March 30, 2011

What a Ride it Has Been!

It's been a great season for our team. The achievements they have pulled off thus far have been nothing short of amazing. Capturing the MacNaughton outright for the 2nd time in 3 years. Winning the Broadmoor in back-to-back years. Frattin winning league MVP. Storming through the Midwest Regional, beating a scrappy RPI team and a DU team that was good enough to make the Frozen Four. This Sioux team, led by a deep senior class, has been downright scary.

There was no "2nd half surge" this year. There was no fighting to just stay above .500 for the 1st half of the season. Aside from a sweep at the hand of the Maine Black Bears, this team was never swept. Brad Malone overcame the emotion of an unfortunate hit that disabled DU player Jesse Martin. This team swept Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. Took 3 points against a surging St. Cloud State team. Drubbed Michigan Tech in convincing fashion. Went into the X facing both CC and DU, dispatching both. Kristo, injured for most of the year, scored in his first game back and immediately made his presence felt. Trupp carried the puck on his stick for a good 120 feet down the ice! This team is special. In a year where the WCHA seemed to be down, this Sioux team demonstrated the dominance that we are all used to showing the other conferences.

I've had the pleasure of watching a lot of good Sioux teams in my day, and I can safely say that this is the best team I have seen. Trupp has blossomed into the player we always expected he would be. Chay has returned with a furor, and Frattin has put himself in prime position to win the Hobey Baker Award.

All the gushing aside of this wonderful team, we Sioux fans know that this team isn't going to the Frozen Four just happy to be there. This team is on a mission. This team has goals. The focus of this team has been unreal. Scary. They didn't touch the MacNaughton or Broadmoor when they were presented with these. They didn't put on championship hats for winning the Final Five or winning the Midwest Regional. Hell, they didn't even celebrate winning the Midwest Regional. Aside from patting Dell on the head and lining up for the handshake, it was business as usual for this team.

They have two more games to win. Two more games.

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