From a Gopher fan to the Sioux fans...

[cujo2]

I would like to say good luck the rest of the season. I know things look bleak and your squad has been up & down this year. Keep the faith. As the old cliche says "it is a marathon not a sprint".

Next weekend vs Tech should do wonders for the team's cofidnece. Then off to a holiday tourney before the 2nd half of the WCHA season. Really all UND needs to do is keep improving in every practice and every shift. Get home ice in the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, then off to the Final 5 and how knows what will happen from there.

Point is don't jump off the ledge yet and good luck the rest of the way

[Sioux-cia]

Point is don't jump off the ledge yet and good luck the rest of the way

Thanks, cujo2.

[luapsided]

Amen. Sports are rough sometimes

[siouxforeverbaby]

I would like to say good luck the rest of the season. I know things look bleak and your squad has been up & down this year. Keep the faith. As the old cliche says "it is a marathon not a sprint".

Next weekend vs Tech should do wonders for the team's cofidnece. Then off to a holiday tourney before the 2nd half of the WCHA season. Really all UND needs to do is keep improving in every practice and every shift. Get home ice in the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, then off to the Final 5 and how knows what will happen from there.

Point is don't jump off the ledge yet and good luck the rest of the way

Thanks buddy, it is people like you who restore my faith in college hockey fans, and that includes all teams including ours.

[luapsided]

Thanks buddy, it is people like you who restore my faith in college hockey fans, and that includes all teams including ours.

I partied with some badger fans at the bars this weekend. Nothing but a good time. Their responses were the same. Many were like you guys are pretty alright! Granted at game time, sitting in the ralph, I tend not to like them as much Specially the loud ones!

[cujo2]

Thanks buddy, it is people like you who restore my faith in college hockey fans, and that includes all teams including ours.

I am glad to hear you say that. Win, Lose, or Draw the fact is it is still just a game. I am always disappointed when I hear "horror" stories on how one team's fanc act after a Win or a Loss.

[Sioux]

very classy of you, cujo2. i wish i could say the same about this crowd, myself included.

[redwing77]

I am glad to hear you say that. Win, Lose, or Draw the fact is it is still just a game. I am always disappointed when I hear "horror" stories on how one team's fanc act after a Win or a Loss.

Yeah, it's always a sad story to see those horror stories (or horror postings) on sites.

Thanks for being such a classy fan.

[cujo2]

Yeah, it's always a sad story to see those horror stories (or horror postings) on sites.

Thanks for being such a classy fan.

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I am going to try and stay active here. I always have been a little biased towards the Gophers but still remain objective in my view point. Also, I think I might join in the other conversations regarding the Sioux hockey team/program...

[siouxforeverbaby]

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I am going to try and stay active here. I always have been a little biased towards the Gophers but still remain objective in my view point. Also, I think I might join in the other conversations regarding the Sioux hockey team/program...

a little biased is always good It is good to have varying opinions.

[Sioux-Hockey-Fan]

Thanks for the kind words. I wish I could keep my hopes up higher right now.

Come on Sioux.......its not the name on the back of the jersey, its the logo on the FRONT!!!!!

TEAM TEAM TEAM

[Fetch]

I think you Love every minute of our Misery & if we don't win another game except a sweep @ the Gopher hole then I'll still be Happy & you can come back & we will feel your pain

[sioux rube]

I would like to say good luck the rest of the season. I know things look bleak and your squad has been up & down this year. Keep the faith. As the old cliche says "it is a marathon not a sprint".

Next weekend vs Tech should do wonders for the team's cofidnece. Then off to a holiday tourney before the 2nd half of the WCHA season. Really all UND needs to do is keep improving in every practice and every shift. Get home ice in the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, then off to the Final 5 and how knows what will happen from there.

Point is don't jump off the ledge yet and good luck the rest of the way

Class act 'cujo2'.Tought to keep the head up at this time but our time of the year is coming up.

[Greybeard]

Every year for the last how many years, the Sioux have stumbled early, gotten it together after Christmas, and gone on to do well in the post-season. They always have a good team, often great, and NEVER bad. This year is no exception. The coaches will sort through what looks like ruins now, reshape the pieces, kick some butt, and the Sioux will be in the very thick of things in March.

Don't be putting down the players or the coaches, they've done it every year in the past, they'll do it this year. They didn't get stupid just because the calendar turned over a page.

Gopher and Sioux fan in Gopherland.

[buckysieve]

Every year for the last how many years, the Sioux have stumbled early, gotten it together after Christmas, and gone on to do well in the post-season. They always have a good team, often great, and NEVER bad. This year is no exception. The coaches will sort through what looks like ruins now, reshape the pieces, kick some butt, and the Sioux will be in the very thick of things in March.

This years team though isn't nearly as talented up front or in the net as last years team. Last year the Sioux had two great lines because of six very good forwards. Stafford, Zajac, Spirko, Oshie, Toews, and Duncan. This year that number has been cut in half with Oshie, Toews, and Duncan being the only forwards on the roster who you would consider to be "very good." And of course the goaltending isn't nearly as strong this year as last.

You can't lose the talent the Sioux lost from last years team and follow it up with one of the worst recruiting classes the program has had in a number of years and expect to be as good(that's more of a compliment to past classes rather than a shot at this one). I'm sorry but this Sioux team isn't nearly as talented as the last two teams who also started slowly but ended up making the Frozen Four. Are they better than how they're playing now? Yes. Are they as good as the last two teams who managed to turn things around? No way.

[State Of Hockey]

The Sioux have arguably the 2 best forwards in college hockey (Hensick and Okposo aern't bad either), along with some extrememly talented young defensemen. Goaltending is always going to be streaky at some point during the season for every team. Anyone out there convinced that the Sioux will not make the Final 5 and the national tourney, I will bet any amount of money you want.

[sagard]

The Gophs were 7-8-1 back in '03-'04 and finished with a #1 seed. Anyone who wants to dismiss the Sioux or UW at this point is foolish.

[AZSIOUX]

The Gophs were 7-8-1 back in '03-'04 and finished with a #1 seed. Anyone who wants to dismiss the Sioux or UW at this point is foolish.

yeah you damn fools

go siouxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[PCM]

This years team though isn't nearly as talented up front or in the net as last years team. Last year the Sioux had two great lines because of six very good forwards. Stafford, Zajac, Spirko, Oshie, Toews, and Duncan. This year that number has been cut in half with Oshie, Toews, and Duncan being the only forwards on the roster who you would consider to be "very good." And of course the goaltending isn't nearly as strong this year as last.

You can't lose the talent the Sioux lost from last years team and follow it up with one of the worst recruiting classes the program has had in a number of years and expect to be as good(that's more of a compliment to past classes rather than a shot at this one). I'm sorry but this Sioux team isn't nearly as talented as the last two teams who also started slowly but ended up making the Frozen Four. Are they better than how they're playing now? Yes. Are they as good as the last two teams who managed to turn things around? No way.

I love it when buckysieve comes here and pretends to be the world's foremost expert on UND hockey. As usual, your memory is quite selective, bucky.

Last year's Sioux team got off to a very slow start offensively. Stafford, Zajac and Spirko, who displayed such great chemistry the previous season, were split up because they weren't producing. Toews didn't play up to his potential until returning from the World Juniors. Spirko was bothered by an injury for most of the season. Duncan showed flashes of brilliance, but didn't start lighting it up until later in the season when he was paired with Toews and Stafford. The Spirko-Zajac-Oshie line didn't begin to click until later in the season.

Last year's team, for all the talent you can see in hindsight, was not that productive for the first half of the season. In fact, that Sioux team that went to the Frozen Four didn't really start to come together until late January.

We know that this year's team has three proven scorers in Oshie, Toews and Duncan. Brad Miller has has shown that he can generate offense and was a real bright spot in the Wisconsin series. Chirs Porter has shown that he's capable of providing offense. Will the real Andrew Kozek, the one that Hakstol says is a pure goal scorer, show up? I keeping hoping that he will.

For the freshman, Chay Genoway shows great potential, and I think is more valuable right now as a forward than a defenseman. I suspect that after the World Juniors, he'll be a regular at forward. Could he be this season's Duncan? Possibly. I see signs that Chris VandeVelde is starting to become an offensive force. He looks better every time I see him play. Darcy Zajac has shown that he can score goals, too. Heck, he's only one goal behind where Travis was a year ago at this time and he's played fewer games. There's also still time for Michael Forney to emerge and be a contributor offensively.

For forwards, I don't think this team is that far away from being able to accomplish what last year's team did offensively. All it will take is two or three players to elevate their games the second half of the season, which is exactly what occurred during Hakstol's first two seasons. I think there are several forwards on the roster with the talent and potential to do that. Will they? Who knows? All I know is that it's way too early to write off the Sioux team and proclaim this freshman class a washout. That's just bunk.

Defensively, there's no question that the team needs to be better, but I see no reason why it can't be accomplished. The first half of Matt Smaby's sophomore season, many people were ready to throw him under the bus. By the end of that season, he was playing as well as any defenseman on the team. It could be the same for Joe Finley. I don't think we have seen Brian Lee's true offensive potential. I believe that Kyle Radke has the tools to contribute more offensively, too. There's no question that the D-corps can play better, but that doesn't mean that it can't or won't. The talent and potential are there.

And let's not forget that one reason the 04-05 Sioux team went as far as it did in the post-season was because Jordan Parise got hot. It wasn't until late in the season that he became the clear favorite over Lamoureux. I'm not saying that the Sioux can count on one one of their goalies getting hot late in the season, but stranger things have happened.

I also think that Lamoureux is a better goalie than most are giving him credit for. Many of the goals scored against have been the result of errors he didn't make. Has he let in some weak ones? Yes, but show me a goalie who doesn't.

And one more thing, bucksieve. How many very good forwards would you say the 04-05 Sioux team had? That team had just one line that was truly dominant offensively: Spirko, Zajac and Stafford. There was another line that had a great deal to do with the team's post-season success that came together late and was comprised of players that some had written off. That was the Canady, Massen and Fabian line. So it is possible for players who don't appear to be that talented or that skilled early in the season to make a significant impact later in the season.

You problem, bs, is that you look at where this team now and assume that it will never get any better. Based on what's happened during Hakstol's first two seasons, that is not a safe assumption.

[luapsided]

I love it when buckysieve comes here and pretends to be the world's foremost expert on UND hockey. As usual, your memory is quite selective, bucky.

Last year's Sioux team got off to a very slow start offensively. Stafford, Zajac and Spirko, who displayed such great chemistry the previous season, were split up because they weren't producing. Toews didn't play up to his potential until returning from the World Juniors. Spirko was bothered by an injury for most of the season. Duncan showed flashes of brilliance, but didn't start lighting it up until later in the season when he was paired with Toews and Stafford. The Spirko-Zajac-Oshie line didn't begin to click until later in the season.

Last year's team, for all the talent you can see in hindsight, was not that productive for the first half of the season. In fact, that Sioux team that went to the Frozen Four didn't really start to come together until late January.

We know that this year's team has three proven scorers in Oshie, Toews and Duncan. Brad Miller has has shown that he can generate offense and was a real bright spot in the Wisconsin series. Chirs Porter has shown that he's capable of providing offense. Will the real Andrew Kozek, the one that Hakstol says is a pure goal scorer, show up? I keeping hoping that he will.

For the freshman, Chay Genoway shows great potential, and I think is more valuable right now as a forward than a defenseman. I suspect that after the World Juniors, he'll be a regular at forward. Could he be this season's Duncan? Possibly. I see signs that Chris VandeVelde is starting to become an offensive force. He looks better every time I see him play. Darcy Zajac has shown that he can score goals, too. Heck, he's only one goal behind where Travis was a year ago at this time and he's played fewer games. There's also still time for Michael Forney to emerge and be a contributor offensively.

For forwards, I don't think this team is that far away from being able to accomplish what last year's team did offensively. All it will take is two or three players to elevate their games the second half of the season, which is exactly what occurred during Hakstol's first two seasons. I think there are several forwards on the roster with the talent and potential to do that. Will they? Who knows? All I know is that it's way too early to write off the Sioux team and proclaim this freshman class a washout. That's just bunk.

Defensively, there's no question that the team needs to be better, but I see no reason why it can't be accomplished. The first half of Matt Smaby's sophomore season, many people were ready to throw him under the bus. By the end of that season, he was playing as well as any defenseman on the team. It could be the same for Joe Finley. I don't think we have seen Brian Lee's true offensive potential. I believe that Kyle Radke has the tools to contribute more offensively, too. There's no question that the D-corps can play better, but that doesn't mean that it can't or won't. The talent and potential are there.

And let's not forget that one reason the 04-05 Sioux team went as far as it did in the post-season was because Jordan Parise got hot. It wasn't until late in the season that he became the clear favorite over Lamoureux. I'm not saying that the Sioux can count on one one of their goalies getting hot late in the season, but stranger things have happened.

I also think that Lamoureux is a better goalie than most are giving him credit for. Many of the goals scored against have been the result of errors he didn't make. Has he let in some weak ones? Yes, but show me a goalie who doesn't.

And one more thing, bucksieve. How many very good forwards would you say the 04-05 Sioux team had? That team had just one line that was truly dominant offensively: Spirko, Zajac and Stafford. There was another line that had a great deal to do with the team's post-season success that came together late and was comprised of players that some had written off. That was the Canady, Massen and Fabian line. So it is possible for players who don't appear to be that talented or that skilled early in the season to make a significant impact later in the season.

You problem, bs, is that you look at where this team now and assume that it will never get any better. Based on what's happened during Hakstol's first two seasons, that is not a safe assumption.

Wow Im saying this alot! AMEN!

[buckysieve]

I love it when buckysieve comes here and pretends to be the world's foremost expert on UND hockey. As usual, your memory is quite selective, bucky.

Last year's Sioux team got off to a very slow start offensively. Stafford, Zajac and Spirko, who displayed such great chemistry the previous season, were split up because they weren't producing. Toews didn't play up to his potential until returning from the World Juniors. Spirko was bothered by an injury for most of the season. Duncan showed flashes of brilliance, but didn't start lighting it up until later in the season when he was paired with Toews and Stafford. The Spirko-Zajac-Oshie line didn't begin to click until later in the season.

Last year's team, for all the talent you can see in hindsight, was not that productive for the first half of the season. In fact, that Sioux team that went to the Frozen Four didn't really start to come together until late January.

We know that this year's team has three proven scorers in Oshie, Toews and Duncan. Brad Miller has has shown that he can generate offense and was a real bright spot in the Wisconsin series. Chirs Porter has shown that he's capable of providing offense. Will the real Andrew Kozek, the one that Hakstol says is a pure goal scorer, show up? I keeping hoping that he will.

For the freshman, Chay Genoway shows great potential, and I think is more valuable right now as a forward than a defenseman. I suspect that after the World Juniors, he'll be a regular at forward. Could he be this season's Duncan? Possibly. I see signs that Chris VandeVelde is starting to become an offensive force. He looks better every time I see him play. Darcy Zajac has shown that he can score goals, too. Heck, he's only one goal behind where Travis was a year ago at this time and he's played fewer games. There's also still time for Michael Forney to emerge and be a contributor offensively.

For forwards, I don't think this team is that far away from being able to accomplish what last year's team did offensively. All it will take is two or three players to elevate their games the second half of the season, which is exactly what occurred during Hakstol's first two seasons. I think there are several forwards on the roster with the talent and potential to do that. Will they? Who knows? All I know is that it's way too early to write off the Sioux team and proclaim this freshman class a washout. That's just bunk.

Defensively, there's no question that the team needs to be better, but I see no reason why it can't be accomplished. The first half of Matt Smaby's sophomore season, many people were ready to throw him under the bus. By the end of that season, he was playing as well as any defenseman on the team. It could be the same for Joe Finley. I don't think we have seen Brian Lee's true offensive potential. I believe that Kyle Radke has the tools to contribute more offensively, too. There's no question that the D-corps can play better, but that doesn't mean that it can't or won't. The talent and potential are there.

And let's not forget that one reason the 04-05 Sioux team went as far as it did in the post-season was because Jordan Parise got hot. It wasn't until late in the season that he became the clear favorite over Lamoureux. I'm not saying that the Sioux can count on one one of their goalies getting hot late in the season, but stranger things have happened.

I also think that Lamoureux is a better goalie than most are giving him credit for. Many of the goals scored against have been the result of errors he didn't make. Has he let in some weak ones? Yes, but show me a goalie who doesn't.

And one more thing, bucksieve. How many very good forwards would you say the 04-05 Sioux team had? That team had just one line that was truly dominant offensively: Spirko, Zajac and Stafford. There was another line that had a great deal to do with the team's post-season success that came together late and was comprised of players that some had written off. That was the Canady, Massen and Fabian line. So it is possible for players who don't appear to be that talented or that skilled early in the season to make significant impact later in the season.

You problem, bs, is that you look at where this team now and assume that it will never get any better. Based on what's happened during Hakstol's first two seasons, that is not a safe assumption.

I'm positive the Sioux will start to play better, make the final five, and probably the NCAA tourney. I'm also positive that this years team isn't as good as Hakstol's first two teams. That's all I'm saying. Oshie and Toews will get hot eventually and Lamoureux should start playing the way we thought he would coming into the season. But if you take an objective look at this roster compared to last season's you can see that it's not nearly as deep with good forwards. That will make the turnaround tougher this time IMO.

[PCM]

I'm positive the Sioux will start to play better, make the final five, and probably the NCAA tourney. I'm also positive that this years team isn't as good as Hakstol's first two teams. That's all I'm saying.

You can be as positive as you want. That doesn't make it so.

I'm positive the 97-98, 98-99 and 03-04 Sioux teams were better than the 96-97 and 99-00 Sioux teams. But which teams won national championships?

But if you take an objective look at this roster compared to last season's you can see that it's not nearly as deep with good forwards. That will make the turnaround tougher this time IMO.

Using 20/20 hindsight, anyone could make that statement and pretend they're a genius.

[Goon]

I love it when buckysieve comes here and pretends to be the world's foremost expert on UND hockey. As usual, your memory is quite selective, bucky.

I also think that Lamoureux is a better goalie than most are giving him credit for. Many of the goals scored against have been the result of errors he didn't make. Has he let in some weak ones? Yes, but show me a goalie who doesn't.

First that is funny how the Sieve comes in here to try to cheer us up. What is going to happen the Gophers finally come crashing back down to earth and Briggs remembers he is not a playoff goalie and Frazee wigs out and teams expose the Gophers defense. SCSU did give us a glimsp a few weeks back.

On to Phil; so are you suggesting we suffer through another year of telling Phil its not his fault? PCM your a better hockey mind than this. Seriously, I hope the coaches are combing the BCHL and the other Junior leagues looking for a goalie that can actually play and make saves at 90%. Just think of the Goalies recruits we lost or passed up this past season, we were telling them we are set at goalie. While they are making saves at other programs we are losing games on ticky tacky bag goals that Jordy used to save.

Like I said earlier we should have stud goaltenders lined up to play for UND. I heard a rumor a few years back that UND snubbed Nate Lawson., apparently he wanted to play for UND and we didn't want him. Hum, he wouldn't look too bad in a Sioux uniform right now.

Lets use the comparison, UND hockey is kind of like FSU and Florida football, so when they need a new quarterback they fill the void with another star. It should be the same at UND for players including goaltenders.

This season is more frustrating than the past two, because I see no hope for us turning it around. Goaltending and defense win championships.

[siouxpuckster]

we have two thing going for us over the next two and a half months:

1. a very favorable schedule, especially home schedule(on paper anyway)

2. we don't play an all-maerica goaltender until the first weekend in march(goepfert)

let's stay positive and get things rolling this Friday with a nice solid win.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

You can be as positive as you want. That doesn't make it so.

I'm positive the 97-98, 98-99 and 03-04 Sioux teams were better than the 96-97 and 99-00 Sioux teams. But which teams won national championships?

Using 20/20 hindsight, anyone could make that statement and pretend they're a genius.

This is coming from the same individual who mocked my prediction of Duncan being a 20 goal scorer this season. Nothwithstanding, his "I'm Positive"s are a lot easier to stomach than his "What Ifs".