Fighting Sioux problems

[Southernmn]

Two words Bill Howard. We don't have a person that is a goaltending coach. Its like Florida State not having a Line Backer coach.

NO other program has a goaltending coach like Bill Howard. He is the reason that Wisconsin has some of the best goaltending in college hockey every year.

They recruit athletic kids, and then turn them over to Howard for 2 years. He essentially tears their game apart and starts fresh with them, which I why you rarely see a freshman or sophmore goalie starting for them. But when their turn does come, they are GOOD. Did you ever notice that every one of their goalies looks almost exactly the same as the guy before him ??

Remember, going into last season, everyone thought that goaltending was going to be Badgers biggest concern, because this Elliot kid that nobody had ever heard of, was taking over for Bruckler.........and now they have Connelly on deck for next year, and cycle just keeps on going.

[Goon]

and now they have Connelly on deck for next year, and cycle just keeps on going.

Just a prediction, Connelly is no where near as good as Elliot. The Badgers missed the boat on that kid.

[ScottM]

For all the money that is spent on the program and facilities perhaps that is first thing to rectify. Given his passion for the program, maybe the Eagle would be interested, if and when he retires.

I Robb Stauber volunteer(?) coached Minnesota's goalies for a number of years, and may still, and I think it helps since most teams tend to leave goalies on their own. I'm surprised UND hasn't taken this tack.

[dagies]

The defense is not going to be at its best if they lack confidence in the goalie's ability to make the big save. They're going to play tentatively and not pinch (to try to create offensive opportunities). They're going to spend a lot of time facing the net trying to bail out the goalie when they should be knocking people on their a**es in the slot, or looking up ice to start a rush.

mikejm, I don't know that I am right and you are wrong, but I do have a difference of opinion with you on this. Genoway lead the rush that ended with too many Sioux players deep and and odd man rush the other way on Friday. And if I'm worried about my goalie making the save, I'm going to drop everyone who comes in to my area. I'm not going to turn my back and look for the puck. If I tie them up or take a penalty planting them, they at least cannot score.

I didn't intend to demean Lammy, but I am not a fan. He is too quick to flop to the ice and leaves the top half of the goal open far too often.

I'm not that knowledgeable about goaltending but this has been my impression too.

The Fighting Sioux have recruited world-class skaters for years. The program's history, the coaching staff, The Ralph all have a great deal to do with that success. But why oh why can this team not recruit a world-class, shut down goalie?

While I wish for the same, I see someone like Don Lucia struggling to do the same. You cannot fault Lucia's ability to recruit, nor the great program he has to sell to recruits, but as Sagard said Gopher fans wish for the same. This must drive coaches nuts. It's not like forwards. If you miss on one they only take up 1 of 14 or 15 spots.

Miss on 1 goalie....

[PCM]

Dean Blais had a formula for winning that went like this:

1. Average four goals per game
   
2. Hold your opponent to 30 or fewer shots per game
   
3. Have a goalie with at least a .900 save percentage
   

If you can do those three things consistently, you'll win a lot of games, and you won't need world-class goaltending to do it.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Sounds like a good formula,can we slip into their gatorade or pregame meals

[Yttrium]

Plain and simple.

The Fighting Sioux chemistry is off right now. Split up the Triple Threat Line so each line has one of them. Put Toews, Oshie at center and Dunc's at wing. Each of the first three lines will have a scoring threat every time they are on the ice.

Chemistry is what makes a franchise. Right now it's not there.

Can't be fair weather fans. Must stick w/ your team through the adversity. Every poster acts like they've played hockey at UND. Don't you think this situation keeps Hak and the boys in the "war room" rather than at home w/ family.

We dearly miss the players that signed in the off-season. Without a doubt, UND was hit hardest by the early signings. Do you think we miss Parise?

Zajac, Stafford, Smaby, Spirko, Prp to finishing off his great career.

Ladies and gentlemen. Sometimes things take longer to re-coup when you lose so much talent and more importantly, leadership. You're only as good as your leaders.

By putting all three (Toews, Oshie, Duncan) on three lines you've created a marquee player on the ice most of the game.

Our defense have spells of brilliance then the exact opposite moments later. But that's hockey.

Obviously Phil is struggling. The staff has given him every chance to get back to his stellar self but injury really hurt him a month or so ago. It's game timing. Phil will get back to where he was. But now he needs to do it watching Greico or Walski. Either one could step up. It's healthy to challenge each other. Now is the time for a change. Every program goes through it at one point or the other. How fortunate were we to have JPar for those 3 years.

Regardless, this is not our problem folks. I heard Hak tell Tim H. in the pre-game on Saturday we close the locker room doors and discuss our plan to get back on track.

Trust. You have to have it at any level of elite sports. Trust that it will get better. When it does the tone of this board will change.

Have faith Sioux fans. These kids are winners. Sometimes things take a bit longer to create. These kids will prevail in the end.

[Wreckincrew]

Dean Blais had a formula for winning that went like this:

1. Average four goals per game
   
2. Hold your opponent to 30 or fewer shots per game
   
3. Have a goalie with at least a .900 save percentage
   

If you can do those three things consistently, you'll win a lot of games, and you won't need world-class goaltending to do it.

Could part of the Bucky goalie success be attributed to the defensive/conservative style that they play?

Also, doesn't there seem to be a disproportionate amount of odd-man rushes being given up by the Sioux this season. In years past it seemed that there would be 4 or 5 per game by each team. This year the opponents are still getting their 4-5 but UND is averaging maybe half that. Let me add that I haven

[Sioux R Kool]

If the SIOUX can take one or maybe both games at Minnesota, that could turn this season like it did last season. We just need to hold fast and have faith in our very young team.

The SIOUX will prevail!

[CoteauRinkRat]

Could part of the Bucky goalie success be attributed to the defensive/conservative style that they play?

Also, doesn't there seem to be a disproportionate amount of odd-man rushes being given up by the Sioux this season. In years past it seemed that there would be 4 or 5 per game by each team. This year the opponents are still getting their 4-5 but UND is averaging maybe half that. Let me add that I haven

[Fetch]

Try Robbie Bina & Genoway on the power play too (with the main PP unit)

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Try something different, Yttrium has a point spread the wealth, three lines,find some linemates who click and away we go.

[sagard]

While I wish for the same, I see someone like Don Lucia struggling to do the same. You cannot fault Lucia's ability to recruit, nor the great program he has to sell to recruits, but as Sagard said Gopher fans wish for the same. This must drive coaches nuts. It's not like forwards. If you miss on one they only take up 1 of 14 or 15 spots.

Miss on 1 goalie....

I've actually long given up on the Gophers having a great goaltender. Every year I just hope our goalie will play great when they need him most.

[redwing77]

Could part of the Bucky goalie success be attributed to the defensive/conservative style that they play?

Also, doesn't there seem to be a disproportionate amount of odd-man rushes being given up by the Sioux this season. In years past it seemed that there would be 4 or 5 per game by each team. This year the opponents are still getting their 4-5 but UND is averaging maybe half that. Let me add that I haven

[siouxforeverbaby]

Try Robbie Bina & Genoway on the power play too (with the main PP unit)

I agree, but put Genoway back at forward. He looked to me at least all weekend, like he wanted to be a forward and not a defenseman. I say if that is where he plays best, why are we leaving him a defenseman?

[mikejm]

Plain and simple...

Have faith Sioux fans. These kids are winners. Sometimes things take a bit longer to create. These kids will prevail in the end.

Thanks for the reminder Yttrium.

[82SiouxGuy]

Plain and simple.

The Fighting Sioux chemistry is off right now. Split up the Triple Threat Line so each line has one of them. Put Toews, Oshie at center and Dunc's at wing. Each of the first three lines will have a scoring threat every time they are on the ice.

Chemistry is what makes a franchise. Right now it's not there.

Can't be fair weather fans. Must stick w/ your team through the adversity. Every poster acts like they've played hockey at UND. Don't you think this situation keeps Hak and the boys in the "war room" rather than at home w/ family.

We dearly miss the players that signed in the off-season. Without a doubt, UND was hit hardest by the early signings. Do you think we miss Parise?

Zajac, Stafford, Smaby, Spirko, Prp to finishing off his great career.

Ladies and gentlemen. Sometimes things take longer to re-coup when you lose so much talent and more importantly, leadership. You're only as good as your leaders.

By putting all three (Toews, Oshie, Duncan) on three lines you've created a marquee player on the ice most of the game.

Our defense have spells of brilliance then the exact opposite moments later. But that's hockey.

Obviously Phil is struggling. The staff has given him every chance to get back to his stellar self but injury really hurt him a month or so ago. It's game timing. Phil will get back to where he was. But now he needs to do it watching Greico or Walski. Either one could step up. It's healthy to challenge each other. Now is the time for a change. Every program goes through it at one point or the other. How fortunate were we to have JPar for those 3 years.

Regardless, this is not our problem folks. I heard Hak tell Tim H. in the pre-game on Saturday we close the locker room doors and discuss our plan to get back on track.

Trust. You have to have it at any level of elite sports. Trust that it will get better. When it does the tone of this board will change.

Have faith Sioux fans. These kids are winners. Sometimes things take a bit longer to create. These kids will prevail in the end.

Best post I have read in ages. Much better than I ever could have said it.

[dagies]

I agree, but put Genoway back at forward. He looked to me at least all weekend, like he wanted to be a forward and not a defenseman. I say if that is where he plays best, why are we leaving him a defenseman?

He's played forward for almost 2 months. I was wondering if it's a tough thing to just make the switch just like that.

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

I think our team just needs to come together and play as a TEAM.... Right now, it looks to me as if everyone just wants their own glory. Except for maybe TJ and Duncs.

I haven't given up total hope though, I'll always cheer for them! GO FIGHTING SIOUX!!!

[siouxforeverbaby]

He's played forward for almost 2 months. I was wondering if it's a tough thing to just make the switch just like that.

i thought about that too and I know over the World Juniors that we need him at defense,but I really enjoyed him at forward and haven't really seen him do anything as a defenseman.

[UNDintheNHL]

Here are past year's records before and after x-mas.

As of 12/25/05: 12-7-1 (6-6 WCHA)

As of 5/5/06: 10-6 (10-6 WCHA)

As of 12/25/04: 11-8-3 (8-4-2 WCHA)

As of 5/5/05: 5-6-3 ( 4-6-2 WCHA)

As of 12/25/03: 12-2 (7-1 WCHA)

As of 5/6/04: 12-4-3 (12-4-3 WCHA)

As of 12/25/02: 14-1-1 (8-1-1 WCHA)

As of 5/8/03: 6-8-4 (6-8-4 WCHA)

There have been many people comment on how we slump before xmas and get alot better after x-mas, and that this has been the very consistent outcome every year for the past few years. If you look at the records, however, you will see that there hasn't been a single season in the past 4 that has looked considerably better after xmas than before. The only exception would be WCHA play last season:

05-06 Season: About the same record before and after x-mas.

04-05 Season: Considerably worse record after x-mas than before.

03-04 Season: About the same record before and after x-mas.

02-03 Season: Considerably worse record after x-mas than before.

If we stay on this pattern, we are slated to have a worse second half of the season than the first half. I sure hope that tradition doesnt hold, cause we have already had a crappy first half, record-wise. I think there will be lots of guys step up and increase their level of play.

Lee is playing well, although not to his potential. He does have 13 pts (1g,12a) which is one more than last year at this point (12 pts-2g,10a), but he isnt nearly as present physically. He has been playing well enough to make the US WJ team, but lets hope they teach him a few things and he can pull a Toews and came back from the WJ and play 10 times better than he is already. And lets hope he and Chorney can give alot of advice to the rest of the D-men (Bina excepted of course) cause overall they need some work done to improve. I DO however believe he is doing more shooting on powerplays, which was the one thing i saw last year that was his problem. He would just hold it, or continue to pass it, even when he had wide open lanes. The whole season he did that. It was almost every time that he had the puck in the offensive zone on a powerplay that the crowd would start the "shoot" chants.

Miller is playing very well right now, and I think this will just skyrocket after x-mas, just like it did last year. He has such potential, and is just on the verge of breaking out to become a top line player. He has 12 points (6g,6a), including his first career hat trick, which we know is no small feat for a top line forward, so it would be even more difficult for Miller. Last year at this point he had only played in 5 games, and had no points. Needless to say he is really stepping up.

Finley, well, ive bashed him before. An easy thing to do, but remember last season he played pretty well. Not up to his supposed potential, but much better than so far this season, so it's not like he CAN'T play. We have seen him do it. He just has to do SOMETHING different...like pass well, and actually defend. but this is all stuff we have heard before on here, so i'll go on.

Oshie/Toews. Where ARE these guys? I mean, i know Toews wasn't too huge a figure last season until after x-mas, but thats because he was playing with people like Stafford, Zajac, and Spirko who were very established goal scorers on the team. Albeit, its not like he wasnt producing. He was. But right now, he just doesnt seem to be. (13 pts-4g,9a) Not nearly like he should be after his performance the second half of last season. And Oshie? The kid was a constant producer last season, and with spark. He has a few goals and assists this season (12 pts-3g,9a), but, again, WHERE IS THE OSHIE WE KNOW? (and love for that matter?) last year at this point, Toews had 11 pts (7g,4a) Oshie had 17 pts (7g,10a). As you can see, Toews' prodction at the beginning of this season is a bit better, but 4 of his 13 points came in one game, vs Quinnipiac. take away that game and he is at 9 points (1g,8a). Oshie was doing much better at this point last year.

Bina/Duncan. Only good words here. Bina is the best defenseman this year, and that is not arguable. Not only does he, as the shortest defenseman, defend closer and harder than anyone else (even after recovering from a broken neck), but he scores as well. 3 goals so far, in less than half a season, and that is more than his total before his injury. And Duncan. Wow. We knew the kid was good, as we saw last season. That top right corner seems to always stay open to this guy. I can't give you exact statistics on it, but i can garuntee you more than 50% of his goals are top right corner, and i'd say closer to 75%, if not more. And even if they arent, they are going in elsewhere. At this point last year, Duncan had 13 points (6g,7a), and right now he has 18 points (10g,8a). He is stepping up to be that lead forward needed on every team.

Porter is being bashed alot as the captain, and many people have said that he hasnt been producing. But look at this: He has 12 points (4g,8a) so far, which is the same as Oshie and Miller. At this point last year he only had 1 more point (3g,10a). So it's not like he is anywhere less than he was last year at this point, other than that one point. Production-wise he is doing well. However, personally, i can't see that he has done much motivation as the captain. Maybe he has and we just cant see it. I hope things continue for him and he gets continuously better. The Blackhawks will need it

Chorney seems to be consistent. Not flashy, but definitely a presence. I havent been paying a WHOLE lot of attention to him, so i'll just focus on his stats- 10pts (2g,8a) compared to 5pts (2g,3a) at this point last year.

There are other players i could talk about, but i'll stop here. I'm sure people will disagree with some or my comments, but they are mine, and my opinions. Remember, take tham as opinions only. Thanks

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Another weekend at home and swept again I know I will be bashed for this but oh well. Hakstol and his staff are not getting it done,no offense,poor defense-penality killing and absolutly no fire from this team what so ever. The post game interview on the radio Hakstol said he didn't know(yes that is what he said) what was wrong, the team is looking for a few breaks. Shouldn't the team be making their own breaks sometimes? This team puts almost zero pressure on the other teams defense and has to spend lots of energy defending their own end. It's easy to blame the Goalie on the losses but the defense just doesn't clear out rebounds or bodys in front of their own net,makes it tough to play goalie on this team right now. This team has way too much talent to be in 8th place in the WCHA with two games in hand.Hakstol hasn't had the best record at home since he was GIVEN the job After Blais left. In two and 1/2 seasons can anyone honestly say Hakstol has out coached anyone,hmmmm.For all of you who think I am busted up from jumping off the bandwagon it wasn't that far after the wheels came off this weekend

[Trunk Monkey]

I hope this team can just get back to the basics of sound hockey fundamentals beginning with shooting the puck on net instead of trying to set-up the perfect play. It seemed in the last few minutes of the game on Saturday, that they had the opportunity to shoot and they choose to try and set up a perfect play. GOOD THING WILL HAPPEN IF YOU PUT THE PUCK ON THE NET. It may not be pretty, but a garbage goal counts the same as a perfectly set-up play.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Speaking of basics if you can't catch a pass you shouldn't be playing at this level. Maybe Haksol should go back to basic training,passing,catching said passes(this was very bad on sat.) hitting the net while shooting etc.

[Walsh Hall]

The thing that scares me is that I haven't seen development of players under Hakstol. That said, we are not winning the offense, defense, or with goaltending battling each games. We're not scoring enough to give any margin for error. The D-men are not clearing the front of the net. In the last 4 games if the teams switch goaltenders I think the Sioux win all 4.

I'm sick of hearing how talented the offense is. We have 2 above average forwards, Oshie and Toews, one who is on his way, Miller, and one who doesn't create much but can find the back of the net when set up, Duncan. Beyond that, who can you see beating a defenseman one-on-one with a sweet move.

Say it's early all you want, but you either have moves and hockey sense or you don't. Players get stronger and more confident, but you don't learn how to shake and bake a defenseman.

I don't know what the answer is, but I am seriously concerned about the status of the team, and even more concerned for next year when Toews and Oshie are gone.