores have not produced, so it is not realistic to expect that they will be substantially better when they are are juniors and seniors. Frankly, I hope that our incoming class is good because there are a number of players who have been disappointing, including some upperclassmen. I doubt that the coaching staff will be content to just say "wait until next year" if these players do not show something in the next few weeks. I also wonder if the Sioux will start recruiting western Canada more heavily after seeing the success of Grant Stevenson, Shane Joseph, TJ Caig and some of Denver's young players.

Good point. Back to the anology of you earn your right to stay all four years with your effort from the year before.

[anthony]

Sioux dominate in terms of shots on goal, but again are swept.  Losing is becoming all too familiar for this team.  What a horrible tailspin they are in.

The shots on goal were no where near accurately recorded .... MSU you fans SUCK,,

[anthony]

Wow, UND outshot them 52-21 and you say the better team won? That's a strong statement...not wrong, but strong. I didn't go to either game and didn't listen to Saturday's game, so I'll take your word for it. It's just very strange. I watched both Mankato games earlier in the season and -- in my mind -- there was no question that UND was the better team. It just goes to show how fast things can change in this league. It's quite difficult to come to grips with it though. I don't think any of us can successfully diagnose what went wrong with this team.

hes right i was there last night the were the better team

[ScottM]

Agreed. My point is that some of the sophomores have not produced, so it is not realistic to expect that they will be substantially better when they are are juniors and seniors. Frankly, I hope that our incoming class is good because there are a number of players who have been disappointing, including some upperclassmen. I doubt that the coaching staff will be content to just say "wait until next year" if these players do not show something in the next few weeks. I also wonder if the Sioux will start recruiting western Canada more heavily after seeing the success of Grant Stevenson, Shane Joseph, TJ Caig and some of Denver's young players.

I tend to agree about a number of the sophomores. I had pretty solid hopes for guys like Massen, Canady and McMahon coming into the season. Every now and then they've played very well, but, injuries notwithstanding, they have haven't been very consistent overall. However, I think they still have some good upside, but they just have to find a way to tap into it.

While I'm not ready to start playing, "What Until Next Year" yet, I think our incoming class will be very good and should hopefully mesh well with the underclassmen we have now, and the juniors coming back. I'm especially excited about Matt Smaby coming on board. The guy is big like Greene, although a bit lighter right now, but can handle a puck like a forward and has serious wheels. Murray will be a very welcome, and dangerous, addition to the lines too.

I've always been a big fan of the way hockey is played in the BCHL and other Canadian leagues. You can find alot of great two-way players there who aren't so wedded to their primary position like most US players. Personally, I'd like to see more recruiting visits made to that part of the world, especially for "role" players, not just stars.

[Taz Boy]

Saturday's game was good at the start, and I had a good feeling until the Sioux blew that line change and gave a 2-on-0 to MnSt. Ugh! My heart just sank into my gut. This was not helped at all by the terrible second period when UND couldn't get going offensively. Missed passes and no penetration. With the early goal in the third, I started getting ready to leave. I hate doing that.

The rest of the third period, as far as I can tell, was an act of desperation-- but in a good way. UND finally woke up and really hammered Jensen, who was obviously up to the task. I think they threw 22 shots on net in that period, but many were right into the mid-section. I didn't see Jensen moving a great deal, but he did make an incredible save on Money that pretty much indicated it wasn't meant to be.

Mankato overall played better than UND. They scored off of mistakes, they played hard and physical, and they didn't wither and die when UND was giving them the business. This team was as solid as you can be when going up against a potent Sioux offense.

I recommend putting a lot of the MnSt. blowhards on your ignore list over at USCHO. The level of stupidity is amazing. Most ripping Parise, which is of such collossal ignorance I cannot comprehend how such an intellect can manage operating a computer. All the smack talk may just come back to haunt them. Consider this. Had the Sioux tied up the game or actually won it, we'd be having an entirely different conversation here. They were very close to salvaging a successful 2pt. weekend. It just didn't happen.

A couple of points about the atmosphere. Midwest Wireless Arena was definitely loud, but credit the PA guys for the ear-splitting volume. My head still hurts. Then, the visiting team is paraded out the end of the rink and right through an obnoxious section of drunk morons enroute to their locker room. This is effective, no question. But what kind of an a$$hole leaves his seat to join other like-minded idiots to line up near the exit and taunt each player as they leave the ice (behind security mind you). Laughable.

Lot's of smack talk after the game, as expected. Watched as two middle-aged drunk men walked over to a group of Sioux fans and gave them some rather mild crap. No big deal. Some guy shook my hand and wished me a very sarcastic safe trip home and then laughed. Whatever. All in all, MnSt. fans were very very excited and for good reason. It was actually kind of nice seeing folks, albeit drunk and stupid, so happy for their team. Still, Mankato is not really a hockey town. Perhaps this success can help to grow the programs popularity in the area.

Sioux fans left sad. Tough to have such high levels of expectations for a team and see them get manhandled by "new blood." I have hopes they can turn it around, but it likely won't be this year. I also think this hurts, but certainly doesn't kill, their momentum for the predicted world domination in 03-04. Almost like we slipped a whole year this past month.

Anyone get a kick out of the Goofer fascination with the Sioux demise? Parise, the once highly touted 1-year-and-gone candidate, is apparently now a bust. Well, then, perhaps we won't worry as much when he goes pro, huh? Silly people.

taz

[farce poobah]

Saw Saturday in person ... Gotta love the Midwest Wireless Center, where the SRO tickets at center ice, perfect elevation, are better than most of the real seats. Thanks, ticketba$#%d for giving us SRO.

How would I summarize Saturday's game? "The Sioux gave a tremendous effort, a near-perfect effort, interspersed with some colossal mistakes, some by rookies, some by players that should know better. Mankato got a few scoring chances, and they were great ones, but only a few, and buried them. The Sioux got a lot of chances and didn't."

Frankly, I left with a very different impression of the game than taz boy did.

Starting at the top:

Mankato's first goal, a blast from center point by Metcalf, came off a one-timer from a pass near the faceoff dot to Ranfranz's left. It hit the far post and dinged in, barely eluding Ranfranz's slide. It was the 1 that goes in of the 100 that get taken. I can't see there's any real "blame" to the goaltender or the defensive coverage.

Mankato's second goal followed several mistakes, by almost everyone on the ice except Ranfranz. Sioux had possession on the right boards, clearing pass bounced off Mav forechecker, then Marvin flings the puck around to nobody, then Schneider interferes/hooks a Mav behind the net so he doesn't get to the loose puck first, but is forced to drop his stick to avoid getting a minor called, and then he heads prematurely to the bench (to get a stick, I think not to change). Meantime, we did clear the zone, but nobody covers the vacant D spot, and when Mav's intercept another poor pass at center ice, that leaves Stevenson cruising in on a clean break, and he buries a wrister high in the corner. A beautiful sniper shot. But set up by a series of mental and physical mistakes by the Sioux.

Mav's third goal came on the powerplay. Scramble, Able buries the rebound. This was one that I don't think gets scored with D Hale in the lineup. While Lee Marvin has shown good improvement since the start of the season, PK is a place where he can be outmuscled and D Hale won't be.

Mav's fourth goal was the softest of the night, long soft wrister from center point, through a crowd near the blue line and just off the back of a Mav and Sioux who skated across in front of Ranfranz ... presumably he got distracted by the guys in front and picked up the wrister late. A real "oh sh$t" kind of goal.

Mav's fifth goal came 4x3, and immediately followed a tremendous SH rush by Spiewak and Noterman, both of whom had chances ... [oh, the bounces]. Anyway Noterman and Spiewak catch up to the rush, and don't give up an oddman rush the other way, but Noterman overruns the play and gets caught in the corner when Stevenson comes crashing down the slot. Frankly, he was only a step or two too deep, but that was enough to let Stevenson have time to bury another snap shot. The guy is a truly great goalscorer, and we gave him two chances that he buried. No blame to Ranfranz on this one either.

So, I wouldn't call it a "goaltending nightmare". People I talked with after the second coulnd't believe the scorers had credited the Mavs for just 17 shots. If the Sioux had 30, then Mavs had 30 too.

Third period, Mavs went into the prevent defense, and they aren't very good at it. ... They gave up at least a dozen bona-fide scoring chances. Coulda shoulda,

As to the Sioux players:

Parise played with great intensity, and realistically he caused Marvin's goal by crashing the net, okay letting a Mav defenseman check him into their goalie, who was way out of position when Marvin's snap shot hit the net. At times, he looked a bit leg weary, not the same jump seen at times, but he showed the great hands. Also drew a critical Mav penalty 3x5 with an outstanding pick at center ice and a rush where the D was forced to bring him down ...

Bochenski ... whereas early in the season everything hit the back of the net, now it hits the tender. Not the obvious show of intense emotion and drive that others display ...

Noterman and Spiewak, played with obvious passion and energy. Some terrific PK work, I like using them on 3x4 and 3x5 PK situations instead of 2 D ...

McMahon - Prpich - Hale: solid game, mostly. Stevenson-Joseph didn't get anything even strength. Prpich will be on the MSU season highlight film when Jensen robbed him late in the 2nd period on a flashy dive-across-the-net save.

Lundbohm and Massen seemed to be mostly invisible, except for a couple strong shifts each.

Connelly and Palmo played with good energy. Telling that they got some PP time during the major, and got our only goal.

I agree with other comments about Palmiscno's passing skills ... he must see the ice terrifically well, reads the play ... just hope he stays healthy long enough to show us what he can do. Connelly is way way due. Lot of buzzing, but nothing to show for it yet.

As to the defense, I thought Schneider, Fuher, Jones and Greene were generally decent. Schneider was fortunate not to have been called for a major on the uppercut slash on Bassett late in the second ... looked like he wanted to lift the stick, missed, and got him on or near the face ... replay looks really bad, as in "suspension" kinda bad.

But we are most vulnerable when Leinweber or Marvin are on the ice. Of the two, however, Marvin is getting better ... and shows signs of listening to coaches. Leinweber, on the other hand, repeats mistakes that he made last year and the year before. (Don't come across from left D at center ice to take a guy into the far boards who's about to go off on a line change ... and about 3 more like plays that I noticed.) I realize we're asking a lot of these two guys have been thrown into the fire with D Hale out, but there is a huge difference in the play ...

===================

Bottom line, it was a game we should have won. But we didn't.

As to the Mav fans, I thought the 4300 or so that were there showed a decent level of enthusiasm (grade em a C+). The 800+ Sioux fans, however, were the reason for the record crowd.

Call me pollyanna, with green-colored glasses, but I think we will sweep Duluth, and I give us a fair chance of sweeping Wisconsin. Sign me up for a 3rd place finish, and bring in Tech for the rematch in the first round ... With 6 points, home ice would be a virtual lock ... and SCSU or Denver or Duluth are a considerably tougher opponent.

And, I hope that if D Hale's kidney situation is as serious as it sounds, that he spends his time on getting healthy and not on hockey ... its just a game, its just not worth risking long-term health consequences for ... Get well soon, and Godspeed. What we need is a show of support ... maybe a giant Get Well Card in the lobby of the REA next weekend for people to sign ...