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.
A chance to talk about myself
- Brandon
- Denver, CO, United States
- TriSports.com sponsored athlete, SkratchLabs Ambassador/Taste Agent, Ironman Triathlete (completed Arizona in 2013). Pilot by trade, not by choice. Huge Fighting Sioux hockey fan, and fan of (almost all) Minnesota sports teams. I love being married to T, love the Colorado scene, both Denver the entire state. You'll often find the two of us in Vegas when we're not training, or at a symphonic metal concert
6 comments:
I think the Sioux come out friday full of piss and vinager and take it to the Pioneers and win going away and saturday will be a grinder with the Dasher Dancer doing his dance once again as the Sioux win by 1.
Don't know what games you were at based upon your comments. I was in attendance at both games. The only diving call went against the Sioux.
With the exception of a couple of questionable calls over two nights all of the penalties were legit...both ways. There was no home job. In fact, Referee Benedetto (who did both games) has a bit of a history of hosing Maine with bad calls.
Fact of the matter is...you cannot put this Maine team on the power play. Last year they led the country in power play efficiency...and I expect them to be near 30% this year as well.
Frankly...it appeared the Sioux players got a little frustrated at the speed and depth of the Maine team. There is not much let-up from lines 1 through 4 at Maine this year.
If they show up every night this Maine team has the potential to put up some big numbers on a lot of teams this year.
I am sure the Sioux will have a solid year. They are too skilled not to. Good luck to them running through a tough WCHA schedule. I have always had, and continue to have, great respect for the North Dakota program and its players and fans.
What happened to your post about the ECAC Writer? Best thing you've ever written!
Thanks for more useless information Brandon. I really enjoyed reading ignorance peppered throughout your post!
I definitely do not agree that the officiating was the deciding factor in the Maine series. Maine wanted it much more and they were out to prove that they are back as an elite program. I don't believe they're as talented as the Sioux, but they were definitely out to prove something. It also concerns me that they seemed to have more team speed than UND (a developing trend with Hockey East teams). It reminded me of the way the Sioux used to run teams out of the old Ralph back in the day. We got our butts kicked, plain and simple.
Anon - I guarantee Hak kicks their butts this week and they come out hungry. But DU is still going to be tough...
Sawyer - I was listening on the radio. Hennessey was basically saying that the refs were sucking miserably and that two calls on Saturday night were flat out awful. Since BU has a cheer against Benedetto, I am inclined to agree that he is a crappy ref. I'm not saying the Sioux didn't play a poor game, but let's be honest. Maine got two goals off questionable calls.
Donna - yeah...I'll explain later
Anon - thanks
Woody - officiating did not cost the Sioux this weekend. The Sioux beat themselves up too by not adjusting to the game. Maine had a potent powerplay and it cost the Sioux. Hockey East is emerging as a speedy league while the WCHA continues to be a brutal grinder type league. Time will tell to see which is ultimately more successful.
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