The Denver Post is reporting Jesse Martin is stable in Minneapolis and will undergo a series of tests to determine whether or not he will need surgery.
I'm rooting for the young man and hope he can bounce back from this.
October 31, 2010
Jesse Martin to have emergency surgery
Just got the word from Mike Chambers that Jesse Martin is having emergency surgery in Grand Forks. He's apparently got three fractures in his neck and the surgery is to remove some swelling in his spinal cord.
This is a damn shame. I wish Jesse the best in his recovery. I never ever want to see a guy get hurt and it's a shame this happened. Here's hoping to a speedy recovery.
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16484927
Edit: turns out he's heading to Minneapolis. That's probably a better thing.
This is a damn shame. I wish Jesse the best in his recovery. I never ever want to see a guy get hurt and it's a shame this happened. Here's hoping to a speedy recovery.
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16484927
Edit: turns out he's heading to Minneapolis. That's probably a better thing.
Sioux fall to DU, Pony gets tossed
The Sioux fell last night to Denver, 3-0. Denver was benefitted from another brilliant goaltending performance from Sam Brittain, who saved all 33 shots he faced. Gregoire, Kristo, Hextall, and the rest could not figure out a way to solve Brittain, who was great all weekend. DU may have found its goalie, regardless if Murray comes back soon and healthy.
The bigger story was the 5 minute major penalty called on Brad Malone. In the 2nd period, Jesse Martin was carrying the puck when Pony stepped up and delivered what appeared to be a clean check with his shoulder. Initially, no call was made, but as Martin was laying on the ice, possibly unconscious, the refs decided to give Malone a 5 minute major and the gate for charging with intent to injure. On USCHO immediate comparisons were being made to Aaron Marvin and Chay Genoway, saying Pony had intent to injure and should be banned from hockey. This couldn't be further from the truth.
The video shows Martin carrying the puck and Pony stepping up and hitting him. Pony led with his shoulder, never left his feet, didn't line up Martin. He checked Martin. I don't see any charging motion. From what I can tell, he did hit Martin in the head. Can't say whether this was intent to injure or not. No matter what I say about this situation, I will be a hypocrite for not calling out Pony for this like I called out Aaron Marvin, but it's two very different situations.
- Pony didn't line up Martin like Marvin lined up Genoway. A source at the game told me from what he saw, Malone didn't have a bead on Jesse Martin. Granted, this was a Sioux fan...but still.
- The Marvin hit on Genoway knocked out the best Sioux player for nearly his entire season, jeopardized his career, and possibly the rest of his life. Martin is fine, he's moving around, is alert, and will likely be with the team next weekend. The hits are not even close in comparison
Marvin was also not ejected from that game. In fact, it took until the end of the period to even give him a penalty.
Had Martin not been injured, this is a non-issue. Instead, the debate will rage on: is Pony the Sioux's Aaron Marvin?
The bigger story was the 5 minute major penalty called on Brad Malone. In the 2nd period, Jesse Martin was carrying the puck when Pony stepped up and delivered what appeared to be a clean check with his shoulder. Initially, no call was made, but as Martin was laying on the ice, possibly unconscious, the refs decided to give Malone a 5 minute major and the gate for charging with intent to injure. On USCHO immediate comparisons were being made to Aaron Marvin and Chay Genoway, saying Pony had intent to injure and should be banned from hockey. This couldn't be further from the truth.
The video shows Martin carrying the puck and Pony stepping up and hitting him. Pony led with his shoulder, never left his feet, didn't line up Martin. He checked Martin. I don't see any charging motion. From what I can tell, he did hit Martin in the head. Can't say whether this was intent to injure or not. No matter what I say about this situation, I will be a hypocrite for not calling out Pony for this like I called out Aaron Marvin, but it's two very different situations.
- Pony didn't line up Martin like Marvin lined up Genoway. A source at the game told me from what he saw, Malone didn't have a bead on Jesse Martin. Granted, this was a Sioux fan...but still.
- The Marvin hit on Genoway knocked out the best Sioux player for nearly his entire season, jeopardized his career, and possibly the rest of his life. Martin is fine, he's moving around, is alert, and will likely be with the team next weekend. The hits are not even close in comparison
Marvin was also not ejected from that game. In fact, it took until the end of the period to even give him a penalty.
Had Martin not been injured, this is a non-issue. Instead, the debate will rage on: is Pony the Sioux's Aaron Marvin?
October 30, 2010
A solid win
Very proud of the Sioux last night. They did exactly what they needed to do: beat a decent Denver team. The scoring was spread around; Dillon Simpson netted his first collegiate goal, Mike Cichy got his first of the season, and Corban Knight scored two. The Sioux limited Denver's chances; basically any decent chance Denver got, they capitalized on. Gregoire was buzzing all over the ice last night, as was Hextall. The Sioux stayed out of the box; in fact, there were no penalties in the first period at all. Both teams played a decent hockey game. The term I use for a game like last night is "smart".
What is still frustrating for me as a Sioux fan is the lapses in defense and the spotty goaltending. Dell didn't exactly establish himself as the clear starter last night. I'm confident Eidsness will get the start tonight and a shutout or a 1 goal performance will cement him in place. But this weak goaltending cannot continue. The Sioux cannot have that later in the season.
Here's the Sioux goals from last night.
In other news around the WCHA...
- Bemidji fell to Duluth in overtime, 3-2. Is it just me or does Duluth shine in extra hockey?
- Mankato beat UAA 3-2 in Anchorage.
- Minnesota beat CC 4-1 in the Springs. I'll be attending the game tonight and taunting tDon
- 'Sconni scored 3 in the 3rd period to beat Tech 5-2 and bring them back down to earth a bit.
- St. Cloud fell to Quinnipiac 4-2. The Bobcats scored 3 in the 3rd.
And around college hockey...
- BU fell Mass-Lowell 5-1. Parker's squad looking surprisingly strong this year
- BC raised their championship banner and followed it up with a win, 3-2 over Merrimack
- Alaska beat Bowling Green 4-1
- Northern Michigan beat tOSU 2-1 in Marquette
- Michigan and Ferris skated to a 2-2 tie. Michigan has yet to establish itself as the powerhouse we thought it would be this year
- Sparty and Alabama-Huntsville sister-kissed at 4 apiece
Looking for a more physical game tonight out of DU. the question is, will the Sioux still play a smart game?
What is still frustrating for me as a Sioux fan is the lapses in defense and the spotty goaltending. Dell didn't exactly establish himself as the clear starter last night. I'm confident Eidsness will get the start tonight and a shutout or a 1 goal performance will cement him in place. But this weak goaltending cannot continue. The Sioux cannot have that later in the season.
Here's the Sioux goals from last night.
In other news around the WCHA...
- Bemidji fell to Duluth in overtime, 3-2. Is it just me or does Duluth shine in extra hockey?
- Mankato beat UAA 3-2 in Anchorage.
- Minnesota beat CC 4-1 in the Springs. I'll be attending the game tonight and taunting tDon
- 'Sconni scored 3 in the 3rd period to beat Tech 5-2 and bring them back down to earth a bit.
- St. Cloud fell to Quinnipiac 4-2. The Bobcats scored 3 in the 3rd.
And around college hockey...
- BU fell Mass-Lowell 5-1. Parker's squad looking surprisingly strong this year
- BC raised their championship banner and followed it up with a win, 3-2 over Merrimack
- Alaska beat Bowling Green 4-1
- Northern Michigan beat tOSU 2-1 in Marquette
- Michigan and Ferris skated to a 2-2 tie. Michigan has yet to establish itself as the powerhouse we thought it would be this year
- Sparty and Alabama-Huntsville sister-kissed at 4 apiece
Looking for a more physical game tonight out of DU. the question is, will the Sioux still play a smart game?
October 29, 2010
Friday Notes
Alright, the time has come. UND is facing its biggest rival in Denver at the Ralph, which is certainly going to be a joy for both the fans and the players, being that North Dakota has spent the last three weekends on the road. There's some things to look for this weekend:
- DU is starting freshman goalie Sam Brittain. This will be a huge test for him, facing the potent Sioux offense in a very hostile environment
- DU has been bitten by the injury bug early this season. Paul Phillips actually had a nosebleed that had to be cauterized. I have seen a family member have this happen to them, so I know what he's going through. Sophomore goalie Adam Murray is out for this series as well with a groin injury, junior Dustin Jackson has mono, and freshman Nick Shore is out with a wrist injury.
- Will Hextall get under DU's skin? Brett Hextall is an agitator, nearly on par with Claude Lemieux or Matthew Barnaby. He has been known to get under DU's skin quite a bit, and this is very well shown in a video two years ago. The Sioux were beating down DU and Hextall caused a DU player to slash him, giving the Sioux a 5x3 advantage.
- What will UND's goalie situation be? Eids, we know he's good, but he's not playing well. Dell has been good, but has gotten shelled too. Neither Sioux goalie seems up to the task right now, and against Denver, they will have to be. It'll be interesting to see who starts on which nights. Both goalies need to have a big game, and this would be a superb weekend to do so.
- Kristo. He needs to get going. He's been quiet so far and his name really hasn't been called at all this year. Time for him to show up and play. He played well against DU last year and I expect the same this weekend.
- The Sioux MUST keep it together mentally. Denver, as I mentioned, is North Dakota's biggest rival right now, and these two teams do not like each other. We saw what happened last weekend when the Sioux spent half the games in the box. They have to keep their heads about themselves. No retaliation penalties. No stupid crap that will force the officials hands. The WCHA is more inclined to let things go; it doesn't give the Sioux an excuse to play stupid hockey. DU will be coming at them guns blazing. Let them take the penalties. The Sioux have an excellent powerplay; it would be nice to see it showcased some.
Playing your biggest rival can be very taxing. The Sioux know they are under pressure to perform. They have the tools to succeed and the coaching staff believes in them. It's time for the players to start believing in themselves. They are definitely a hot and cold team this year thus far. And I know everyone will use the 2nd half argument, but we've also seen the team crash and burn come post-season time. Personally, with the weapons they have this season, I'd like to just see them crush the opposition and damn near run the table, similar to what BU did in the 2008-2009 season.
I'm looking forward to both games though. Time to rebound, boys!
- DU is starting freshman goalie Sam Brittain. This will be a huge test for him, facing the potent Sioux offense in a very hostile environment
- DU has been bitten by the injury bug early this season. Paul Phillips actually had a nosebleed that had to be cauterized. I have seen a family member have this happen to them, so I know what he's going through. Sophomore goalie Adam Murray is out for this series as well with a groin injury, junior Dustin Jackson has mono, and freshman Nick Shore is out with a wrist injury.
- Will Hextall get under DU's skin? Brett Hextall is an agitator, nearly on par with Claude Lemieux or Matthew Barnaby. He has been known to get under DU's skin quite a bit, and this is very well shown in a video two years ago. The Sioux were beating down DU and Hextall caused a DU player to slash him, giving the Sioux a 5x3 advantage.
- What will UND's goalie situation be? Eids, we know he's good, but he's not playing well. Dell has been good, but has gotten shelled too. Neither Sioux goalie seems up to the task right now, and against Denver, they will have to be. It'll be interesting to see who starts on which nights. Both goalies need to have a big game, and this would be a superb weekend to do so.
- Kristo. He needs to get going. He's been quiet so far and his name really hasn't been called at all this year. Time for him to show up and play. He played well against DU last year and I expect the same this weekend.
- The Sioux MUST keep it together mentally. Denver, as I mentioned, is North Dakota's biggest rival right now, and these two teams do not like each other. We saw what happened last weekend when the Sioux spent half the games in the box. They have to keep their heads about themselves. No retaliation penalties. No stupid crap that will force the officials hands. The WCHA is more inclined to let things go; it doesn't give the Sioux an excuse to play stupid hockey. DU will be coming at them guns blazing. Let them take the penalties. The Sioux have an excellent powerplay; it would be nice to see it showcased some.
Playing your biggest rival can be very taxing. The Sioux know they are under pressure to perform. They have the tools to succeed and the coaching staff believes in them. It's time for the players to start believing in themselves. They are definitely a hot and cold team this year thus far. And I know everyone will use the 2nd half argument, but we've also seen the team crash and burn come post-season time. Personally, with the weapons they have this season, I'd like to just see them crush the opposition and damn near run the table, similar to what BU did in the 2008-2009 season.
I'm looking forward to both games though. Time to rebound, boys!
October 26, 2010
HUGE Series this weekend
This rivalry in the past couple years is as good as any in college hockey. Both teams are big, both are physical, and they don't like each other. North Dakota and DU have both seen very good success in the last few years.
Last year, the Pioneers swept the entire season series. The Sioux fought very hard in Denver and were rewarded with losses of 1-0 and 3-2. On that Friday night, Magness was as loud as I have ever heard it, with nearly 40% of the crowd being Sioux fans. Saturday night, the refs hosed UND clearly, giving DU a huge advantage on the powerplay. Even Schloss made it quite clear that DU was getting beneficial calls. The Sioux should have tied the game but a video replay that was unclear gave DU the game. In January, the Sioux had a lackluster effort at home, getting swept by the Pioneers, but that possibly provided the spark they needed to turn their season around, which they did.
The Final Five finally gave the Sioux a victory over DU. Trupp played a great game and had Wooger singing his praises. UND eventually went on to win the Final Five championship game against St. Cloud.
So what will we see this weekend? Not Alanna Rizzo. She wants to hide from the Engelstad. Just as well. She can't report and she's really unfriendly. George get ejected? He's been ejected twice and both have come against the Sioux. A scrum? If we don't, neither team showed up. A fired up Sioux team? After getting their butts handed to them by Maine and their first home series of the season? Damn right.
It's going to be a hard-fought, physical series. And it's going to be a lot of fun. :-)
Last year, the Pioneers swept the entire season series. The Sioux fought very hard in Denver and were rewarded with losses of 1-0 and 3-2. On that Friday night, Magness was as loud as I have ever heard it, with nearly 40% of the crowd being Sioux fans. Saturday night, the refs hosed UND clearly, giving DU a huge advantage on the powerplay. Even Schloss made it quite clear that DU was getting beneficial calls. The Sioux should have tied the game but a video replay that was unclear gave DU the game. In January, the Sioux had a lackluster effort at home, getting swept by the Pioneers, but that possibly provided the spark they needed to turn their season around, which they did.
The Final Five finally gave the Sioux a victory over DU. Trupp played a great game and had Wooger singing his praises. UND eventually went on to win the Final Five championship game against St. Cloud.
So what will we see this weekend? Not Alanna Rizzo. She wants to hide from the Engelstad. Just as well. She can't report and she's really unfriendly. George get ejected? He's been ejected twice and both have come against the Sioux. A scrum? If we don't, neither team showed up. A fired up Sioux team? After getting their butts handed to them by Maine and their first home series of the season? Damn right.
It's going to be a hard-fought, physical series. And it's going to be a lot of fun. :-)
Calling out my own stupidity
As most of you know, last Saturday, I wrote a pretty scathing piece about the ECAC writer on this blog. I have since taken it down. I would like to explain why.
I blog about two things: my exercise regiment and Ironman dreams and the Sioux hockey program. Both are topics I'm very passionate about and both allow me to convey to the public my thoughts about each. Yet both are very different. With the exercise blog, it's a continual work in progress. It's something that I'm dabbling in constantly and learning about all the time. With the Sioux blog, I bring a near lifetime of hockey knowledge to the table. I try to cover a lot of things about the team while injecting my own personal take. I try to keep it different from the other blogs out there; otherwise what would be the point of reading it? And I like to think the perspective I bring is something refreshing and sometimes exciting. I mean, there's a lot of blogs out there. Dirty, when he does blog, is just a sarcastic goober, but that's who Dirty is. We all love him for it. Goon is all over the place, but let's face it, he definitely is on top of things.
For those who don't know what the feud was about, I'll quick explain. Brian and my finacee were friends at Boston University. I got the opportunity to meet him and the meeting didn't go well. Ever since then, I have been downright mean to him; commenting on his USCHO blog, slandering him on this blog, and telling my fiancee that I want nothing to do with him ever. The feud came to a head this weekend, when Brian wandered into the USCHO scoring thread and mocked the Sioux and justified his low ranking of the Sioux in his poll. Frustrated with the Sioux loss and the fact Brian slighted the Sioux, I came on here and demanded for him to be fired and slandered him on one occasion.
Brian has since apologized to me for how he treated me in Washington DC at the 2009 Frozen Four. He has explained his reasons why he did and I don't need to display them here. I'm in the process of constructing an apology to him as well for continuing our feud. Brian and I really have no reason to feud and we both realize that we are hurting the one person we have in common: my fiancee. Because he was willing to man up and apologize, I took the blog post down.
I'm not afraid to call someone out on here for their stupidity. As you see in this post, I'll even call out my own idiocy. But I don't want my blog to become a tool of hate. I want it to be something unique. Special. It is enjoyable to me to blog about the Sioux team. It's something I love to do. I don't want to turn into something I'm not. The internet makes it real easy to hide behind a screen and become the "internet tough guy". I'm not a tough guy in real life and don't want to be one on the internet either.
Thanks, readers.
I blog about two things: my exercise regiment and Ironman dreams and the Sioux hockey program. Both are topics I'm very passionate about and both allow me to convey to the public my thoughts about each. Yet both are very different. With the exercise blog, it's a continual work in progress. It's something that I'm dabbling in constantly and learning about all the time. With the Sioux blog, I bring a near lifetime of hockey knowledge to the table. I try to cover a lot of things about the team while injecting my own personal take. I try to keep it different from the other blogs out there; otherwise what would be the point of reading it? And I like to think the perspective I bring is something refreshing and sometimes exciting. I mean, there's a lot of blogs out there. Dirty, when he does blog, is just a sarcastic goober, but that's who Dirty is. We all love him for it. Goon is all over the place, but let's face it, he definitely is on top of things.
For those who don't know what the feud was about, I'll quick explain. Brian and my finacee were friends at Boston University. I got the opportunity to meet him and the meeting didn't go well. Ever since then, I have been downright mean to him; commenting on his USCHO blog, slandering him on this blog, and telling my fiancee that I want nothing to do with him ever. The feud came to a head this weekend, when Brian wandered into the USCHO scoring thread and mocked the Sioux and justified his low ranking of the Sioux in his poll. Frustrated with the Sioux loss and the fact Brian slighted the Sioux, I came on here and demanded for him to be fired and slandered him on one occasion.
Brian has since apologized to me for how he treated me in Washington DC at the 2009 Frozen Four. He has explained his reasons why he did and I don't need to display them here. I'm in the process of constructing an apology to him as well for continuing our feud. Brian and I really have no reason to feud and we both realize that we are hurting the one person we have in common: my fiancee. Because he was willing to man up and apologize, I took the blog post down.
I'm not afraid to call someone out on here for their stupidity. As you see in this post, I'll even call out my own idiocy. But I don't want my blog to become a tool of hate. I want it to be something unique. Special. It is enjoyable to me to blog about the Sioux team. It's something I love to do. I don't want to turn into something I'm not. The internet makes it real easy to hide behind a screen and become the "internet tough guy". I'm not a tough guy in real life and don't want to be one on the internet either.
Thanks, readers.
October 24, 2010
Sioux get swept
Wow. After last weekend's cleaning of Bemidji, I think we were all looking forward to the Sioux going into Orono and sweeping a struggling Maine team, or at least taking a few points off of them. Needless to say, that didn't happen. The Sioux got swept 7-3 and 4-2, leaving them headed back to Grand Forks licking their wounds. What happened Saturday?
It appeared the Sioux were carrying the play in the 1st period, and the game was being called evenly. A 0-0 1st period resulted. In the 2nd, the Sioux got on the scoreboard first thanks to Ben Blood netting his first goal of the season. Then the refs, who you know I don't complain about that much, took the game into their hands. The Black Bears got their first two goals on powerplays. Penalties that were called on the Sioux were blatantly poor calls. Maine was diving left and right and the refs were calling it on the Sioux. Don't ask me why; I have no idea. But nonetheless, Maine took advantage of these lucky calls and went on to win the game. What are the Sioux to do?
Go back to North Dakota and face Denver, that's what. Denver is, in my opinion, the Sioux's biggest rival as of late due to Minnesota being flat out awful over the past few years. This series promises to be hard, physical, and might even feature a coaching ejection. I'm counting on the Sioux to bring their "A" game this upcoming weekend.
It appeared the Sioux were carrying the play in the 1st period, and the game was being called evenly. A 0-0 1st period resulted. In the 2nd, the Sioux got on the scoreboard first thanks to Ben Blood netting his first goal of the season. Then the refs, who you know I don't complain about that much, took the game into their hands. The Black Bears got their first two goals on powerplays. Penalties that were called on the Sioux were blatantly poor calls. Maine was diving left and right and the refs were calling it on the Sioux. Don't ask me why; I have no idea. But nonetheless, Maine took advantage of these lucky calls and went on to win the game. What are the Sioux to do?
Go back to North Dakota and face Denver, that's what. Denver is, in my opinion, the Sioux's biggest rival as of late due to Minnesota being flat out awful over the past few years. This series promises to be hard, physical, and might even feature a coaching ejection. I'm counting on the Sioux to bring their "A" game this upcoming weekend.
October 21, 2010
Hilarious Goal Celebration
You gotta love kids, huh?
When I was a mite growing up in Minnesota, I got to skate on the ice of the Met Center quite a bit, and it was always a highlight to be able to skate in between periods of North Stars games. I definitely didn't score goals back then though and certainly our team never came up with a fun goal celebration like what you're about to see below.
During the intermission of a Caps game, a mite team from Reston, VA scored and unleashed the most hilarious goal celebration I have seen since Fulton Reed pointed his stick at the Iceland goalie like a sword and sheathed it.
Good job, kids.
When I was a mite growing up in Minnesota, I got to skate on the ice of the Met Center quite a bit, and it was always a highlight to be able to skate in between periods of North Stars games. I definitely didn't score goals back then though and certainly our team never came up with a fun goal celebration like what you're about to see below.
During the intermission of a Caps game, a mite team from Reston, VA scored and unleashed the most hilarious goal celebration I have seen since Fulton Reed pointed his stick at the Iceland goalie like a sword and sheathed it.
Good job, kids.
October 19, 2010
CHL Brawl Could Lead to Criminal Charges
Everyone that reads this blog knows I'm no advocate of fighting in hockey and quite frankly, find most fights disgusting. To me, hockey is a game of skill and precision, and I don't feel fighting has a place in the game. Nevertheless, it does exist and that isn't changing anytime soon. However, there are certain instances that are just mind-boggling. Take, for instance, this fight that happened in Loveland, CO.
This video shows interviews with the Jackalopes players, one of whom had to have 18 screws put into his jaw. It also shows some glimpses of the fight. Take a look at the blood on the ice.
This isn't what I think of when I think of hockey. I know I'm not the majority either.
This video shows interviews with the Jackalopes players, one of whom had to have 18 screws put into his jaw. It also shows some glimpses of the fight. Take a look at the blood on the ice.
This isn't what I think of when I think of hockey. I know I'm not the majority either.
October 18, 2010
Musings from last weekend
Aside from the Sioux sweeping Bemidji in the new arena this weekend, a few other things took place that are worth noting.
- Tech took 3 of 4 points from Mankato. Tech? Getting close to cracking the polls? Yes, it's true. Is Tech for real? I don't think so. But let's be honest. They are playing some good puck right now.
- Denver got swept by Boston College in Denver. Goon posted an article from the Denver Post about the officiating over the weekend. I'm not a Mike Chambers fan in the slightest; I find him arrogant and a douche. But this is not the first time that DU has been spotted a bunch of powerplays.
- Minnesota got swept at the Mooch by Nebraska-Omaha. While the sweep itself was significant for Nebraska-Omaha, who demonstrated that they belong in the WCHA, the sweep has to hurt Minnesota even more. This is a team who had a player call out the coaches for voting them so low in the preseason poll. A team who many of us (myself included) feel is right on the cusp of greatness. They were down 4-0 on Friday night, came back to tie it up, only to lose 5-4. On Saturday, from certain observers, they played a very lackluster effort, especially on the defensive side of the puck. We knew coming into the season that defense would be a struggle for Minnesota, but you would expect them to try a little bit harder. Makes you wonder if they just don't want to play for Hill, Lucia, Maturi, or a combination of all the above. Also, with the dismissal of football coach Tim Brewster, who coached football about as well as Ray Rhodes did in Green Bay, you have to wonder if a cleaning of the Gopher hockey coaching staff is imminent...time will tell.
- Duluth did what it was supposed to do, sweeping the horrible team from Rhode Island. Nothing special there.
- UAA suffered two losses, one to CC and one to UAA in the Gold Rush tournament. Still, good to see UAA putting some points on the board.
- CC was unable to beat Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday night, losing 2-1.
- Sconni swept independent team Alabama-Huntsville over the weekend.
- Miami of Ohio took 3 of 4 from St. Cloud State
In non-conference news, BU couldn't hold off UMass on Saturday night, earning a 2-2 tie. The team the Sioux face, Maine, only earned 1 point against a decent Michigan State team. Michigan and UNH tied 4-4 and 3-3.
The Sioux take on Maine in Orono this upcoming weekend. I expect this to be a hard fought, physical series. Maine is a team on the rise and the Sioux will certainly have their hands full.
- Tech took 3 of 4 points from Mankato. Tech? Getting close to cracking the polls? Yes, it's true. Is Tech for real? I don't think so. But let's be honest. They are playing some good puck right now.
- Denver got swept by Boston College in Denver. Goon posted an article from the Denver Post about the officiating over the weekend. I'm not a Mike Chambers fan in the slightest; I find him arrogant and a douche. But this is not the first time that DU has been spotted a bunch of powerplays.
- Minnesota got swept at the Mooch by Nebraska-Omaha. While the sweep itself was significant for Nebraska-Omaha, who demonstrated that they belong in the WCHA, the sweep has to hurt Minnesota even more. This is a team who had a player call out the coaches for voting them so low in the preseason poll. A team who many of us (myself included) feel is right on the cusp of greatness. They were down 4-0 on Friday night, came back to tie it up, only to lose 5-4. On Saturday, from certain observers, they played a very lackluster effort, especially on the defensive side of the puck. We knew coming into the season that defense would be a struggle for Minnesota, but you would expect them to try a little bit harder. Makes you wonder if they just don't want to play for Hill, Lucia, Maturi, or a combination of all the above. Also, with the dismissal of football coach Tim Brewster, who coached football about as well as Ray Rhodes did in Green Bay, you have to wonder if a cleaning of the Gopher hockey coaching staff is imminent...time will tell.
- Duluth did what it was supposed to do, sweeping the horrible team from Rhode Island. Nothing special there.
- UAA suffered two losses, one to CC and one to UAA in the Gold Rush tournament. Still, good to see UAA putting some points on the board.
- CC was unable to beat Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday night, losing 2-1.
- Sconni swept independent team Alabama-Huntsville over the weekend.
- Miami of Ohio took 3 of 4 from St. Cloud State
In non-conference news, BU couldn't hold off UMass on Saturday night, earning a 2-2 tie. The team the Sioux face, Maine, only earned 1 point against a decent Michigan State team. Michigan and UNH tied 4-4 and 3-3.
The Sioux take on Maine in Orono this upcoming weekend. I expect this to be a hard fought, physical series. Maine is a team on the rise and the Sioux will certainly have their hands full.
October 17, 2010
Videos of the weekend
RedFrog has posted videos on YouTube of the weekends goals. Thanks RedFrog for these.
October 16, 2010
Sioux Sweep the Beavers
The Sioux spoiled the opening of the Bemidji Regional Event Center and welcomed Bemidji State to the WCHA by sweeping them with two 5-2 wins. They played solid hockey both nights, and while they still have a lot of growing to do, so far, I'm very impressed with what I see thus far.
Some important highlights from the weekend:
- Chay scored his first goal of the season on Saturday night
- Trupp also got his first on Saturday
- Frattin got a hatty the first night and sealed the win for the Sioux on Saturday, scoring the 4th goal of the game
- The split rotation of the goalies seemed to work pretty well
As a Sioux fan, you have to be impressed with the team. The powerplay is extremely effective and in these last two games, the Sioux kept the pressure on when they had a lead. We saw last year they were unable to hold leads. Let's hope this trend continues.
Some important highlights from the weekend:
- Chay scored his first goal of the season on Saturday night
- Trupp also got his first on Saturday
- Frattin got a hatty the first night and sealed the win for the Sioux on Saturday, scoring the 4th goal of the game
- The split rotation of the goalies seemed to work pretty well
As a Sioux fan, you have to be impressed with the team. The powerplay is extremely effective and in these last two games, the Sioux kept the pressure on when they had a lead. We saw last year they were unable to hold leads. Let's hope this trend continues.
October 14, 2010
Upcoming series vs. Bemidji and a few notes
The Sioux christen the new Bemidji State arena this weekend, and it promises to be a good series. Bemidji is excited to be in the WCHA and I know coach Serratore is happy to be playing more than 3 other teams for the majority of the season, as he emphasized in the WCHA Coaches Media Call.
I remember when the Sioux opened the Engelstad to the University of Minnesota and were handed a 6-3 defeat. Let's hope the Sioux are able to deliver the same to Bemidji on Friday night.
Some notes from Schloss's blog that I'm borrowing and reemphasizing. One of them is the fact that the Sioux are going back to a system of not announcing who will be the starting goaltender until Friday night. I'm excited for this. It means that either the coaching staff has great confidence in Aaron Dell, not as much confidence in Eidsness, both, or that they have confidence in both guys and assume both players can carry the team on any given night. Either way, it bodes well for the Sioux, who in recent years have watched their goalies melt down in big games at the end of the season.
One thing to note is this will be Bemidji's first game of the season. They haven't even played an exhibition game yet. The Sioux have already played 2 regular season games and one exhibition game. In all three games, we have seen the talent and what this team is capable of. We've also seen some rust and some things that don't look so good. Bemidji will certainly be hyped up for this game; there is no doubting that. But will they show some rustiness and nerves? Most definitely. Building the Bemidji Regional Event Center was a huge step for this program in staying competitive in Division 1 hockey and as far as this blogger is concerned, shows that Bemidji is ready to compete with the "big boys" of hockey (North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, etc.) With building a new arena though, comes an expectation of success. Fans and alumni of that great university will expect to see results. Players and coaches know this. We'll see how it shakes out the rest of the year, of course.
In lighter news, the USCHO ECAC writer has decided to make his weekly voting poll public, and he ranked our beloved Sioux at #13. I am understanding that people have an east coast bias, but this is absurd and ridiculous. To rank the Sioux that low is spitting in the face of every single Sioux player, coach, fan, and alum. To fire this writer would not be good enough for him. Brian Sullivan is a disgrace to society.
Also, the Sioux bus was hit today while waiting at a railroad crossing. None of the players were hurt, but the drivers car was totaled. No word whether the car was driven by St. Cloud goon Aaron Marvin or if he will be penalized for hitting from behind. :-)
See you tomorrow.
I remember when the Sioux opened the Engelstad to the University of Minnesota and were handed a 6-3 defeat. Let's hope the Sioux are able to deliver the same to Bemidji on Friday night.
Some notes from Schloss's blog that I'm borrowing and reemphasizing. One of them is the fact that the Sioux are going back to a system of not announcing who will be the starting goaltender until Friday night. I'm excited for this. It means that either the coaching staff has great confidence in Aaron Dell, not as much confidence in Eidsness, both, or that they have confidence in both guys and assume both players can carry the team on any given night. Either way, it bodes well for the Sioux, who in recent years have watched their goalies melt down in big games at the end of the season.
One thing to note is this will be Bemidji's first game of the season. They haven't even played an exhibition game yet. The Sioux have already played 2 regular season games and one exhibition game. In all three games, we have seen the talent and what this team is capable of. We've also seen some rust and some things that don't look so good. Bemidji will certainly be hyped up for this game; there is no doubting that. But will they show some rustiness and nerves? Most definitely. Building the Bemidji Regional Event Center was a huge step for this program in staying competitive in Division 1 hockey and as far as this blogger is concerned, shows that Bemidji is ready to compete with the "big boys" of hockey (North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, etc.) With building a new arena though, comes an expectation of success. Fans and alumni of that great university will expect to see results. Players and coaches know this. We'll see how it shakes out the rest of the year, of course.
In lighter news, the USCHO ECAC writer has decided to make his weekly voting poll public, and he ranked our beloved Sioux at #13. I am understanding that people have an east coast bias, but this is absurd and ridiculous. To rank the Sioux that low is spitting in the face of every single Sioux player, coach, fan, and alum. To fire this writer would not be good enough for him. Brian Sullivan is a disgrace to society.
Also, the Sioux bus was hit today while waiting at a railroad crossing. None of the players were hurt, but the drivers car was totaled. No word whether the car was driven by St. Cloud goon Aaron Marvin or if he will be penalized for hitting from behind. :-)
See you tomorrow.
October 10, 2010
Weekend Recap and Notes
The Sioux bounced back from their rougher night on Friday to decisively capture victory over Alaska-Fairbanks, winning 3-1. The win is important from a couple standpoints, in that it showed the Sioux players are capable of putting a rougher night behind them and bouncing back, and it also is important in terms of non-conference wins, which will affect pairwise later in the season. (too early for pairwise mention?)
Last night, the Sioux defense really tightened up, holding Fairbanks to 5 shots on goal through two periods, which is just ridiculous. So far, Derek Forbort is showing his skill and ability, netting an assist on every goal last night. Gregoire is playing very well thus far, and Trupper was involved as well, getting two assists last night. A hard-hitting game in which the Sioux did the right things and won seemed like, well, Sioux hockey. Another thing to point out is that the Sioux special teams have done quite well, scoring 4 power-play goals on the weekend.
In other WCHA news, DU earned a tie with Vermont 1 all, Minnesota held off a rally by the Minutemen of UMass and won 5-4, sweeping the series. St. Cloud split the series with woeful Clarkson, losing 6-2 last night. RPI and CC tied at 2 down in the Springs, Nebraska-Omaha beat RIT 5-3, and UAA beat Air Force 3-2. Mankato tied St. Lawrence 1-1, Michigan Tech beat Lake Superior State 6-2, and Minnesota-Duluth beat Northern Michigan 3-2. Wisconsin takes on Holy Cross in St. Louis today.
Powerhouse Boston College beat Northeastern 2-0 last night, Maine tied with UConn 3-3, and Michigan beat Bowling Green 4-2. New Hampshire beat perennial powerhouse Miami of Ohio 6-3.
Up next: opening Bemidji's new arena.
Last night, the Sioux defense really tightened up, holding Fairbanks to 5 shots on goal through two periods, which is just ridiculous. So far, Derek Forbort is showing his skill and ability, netting an assist on every goal last night. Gregoire is playing very well thus far, and Trupper was involved as well, getting two assists last night. A hard-hitting game in which the Sioux did the right things and won seemed like, well, Sioux hockey. Another thing to point out is that the Sioux special teams have done quite well, scoring 4 power-play goals on the weekend.
In other WCHA news, DU earned a tie with Vermont 1 all, Minnesota held off a rally by the Minutemen of UMass and won 5-4, sweeping the series. St. Cloud split the series with woeful Clarkson, losing 6-2 last night. RPI and CC tied at 2 down in the Springs, Nebraska-Omaha beat RIT 5-3, and UAA beat Air Force 3-2. Mankato tied St. Lawrence 1-1, Michigan Tech beat Lake Superior State 6-2, and Minnesota-Duluth beat Northern Michigan 3-2. Wisconsin takes on Holy Cross in St. Louis today.
Powerhouse Boston College beat Northeastern 2-0 last night, Maine tied with UConn 3-3, and Michigan beat Bowling Green 4-2. New Hampshire beat perennial powerhouse Miami of Ohio 6-3.
Up next: opening Bemidji's new arena.
October 9, 2010
What to say?
Coughing up a lead when you're up 5-1 is not easy. Doing it against the woeful Seawolves makes it that much worse.
How could the Sioux, who were dominating and scoring at will suddenly be completely inept at stopping UAA's weak offense and give up 4 goals to bring it to a 5-5 tie? I have a few ideas.
- It's early! Relax! Oh em gee. We all know that championships aren't won in October. This team has a ridiculous amount of time to gel, and they will gel. The first game is not an indication of how the season will go.
- The Sioux were too confident. They had just proved that they were an offensive force to reckon with, so why not sit back and relax? Because it's the WCHA. You cannot sit on any team in this league. The Seawolves are not going to lie down this year. No team will.
- Putting too much pressure on themselves. The Sioux are expected to perform. Not only perform, but blow out certain opponents. Up 5-1, no biggie. But give up that crucial 5-2 goal and it all starts to unravel.
I am not concerned about this. Not in the slightest. But I certainly look for the team to rebound tonight against UAF.
How could the Sioux, who were dominating and scoring at will suddenly be completely inept at stopping UAA's weak offense and give up 4 goals to bring it to a 5-5 tie? I have a few ideas.
- It's early! Relax! Oh em gee. We all know that championships aren't won in October. This team has a ridiculous amount of time to gel, and they will gel. The first game is not an indication of how the season will go.
- The Sioux were too confident. They had just proved that they were an offensive force to reckon with, so why not sit back and relax? Because it's the WCHA. You cannot sit on any team in this league. The Seawolves are not going to lie down this year. No team will.
- Putting too much pressure on themselves. The Sioux are expected to perform. Not only perform, but blow out certain opponents. Up 5-1, no biggie. But give up that crucial 5-2 goal and it all starts to unravel.
I am not concerned about this. Not in the slightest. But I certainly look for the team to rebound tonight against UAF.
October 8, 2010
Friday Stuff
First thing I want to post is a list of truths that college hockey has. It's an incomplete list and certainly could use some additions, so I welcome anybody that has anything to add.
- There are goons in college hockey. They are not very good
- The best player doesn’t always win the Hobey
- East Coast bias is alive and well. It always will be
- Each fanbase has its douchenozzles
- Most fanbases have fans that actually know the game of hockey. Some don’t
- Minnesota will always have a target on its back
- Michigan will too…but not as big as Minnesota
- DU will always have a good recruiting class. So will North Dakota. So will Wisconsin
- The Engelstad is a palace. It’s a great place to watch a game. Its ice is soft and slow
- BU has the best student section in college hockey. No one comes close
- Northern Michigan fans have one NC to claim. It’s all they have. Remind them of this. It upsets them greatly
INCH has its WCHA Preview out. There's a couple interesting things to note in here.
- Jess Myers, a longtime Sioux hater, nails his "breakthrough team" and "primed for a fall" in Minnesota-Duluth, and Wisconsin, respectively. Duluth is a lock for top 3 in the WCHA, and damn well could give North Dakota a run for the top spot. Wisconsin, no matter how good their recruiting class is or their coaching is, will struggle this year.
- Jess says the "pressure to perform" team is Minnesota. I disagree with him here, and can think of two teams that are under more pressure. One is North Dakota, being that they have the depth and the return of Chay. Everyone is picking them to do well; time to step up. But the team that I think is under more pressure then anyone realizes is Bemidji. Making the long-awaited jump to the WCHA, Bemidji is not that far removed from their 2009 Frozen Four appearance. They have fared well against the WCHA in the past; it will be interesting to see how they fare full-time.
- He's got North Dakota as 1, but also says that Hak is under a lot of fire for "can't win the big one". Personally, I've never attacked Hakstol for that. It's the players that need to play the game. It's not like Hak hasn't gotten them to the title game before.
Overall though, this is one of Jess's better season previews.
Also, Jay Barriball voiced his frustration with the WCHA coaches in the Star Tribune, saying "we should never be ranked #5 in the preseason poll." Arrogance, Jay? Your team finished 7th last season, missed the Final Five, and the NCAA's. First time in 17 and 8 years, respectively. If anything, you should be thanking the coaches for picking you as high as they did, being that your team still lacks the scoring line it once had, has defense that can't fill any holes, a goalie who is hot and cold to the nth degree, a coach that clearly checked out last year, another coach that is unworthy of coaching a mites team, and fans that turn on your team in a heartbeat. Let's keep in mind that the Gophers are still a team that lacks chemistry. They have some ridiculous talent, but they can't seem to harness that talent and get it to play well together.
Other then that, looking forward to finally opening the Sioux season tonight!
- There are goons in college hockey. They are not very good
- The best player doesn’t always win the Hobey
- East Coast bias is alive and well. It always will be
- Each fanbase has its douchenozzles
- Most fanbases have fans that actually know the game of hockey. Some don’t
- Minnesota will always have a target on its back
- Michigan will too…but not as big as Minnesota
- DU will always have a good recruiting class. So will North Dakota. So will Wisconsin
- The Engelstad is a palace. It’s a great place to watch a game. Its ice is soft and slow
- BU has the best student section in college hockey. No one comes close
- Northern Michigan fans have one NC to claim. It’s all they have. Remind them of this. It upsets them greatly
INCH has its WCHA Preview out. There's a couple interesting things to note in here.
- Jess Myers, a longtime Sioux hater, nails his "breakthrough team" and "primed for a fall" in Minnesota-Duluth, and Wisconsin, respectively. Duluth is a lock for top 3 in the WCHA, and damn well could give North Dakota a run for the top spot. Wisconsin, no matter how good their recruiting class is or their coaching is, will struggle this year.
- Jess says the "pressure to perform" team is Minnesota. I disagree with him here, and can think of two teams that are under more pressure. One is North Dakota, being that they have the depth and the return of Chay. Everyone is picking them to do well; time to step up. But the team that I think is under more pressure then anyone realizes is Bemidji. Making the long-awaited jump to the WCHA, Bemidji is not that far removed from their 2009 Frozen Four appearance. They have fared well against the WCHA in the past; it will be interesting to see how they fare full-time.
- He's got North Dakota as 1, but also says that Hak is under a lot of fire for "can't win the big one". Personally, I've never attacked Hakstol for that. It's the players that need to play the game. It's not like Hak hasn't gotten them to the title game before.
Overall though, this is one of Jess's better season previews.
Also, Jay Barriball voiced his frustration with the WCHA coaches in the Star Tribune, saying "we should never be ranked #5 in the preseason poll." Arrogance, Jay? Your team finished 7th last season, missed the Final Five, and the NCAA's. First time in 17 and 8 years, respectively. If anything, you should be thanking the coaches for picking you as high as they did, being that your team still lacks the scoring line it once had, has defense that can't fill any holes, a goalie who is hot and cold to the nth degree, a coach that clearly checked out last year, another coach that is unworthy of coaching a mites team, and fans that turn on your team in a heartbeat. Let's keep in mind that the Gophers are still a team that lacks chemistry. They have some ridiculous talent, but they can't seem to harness that talent and get it to play well together.
Other then that, looking forward to finally opening the Sioux season tonight!
October 5, 2010
Is Chay a little tentative?
I was unable to watch the exhibition game due to work, but I had some friends fill me in on how it went. I was particularly interested in Chay and how he would play in his first game back. One guy told me that he played "ok". Another told me he was tentative going into the corners. This is what I was more wondering, and am not really surprised.
We all remember how Geoff Paukovich broke Robbie Bina's neck in the 2005 Final Five. Paukovich was never quite the same player after that. He was always an aggressive player that wasn't afraid to throw his weight around in the corners. Since that incident, he has become a lot more tentative, holding up when making a hit. I don't think that's always a bad thing, but the bottom line is, Pauk is no longer the same player he once was.
Chay is probably the best player in college hockey. Even with him being a little more meek, I don't think we can take that away from him. I still anticipate him being able to go into the corners, mix it up, come out with the puck, and make the play. I just think it'll take a little time.
We all remember how Geoff Paukovich broke Robbie Bina's neck in the 2005 Final Five. Paukovich was never quite the same player after that. He was always an aggressive player that wasn't afraid to throw his weight around in the corners. Since that incident, he has become a lot more tentative, holding up when making a hit. I don't think that's always a bad thing, but the bottom line is, Pauk is no longer the same player he once was.
Chay is probably the best player in college hockey. Even with him being a little more meek, I don't think we can take that away from him. I still anticipate him being able to go into the corners, mix it up, come out with the puck, and make the play. I just think it'll take a little time.
October 3, 2010
News and Notes
A couple things to note this morning.
Danny Kristo will be suspended for the exhibition game for a violation of team rules. The rumor has it that he was suspended for underage drinking. If that's all, I'm not too concerned, but at the same time, I mentioned things that would derail this team. Stupid mistakes off the ice will not help. Thankfully, this was something relatively minor, and shouldn't affect the team.
Also, Kane Lafranchise has been ruled academically ineligible at UAA and will sit out the first 1/2 of the season. This guy is a talented defenseman, one of the bright spots on a UAA team that will struggle mightily this season. Losing him will ensure even more struggle. Coach Shyiak put some spin on it by saying "The second half of the season, he really came on offensively. But with [Lafranchise out], it gives some other guys opportunity." Good luck with that, coach.
St. Cloud State beat Manitoba 7-4, with Drew LeBlanc scoring twice and Garrett Roe also netting one. Well known Goon Aaron Marvin provided two assists. Mike Lee was sharp in net, stopping everything he faced; Dan Dunn allowed 3 goals.
Michigan Tech held off Nippising 5-3. At one point, Tech had a 4-1 lead. Mercyhurst came back from a 4-1 deficit to tie Michigan 4-4. Not ever college team was immune to Canada though, as St. Francis Xavier tied University of New Hampshire 3-3, Ontario IT beat Ferris St. 3-2, and Western Ontario beat LSSU 5-4. UAA was able to beat Windsor 4-1, and DU crushed the US Under 18 team 8-1.
The Sioux take on Manitoba tonight. The Gophers take on British Columbia. BC will face Toronto, and Denver takes on Lethbridge. Hockey has started.
Danny Kristo will be suspended for the exhibition game for a violation of team rules. The rumor has it that he was suspended for underage drinking. If that's all, I'm not too concerned, but at the same time, I mentioned things that would derail this team. Stupid mistakes off the ice will not help. Thankfully, this was something relatively minor, and shouldn't affect the team.
Also, Kane Lafranchise has been ruled academically ineligible at UAA and will sit out the first 1/2 of the season. This guy is a talented defenseman, one of the bright spots on a UAA team that will struggle mightily this season. Losing him will ensure even more struggle. Coach Shyiak put some spin on it by saying "The second half of the season, he really came on offensively. But with [Lafranchise out], it gives some other guys opportunity." Good luck with that, coach.
St. Cloud State beat Manitoba 7-4, with Drew LeBlanc scoring twice and Garrett Roe also netting one. Well known Goon Aaron Marvin provided two assists. Mike Lee was sharp in net, stopping everything he faced; Dan Dunn allowed 3 goals.
Michigan Tech held off Nippising 5-3. At one point, Tech had a 4-1 lead. Mercyhurst came back from a 4-1 deficit to tie Michigan 4-4. Not ever college team was immune to Canada though, as St. Francis Xavier tied University of New Hampshire 3-3, Ontario IT beat Ferris St. 3-2, and Western Ontario beat LSSU 5-4. UAA was able to beat Windsor 4-1, and DU crushed the US Under 18 team 8-1.
The Sioux take on Manitoba tonight. The Gophers take on British Columbia. BC will face Toronto, and Denver takes on Lethbridge. Hockey has started.
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