dagies Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 The fans are filing into the arena. The Fan is already sitting in her seat, soaking in the eerily calming, dimly lit bowl that shall fill with rabid college hockey fans in an hour. The pregame movie quietly plays at center ice while students file in, first in a rush, then a steady stream, busy like ants grabbing the last acceptable pieces of turf and holding on for dear life against interlopers. The Fan watches as a few of the boys on the team file out from the locker room, chat around the benches, tape sticks, file in and out. The astute Fan is sitting quietly, ignoring the buzz of activity around him, loving the quiet anticipation of a new game, and taking in the ambience. It feels almost like floating in a calm pool of water. There is noise, but it is swallowed in the cavern. It is relaxing. Life is good and little matters to the Fan, other than the Now. Nothing else is reality within the arena. As the student sections now fill close to capacity, the rest of the arena is almost strangely absent. This is a religious experience, frankly not unlike visiting a sleeping church during midweek. The Fan looks over the ice. It looks soft, belying the strenght it contains and will support for almost 3 hours. The Fan begins to daydream, the movie no longer holding her attention. Crushing hip checks, flying wingers, astounding saves mesh together in his imagination. The Fan can feel the coolness waft off the ice, breath upon her neck, and wing along to the person behind. The Fan begins to think about the gear, how they would like to strap it on, take a shift against the hated foe. The Fan imagines himself working the corner, holding the stick of the opponents best forward, hiding the obstruction between his body and the boards. She streaks down the ice, breaking open on the wing and taking a long breakout pass, sees the terror in the goalies frozen eyes and deftly moves the puck forehand to backhand and between the pads of the helpless stopper. "Excuse me, is that seat taken". The dream is shattered. A body pushes against the Fan's legs. Another fan is let by down the isle. It is 6PM. This is The Fan's life. And I am just leaving work in Mpls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Dagies: Looks like you had a productive day! Wish I were there tonight. The beer garden is sounding pretty good right now. Those of you fortunate enough to be there...cheer loudly. Go Sioux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 what are you tlakin about dagies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
If only we had Belfour Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 SIOUXROCK I am curious are you on medication, suffering from some sort of handicap, or just an idiot. Do you enjoy people thinking you are an absolute idiot? Or is there more to the story. Please let me know so I can say what I really think. If there is a physical or mental handicap involved I really don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Good Lord! It sure would be nice to get some friggin' goaltending. Also, what's up with our top line looking like they can't complete a pass? Very sloppy and ugly game. Totally disappointing. Season's going nowhere unless they do a complete 180 for tomorrow and, now, Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Missed this one, probably a good thing. Did Denver get 4 goals on 15 shots? Sounds like the Sioux combined bad goaltending with little offense; not a good combination. Looks like the Sioux and Yale were the only home teams to lose, in any conference. Best get it going, or the season may be over after this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleed Green Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Everybody . . . I have been going to Sioux home hockey games for about 20 years now . . . and tonight was by far the ugliest display by a Sioux team I have witnessed. I have no idea . . . no clue what-so-ever . . . of what team I just watched lose . . . because previous Sioux teams (even last year) . . . played with more emotion . . . more cohesiveness . . . more poise . . . then this team played with tonight. This is unacceptable. Listening to Blais after the game . . . just the tone of his voice . . . I think this team is in serious trouble with no solution in sight. I cannot believe that I am typing these words . . . about a Sioux hockey team . . . from the coaches on down I think this team has given up . . . and people . . . that is sad. Unacceptable . . . period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oly1sioux Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Bleed Green you are scaring me did they look that BAD ? Do they have any chance of wining TWO in a row? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 I watched the game at Sensers in Bloomington. Ended up sitting with Matt Smaby and his dad. Really nice family. Despite the shot totals, I thought the Sioux had pretty good jump in the first, as did Denver. Then the floater from the blue line kind of took the Sioux down a notch. Through the whole game, I couldn't believe how tightly Denver checked the Sioux. You can question the legality of it if you want, but the fact is that it was highly effective. Whenever a Sioux player was near the puck or a passing lane in the offensive zone, there was a Denver player there, checking and holding with liberal stickwork. I'm not complaining about the officiating, just noting how stifling Denver was. For that, I can't blame the Sioux; that is a credit to Denver. I also felt like the Sioux were trying - it didn't seem like a lack of effort. And defensively UND played a very solid game until the couple breakdowns late in the third that ended up in the net. However, for offensive execution and puck movement, UND was terrible. The times a player was able to make a decent pass, the receiver couldn't catch it. The few times UND seemed to have an edge entering the zone, they ended up misfiring on a pass or getting it picked off by Denver. And Denver blocked quite a few shots. As the third period wound down, the Sioux just seemed thoroughly un-dangerous. They just could not get the puck to the net. This was not one of the games like so many in the last month where the opposing goalie stood on his head and stole the game. It was pretty evenly played, in that neither team had many scoring opportunities. Ranfranz let in the softie at the start, and in such a tight-checking game, that was probably the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleed Green Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 oly1 . . . Yes . . . they did look that bad . . . maybe even worse. Do they have a chance of winning two in a row? If the answer lies in how they played tonight . . . no. If the answer lies in how they responded to losing (stupid penalties, undisciplined play) . . . no. If the answer lies in how down Blais sounded on the radio (not mad surprisingly . . . but very down on the team as a whole) . . . no. Let's face it . . . this team is on the ropes. Only how they respond tomorrow in the first five minutes of period one will tell if they have the desire to win . . . other wise it will be 1 . . . .2 . . . . .3 . . . . .. 4 . . . . .. .... 5 . . . ... 6 . .. . . . you get the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farce poobah Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Reactions from another in-person fan: First, I thought the ice was horrible. Did anyone hear any comments? or was that my imagination ... good heavens, we missed a lot of passes that would normally get taken. Second, I thought about 6-7 guys had good strong games. About 10-11 were invisible or just plain bad. Decent games (as if I'm an expert): Parise, Notermann. Schneider was generally good ... Lee Marvin made some good hustling plays. Brandt was fine in relief of Ranfranz, with a couple very good stops and nothing soft that went in. Spiewak did some good PK work, with Jason. Weak: Somebody put novocaine inside Bochenski's gloves ... his good hands were MIA tonight... maybe the ice is an excuse, maybe not. He fumbled a bunch... Ryan Hale looked out of place at times, but he gets cut some slack playing a new position. McMahon, except for a few good bodychecks in the 3rd. Ranfranz. Genoway. What to do different? First and foremost, keep moving your feet. When the Sioux drew 3 DU penalties in the second period, it was because they were fighting thru the maze of sticks ... and forcing the calls. Stop skating, like we did at times, and it becomes all too easy for DU. Second, improve the ice. At a minimum, drop the temp. inside the REA to like 65 or maybe even 60 degrees. [maybe freeze the pucks harder too]. Third, start Brandt in goal. Fourth, use at least one defenseman on the PP ... the forwards continue having a devil of a time starting behind our own net ... Fifth, ignore everything I say and listen to what the coaches say. ============================================= Like the earlier writer, I am depressed. As a fan, I can accept losing, especially when the other team plays a solid game. But I have a hard time when we don't show heart, when we're not ready, and that's how I would assess tonight. It's been a rare feeling these past 8 years of the Dean Blais era, but we really REALLY deserved to lose tonight. And if we don't play with some heart tomorrow, I'd rather have the season end. If there's any good news in this? its that pairwise still has UND #11. But DU is up to #13.... and probably passes us if they win the series. Come on Sioux. Let's PLAY HOCKEY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oly1sioux Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Well hay it`s 12:15 am and this SIOUX FAN IS GOING TO GET SOME Sleep. I will feel good if the good guys can win one saturday. denver will have to play 3 games at the ralph in a row gotta feel good I think GO SIOUX DAMM I LOVE SIOUX HOCKEY DON`T LET THIS END THIS WEEKEND Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 First, I thought the ice was horrible. Did anyone hear any comments? or was that my imagination ... good heavens, we missed a lot of passes that would normally get taken. The ice was horrible. Ryan Hale and George Gwozdecky commented about it after the game. Gwozdecky went so far as to say that when Denver went ahead, the bad ice worked to their advantage. I think he's right. Also, the Sioux noramlly do use one defenseman on the power play. Schneider usually plays on the first unit and Fuher normally plays on the second unit. My comment: What's happened to this team in the third period? I thought that after the Sioux played a good, hard second period, they'd come out with even more intensity in the third. But I saw little fire or desire to win. That was something this team had in spades the first half of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Unfortunately, due to "client development" I wasn't able to see/listen to the game. However, if the recaps are even 1/2 true, this team is not yet ready for primetime, the NC$$ tourney and possibly D1 hockey. Sounds like Denver showed up to play and the Sioux ... were looking for prime seating to see a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soSIOUXme Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Second, improve the ice. At a minimum, drop the temp. inside the REA to like 65 or maybe even 60 degrees. [maybe freeze the pucks harder too]. As a sioux fan/season ticket holder I will chime in on this one. I don't care how cold it has to be in the arena. Whatever it takes! Fix the ice. Real fans are willing to give up a little comfort if it will help out the team. If they bitch throw em a blankie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverman Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 The ice excuse?Please.DU had no problems on the same rink. PP and Net minders are not helping. FP,I have to agree what happened to Bo's hands? Also a DQ at the end of the game?If you are going to take a DQ take it in a fight. Blaiser was not very happy on the radio! Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soSIOUXme Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 The ice excuse? Not using it as an excuse for the loss. The reasons for losing are many and have been covered already. However, there is no reason IMO that the ice shouldn't be as good as possible if that means lowering the temp. in the building so be it. Every little thing that can be done to give the team an edge on home ice should be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatspin7 Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 I think the Ice Excuse is BS... Both teams have to play on the same crappy ice. Some how I tned (sorry I had a siouxrock moment) to believe that there is something else there, not just the ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 You pick the winner from the following ingredients: bad ice tight checking Sioux goaltending Denver goaltending Just combining all the comments, didn't see or hear the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 I think the Ice Excuse is BS... I'm not using the ice as an excuse because, obviously, both teams had to play on it. The difference was that Denver got two soft early goals and after that, the ice worked in favor of the defense and against the offense. In that respect, I think Gwozdecky was correct. If the Sioux can get a two-goal lead tonight, it should work in their favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 hope the sioux can get a win tontie or they are done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyeagle Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 hope the sioux can get a win tontie or they are done Ya think? Glad to see most Sioux fans discount the ice arguement. I couldn't imagine the comments by Sioux fans on POI if someone there had made a similar comment. Good luck tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmidtdoggydog Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 I do not know if the ice was decent are not, but I am certain that the starting goaltending was horrible. Two very soft goals on five shots - come on, it is playoff time. I don't mean to criticize, but I just don't understand why Brandt isn't starting. He did finish second in the WCHA in GAA so he must be capable of getting the job done and I thought he played quite well in relief last night. I realize there is a MR bias on this board, but after being in Mankato and watching the Mavs score 5 goals on 21 shots, and then watching a shaky Friday performance at Wisco and then watching last night as Denver scored perhaps the weakest and softest goal (their first) we have seen at the REA this season, it seems time to give the starting role back to JB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driscol Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 I agree with you 100%!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lebron Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 SnoopDoggyDog - I must say I agree with you. I was one of the fans saying MR should get a chance, especially after seeing him play against CC at home. However, the last two weekends have not been stellar. Friday night at Wisconsin he had some bad bounces and Saturday night Wisco looked so bad I could have thrown a shutout at them. I didn't see Saturday at Mankato but heard it wasn't good. Last night....very ugly. The first goal brought back flashbacks of last years Hall of Fame game against the goofers, with the 75 footer. I also thought Brandt looked pretty good last night. I say stick with him and take our chances. I've been a fan of Prpich all year, but what the was he thinking last night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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