Sioux Yeah Yeah!

Blood to return

2011-04-20T07:40:00.001-06:00

Some good news for the program is that Ben Blood is returning for his senior season. In addition, Aaron Dell is coming back for his junior season. This is good. We need to hear from the likes of Gregoire, Hextall, and Kristo, but so far so good.

NCAA Still Has Sour Grapes

2011-04-20T07:27:00.003-06:00

By now, I'm sure most of you have heard that the NCAA has decided to uphold it's 2007 ruling that the University is not allowed to host post-season games or wear any Fighting Sioux apparel in the post-season, regardless of the ruling of the State that said the Sioux name is here to stay.

The point I'm trying to make here is that the NCAA is fighting for everything it can get. In the statement sent to UND President Robert Kelley, the NCAA said it was upholding the 2007 agreement, which said it must receive support from two state tribes to keep the logo, or retire the logo and namesake by August 1st, 2010. Since neither has happened (at least in the NCAA's eyes, we all know the tribes support the nickname), the NCAA has decided to uphold the 2007 ruling.

Why is it the NCAA is still picking on the Sioux? They have done everything the NCAA has asked, and yet the NCAA is still after this team. I have heard nothing about them going after other programs with namesakes and logos, such as the Utah Utes, Florida State Seminoles, or Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Also, the NCAA, being extremely hypocritical, decided to sell merchandise at the Frozen Four with the Fighting Sioux logo all over it. I know, I was there. I bought some of it.

The State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Sioux nickname and logo and said the NCAA can't impose its will on the program. Yet the NCAA refuses to give up, at least for now. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.

Reflection

2011-04-13T10:06:00.002-06:00

Nearly a week after the Sioux's season was ended by an extremely hot Michigan goaltender, I can finally talk about it and discuss what we as fans have learned.

It's very unfortunate what happened to this group of seniors and to this team. The heavy favorites entering the tournament, they didn't believe their own hype. The Sioux just wanted to take care of business and win the National Championship. As Hakstol said, losing never occurred to these guys as an option.

Why, then, did this team come up short when it seemed all the pieces were in place?

It's a weighted question.

The very simple answer is that it's an extremely difficult thing to win. Only 1 of 58 teams at the end of the season will claim the National Championship. At the beginning of any season, you can realistically pinpoint anywhere from 10-20 teams that will most likely be there at the end of the season. Certain teams like BC, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, BU, and Denver will always be in line to be there. Others, like UNH, Minnesota, Michigan State, Maine, CC, and Miami you can never count out. But every now and then, a Minnesota-Duluth comes along and runs the table, or an RIT steps up in a big way. Or Bemidji. The game is unpredictable, and as I've said for years now,
the parity in college hockey is closing.

Why then, could this amazing Sioux team, the best in recent memory and one of the great Sioux teams of all time, not close the deal, when the best teams in the past couple years (BC, BU, BC) were able to get it done?

I don't know.

There's no answer. None. 40 shots. Allowing only 20 shots, 11 of which were from the neutral zone. Banging the rebounds, playing tight defense. And yet, they fell short. You know what? Sometimes, there is no answer.

In the meantime, there's been some good news. Brad Malone signed with the Avs and I will look for him next year to make an impact with a young Avalanche team that is young and enjoys the college guys. Chay Genoway got picked up by the Minnesota Wild. The young guys coming in are very strong and should make their impacts felt right away.

And there's been some bad news. Apparently the Coyotes are interested in Hextall. I hope it's only interest and nothing more.

I know we've said this for way too long...but...

Wait 'til next year.

Season Over

2011-04-08T10:43:00.001-06:00

And I'm sad

Waiting for Tomorrow

2011-04-06T06:15:00.002-06:00

I'm awake in my old bedroom in my parents house, just contemplating what tomorrow will bring. I've read all the articles that various people have linked around, read newspapers about the Frozen Four, discussed it with local friends, and have just thought.

One thing I'm taking away from all this is the Michigan team/players/fans seem to be sandbagging to the nth degree. All I hear about lately is how Michigan will have to play "perfect" to beat North Dakota and that North Dakota is so good, so talented. Red Berenson himself said that Michigan is an "overwhelming underdog" in this game.

I'm sick of hearing Michigan sandbag. I'm sure that we'll all have to hear that little kid's Herb Brooks speech like 600 times in between now and the game, about how he's so sick of hearing how good North Dakota is. It's almost like Michigan is trying to bait North Dakota into believing it's the better team to lure them into a false sense of security.

The other side of the coin is the Sioux. The Sioux players, the coaches, the fans, no one is giving Michigan too much credit; yet everyone is giving them respect. I think that's how it should be. Believe you can win without conceding the game already to your opponent!

What a Ride it Has Been!

2011-03-30T06:50:00.002-06:00

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.

HERE WE GO!

2011-03-28T10:20:00.003-06:00

Ok, the Sioux are off to the Frozen Four. Yay!

I'm going to do a nice blog about the season later today. I just still need to assemble my thoughts.

Who do you cheer for?

2011-03-27T08:25:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was interesting in following people on Facebook. A lot of hockey fans, especially WCHA fans, were cheering against the Sioux against RPI. When asked why they wouldn't want to support the conference, they said they'd rather the WCHA not have anyone then North Dakota.

Really?

Why would you not want your conference to represent?

Unless it's the Gophers, Wisconsin, or DU, you always cheer for your conference. And you cheer for those teams if they are playing Michigan, BC, Yale...basically, you cheer for your conference.

The Michigan Goal that wasn't

2011-03-27T08:21:00.002-06:00

I'm tired of this. Tired tired tired.

This controversial goal sent Michigan onto Saturday night, where they beat CC 2-1 to advance to the Frozen Four. This was not a goal. The call on the ice was no goal. Yet about 4 minutes after this play happened, they went upstairs to review it and of course, Michigan got the benefit of the doubt. You know if it was UNO scoring a goal like this, it wouldn't have even been reviewed.

What a joke.

Sioux drub RPI, face DU

2011-03-27T08:14:00.002-06:00

For a period yesterday, it looked like RPI was going to make this tough on the Sioux.

Then the Sioux got rolling.

Behind 2 goals from Malone, a nifty toe-drag from Kristo, and goals from Gregoire, Knight, and Frattin, the Sioux blanked RPI 6-0, earning the right to play Denver again, who beat Western Michigan 3-2 in double overtime later that night.

The Sioux were evenly matched in the first period. RPI came out fast and physical, which is what you have to do to beat this North Dakota team. It was only a 1 goal game at the end of 1, and RPI had to feel pretty good. But they started taking undisciplined penalties in a tightly called game, and UND's powerplay was suddenly pretty potent.

Ultimately, the boys were able to put the last two frustrating years behind them and did exactly what they were supposed to do. While number 1 seeds were falling left and right, the Sioux look like the only number 1 seed that deserves to be there.

Puck drop today at 4:30 cst.

Chambers Strikes Again

2011-03-27T08:09:00.003-06:00

If you haven't seen this article written by Sioux hater Mike Chambers in the Denver Post yet, check it out. Basically, Chambers has done everything in his power to drag the Sioux, Brad Malone, and Dave Hakstol through the mud using Jesse Martin as a martyr. I am quite frankly disgusted by this and have already sent an email to the Denver Post demanding an apology from Chambers. He's not an opinion writer; he's a reporter. He has a responsibility to report the news. Not inject his opinion. Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald does a great job of simply reporting the facts. Chambers is not Tom Powers or Jay Mariotti. He has no right to do this.

Before you all jump on me as a DU hater, I've been nothing but respectful to that program this year. I watched the game where Martin got hit and immediately said a prayer for his safety and well being. I know what it's like to lose a player to an injury like that, and no team deserves to have that happen to them. That being said, Chambers has brought this frustration on himself.

Disgusting.

Final Five notes and a preview of this weekend

2011-03-24T08:08:00.004-06:00

It's been a week since the Final Five opened with the new format, two teams that no one expected to see, and no Minnesota or Wisconsin to bolster attendance. I think it's safe to say this Final Five was going to be different, exciting, and bring many opinions to the table.

After the dust has settled, I can safely say that DU/UND game was intense, exciting, and showcased two VERY good hockey teams.

Now, onto this upcoming weekend.

The Sioux are in an interesting position, IMO. They face an RPI team that has had 3 weeks off from any type of game situation. They have practiced from what I understand, but 3 weeks ago, most RPI fans had written their team off and were just waiting for the other teams that still were playing hockey to propel them into the NCAA tourney. Sure enough, RPI made it. Under normal circumstances, I would be really happy for them. I like RPI; they are a proud program that has very loyal fans. A couple of NCAA Championships decorate the trophy room. My friend Joe Yerdon is a huge RPI fan, as well as Tom Reale. But right now, I'm not an RPI fan. In the other game, Denver will face a Western Michigan team that has overachieved and quite frankly, has nothing to lose.

So the ultimate question is, can the Sioux beat RPI?

Sure.

No words on injuries yet. Hakstol is in lockdown mode on those according to Schloss. The team leaves for Green Bay today. I sure hope they got some rest after their two overtime game against DU.

Final Five Notes

2011-03-16T14:40:00.002-06:00

Yesterday in the WCHA Conference Call Hak told the people listening that Kristo was practicing. I guess I didn't realize the extent until Schloss reported today that he's practicing in full and has the potential to return to the lineup. That's some very good news for the Sioux. Combine that with the fact they are only playing two games this weekend. That's really really good news.

I'll be at both games tomorrow and will blog about them.

The Final Five is Set

2011-03-14T08:39:00.002-06:00

I attended last nights CC/UW game and didn't come away disappointed. The game was lousy for the first two periods, but the last was exciting and some fine hockey. CC won 2-1 and advanced to the Final Five; Wisconsin's season ended.

Could this be a bigger nightmare for Bruce McLeod and co.? I mean, let's look at the games.

Thursday Afternoon: Bemidji vs. Minnesota Duluth
Thursday Night: UAA vs. CC

Friday Afternoon: Bemidji/UMD vs. Denver
Friday Night: UAA/CC vs. North Dakota

Saturday Night: Winner of Friday afternoons game and Friday nights game

This is, in my opinion, a nightmare for the money counters of the WCHA. For those of us that are fans of the WCHA and fans of the game of college hockey, this is quite frankly the best case scenario I could envision. You have a first time team, two Colorado teams, a team that hasn't been there since 2004, and the two previous Broadmoor champions. Talk about a unique field! I look forward especially to Bemidji and UAA getting to play on a big stage. And I'm counting on big hockey fans to still turn out for the games.

It's going to be a fun Final Five. Stay tuned

An Irish Wake for Minnesota

2011-03-13T08:35:00.003-06:00

Most of the series are done, surprisingly.

North Dakota took care of business last night. So did Denver, coming back (again) and beating Mankato in overtime. Duluth won in triple overtime, ending St. Cloud's season.

But there were some upsets.

Bemidji, a team that is used to the big stage in college hockey, will get to be the first new team of the WCHA to head to St. Paul as they knocked off UNO in a sweep at the Qwest Center. I can safely say with confidence that the #10 seed has never advanced to St. Paul.

The biggest story of the night though, was the Seawolves ending Minnesota's season. Behind a stunning goaltending effort from Chris Kamal, UAA blanked Minnesota 2-0. The Minnesota fanbase seemed stunned and not surprised at the same time, and almost immediately after the game, the speculation of where the coaching staff would be began. Meanwhile, UAA is off to its first Final Five since 2004, and is on a 5 game winning streak. The possibility of UAA making the NCAA's is exciting and shows the true grit of the WCHA.

I, for one, was not going to mock the Gophers. While I don't like a lot of their fans, they do have passion and care a lot about the game. My own dad is a huge Gopher fan and donates his money to the University. This is a proud program who is unfortunately in a bad position right now. Many Gopher fans are not used to failure. This is a program that will be back. I believe that. A change at the top? It's gotta happen, and sooner rather then later. For now though, it's just time to mourn the end of the Gophers season.

Most Exciting Time in College Hockey

2011-03-13T08:10:00.005-06:00

I was driving home from the airport last night and was on the phone with my friend and frequent commenter on this blog, Steve. We were talking, nonstop, about this time of year. How we all become scoreboard watchers and suddenly what all 58 teams in college hockey are doing is important. How we all calculate the PWR rankings and the what-if scenarios. I realized that this time of year, this playoff hunt, is the most exciting time in college hockey.

October could be. Start of the new season. New life. New blood. Every team is 0-0. But then a team like Michigan Tech makes a little noise and everyone in their fanbase is screaming for a huge season, which ultimately doesn't happen.

The Frozen Four could be. But by that point, the majority of hockey fans have gone home and are "waiting until next year".

This is the time of year where everyone is on their computers, digging into the games. Finding out who is winning. This is the best time in college hockey.

WCHA Champions

2011-03-13T08:10:00.002-06:00

I've seen some poignant moments in Sioux hockey over my years. The team not touching the MacNaughton might be the most poignant of all.

Frattin's Hattrick

2011-03-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

Upsets Galore

2011-03-12T07:31:00.003-07:00

The Sioux's drubbing of Michigan Tech last night was certainly impressive, given how Tech has played in the playoffs in the past. Behind a great team effort and a hattrick by both Frattin and Gregoire, the Sioux won handily, 8-0.

The biggest story of the night though was UAA upsetting the Gophers in Minnesota. All we've heard all week is how the Gophers unbeaten streak was at 7 games, how they never lose in the playoffs at the Mooch, how UAA is overrated, etc. Well last night, the Seawolves humbled the Gophers on home ice, winning 4-3 after being spotted a 3-0 lead. After the game, an interview with coach Don Lucia proved how arrogant and cocky that program is. Don said something to the effect of "they probably deserved to win tonight." Probably? Your team was completely inept in the first period, had to fight and claw its way back, and after tying it up, took a ridiculously stupid penalty that allowed UAA to win the game. I'd say that UAA certainly deserved to win the game.

Aside from UAA upsetting, Wisconsin beat CC 3-1 down in the Springs and Bemidji beat UNO 4-2 in Omaha. While Wisconsin's win isn't all that surprising, Bemidji's certainly is. UNO is very solid at home and is a very pleasant surprise in the WCHA, while Bemidji struggled this year. Yet they had a good record against Omaha and got the job done last night.

In other WCHA scores, DU overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat Mankato 4-2, and Duluth upended St. Cloud 4-2. Ironically, Minnesota isn't in that bad of shape pairwise, since Western Michigan and Dartmouth both lost last night. UND moved up to number 2 in the pairwise. I don't think they can catch Yale for the number 1 spot, but I believe they have secured a number 1 spot, regardless of what happens here on out.

The Playoffs Begin

2011-03-11T07:45:00.002-07:00

Tonight, we watch the Sioux take the first step towards the NCAA's as they take on Michigan Tech at the Engelstad.

First, I'd like to congratulate Matt Frattin on earning the WCHA Player of the Year. His troubles a year ago have been well documented and his comeback from those troubles are nothing more then spectacular. Putting his team first, Matt was able to climb back on the horse and prove how valuable of a player he can be. A player that will most likely be a Hobey Baker finalist, he's a truly dynamic player and will help the Sioux go deep, in my opinion.

Now, onto this weekend. I'm a believer in the fact that the playoffs give teams chances to start over. Chances to prove the doubters wrong. Every team is 0-0 at this point. Every team can, in theory make the WCHA Final Five.

Yes, even Tech.

How can Tech, the team that got dismantled by the Sioux last weekend, rise up?

I don't know.

My point is, while Tech can IN THEORY go to the Final Five, I don't see it happening. UND should take care of business pretty easily this weekend.

Now, onto the other series that are happening.

Denver vs. Minnesota State
Denver hasn't been playing very good hockey lately, while Mankato might be playing fantastic hockey without the wins to show for it. These two teams meet in Denver, and while it'll go to 3 games, Denver will be in St. Paul next weekend. Denver in 3

Nebraska-Omaha vs. Bemidji State
One of the WCHA newcomers will be at the Final Five. That's pretty cool. One of these newcomers had a great season, while the other team was humbled. Bemidji learned pretty quick how tough a full season can be in the WCHA, while Nebraska-Omaha proved us all wrong with a great year. The question is, can Bemidji repeat its success it had this year against the Red Mavs? I don't think so. Nebraska-Omaha in 2

Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State
Some coach earlier in the season mentioned that St. Cloud is the best 11th place team he had ever seen. Seems pretty accurate. Last weekend St. Cloud was in the fight for home ice. This team has suddenly decided to show up. Duluth on the other hand is in free-fall mode. Again. A team that was challenging the Sioux for first place has suddenly found itself down in the pairwise. I think that while St. Cloud has enough firepower to get the job done, Duluth will be making a trip to St. Paul. Duluth in 3

Minnesota vs. Alaska-Anchorage
The Gophers have been on fire lately as well, currently on an unbeaten streak of 7. Gopher fans are ready to declare their team the NCAA champions. Yet if they don't sweep UAA this weekend, they are probably going to have to run the table at the Final Five to make the NCAA's. And that's assuming UAA doesn't pull a massive upset. And that is what I'm calling. No, it's not because I'm a huge hater of the Gophers. It's simple factors. UAA is overachieving this season. Doing well with what they have. The Gophers, they are the ones with the target on their backs. All the pressure in the world. UAA will be loose, limber, and stun the Gophers on Sunday, ending the Gophers season. UAA in 3

Colorado College vs. Wisconsin
In another rematch from last weekend, CC and Wisconsin simply swap venues and continue. Neither team is bad, neither team is good. They split last weekend, and while Wisconsin seemed to be carrying the play (I watched both games) I put a lot of that on being in the Kohl Center. CC should be able to beat 'Sconni and end their season. CC in 3

There you have it folks. On Sunday, we can see how wrong I was.

Inaugral Blogger Poll Standings

2011-03-08T16:56:00.003-07:00

Earlier this year I was asked to participate in the first WCHA Blogger poll. 15 of us came together and put our thoughts down on how we thought the season would turn out. Needless to say, don't gamble based on our picks.

Here's what we said for final standings:

1. North Dakota (12)
2. St. Cloud (2)
3. Minnesota-Duluth (1)
4. Denver
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Nebraska-Omaha
8. Colorado College
9. Bemidji State
10. Minnesota State
11. Michigan Tech
12. Alaska-Anchorage

Needless to say, we nailed two teams - North Dakota and Minnesota.

For player of the year, here's what we picked:

Jack Connolly - Duluth (6)
Garrett Roe - St. Cloud (5)
Jacob Cepis - Minnesota - (1)
Chay Genoway - North Dakota (1)
Jason Gregoire - North Dakota (1)
Matt Read - Bemidji (1)

My guess is none of those players will get it. Rather, it will go to Matt Frattin of North Dakota.

Here's who we picked for Rookie of the Year

Jaden Schwartz-Colorado College (6)
Beau Bennett-Denver (2)
Derek Forbort-North Dakota (2)
Nick Bjugstad-Minnesota (1)
Erik Haula-Minnesota (1)
Matt White-Nebraska Omaha (1)
Mark Zengerle-Wisconsin (1)
Sam Rendle-Bemidji (1)

Again, we royally whiffed on this one, as it will most likely go to Jason Zucker of Denver.

Some stats to boggle your minds...and one to be concerned about

2011-03-06T11:33:00.002-07:00

Schloss had a ton of stats about this Sioux team to end the regular season on his blog. While I won't recap them all, I'll run down a few of them. For the complete list, head over to his blog. Goon also recapped them as well.

- Frattin won the league scoring title. He is tied for the NCAA lead with 29
- Aaron Dell won the WCHA goalie title with a 1.97 GAA
- The Sioux were the top scoring team with 4.00 GPG
- 1st in offense, defense, special teams, and PP

Pretty impressive stats for this team. There's one fact thought that troubles me. No team has won the WCHA title and the National Championship since Northern Michigan did in 1991. There's been some real good teams that have won the MacNaughton cup during that timespan, and not one of them won the NCAA Championship. Definitely something this team can hopefully reverse, but man, it's not a good sign.

11-2

2011-03-05T17:40:00.002-07:00

11-2. The Sioux were the delivers of an 11-2 drubbing today to Michigan Tech. With Eidsness letting Aaron Dell rest, the Sioux's offense was potent, scoring 6 goals in the 1st period.

A Tech fan commented to me that this Sioux team is insane in how talented it is, and should have no problem running the table. To me, it's not worth even talking about yet. They have to get to the Final Five first, which means taking care of business next weekend.

One step at a time...

Count it!

2011-03-04T19:54:00.001-07:00

Your 2011 MacNaughton Cup champions!

Great game by the Sioux tonight, dominating the Huskies and winning 6-1. I'm so proud of this team, it's unreal.

Fighting in college hockey...is it a good idea?

2011-03-01T21:16:00.003-07:00

Goon has been raging debate over the past week about the issue of no fighting in college hockey. For those of you who follow him, you know his stance on this issue. For those of you who don't, let me bring you up to speed on what our resident homer Sioux fan thinks about the subject.

Goon is a fan of old time hockey. Old time meaning guys squaring off and throwing down, sometimes multiple times a game. Goon likes fighting in hockey. He's not alone. A lot of hockey fans enjoy the fighting aspect of the game. Then there are others, like myself, who think fighting, while it has a place in hockey, should not be a the forefront of it. To me, fighting is more of a gimmick. A way to draw causal fans to the arena. My argument is supported by the many minor league hockey teams who promise things like "a fight or your money back". I mean, really? Hockey is a skill game, a game of finesse. To dumb it down for the masses is ridiculous. I don't care if less fighting draws less fans. To me, I'd rather watch a battle of skill then a battle of fists. And I'm a huge boxing fan.

Now, Goon, in fairness, has some points to back up his argument. His thought regarding the ban on fighting in college hockey is causing more injuries. To beat a dead horse and make it deader, let's bring up the Marvin hit on Genoway (maybe the last time, maybe not). Marvin put a vicious, deliberate hit on Genoway that nearly ended his college hockey career. Marvin showed a history of bad hits, and was able to continue to do so thanks to the inability to teach him a lesson. If fighting was allowed in college hockey, one of the Sioux's enforcers (they really don't have any right now...maybe Forbort?) could go and beat him down, thus ensuring he would pay for his actions. This is an interesting point, but the question is, would a beatdown deter him from making this type of hit?

Joe, my friend and blogger, is also a fan of old time hockey. He can go toe-to-toe with anyone on fighting trivia in hockey. His stance on fighting is that it has a place in the game, but in college hockey, guys aren't mature enough to understand what a fight is all about. They are too hot-headed. They'd see a hit on one of their players and immediately want to drop the gloves. This would lead to many ejections and really, amount to nothing.

My personal stance is I do not want to see fighting in college hockey. It's a unique level where you see incredible talent; yet the game is not tainted by stoppages in play every 9 minutes with someone dropping their gloves. There's pushing and shoving, sure, but that's at every level. Hell, in high school, that was a common occurrence. It's not a big deal. But Goon does have a point that there are goons in the leagues that can make hits and hide. How can you deal with these players? Simple. Increase the penalties for vicious acts.

When Marvin hit Genoway, I don't care that it was a St. Cloud player. He should have been suspended for at least 1/2 the season. A hit like that is inexcusable and there's no question in my mind Marvin should have paid dearly for it. A St. Cloud fan will tell you he did his time. Sure...long enough to knock out the Badger captain late in the season. I'm not saying ban these guys from playing immediately, but some sort of severe punishment system would deter these guys from making hits that are dangerous. Knowing they could potentially lose a season of eligibility should be enough of a scare tactic.

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a fan of the game.

Another sweep, clinching 1st. This team is good.

2011-02-28T13:39:00.002-07:00

The Sioux are flat out good. What more can you say? This team is just good.

Both Saturday and Sunday were convincing. A 5-2 win on Saturday and a 5-1 win on Sunday with goals from Gregoire, Frattin, Davidson, and Trupper. Big saves by Dell. Coming back after falling behind on Sunday.

My big question to all of you Sioux fans is this? Does this team have what it takes to run the table now? My guess is they could lose all their remaining games and still make the NCAA's as a #2 team. We know they won't do that and will be in St. Paul at the Final Five or whatever it's called now. With a few more wins, this team should be good enough to get a number one seed and potentially the highest number one seed in the nation. As long as they don't face some ridiculous team on the rise like god forbid the Gophers, they should be fine.

My friend Tim texted me last night and is very optimistic. I think we all should be.

The WCHA Shakeup

2011-02-26T08:06:00.002-07:00

The Sioux don't play until this afternoon, but they got help last night in getting closer to clinching the MacNaughton Cup, as UNO beat DU 5-2 and CC beat Duluth 5-4. Furthermore, teams they might have to face come NCAA time, Minnesota and Wisconsin, saw their pairwise ranking drop, even though Minnesota beat Tech 5-2. Wisconsin fell to St. Cloud 4-2.

UAA took itself out of being a TUC with a 5-1 falling to Alaska. St. Cloud continues its climb in the pairwise, while Denver fell all the way to 7th.

Regardless if the Sioux clinch 1st this weekend, the MacNaughton won't make it's debut until playoff time.

Sioux in the drivers seat

2011-02-21T08:38:00.001-07:00

By taking 3/4 points from SCSU this last weekend, the Sioux remain 2 points ahead of DU in the race for the MacNaughton Cup. The Sioux have the easy schedule of the two as well, facing Bemidji at home and Tech on the road. If the Sioux are able to sweep Bemidji and DU splits against Omaha, the MacNaughton Cup could very well make its presence known in Grand Forks next weekend. Stay tuned.

Also, I'm sure most of you have seen this goal already, either on Sportscenter, YouTube, or any of the ESPN talk shows, but here it is again. DU's David Makowski launched the puck nearly 190 feet down the ice and after taking a funny bounce, it found its way into the back of the net. Kevin Genoe, Michigan Tech's goalie, looks just embarrassed more then anything, not that I blame him. It brought back memories for me of Robbie Bina scoring on Long Island Jeff Frazee back in the 2006-2007 season. Sad thing is, Makowski's goal was longer, as Bina shot his from the bottom of the circle, while Makowski's was from below the goal line.

I'd like to thank my friend Tim for taking this video of Hextall's go-ahead goal in St. Cloud. He got lucky with the timing, but I give him a lot of credit for being in the right place at the right time. Thanks Tim for your permission to post this.

Finally, the Sioux are ranked #1 in the country after their effort this past weekend. BC, Yale, and Merrimack all received 1st place votes. The Sioux are also sitting 2nd in the pairwise. As I said earlier, they are in the driver's seat at this point.

A Tie = No Harm Done

2011-02-19T06:51:00.003-07:00

Normally, the Sioux earning a tie wouldn't bring much happiness, but thanks to an interesting night in the WCHA, the Sioux are actually now two points ahead of Denver in the chase for the MacNaughton cup. How?

Because Denver lost to Tech, Duluth lost to Mankato, Omaha lost to UAA, and Wisconsin lost to Minnesota.

The Sioux are in prime pickings for the MacNaughton cup. That being said, some things last night didn't go so well. After having a 2-0 lead, the Sioux gave up 3 goals and it took a beauty from Frattin to tie it up and send the game to OT. Without Chay on the powerplay, the Sioux are now 2-21 on their last powerplays. Last night they lost the face-off battle for the first time in who knows how long. I don't want to say they are complacent, but at the same time, it's the little things come playoff time that allow you to come up big. And at all times, you need to be able to roll 4 lines. Hak said himself that 4 lines were ineffective last night. That's not a good thing.

Still, the Sioux control their own destiny. And that's a very, very good thing.

Is There Something to the Black Jerseys?

2011-02-18T06:00:00.002-07:00

We all know how dominant the Sioux have been in their black swift jerseys (IIRC, they have lost one time in them...to BC...in the Frozen Four...) so it's safe to say they would bring them this weekend to St. Cloud, right?

Apparently not.

St. Cloud must be joining the trend, because they requested that they be able to wear their black jerseys this weekend. According to the rule book, it's the visiting team that gets to decide which jerseys to wear, so apparently Hakstol gave permission to Motzko to wear said jerseys. Either Hak has ridiculous confidence in his team without the swift jerseys, or he's sandbagging hoping his team doesn't win the MacNaughton. I think I know which one I'm going with.

Now, onto this weekend. A lot has been made about the Sioux struggling at St. Cloud on Friday nights. In fact, the last time they won a game here was 1998. Think about it. Some of the best Sioux teams of the past decade couldn't get a win here on Friday night. However, last year, they swept CC in Colorado Springs, which was the first time they did that since 1999. I'm pretty confident they can get a sweep this weekend, even if Kristo and Genoway are both still out with injury.

Also, assuming the Sioux split the rest of their series along the way, they will have 4th place in the WCHA locked up. I predict they will face Minnesota-State in the playoffs, which is a team that doesn't scare me or the Sioux.

Gregoire named WCHA Offensive POTW

2011-02-15T14:14:00.001-07:00

Gregoire, after a superb weekend against UAA, has been named the offensive POTW in the WCHA. He had two goals and two assists on the weekend.

What the Sioux need to do

2011-02-15T10:06:00.004-07:00

The Sioux are in first place. By one point. 1st through 4th in the WCHA are separated by all of 2 points. UND has 32, DU has 31, and UMD/UNO both have 30. The next closest team is Wisconsin with 24 points. With three series left in the regular season, the Sioux are in a good position to get some points and probably take the MacNaughton. The question is, is that the best move for this team?

We've seen the past couple years the Sioux add some hardware to their trophy case, with the winning of the MacNaughton in the 2008-2009 season and the winning of the Broadmoor in 2009-2010. While these were nice additions to an already very full trophy case, none of them are the one that all us Sioux fans covet ridiculously, which is the NC trophy. In my opinion, the teams exhausted themselves by winning both the MacNaughton and the Broadmoor. Now people will be quick to point out that the Sioux went to the Frozen Four in 2006 after winning the Final Five, but that team also had John-Phillipe Lamoureux as goalie, who was quite frankly the best goaltender for the Sioux the past decade.

So the question is this: does this team have the ability/stamina to make a run at all 3 trophies? To help me figure it out, I asked my buddy Steve, who saw the team play in CC a couple weekends ago.

Steve summed it up as this: If they play like they did Friday night, the Sioux are going nowhere. If they play like they did Saturday night, this team will run the table no problem.

It seems a little more complicated then that, but then he and I discussed the depth of this team. To be honest, I can't remember a Sioux team that was this stacked from top to bottom. Sure, teams in the past have had great talent, and this team is no exception, but while this years team might not have the flashy players of the past, Frattin, Marto, Pony, Genoway, Blood, Trupp, and Gregoire are doing a damn fine job of playing hockey. Kristo and Genoway are out and yet the team didn't miss a beat last weekend against a feisty UAA team. There's something special about this team this year. I can't quite put my finger on it, and to be honest, it might just be the coaching intangibles. But regardless of what it is, you gotta be impressed with the Sioux this year.

They are in the drivers seat for their own destiny. Keep playing like they are, and a #1 seed is in their grasp. As Steve said, if they play like they did against CC on Saturday, their destiny should include the Frozen Four.

Thanks Steve for your "insight" ;-)

A Nice Sweep, Home Ice, Ahhhhh

2011-02-13T08:36:00.002-07:00

I'm still convinced UAA is a good team and I'm still afraid for whoever faces them in the playoffs, regardless of who it is. The Sioux had some great puck luck last night, but regardless, they capitalized on their opportunities, took advantage, and won 3-1 in front of a near-record crowd at the Engelstad. The win gave UND home ice for the 7th year in a row in the WCHA playoffs and sole possession of first place, with Minnesota-Duluth tying St. Cloud and Denver being routed by Minnesota.

Again, the scoring was spread out last night, with Hextall, Trupp, and Gregoire getting the goals. Again, guys that you hope are going to step up in games like this got it done. Aaron Dell, while not tested in net as much as Friday, still held firm and was able to help his team get the win.

I'm really proud of the boys. They put the Kristo media circus behind them and Chay's injury as well. Hopefully Chay will return soon. I'm pessimistic about Danny, but we'll see.

A Convincing Win

2011-02-12T05:52:00.003-07:00

Lately, the Sioux have struggled in the Friday night games of their series, dropping the last 3 Friday games and only earning splits in their series.

That changed last night in convincing fashion.

Jumping out to an early 3-0 lead, the Sioux cruised to a 6-1 victory behind 21 saves from Aaron Dell and scoring spread out amongst the team, with 6 different players finding the back of the net. The boys were able to put the distraction of Danny Kristo's frostbite behind them and Chay's unfortunate injury. As Hak said, "We've had guys out of the lineup all year. We're not shorthanded." That's what I thought as guys who you hope would step up in this situation did.

Take Derek Forbort. He was a 15th overall pick in the NHL draft; a big kid who I expected to find enormous success in the WCHA. He hasn't had a bad season, but it's not like he's shattering teams out there. Last night, he was the key setup guy on two goals. His shot from the point was deflected in by Mario Lamoureux for the third goal of the game, and he centered the puck to Gregoire who tapped in the 4th goal. He made plays when necessary last night, stepping up in a big way.

Aaron Dell, who in my opinion has fallen back to earth in recent weeks, looked as sharp as ever, making some big saves and not allowing UAA back into the game. A game like that can give a goalie ridiculous confidence and show his team that if they can't sustain great offense, he can keep them in the game. Aaron Dell, unlike Eidsness, has proven time and again he can shut out an opposing team. And I think his confidence will be highly restored after last night.

As for UAA, they remain tied for 6th in the WCHA, so they can still make up some points tonight. They will come out feisty tonight, and it's important for the Sioux to capitalize again.

One interesting stat pointed out by Schloss is that the Sioux have scored 6 goals in their past two games, and in both games, no player had a multi-goal game. It just shows you the diversity of scoring this team can have.

Is UAA for real?

2011-02-11T06:50:00.002-07:00

Most years, UAA is an interesting team. They seem ready to break out, only to falter by the end of the year and finish in the basement or near the basement of the WCHA. This year, at this time, UAA is sitting in a tie for 6th place and seems to be playing some good hockey. I saw them play a couple weekends ago against Denver, and though they were swept by the Pioneers, they played some good hockey on Friday night, keeping the game close and if not for a few untimely penalties, could have stolen the Friday night game.

This UAA team is not fast by any means; in fact, I compare watching them to watching a team out of Atlantic Hockey, such as Mercyhurst or Niagara. However, they are gritty. They are able to force turnovers in the neutral zone and capitalize on odd man rushes. Combine that with goalies that can face 35+ shots a game and keep the team in it. UAA makes up for what they lack in talent with good overall hockey skills.

The Sioux will have their hands full this weekend. With both Kristo and Genoway out, the Sioux are down two of their best players. With Hextall playing too inconsistent for my taste, and Dell coming back down to earth in recent weeks, UAA can take advantage of the Sioux. Not only that, but they are scrapping for every point they can get. UND, it's safe to say, is going to be home in the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, and will most likely lock up a 1,2, or 3 seed. The big question is, can the finish the season on a strong note or will they limp to the finish line?

Finally have a computer again!

2011-02-09T06:52:00.001-07:00

I finally have a computer again, and can finally catch up on the blog!

That being said, I'll have some stuff later today.

Wow...

2011-01-22T07:25:00.003-07:00

Is there anything more to say then wow? I mean seriously. UND got absolutely smoked last night. They played like garbage. Probably the worst home loss in the Engelstad since my freshman year, where they got blanked by Mankato 6-0 and the boo birds came out. Last night, I hope the fans booed the team again. A loss like that, playing like they did, is simply unacceptable.

Like Goon, I'm not hitting the panic button yet. It's one loss. Sure it's a bad loss, but regardless of how much you lose by, it only goes into the books as a loss. Tonight allows the Sioux to regroup, come out strong, split the series, and basically recharge their batteries.

I do admire Hakstol for putting the blame on himself, because quite frankly, I agree with him. A loss like that starts with the coaching staff.

Friday Stuff

2011-01-21T12:50:00.002-07:00

A few thoughts and pontifications for today.

I was reading the Denver Post today while enjoying a #14 from Jimmy Johns and there was an article about Jesse Martin on the front page of the sports. To see DU actually getting the front page of the sports section is a great accomplishment, considering this town is all about the Broncos and to a lesser extent what Carmello is up to in his daily trade talks.

Again, I'm blown away at how well Jesse has handled this incident. He's a good kid, and I truly do wish him the best in his recovery effort. You can read the article here.

Now onto the Sioux...

There's a little bit of hype surrounding this game as it's the first time Dean Blais returns to the Engelstad as an opposing coach of the Sioux. Dean led the Sioux to two NCAA championships and is certainly in the Sioux Hall of Fame. I've spoken with a couple Sioux fans about the reaction they think Dean will get when he is on the opposing bench tonight coaching UNO and the general consensus is he will be received warmly. Me personally, I'd do nothing more then razz him a little bit but I have no issues with Dean being on the other side of the benches.

That's about it for today. I won't be watching tonights game as I'll be attending DU/UAA, looking for UAA to steal one from Denver tonight.

A Gritty Win

2011-01-16T10:09:00.005-07:00

Sometimes, the Sioux are able to put on a dazzling display of talent in their wins. Other times, they are feisty. And even more often, they grind it out, taking what the opponent gives them and taking advantage of it. That was the case last night.

The Sioux bounced back from a tough loss on Friday night, beating Minnesota 4-1, salvaging a split and ensuring they stay atop the WCHA standings.

After a fluky first period goal by Cretin-Derham Hall grad Mark Alt, Evan Trupp quickly ensured it would be the only lead the Gophers saw all night. Stealing the puck in the offensive zone, Trupp walked in with a clear shot at the net, beating Patterson and allowing the Sioux nation to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Another goal would follow after Minnesota decided to be dumb and got called for some penalties. A tic-tac-toe play from Frattin to Genoway to Malone gave the Sioux their 2nd goal of the night.

In the 3rd, a shot by Hextall deflected off of Corban Knight, hit the post, and bounced in, making it 3-1. Finally, some hard work by Danny Kristo gave the Sioux a 4-1 lead and capped off a good night for North Dakota.

Another interesting thing I noted was the penalties last night. The game seemed to be called fairly tight and most of the penalties were warranted and justified. What surprised me though was the ineptness of the Gophers powerplay, which went 0-6 on the night with just 6 shots. The Sioux seemed unafraid of the Gophers on special teams, which of course decided the game, as the Sioux scored 2 PP goals.

Last night, the Sioux did what they needed to do to win. It wasn't pretty or flashy, but they did it. Up next, they hope to get revenge on UNO, who is in a bit of a skid.

Time to reflect

2011-01-15T11:32:00.002-07:00

Yes, the Sioux lost a close game to their closest and most hated rivals. No, it's not a huge deal. We all know Minnesota, even on down years, is still a decent team capable of putting up some points. The problem that I have with last nights game is not the fact the Sioux lost; the Sioux actually played a good game. I'm frustrated by the Gophers and their lack of class last night.

This video is already viral and discussion amongst college hockey fans is rampant. The discussion is whether or not this hit by Brad Malone on Kevin Wehrs was clean and furthermore, why after a big scrum, did North Dakota get a powerplay? Let's take a look.

At 9 seconds into the video, there's .9 seconds left on the clock. Wehrs has the puck and is looking to clear it. Malone eyes him up, looking to make a play on the body. At 10 seconds of the video, with .6 left, Malone throws a clean check on Wehrs, sending him into the boards. There's no malicious intent here, it's simply making a clean play on the body. A body check. Furthermore, the ref is standing right on top of the play and can easily make a call if necessary. But there is no call needed. Clean hit before the horn sounds, end of the period, go to the locker room.

Nope. Not for the Gophers. As soon as the period ends, Wehrs sat there on the ice looking just pissed that someone would dare hit him. At 14 seconds in, you can see a linesman skating towards Malone, I assume, to assure no one comes after him. At 15 seconds in, take a look to the left. You see Gregoire tangling with a Gopher who is clearly taking a run at Malone with intent to injure him. Turns out its resident dickweasel Cepis, who has a reputation of being a dirty player. Gregoire is protecting his teammate from this malicious player, and from there, it just grows into a melee.

Further of note, Wehrs was obviously shaken up by the play, right? Not so much. He got up and got right into the scrum. Hard to feel sorry for the guy when he wants to be out there picking fights. That's not going to garner much sympathy, son.

In the end, because of Cepis's stupid action, the Sioux got a well-deserved powerplay and capitalized on it. Perhaps Jacob Cepis has learned his lesson. I doubt it though, and although I don't wish many players ill harm, I can't wait for him to take an elbow to the back of the head tonight.

Damn

2011-01-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

What more is there to say? The Gophers won, the Sioux lost.

Recap coming tomorrow.

Kangas is done with college

2011-01-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

Gopher blogger and homer Roman Augustoviz has reported that Alex Kangas is having season ending surgery, thus ending his collegiate career, as he has played in too many games to be redshirted.

Kangas was considered a good goaltender by the Gopher nation and it's unfortunate that his career has to end this way.

Matt Frattin Highlight Video

2011-01-11T14:32:00.001-07:00

This is circulating all over the place. But check it out. It's awesome.

Sioux/Gopher Week...here we go

2011-01-11T09:54:00.003-07:00

Like the Bud Light commercials say...here we go!

Our beloved Sioux team is hot. There's no denying that. Aaron Dell has been spectacular in net, the forwards are firing on all cylinders right now, and the defense is doing a great job of taking it to the opponent in the defensive zone. Matt Frattin is leading the nation in goals scored and even with Gregoire injured, this team is showing no signs of slowing down. As a few people have alluded to already, if this is the 2nd half surge that is so typical under coach Hakstol, be very afraid.

On paper, this should be an easy sweep for the Sioux, who have had Minnesota's number as of late at the Engelstad. The last time these two teams met, it was in the playoffs for a spot at the Final Five. #4 vs. #7. The Sioux were up to the task, and although it took them 3 games to knock off Minnesota, they did it convincingly and eventually ended up Broadmoor champions.

Don't count the Gophers out though. They recently took 3/4 points from Duluth and showed in that series that they are capable of greatness. I think the Gophers are a slightly different team this year then in the past years. Coach Lucia has been plagued by health issues that have affected his ability to coach effectively. Early player departures have plagued this team, as well as this year dealing with a goalie situation that has been sadly inconsistent.

So is it possible for the Gophers to win this weekend against the Sioux? I think it is...but I'm not ready to make a prediction yet...stay tuned.

SCSU in Shambles

2011-01-05T20:41:00.003-07:00

For a program that had preseason dreams of NCAA success, St. Cloud is heading the wrong way down a one way track, to borrow a line from Minneapolis band Soul Asylum.

One day after forward Chris Hepp announced he signed a pro contract with the ECHL, St. Cloud also announced Tony Mosey was dismissed from the team for violating team rules. For those who don't remember, Hepp has previously had issues with the law, causing destruction in St. Cloud to various vehicles. He also had a minor earlier in college.

This incident apparently involved something at the Florida Classic Tournament. I haven't been able to confirm what it was, but Goon is on the case and as soon as he finds out, I'll let you know.

Denver also lost William Wrenn to the WHL. I've never seen him play very much, so I can't blame him for making this move. Gwozdecky has a tendency to play favorites, so if you never get on his good side, you aren't going to get the time you deserve. This move, while not all that surprising, will not affect DU very much.

Goon also had a link to an article about the Sioux's first half success. What I find interesting is that we all as Sioux fans are so used to a 2nd half run...what happens if that doesn't happen this year and the team comes back down to earth? I'm just saying hypothetically...since really, I don't believe that will happen at all. The only thing hurting this team right now is that Gregoire is still out with no timetable to his return. Granted, Gregoire is probably the best overall player on this roster, but with guys like Genoway and Frattin playing well, I don't think the Sioux will miss a beat.

Looking at Robert Morris this weekend. Robert Morris used to be the laughing stock of college hockey. This year, they are a team to be taken seriously.

Happy New Year...much things to discuss

2011-01-01T09:00:00.003-07:00

Happy 2011 to you all. We can only hope that it's better then 2010. A sour economy, a crappy job market, and our Sioux not hanging a National Championship banner...but we can look behind us now and move on.

In case you're wondering why I haven't blogged lately, I have dealt with computer issues and have left my computer off for the most part. I think I may have given it enough life though to allow me to put my thoughts together.

Let's first discuss the Hall of Fame game two nights ago against Minnesota-Duluth. The Sioux blanked the Bulldogs 5-0, spoiling the opening of Duluth's new arena, in what could best be described as an all around team effort. Pony netted two goals, while Frattin, Rowney, and Kristo also provided scoring. Aaron Dell got his 2nd shutout of the season, and the Sioux quite frankly made Minnesota-Duluth look weak and incompetent.

In other Minnesota-Duluth news, Dylan Olsen is leaving Minnesota-Duluth for the AHL. The rumor out of the Duluth camp is that he would have been academically ineligible to return the 2nd semester anyway, but regardless, this is a huge blow to the Bulldogs, who have been reeling in the past couple weeks.

The World Juniors are going quite well for Team USA, who are 4-0 and earned a bye into the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Switzerland. I thought Switzerland would provide the toughest challenge for Team USA, and our boys proved they were up to the task. In the World Juniors, CC suffered a blow when Jaden Schwartz fractured his ankle. Look for him to be out for up to 6 weeks.

Finally, in holiday play in the WCHA over the past couple nights, UNO got swept by Quinnipiac, which is very humbling for UNO. Sconni swept the Minutemen from UMass 5-1 and 4-2. CC lost 6-5 to Michigan, while Tech lost 5-3 to Michigan State. Last night, Denver scored 5 in the 3rd period to beat Northern Michigan 5-2, Minnesota lost in overtime to Union 3-2, and Bemidji State beat Ferris 3-2. More games coming tonight.

It's time to reflect on last year, and look forward to the new year.

Midseason Report and Letter Grades

2010-12-18T15:44:00.002-07:00

With the Sioux on a little bit of a break, aside from playing some of the best young players in the game of hockey, I thought it might be a good time to blog about the WCHA and give each team a letter grade based on how they are doing. Feel free to add comments and whatnot. We'll go from top of the standings to the bottom.

North Dakota: A-
The only thing preventing me from giving the Sioux an A is the fact that they were swept by Maine early in the season. North Dakota is playing very well right now, with a solid goaltender in Aaron Dell and Matt Frattin leading the league in scoring. Chay is playing well and assisting his team quite nicely. This is an unusual start for a Hakstol-led team, but Sioux fans are enjoying being in first place at Christmastime.

Denver: A
For as much as I hate DU's fanbase and find their coach arrogant and egotistical, I'm very proud of this Denver team. Responding well to Jesse Martin's very unfortunate neck injury, DU has overachieved with a team of freshman and sophomores. Combine that with Sam Brittain in net who has done absolutely fantastic, and DU is in a great place at the break. I picked DU to finish in the top half, but still...I didn't think they would be this good.

Minnesota-Duluth: A-
Sandelin has had some really good teams and some really bad teams in his tenure at UMD. This is a really good team. The Connolly's are fantastic and both are Hobey worthy. The only reason I'm ranking UMD at an A- is they faltered a bit last weekend at the Gophers, but not for effort; UMD outplayed the Gophers in every aspect of the game except the scoreboard. This is a dangerous team; I look for them to return to the Frozen Four for the first time since Junior Lessard.

Nebraska-Omaha: A+
Mark Blehm convinced me to up them from an A to an A+, if nothing else then they were predicted to finish anywhere from 7th-9th in the WCHA. This UNO team is ranked, and ranked highly in the USCHO.com poll. Dean Blais, a coach Goon predicts will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame someday, has recruited a solid team that plays hard, physical, WCHA hockey. They are not the most talented, but certainly they work hard each night. I don't know if the grind of the WCHA will wear them down, but we shall see. So far, so good for UNO.

Colorado College: B
Had CC decided to show up earlier in the season, they very well could be a top 3 team right now in the WCHA. Jaden Schwartz, who made Canada's World Junior Roster, is a fantastic young player and leader for the WCHA ROTY. CC is one of those teams you cannot plan to walk all over; they will show up each night and play. I think they are overachieving right now and will come down to earth a bit, but Scott Owens has this team on the right track for now.

Minnesota: C-
Which team shows up on any given night? The Minnesota Golden Gophers that are able to dominate a team and showcase flashes of brilliance, or the Gophers that roll over and play dead? In the past few years, Minnesota has been struggling to find its identity, and this year is no different. Cepis has been absent for the most part, Barriball hasn't been playing well, and the goalie situation is a mess. The Gophers have way too much talent to not play better, but who knows if they can at this point.

Wisconsin: C
What to say about Wisconsin? They are falling right about where we all thought they would. They showcase some great talent, but for the most part, their freshman are struggling right now and their home crowd has booed the team, which never seems to happen in any Wisconsin stadium, ever. It's Wisconsin, so never count them out...but at the same time...this team isn't anything special this year, either.

UAA: C+
I figured by this point UAA would be hovering in 11th or 12th place, with only a few points. Instead, UAA is playing very well at home. Shyiak might not have the top tier program recruitment, but he's recruited some freshman that are doing quite well, like Jordan Kwas who is 2nd on the team in points. Matt Bailey, another freshman, is 3rd on the team in points. UAA is one of those teams we all root for to do well and they usually end up disappointing their fans and us, but this UAA team might be different. We'll see.

Mankato: C
A couple weeks ago, Mankato was getting close to cracking the top-20 in the polls. But they've quickly come back down to earth. I don't doubt Mankato; in fact I believe they are always capable. However, they lack the killer instinct and because of that, they never seem to get over the hump. We'll see what they are capable of in the 2nd half.

Bemidji: D
No one can say they saw this coming. No one. Bemidji was picked to do pretty well in the WCHA this year. They opened a new arena, they had traditionally done well against the WCHA in non-conference play and were in the Frozen Four two years ago. What's happened? I think a lot of things, but mostly the players are probably a little star-struck. After all, the WCHA isn't the CHA; this league features some of the best talent at this level of hockey. Don't write Bemidji off yet; a sweep of UNO showed that they can beat teams. But they have an uphill battle to prove they belong in the top of the WCHA.

St. Cloud State: F
This team is too good to be where they are in the standings. But they are 11th and let's face it: they aren't climbing out of the cellar anytime soon. They play uninspired hockey and show no interest in showcasing the talent they have. Plus let's be honest: Bob Motzko is a crappy coach. A good alternative to Dahl maybe, but he's lackluster and better fit for the minors or juniors. St. Cloud will probably be back in the 2nd half, but we'll see.

Michigan Tech: D-
Mark Blehm again mentioned to me a few things about Tech: basically, they suck. They lack the winning instinct. They don't try hard enough. And from my observations, they are just not that good. It's rare that there's a team in the WCHA you can sleep on and win. Tech is one of those. The only reason they don't get an F is they cracked the top 20 early in the season. Otherwise, Tech is flat out bad and will continue to be so until Russell is fired, IMO.

Big Win!

2010-12-11T09:27:00.003-07:00

You can say this team is mature. You can say they are experienced. Say what you want, whatever it is. This Sioux team is under its best start with Hakstol driving it and showed something in last night's win, coming back and scoring 3 quick goals to beat the purple Mavericks 4-3 on the road.

Granted, last night was far from the Sioux's best performance. They were lackluster for most of the game and the Mavs had 20 shots on goal in the 2nd period alone. However, the Sioux, down 2-1 going into the 3rd, took advantage of the Mavs mistakes and took the lead 4-2, eventually holding on for a 4-3 win.

Schloss had the fact that UND is 15-1-1 against the Mavericks in their last 17 games. This stat surprised me; I had always though of the Mavericks as a team that gave the Sioux problems. Of course, I remember in the 2001-2002 season the Mavs beating the Sioux 6-0 at the Engelstad, so maybe that memory has clouded my judgment...but regardless, the Sioux certainly seem to have their number as of late.

Kristo continues to not find the back of the net. I'm hoping he can shake the 1st half blues off in the new year and start lighting the lamp. I know he has the ability to; I just think he's ridiculously snakebitten right now. I like Kristo a lot and think he's an amazing talent. I think it will just come down to having a 2 goal game or something like that. Once that's done, he will regain the star form we all know he has.

I won't be able to catch most of the game since I'm working, but I might grab the 3rd period. Head over to the Schloss's blog to check out the goals scored last night. Frattin and Chay are highlight reel worthy.

USA Favorite to win World Juniors?

2010-12-08T11:57:00.003-07:00

I'm in Canada watching TSN Sportscentre, which is so much better then Sportscenter in America, because they show a ridiculous amount of hockey. Anyway, just saw a piece on the World Juniors and the US is apparently the favorite to win the event again this year. Never mind that it's in Buffalo; it's the fact that the US roster is ridiculously stacked. D'Amigo is back, who was probably the best player on the team last year, but in addition, guys like Nick Leddy, Drew Shore, and John Ramage are attempting to play on the team, and the Sioux are sending both Derek Forbort and Brock Nelson to the tryout. In addition, Sioux recruit Rocco Grimaldi is in the mix.

I'm excited for the World Juniors this year. It should come down to Canada and the US again, but I wouldn't count out Russia or Switzerland.

Tuesday Reflections

2010-12-07T06:43:00.002-07:00

Since I was in Vegas last weekend running a 1/2 marathon, I haven't had any time to blog, but I'm back in Denver and am able to get it done now.

A great performance by the Sioux on both nights, dominating St. Cloud and sweeping their hated rivals. Moreso, they did it by playing clean, smart hockey. There was no retaliation on Aaron Marvin; the Sioux decided the best revenge was beating them on the scoreboard.

One of the things that continues to impress me as a Sioux fan is the play of Dell. We barely saw him in action last year and when we did, there was nothing to indicate he would be the starter this season, or even get any playing time. While no Sioux fan anywhere has ever said Eidsness is the greatest goalie, certainly his performance last year indicated he would be the starter this year and be good enough to lead the Sioux to a title. But Eidsness struggled early and Dell was given the opportunities. And he seems to be making the most of them. Granted, it's easy to look good when you're spotted big leads like he was for the Wisconsin Saturday game and St. Cloud Saturday game, but regardless, Dell is sharp and solid. I like him and see no reason to go with Eidsness at this point.

Another thing I like is the scoring is being spread around. A lot of guys got their first goals of the season on Saturday night. With Gregoire and Hextall out with injuries, it's great to see others able to step up into their roles. That should continue this weekend against Mankato, as I don't see either player able to return.

All in all, this season so far is quite pleasant; I think the Sioux are playing very well so far and have very few complaints. Let's keep it up.

Friday. Here we go

2010-12-03T11:35:00.002-07:00

Alright, the tinderbox has been filled. Let's see what is going to cause it to go up in flames this weekend.

Truly, I don't think it will. I think both teams are very eager to prove that the incident of last year is behind them and they are both moving on. Neither team is going to do anything stupid this weekend. UND needs this sweep badly to gain some standing in the WCHA. St. Cloud needs the sweep, or hell, a win, just to assert themselves in the WCHA. Neither team needs to put guys in the box for no reason, so I don't think that will happen. Instead, I anticipate a hard-fought series where points will be difficult to come by. Whoever gets the points this weekend will earn them either night.

So who will win?

Both teams. I'm calling split. UND Friday, SCSU Saturday.

No Love Lost

2010-12-01T17:58:00.002-07:00

We all know by now that the Sioux and the Huskies of Minnesota don't like each other. I've never thought of St. Cloud as a big Sioux rival, but last year, that all changed.

Aaron Marvin, the goon of the NCAA, decided to take a run at the Sioux's leader and captain, Chay Genoway, skating nearly 200 feet to put a punishing elbow into Chay's head and effectively ending Genoway's season. Aaron at first was not even penalized for the hit, but later was assessed a game misconduct for it. St. Cloud fans felt that this was a gross injustice. After all, it was a clean hit and certainly Aaron didn't have any intention of knocking Genoway out of the game, right?

Bullshit.

Here's a review of the hit. Again.

You can clearly see that Marvin throws his elbow into Chay's head. You can also see that Marvin has no intention of playing the puck; he is a man on a mission, and that mission was to knock Chay out of the game and possibly end his career.

He nearly succeeded.

Instead, Chay is back and emphasizing the best way to pay back the Huskies is to win. Certainly this is the right attitude to have, as St. Cloud is quite frankly a disappointment this season. It will be a hard-fought game and I'm looking forward to it.

Sioux move in the poll

2010-11-30T06:31:00.001-07:00

A win and a tie against Notre Dame was enough to cause some shaking and moving in the polls this week, as North Dakota moved up to the 7th spot in the USCHO.com poll.

Here's what I don't understand. Sioux fans have been moaning and complaining for weeks about how the Sioux haven't moved in the polls and have gone the wrong way and aren't getting a fair shake. Then they move up two spots and all is forgiven. I don't get why. I mean, after all, they took 3/4 from a very good Notre Dame team and essentially controlled the play all weekend. Why wouldn't they be ranked higher than 7th?

Oh wait, it's because I've been trying to beat this in the head of people for years. POLLS DON'T MATTER!

Seriously. Voting is an inexact science in sports polls. It's done by humans. It's the reason every now and then you will see the team that ranks 5th get a 1st place vote. Sports writers and columnists can put whoever the hell they want wherever the hell they want. It doesn't mean anything. There's no point in reading into this. North Dakota is proving to be a good team and will be a force to reckon with over its homestretch here. The real battle will come with the pairwise rankings, which aren't out yet.

Relax, Sioux fans. Relax.

Friday Musings...and Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T09:54:00.002-07:00

While my Thanksgiving was spent mostly on airplanes and in airports trying to get back to Denver, I hope you all had a great day and didn't kill yourselves eating delicious food.

Now, we still have a hockey series this weekend, as do a lot of WCHA teams. Albeit, most are out of conference, but still.

The Sioux get a chance to earn some pairwise respect when they face Notre Dame this weekend, who isn't a bad team. They are sitting at the top of the CCHA with a .750 winning percentage and an overall win/loss record of 9-3-1. This is a different Notre Dame team then the Sioux faced last year; but this is a different Sioux team as well.

North Dakota is, by all regards, doing pretty well this season. An overtime loss and a .3 second loss prevent them from having 18 points and being at the top of the WCHA. Right now, they are in third place, behind Denver and Duluth. Considering they have played a ridiculously tough schedule so far, I'm pretty satisfied with where they are right now. But getting swept by Maine is going to hurt them later in the pairwise, and if they get swept by Notre Dame this weekend, that's going to smart a lot. Remember, in the NCAA playoff scenario, to be a lock, you have to finish in the top 11. You have to assume someone will win every conference championship that isn't ranked in the top in pairwise. It's early though for a pairwise discussion, so let's move on.

Aaron Dell will most likely get the nods both nights. While I would like to see Brad Eidsness get a start this weekend, this series is too crucial for the Sioux. They have to come out with a sweep if they hope to remain in serious contention for the pairwise later in the year. With how shaky Brad has been in net, I think it would be foolish to do a rotation this weekend. You can make the argument that if Eids goes out and has a big game and gets the win, it would allow him to regain his confidence, but if he goes out there and sucks, the Sioux not only lose a game, but they also probably lose the opportunity to go with two goalies this season. It's a tough decision; one I'm certainly glad that I don't have to make.

Hextall needs to get some points. He's been pointless in his last 7 games. He needs to find the back of the net or help out his team. He's usually lethal on the powerplay, so if the Sioux can get some PP time, that might be the spark he needs.

Danny Kristo needs to get it going too. Sure he's got one goal, but let's see him score some more, please. Also, let's keep getting the puck to Frattin. He was leading the nation in goals until some dink from Niagara retook the lead on Tuesday. Let's see him score this weekend in a big way, shall we? Eidsness compared Frattin's shot to Andrew Kozek's wrist shot, which was potent and lethal.

Schloss linked an article about the Notre Dame players possibly playing with a chip on their shoulder due to their disappointing performance last year. Coach Jeff Jackson almost seems to be using the 12 freshman he has in a competition game. And it seems to be working. I've always respected Jeff Jackson as a coach and recruiter and it looks to me like he's turning the program back on the right track.

The other thing Schloss mentioned is how UND needs to get some garbage goals. I'm a big fan of garbage goals; in my opinion, you need to score goals however you can. Teams like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Boston College do not rely on the garbage goals. BU, North Dakota, Miami of Ohio, and Sparty are teams that are willing to bang in the garbage on the doorstep. It's time to get the puck to the point, grab the rebounds, and bang it home. I've been saying all year that someone needs to step up and do this. Gregoire, Hextall, and Trupp seem like perfect players to get this trend going this year.

That's all for now, see you tomorrow.

.3 seconds

2010-11-21T06:22:00.002-07:00

Twice now in the past 3 seasons, we've seen the Sioux burned by a last second (literal) goal. UNH tied the Sioux with .1 on the clock of the Regional game in the 2008-2009 season and last night, the Mavericks won the game with the only goal of the night, scoring with .3 seconds left. From the radio call, it sounded like the Mavericks were blatantly offsides, but you take a look at a youtube video clip of it and I'm not so sure. I think they were, but it's very hard to tell. Regardless, the Sioux had plenty of opportunities to seal the deal last night and were unable to do so.

Aaron Dell continues to establish himself as the go-to goaltender for the Sioux. It sounds like he is making the saves he needs to, and let's face it; over this roadtrip, he was solid. He shut out the Badgers one night, kept the Sioux in the 2nd game, replaced Eidsness on Friday night in Omaha and did a stand-up job there and played 59:59.7 minutes of shutout hockey on Saturday. You can't ask for much better then that! It really just sucks that the team was unable to come away with a victory last night.

You do have to give UNO credit though. They are a tough, well-coached team and certainly can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league. I can't help but wonder if the grind of the WCHA will wear them down as the season goes on, but for right now, I give their program a lot of credit. It starts with coaching for sure. Dean is a classy guy; we all have a lot of good memories of him at North Dakota and you can't take that away for sure. UNO will have some great success with him at the helm.

Coming from behind and winning

2010-11-20T06:47:00.002-07:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging this week; I was in Tucson getting some R&R. I'm back though and raring to talk about last night's game and looking forward to tonight's game.

The Sioux won their third game in a row last night, beating the (Red) Mavericks 6-5 in Omaha. Facing a 2-0 deficit to start the 2nd, the Sioux tied it up with goals from Frattin and Marto. From there, it was a back-and-forth contest, with the teams swiping the lead from each other time and time again. Some big things happened last night though.

Kristo netted his first. It's been a long time coming for the sophomore, who is still a ridiculous talent and is always buzzing all over the ice. A lot of Sioux fans have predicted that once he gets his first, they will come in waves. I'm one of them.

Chay Genoway got his 100th point last night, and is now at 101 points for his UND career. He's just a freaking catalyst out there and a very classy hockey player. I'm just waiting to see one of his end-to-end rushes this year. Chay has the potential to finish his career with 120+ points.

The thing that is impressing me the most is the Sioux are winning right now on the road. They swept Wisconsin in the Kohl Center last weekend and last night beat UNO on the road. Both arenas are hostile environments that ridiculously favor the home team. You have to be impressed that this Sioux team is able to get league wins on the road. The old montage of "win both at home, split on the road" might not apply to this team if they can continue to get sweeps on the road.

Matty Frattin is leading the NCAA's with 12 goals. Dean Blais mentioned he's worthy of the Hobey Baker. Unfortunately, I think his character issues will prevent that, much like TJ Oshie's character issues prevented him from winning the award.

The fact that we're hearing Cichy's name more and more this year is great. He definitely was an up-and-down player last year, not playing in every game. If he continues the way he is playing now, he should be a mainstay for this Sioux team this year.

The one frustrating thing right now is the goaltending situation. By giving the start to Eidsness last night, Hakstol, in my opinion, was telling him that Dell has not won the job and that it was still up for grabs, if Eids wanted it. Eidsness continues to struggle and was replaced by Dell to start the 3rd period, who only surrendered one late 3rd period goal. When you're fighting for your roster spot, you do everything in your damn power to make sure you don't give it up. Eids had a chance to get a convincing road win last night and failed to do so. Give him his next start at home, and if he fails to perform again, I think Dell is the goalie to go with. Eidsness is good, not great, but a 2 goalie rotation would not hurt this team.

MacWilliam was back in the lineup after missing a few games with mono. The Sioux are generally healthy right now, which is good.

In the WCHA, scores from last night. Minnesota beat a scrappy Tech team 6-4. Minnesota-Duluth handed the Badgers another loss, 6-5 in OT. Denver upended Bemidji 3-1, and UAA beat St. Cloud 3-2. Let the overrated chant on St. Cloud begin.

In some other NCAA action, Army destroyed AIC 9-3, Air Force and Canisius tied 1-1, Miami beat Bowling Green 4-3, Sparty lost to Notre Dame in a 6-2 game, Northern Michigan and Alaska tied 1-1, Michigan won 7-2 over LSSU. BC blanked Maine 4-0, BU fell to UHN 5-2. Yale beat Cornell 4-2.

The Sioux look to sweep tonight. Let's see it happen.

A great weekend and some laughs

2010-11-15T05:57:00.002-07:00

This weekend was awesome in sports. The Sioux swept the Badgers, Pacquiao proved he's the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and I have a very safe lead in Fantasy Football this week.

And then the Vikings got destroyed.

But I digress...

Anyway, the Sioux swept the Badgers with a convincing 4-2 win over them in the Kohl Center on Saturday night. It gave the Sioux their first sweep of Wisconsin in Wisconsin since 2002-2003 and quieted the doubters of this team. The Sioux have ridiculous talent, and when that talent is firing on all cylinders, there is realistically not a better team in the country.

This weekend wasn't without some controversy though. Questionable penalties on Friday night marred the Sioux's ability to get into a rhythm, and only because the Sioux were so disruptive on the PK did they even have a shot of winning that night. On Saturday night, we saw Wisconsin committing numerous fouls and in my opinion, some of them should have been whistled for 5 minute majors, based on what the Sioux have been whistled for this season. Kristo appeared to finally net his first of the season, but it was called no-goal after a review found a Sioux player in the crease. (never mind that he didn't interfere with the goalie) We also saw a Wisconsin player lose his cool and bring back memories of Tyler Hirsch at the Final Five, although Craig Smith forgot to lay his stick at center ice.

Good on Mike Eaves for not letting Smith back into the game, who was trying to..um..play the...I really don't know. Neither did the Sioux players though.

Corban Knight - “I honestly… I don’t know. I was in front of the net and I was getting ready to regroup there and… and I honestly don’t know. It’s just one of those things… I don’t know if he… you know… I honestly don’t know. I don’t know what to say.”

Chay Genoway - “I don’t know if that guy… I don’t know. I think he just kind of… I don’t know. A bit undisciplined on his behalf. I’m not sure. I don’t think he lost an edge or anything…”

So where do the Sioux go from here? They face a tough UNO team that has clearly exceeded early expectations and is excelling so far in the grind-it-out WCHA. But UNO hasn't exactly faced any powerhouses yet this season, and the Sioux are proving as of late they are a tough foe to be dealt with. It'll be a great series this weekend.

Winning in the best way

2010-11-13T08:13:00.002-07:00

Last night's win by the Sioux was probably the most satisfied I've been with a win in a long, long time. A hard fought, gritty, tough tough game in which the Sioux were stymied by another great goaltender and two major penalties, they were able to eek out a 1-0 win behind a great goaltending performance from Aaron Dell and Jason Gregoire's snipe of a shot.

The Sioux were put on their heels from the get-go, losing Joe Gleason to a CFB penalty. A questionable call and yet the Sioux responded in the best way possible, limiting Wisconsin to 0 shots on goal. Later in the game, they were called for another 5 minute major, this time contact to the head by Hextall and still they got the job done, again limiting Wisconsin to no shots. Gregoire's goal came at a great time in the 3rd, and finally the Sioux had their lead they had been looking for all night long.

I was listening to Hak's postgame show and trying to read in between the lines. He sounded very upbeat and happy and was saying things like "our team" and "our guys". He praised about everyone on the team at one point, especially Danny Kristo, who could have fired at the open net late in the game but instead passed it to Trupp, who didn't have enough time to score. We all know how much Kristo wants that first goal and it will come, but to be unselfish like that shows a lot of poise on Danny's part.

Back to Dell. I said yesterday whoever was in net needed to take charge. While Dell didn't exactly see a lot of shots yesterday (Wisconsin was held to their lowest at the Kohl Center since the 02-03 season set by...the Sioux!) he made all the saves he needed to and earned a shutout. That's gotta be a huge boost to both him and Eids, who will definitely want to duplicate that feat next time he's given an opportunity. The defense can be rest assured he will make the saves as well.

Tonight will be very interesting. Wisconsin was booed last night and Andy Baggot's article mentioned it more than once. I think Wisconsin will come out on fire tonight and definitely grind the axe, but the Sioux should be up to the task.

A great win. A satisfying win.

A Few Hours away...

2010-11-12T12:39:00.002-07:00

Well, we're a few hours away from puck drop. I have a couple thoughts on this series.

- The Sioux need to stay out of the box. We've seen how well they roll when all 4 lines are clicking and Hakstol has the depth to do so. When they players are constantly in the box, it disrupts this flow. Wisconsin is a talented team and also very physical, so it will be interesting to see how they do

- Whoever is in net needs to take charge. I'm not a huge fan of splitting the goaltender duties, but right now, the Sioux don't have a clear-cut #1 goaltender. Eids has not played like he did last year and Dell, while filling in nicely, isn't exactly stellar. Neither seems capable right now of making huge saves to keep the team in it. This weekend, that might have to happen. We'll see if either goalie is up to the task

- Gregoire and co. need to find a bit of puck luck. We've seen a lot of hit pipes, pucks bouncing over sticks, etc. The old cliche of "good teams make their own luck" I guess can apply here, but seriously. The boys are in some dire need of good luck

- Be physical. I want to see the Sioux not afraid to hit guys this weekend. Wisconsin is always a big, physical team and never have been afraid to throw their weight around. The Sioux need to match that intensity from the first drop of the puck.

A lot of people are calling this a statement series. A sweep at the hands of Wisconsin will not be crushing to the Sioux, but certainly will cause doubt to creep into the players' minds. A lot of Sioux fans will be reaching for the panic buttons and the "Fire Hakstol" threads will show up. I think a split is doable, likely, and will be just fine for this series.

What to talk about...

2010-11-10T12:28:00.002-07:00

I've been pondering the start the Sioux have had to their season.

I don't think any of us thought they would be undefeated at this point. Certainly we knew there would be a couple issues to look for. And while they have had their struggles, I think there's a lot of positives to take away so far.

But has the team underachieved?

I'm not sure. I think there's areas where the team certainly hasn't looked strong. Take a look at the goaltending. Eids was definitely the clear cut starter at the beginning of the season, but a couple lackluster performances have forced Hakstol to go to a goalie rotation. I'm not downing the idea of rotating goalies, but Dell hasn't exactly been spectacular either. Neither goalie has stood out as a stand-up, make-huge-saves type of goalie.

The defense has not been spectacular. A lot of opponent goals have been scored off of turnovers. They are too prone to giving the puck away and letting the opposing forwards walk in. This has to stop.

The offense has been dynamite some nights and other nights, they just can't seem to catch a break. Notice I didn't say bad. There have been a ton of opportunities (see the DU Saturday night game) where forwards like Gregoire, Kristo, and Frats make plenty of opportunities but either the goalie stands on his head or just a bit of bad puck luck.

I think the Sioux are in a good position. There's a lot of room to improve, but the team I'm sure is up to the task of doing so. This upcoming stretch against Wisconsin and Nebraska-Omaha is going to be a good test of what this team is capable of.

Sioux win, I was wrong

2010-11-06T05:25:00.002-06:00

So, I said that UMD would sweep. I said that their record in the Engelstad didn't matter and they would control the weekend series and reverse their trend of struggling here. I figured with the rash of Sioux injuries, illnesses, and suspensions, that UMD would basically be able to score at will and control the entire game.

Someone at UMD didn't read my blog, aside from Donna, who worships me.

The Sioux dominated last nights game, winning 4-2. Behind an offense that was buzzing all night long, good defense that limited UMD's chances, and decent goaltending by Aaron Dell, the Sioux were able to do what it took to beat the Bulldogs. Their goals were gritty, Fighting Sioux hockey style goals.

So was I sandbagging?

No. I was not. Let me explain why.

Past records do not mean a damn thing in the WCHA. How's that, you might ask? Because past records fall all the time in this league. DU had never lost the Final Five when they were there. Fell last year. Two years ago, Duluth stormed the Final Five and won the whole thing from the play-in game. Never had happened before. Hell, Minnesota had never missed the Final Five since it moved to the Xcel Energy Center, but we saw how that went last year, didn't we? My point is, records don't mean a thing. Minnesota-Duluth, normally stymied by the superiority of the Engelstad, had the skill and the ability to come into the Sioux's house and make a statement Friday night. Instead, the Sioux won, Duluth is no longer undefeated, and I'm forced to explain that I wasn't sandbagging.

Besides, a split is possible still.

In the post-game radio interview, Dave Hakstol and Tim Hennessey again mentioned the benefit of having the Sioux roll with 4 lines. Hak loves to roll the 4 lines. It showcases the depth of this hockey team. Generally, the teams in the Minnesota high school hockey tournament that can run 3 lines compared to 2 are the ones that have the most success. With the Sioux running a strong 4 line system, it keeps the best players fresh. Even guys who don't see the most playing time (Bruneteau) got a chance last night, and it didn't seem wasted on anybody.

In other news...

- Minnesota got blanked by Bucky in Minneapolis last night 6-0. After a strong showing in CC, Minnesota definitely struggled last night
- DU won at home against CC 4-1. The student section chanted Jesse Martin's name in the pregame
- St. Cloud put up half a dozen against Bemidji State, who continues to struggle in the WCHA
- In the battle of the Mavericks, Nebraska-Omaha won 5-1, continuing to do well in the WCHA

and outside the WCHA...

- Boston College fell to UNH 2-1
- Michigan got shutout by Alaska 3-0
- Ferris State beat Miami of Ohio 3-2
- Air Force continues to get beat up by the AHA, losing to Mercyhurst 6-2
- UConn beat Canisius 3-2
- Sparty, one of my early teams to watch out for, lost to Western Michigan 4-3. So much for that
- Union over Harvard 2-1

There will probably be a big shake-up in the polls based on those results. BU, with the bye, could be #1.

Malone Suspended

2010-11-04T21:56:00.001-06:00

Yep, we all saw it coming. A one game suspension.

Why? Why was he suspended? For a hit that was clean but caused an extremely unfortunate injury? Or is it because the WCHA can't figure out what to do when something like this happens and instead lumps everyone in the same boat? Regardless, the Sioux are going to be even more depleted on the offensive side of the puck on Friday night.

Thursday ramblings

2010-11-04T07:16:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone.

First off, I was put through The Gauntlet last night. I had a very long day on Wednesday and was quite ornery, so I don't think Donna got to see my best side. Then again, I don't know if Donna thinks I have a good side to see. Regardless, go check it out and read the (sometimes) funny convo that took place last night.

Secondly, a few things to touch on for this coming weekend. Derek Forbort and Andrew MacWilliam are out with illness (I'm guessing mono; it's touched DU and Minnesota as well). Carter Rowney is hurt and will not play, with no timetable on his return. We should hear today about Brad Malone, whether he will be available this weekend or not. My guess is Malone will not be suited up this weekend, and possibly for two weekends. I hope this isn't the case, but the WCHA Wheel of Justice likes to thump its chest in situations like this...oh wait...only when it's a Sioux player.

Duluth is red-hot coming into this series, and there's no reason to think that the Sioux can shake their blues against this team. I hope I'm wrong.

Martin reaches out to Malone

2010-11-01T20:27:00.002-06:00

You have to admire this move by Martin. Here he is with a halo around his head and he reaches out to the player that caused it to be there. I can only hope this allows Malone a bit of closure and helps him focus for the upcoming series against Minnesota-Duluth.

Article

Martin in stable condition

2010-10-31T20:45:00.001-06:00

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.

Jesse Martin to have emergency surgery

2010-10-31T12:08:00.003-06:00

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.

Sioux fall to DU, Pony gets tossed

2010-10-31T09:43:00.002-06:00

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?

A solid win

2010-10-30T08:18:00.003-06:00

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?

Friday Notes

2010-10-29T11:33:00.003-06:00

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!

HUGE Series this weekend

2010-10-26T10:57:00.002-06:00

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. :-)

Calling out my own stupidity

2010-10-26T10:34:00.004-06:00

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.

Sioux get swept

2010-10-24T05:06:00.002-06:00

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.

Hilarious Goal Celebration

2010-10-21T09:19:00.002-06:00

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.

CHL Brawl Could Lead to Criminal Charges

2010-10-19T04:55:00.003-06:00

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.

Musings from last weekend

2010-10-18T17:48:00.002-06:00

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.

Videos of the weekend

2010-10-17T10:48:00.001-06:00

RedFrog has posted videos on YouTube of the weekends goals. Thanks RedFrog for these.

Sioux Sweep the Beavers

2010-10-16T20:46:00.002-06:00

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.

Upcoming series vs. Bemidji and a few notes

2010-10-14T16:32:00.003-06:00

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.

Weekend Recap and Notes

2010-10-10T09:43:00.002-06:00

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.

What to say?

2010-10-09T14:29:00.002-06:00

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.

Friday Stuff

2010-10-08T13:15:00.003-06:00

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!

Is Chay a little tentative?

2010-10-05T04:35:00.002-06:00

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.

News and Notes

2010-10-03T05:58:00.003-06:00

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.

Steps for success

2010-09-30T09:11:00.002-06:00

The puck is close to dropping for the season, and I'm excited, of course. This Sioux team is loaded, and could be the best one that the Sioux have seen in years. With the return of Chay at defense, there are very few glaring weaknesses on this team. I'm trying to figure out if the Sioux have anything to worry about, and yes, I found a few things that need to go in their favor this year to continue success.

1. Stay healthy

The loss of Chay hurt the team early on in the season last year, and various injuries up and down the team hindered their progress. Losing Hextall for 9 games shattered their power-play. Certainly, injuries are a part of the game, but if the Sioux can stay healthy for the most part, they will be fine.

2. Stay out of the box

The Sioux get a lot of attention when they are out on the ice, most of it unwarranted. And last year, we saw the bias in officials when they played DU at Magness on Saturday night, when they were called for 9 penalties in a row compared to DU's 0. But that being said, the Sioux need to continue to be smart. They antagonize a lot of teams and if they can play that to their advantage, they will be looking at a lot of powerplays.

3. Fill the voids

VandeVelde returned for his senior season, and his presence on the ice will definitely be missed. Darcy Zajac definitely shined in his senior year, especially on the faceoff dot. Guys like Brett Hextall, Corban Knight, and Mario Lamoureux will have to step up this year. We saw Evan Trupp really shine in the Final Five and when Frattin returned to the team, he certainly provided a nice spark. It is critical that those guys continue to produce like they were last year.

4. Give Eids a rest

Eidsness has established himself as one of the best goaltenders in college hockey. He had a great GAA last year of 2.11 and a save percentage of .914%. That all being said, I don't want to see the Sioux leaning on him all season long. We saw that with Lammy in the 2007-2008 season and while I'm not blaming him for the 6-1 defeat in the Frozen Four, it would have been nice to have him get some rest during the year. Brad is a great goalie; Aaron Dell is just fine and can spell him when necessary. I'd like to see Dell play 8-10 games this year.

Polls are out

2010-09-30T09:02:00.002-06:00

And clearly, the expectations for our beloved Sioux is very high. UND was the runaway for both the coaches poll and the media poll, garnering the majority of first place votes in both polls. The Sioux, with all they are returning, are expected to do great things this year. Anything less then a FF appearance will be a disappointment, IMO.

Coaches Poll

Team (first-place votes)   Points
1. North Dakota (10)         120
2. St. Cloud State (2)         105
3. Minnesota-Duluth          100
4. Denver                            88
5. Minnesota                       82
6. Colorado College          67
7. Wisconsin                       64
8. Nebraska-Omaha          55
9. Bemidji State                 46
10. Minnesota State           31
11. Alaska-Anchorage       19
12. Michigan Tech              15

Media Poll

Team (first-place votes)   Points
1. North Dakota (28)         347
2. Minnesota-Duluth          300
3. St. Cloud State (1)        295
4. Denver                           242
5. Wisconsin                      218
6. Minnesota                      203
7. Colorado College         182
8. Bemidji State                156
9. Nebraska-Omaha        125
10. Minnesota State          97
11. Alaska-Anchorage       51
12. Michigan Tech             46

Season Preview

2010-09-20T14:46:00.003-06:00

Ok, I've been putting this off for awhile, but it's time to finally dive into the season preview.

So...let's break it down, shall we?

The Sioux return loaded. Aside from senior departures Darcy Zajac and Chris VandeVelde, the Sioux lost David Toews and Corey Fienhage to the pros. Other then that, everyone returns. The Sioux lost 1 person on a great defensive corps and return their leader and catalyst, Chay Genoway, who, in my opinion, is the best player in college hockey.

Goaltending
Brad Eidsness returns for his junior season, and brings with him a great sophomore season campaign. He posted a very respectable 2.11 GAA and .914 save percentage. Some of his big games included a 2-0 shutout of Minnesota-Duluth in the WCHA Final Five play-in game, made 33 stops in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Denver, in which questionable officiating cost UND the game, and he shut out the Gophers at the beginning of the season. Eids has controlled his rebounds better and wanders less from the net. He is still prone to lapses, but overall, he has become a lot more consistent and was a big reason the Sioux saw a lot of success last year. His backups, Aaron Dell and Tate Maris have yet to show their talent, but assuming the Sioux do what they are expected to do this year, I expect we will see both of them get some playing time.

Defense
As I mentioned earlier, the Sioux lost no defensive players in the offseason other then Fienhage. After losing their defensive catalyst Chay Genoway to a concussion thanks to a dirty hit from SCSU goon Aaron Marvin, the defense stepped up nicely, finishing ranked #3 in the country. That can only improve this season, with the addition of Derek Forbort, who was drafted in the first round by the LA Kings. Junior Ben Blood will build on his great sophomore season, and senior Jake Marto will continue to be a strong force at the blue line.

Offense
As I said, the Sioux are returning a lot of people this year. Evan Trupp is here for his senior season, and it's time for this kid to be the consistent leader that I think he can be all year. Brett Hextall was quiet last season after a great freshman year, and he should return hungry and ready to piss off a lot of teams again. Gregoire is still great and just needs to harness that talent that he has. Matt Frattin's return to the Sioux last year was critical to their post-season run and having him around all year will help tremendously. Brad Malone could be the most underrated player on the Sioux. He's strong, he's fast, he's got great hands. Brock Nelson, a freshman, is coming to the Sioux and should immediately contribute.

Coaching
The coaching staff remains intact and is continuing to do a great job. Hakstol continues to impress me and Cary Eades is a fine assistant, who is capable of being a head coach no problem. I think the players enjoy playing for Hakstol, who demands a lot from his players, but is clearly a players coach. He doesn't play favorites and juggles the lines when necessary.

Overall
I think this is a do or die year for the Sioux. They have a ton of talent and a lot of seniors. The WCHA appears to be in a downward spiral, so the Sioux need to capitalize on that. There's no reason to think that a run to the Frozen Four is out of the question. And with this team and talent, I think anything less would be unacceptable.

Penn State going D1...it's official

2010-09-18T10:37:00.002-06:00

After being talked about for months, and even years, college hockey is adding a new team. Penn State will add both mens and womens hockey in the year 2012-2013. They are in the process of constructing a new rink, capable of seating between 5000 and 6000 fans. Here's the article discussing the 88 million dollar donation.

Obviously, the question at this point is, what will happen to the other two Big Ten teams in the WCHA? The thing everyone seems certain on at this point is that a Big Ten Hockey Conference will be in place by the 2014-2015 season. My friend Steve is skeptical, thinking that this is just a thing the USCHOers are discussing.

Both the WCHA and CCHA have made statements regarding the future formation of a Big Ten Hockey Conference. The Big Ten has also made a statement. Personally, I feel that there is a ton of potential revenue that has the potential to be there, for all 6 schools in the Big Ten that would play hockey plus for the Big Ten itself. However, at this point, it isn't happening, so it's not worth discussing.

In the meantime, my season preview/predictions will be out soon.

Penn State going D1?

2010-09-13T19:38:00.002-06:00

It's been talked about in the college hockey community for years now. The potential for the Big Ten Hockey Conference (*ducks*). That is probably one step closer to reality.

Milewski has the story at USCHO.com. Although it's not official, it looks to come to fruition in the 2011 season, with the BTHC developing for the 2014-2015 season.

Stay tuned...

2009-2010 Season Recap

2010-09-09T09:57:00.003-06:00

Yep, it's time. Time to recap the 2009-2010 season. I figure it's September, baseball is winding down, football is starting, so it's getting close to hockey time.

Last year was interesting. The Sioux went into the season without a target on their back. They clearly were not the favorite of the WCHA. That distinction went to DU. Instead, the Sioux were looking at a top 5 finish, but nothing spectacular. They would probably make the NCAA's, but weren't locks. It would almost be a rebuilding season, being that they lost 7 seniors the year before and were relying on Brad Eidsness, a decent goaltender, but not a catalyst.

The season got off to a good start with a sweep of a scrappy Merrimack team up in Grand Forks, followed by taking 3 of 4 points from the Sioux's hated rival, Minnesota. The Sioux then split against UAA, then rattled off 3 more wins, sweeping Michigan Tech and winning against St. Cloud. That win against St. Cloud came with a ridiculous cost, however, as Chay Genoway was knocked out with a ridiculously blatant hit from St. Cloud goon Aaron Marvin.

At the time, we all thought it was just a concussion and that he would be back soon. Little did we know...

Without their star defenseman and captain, the Sioux were in a bad spot, as they lost the next night to St. Cloud and got swept by the Pioneers in Denver. The Sioux were in position to win both games, but some horrible officiating made sure that Denver would earn a sweep of the Sioux.

The Sioux were able to beat Ohio State in the Subway Holiday Classic and were beating the Redhawks from Miami of Ohio, but the Sioux had some costly lapses in the third period that allowed the runners-up tie the game. The game ended in a 5-5 tie. The Sioux then split with Duluth at the DECC, again jobbed by some questionable officiating (puck hit the netting but no stoppage). But the trend was already setting in of the Sioux not being able to hold a lead.

The Sioux then struggled against Wisconsin, only gaining one point in the standings. They beat Niagara in the Shillelagh Tournament, but failed yet again to hold a lead against Notre Dame, eventually tying and losing in a shootout.

They proceeded home to sweep a terrible Mankato team, but played a terrible series in Minnesota, only taking one point, and again, giving up a late goal to give up the lead. They split with a good Cornell team, but proceeded to get swept by Denver at the Ralph. The Sioux were clearly not playing great hockey at this point and needed to start winning some games, and needed to win convincingly.

Download:

FLV MP4 3GP

The Sioux went to St. Cloud, with much anticipation of the series. The Sioux fell on Friday night 3-4 but Saturday night, returned with a fury of goals, beating St. Cloud 8-1. You could feel the Sioux's energy just watching the game. It was a sign of good things to come. The Sioux rattled off 6 wins to close the regular season, including sweeping Minnesota Duluth, CC, and Michigan Tech. The CC games were tough, scrappy games that I had the pleasure of attending. You can actually see me jump into the glass when Frattin scores the game winner.

The Sioux took 4th place in the WCHA, and were greeted with the prospect of facing the falling-apart Golden Gophers, a team that seemed content to mail in the season and try again the following year. Most Sioux fans were very excited at the prospect of the game. I, on the other hand, was very worried. I have heard the WCHA Commissioner say that they prefer Minnesota in the Final Five, so there was always the possibility of the game being called in a certain fashion. However, the Sioux quieted any doubt that I had, destroying the Gophers 6-0 in the first night. The Gophers took care of business the 2nd night, but the Sioux put them away for good the last night, winning 4-1 and prevented the Gophers from reaching the Final Five for the first time since it was held at the X.

This F5 promised to be special. There were going to be out of towners in attendance, including our friend Lindsey, who is a Wildcat fan but chooses to date a Techie (yeah, I dunno why either) and Joe Yerdon, a RPI fan who has always wondered about the Final Five. Combine that with our usual fans, and you have a recipe for a good time.

The Sioux were forced to play Friday night and drew Minnesota Duluth. Behind a great goaltending effort from Eidsness, the Sioux beat Duluth 2-0 and moved on to face their new #1 rival, Denver. Again, the Sioux got a great goaltending effort from Eidsness, plus a huge spark from Evan Trupp, who had caught fire in the 2nd half of the season. The Sioux were 4-3 winners over DU.

Check out the 2nd Trupp goal. You will see me in the Zamboni tunnel celebrating. I'm in the white Sioux jersey and hat.

The Sioux were due to face St. Cloud in the championship game. Again, the hype surrounding this game was epic. Clearly, the Gophers were no longer the Sioux's biggest rival. DU and St. Cloud were both vying for that spot. St. Cloud scored two goals less then a minute into the game, but the Sioux never panicked, tying the game up by the end of the 1st period. In the 2nd period, the Sioux controlled the game and took a 4-3 lead. They sealed the deal with an ENG, earning their first Broadmoor trophy since 2006. The ceremony was special, as when the trophy was presented, the Sioux insisted their captain and friend, Chay Genoway, who had never returned from the blatant cheapshot that was delivered by goon Aaron Marvin, went to get the trophy. It was a humbling moment and one that made me very proud to be a Sioux hockey fan.

Naturally, the Sioux made the NCAA tournament. They were sent to Worester, where they would face Yale, a team that had last won in the NCAA's in 1952. However, Yale came prepared and quite frankly, took it to the Sioux. Instead of sitting on their heels and waiting for opportunities, Yale skated hard, aggressive, and frustrated the Sioux, who were clearly thrown off by Yale's style of play. Factor in a missed penalty shot by Darcy Zajac, and it just wasn't in the cards for the Sioux. They fell 3-2 to Yale and were sent packing again.

I don't think last season was a disappointment though. The Sioux were relying on a lot of freshman and lost their captain and rock early in the season. Yet to finish the way they did and win the Broadmoor was quite impressive.

Download:

FLV MP4 3GP

Download:

FLV MP4 3GP

Gophers offseason turmoil

2010-07-28T08:12:00.002-06:00

Gopher fans have no reason to celebrate this offseason.

First off, Schroeder left, which no one was surprised about. In fact, I think it was surprising he came back for another season at all. But regardless. Then, there was the Kangas "twittergate" issue. For those of you who don't know what was going on, someone created a fake twitter account using Alex Kangas and was saying things like "I'm leaving". Kangas, to do damage control, went onto Gophers Puck Live fan forum to clear his name. THEN there was the news that a Gopher defenseman was going to be suspended for marijuana possession. Turns out it was Josh Birkholz, who then decided to turn pro, heading to Everett, Washington, and the WHL. THEN the rumor that Leddy was leaving was confirmed, as the Blackhawks made the decision to bring him in early.

Top it off with Hill staying, much to the chagrin of Gopher fans everywhere, and the fact they had to bring in Max Gardiner early, and you're looking at a Gophers team that is in turmoil.

Yet I still think they are a middle of the pack team.

Thoughts?

Offseason excitement

2010-07-15T12:52:00.002-06:00

I feel the need to update my blog...since I have that kind of time...also, the Sioux have landed a new recruit.

Rocco Grimaldi, a prized recruit from California has committed to the University of North Dakota. He'll be a Fighting Sioux come 2011. His other choices were Notre Dame and Denver.

I'm always glad when a recruit picks UND over Denver (fuck you, Lee).

Check out the article here.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/168547/group/homepage/

Toews lifts the Cup

2010-06-11T11:11:00.003-06:00

It's the most coveted trophy in sports. Forget the World Cup trophy, the crystal football for the BCS title, and the Vince Lombardi trophy. The Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in sports. Even ESPN has said so.

The Blackhawks got to raise the cup for the first time in 49 years, snapping the longest championship drought in the NHL. The Blackhawks had the perfect combination of youth and experience. And leading that youth was a former Sioux player, Jonathan Toews.

Toews had an incredible playoff run, scoring 29 points in the postseason, finishing only behind Danny Briere of the Flyers. He was the recipient of the Conn Smythe trophy and was the player who got to hoist the Cup for the first time. Not too shabby for a 22 year old.

I'm not huge into the NHL, but I am loving the influx of youth and college kids making an impact. And I salute the Blackhawks for having a great season.

Fienhage heading to Major Juniors

2010-06-04T08:15:00.003-06:00

With the return of Chay Genoway to the Sioux this next season, the departure of Corey Fienhage to Major Juniors is no surprise. The Sioux are ridiculously stacked on the blue line next season and Fienhage was going to be looking at limited playing time. While the Sioux will miss him, he had to do what was right for him. I wish him all the best.

David Toews also headed to Canada after having two sub-par season with the Sioux. I'm not sure what happened with the younger Toews, but my thought is that he might have come in with a chip on his shoulder. Adjusting to the speed and toughness that is college hockey takes some serious mental ability, and in all honesty, David might just not have had that.

Aside from the seniors and those two, those are the only departures thus far. Stay tuned...

Chay's returning

2010-05-06T08:50:00.002-06:00

In some good news for the Sioux this offseason, Chay Genoway has decided to return for his senior season, taking the medical hardship waver and coming back for now his 5th year. This is some great news for Sioux fans, as it means that aside from the senior departures (VandeVelde and Zajac), the Sioux are returning intact next year.

Time will tell if anyone else leaves (Fienhage might go to major juniors) but otherwise, this Sioux team next year will be stacked with some ridiculous talent.

Hooray!

Sioux name will be retired

2010-04-09T06:49:00.002-06:00

It's been a struggle for many years. And there has always been the fear that it might come down to a group of elitists that can tell other what is right for them. That decision came yesterday when the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education ruled that UND must retire the Sioux logo.

Check the article out here.

Essentially, this decision was not left to the majority. Over 2/3rds of the Spirit Lake Tribe voted to keep the nickname and while the leaders of the Standing Rock Tribe have not let a vote happen yet, over 1000 signatures have been collected from members of that tribe in support of the nickname and logo. Combine that with ridiculous support throughout the alumni base and the students. Yet somehow, a few people who might consider the nickname offensive voiced their opinion and since we live in a country where the majority doesn't rule anymore, UND will no longer be called the Fighting Sioux.

This name, this logo, what exactly does it mean? There's a lot of pride in this logo. Students, faculty, and alumni are proud to say they are members of Fighting Sioux nation. It symbolizes what the University of North Dakota is in all sports. Courageous. Tough. Decisive. Teamwork. It is a logo that was voted best in ALL of hockey. Let me repeat that. It was voted best in ALL of hockey. You know who came in 2nd?? The Blackhawks logo!!

This is frustrating beyond belief as a Sioux fan. The team I have been cheering for since I was about 16 will no longer be. And in the end, it boils down to money. UND has been trying to join the Summit League for awhile now, but the Summit League wouldn't consider UND until they had the logo issue "resolved." To me, that always meant that the logo would have to go. Now that it is gone, UND can finally join it's precious Summit League and make some money playing in a D1 conference. The dumb thing is, we all know where the school gets its revenue from athletics. It's not from football, basketball, or baseball. It's hockey.

The good news in the short term is the team will still be the Sioux this next season and the Engelstad arena is not going to undergo any changes, since it is a private facility. The NCAA said as long as the logo issue is there, it won't award any regionals to Grand Forks, but I could care less about that. Keep the arena as is. Keep the Sioux logos everywhere. Let those nickname opponents stare at them every day they drive by the arena.

Sad day for any hockey fan...

What do the Badgers need to do?

2010-04-07T08:46:00.003-06:00

You take a look at the Frozen Four and aside from RIT, it's a surprisingly sterile Frozen Four. You have three number one teams and a number four team. In 2007, we saw no number one seeds and last year, we saw a three and a four seed. Although I'm guessing very few had this Frozen Four predicted, it makes a lot of sense that the three number one seeds that are in it made it.

Wisconsin is the only WCHA representative that made the dance. Does this Wisconsin team have what it takes to win it all? That's going to depend on a few things:

1. Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending. We know how serious and important net-minding is this time of year. The Badgers have a good goalie, not a great goalie. At this time of year, good is rarely enough to get the job done. The Badgers certainly have the offensive firepower to get in a shootout with any team in the league, but that's not how you want to win at this time of year. Gudmandson is going to have to be outstanding against an RIT team that has won it's last 12 games.

2. Don't overthink it. Wisconsin is the superior team in its matchup against RIT, no question. But to borrow a very old cliche, RIT is playing with house money and really has nothing to lose. People are talking about how RIT is going to be like Bemidji with stars in their eyes and just happy to be there. The problem with that is, RIT coach Wayne Wilson is one step ahead of that. He called up Bemidji St. coach Tom Serratore who said that the game in DC was second fiddle to the team winning the regionals. Wilson posted that message in RIT's dressing room. Wisconsin can beat this RIT team if it doesn't overthink the game.

3. Crack RIT's goalie. Jared DeMichiel has allowed 14 goals in their last 11 games. Granted, a lot of those games came against weak AHA opponents, but you can't overlook the fact that he held Denver to one goal and a New Hampshire team that had just shelled the best goaltender in the nation to two. Wisconsin certainly has the offense to do this, but they need to get the lead early. Crack DeMichiel early and the rest of the pieces should fall into place.

It should be a great Frozen Four. You have high-quality teams in place and with Miami of Ohio fighting for what should have been theirs last year, it's going to be exciting.

After some time to reflect...

2010-03-29T17:15:00.002-06:00

I've been contemplating the Sioux's loss to Yale and the ending of the season over the weekend...all while fighting an infection in my tooth (painful).

What to say? The Sioux fell in the opening round of the NCAA's for the 2nd straight year and will be watching the Frozen Four on TV again. So why did this happen again this year? I have a few thoughts on the matter:

1. The Sioux ran out of gas. After playing 6 games in 9 days, they had to fly 1500 miles to the east coast to play a Yale team that had essentially a 3 week break. Simply put, the Sioux team was not rested for this game.

2. They were no longer the underdogs. Most of the season, the Sioux were playing from behind, be it on the scoreboard or in the standings. The team seemed to embrace that role, and it worked all the way through the Final Five, where no one expected them to do anything. Once in the regional, everyone expected the Sioux to go all the way. This could have presented problems.

3. The defense was banged up. Yes, I know good teams play through injuries, but when your best player is still suffering from concussion symptoms, another is out, and two others are playing through injuries, it's not easy. I hate using it as an excuse, but certainly could be a reason.

4. The Sioux underestimated Yale. It's possible that UND was thinking this game would be easy against a ratty ECAC team that has no clear cut goaltender and is missing it's best forward.

5. Yale overachieved. As the Sioux did in the Final Five, Yale might have just said F this and risen up. Let's be honest; they were playing with house money and when that happens, teams generally do very well.

I don't want to sit here and say that it's ok that the Sioux lost because it's not. I don't care that they "did better" then they were supposed to. Once you get to the playoffs, do your job and win games. At the same time, I still am proud of this team. They worked very hard in the face of some ridiculous adversity. Let's not forget that the Sioux are one of the premier teams in the NCAA and always have a target on their back.

That being said, as Sioux fans, sit back and enjoy the Frozen Four.

Good job Sioux, good game

Down goes Denver

2010-03-26T18:42:00.002-06:00

It's no secret how much I dislike the Denver program. I think it's on par with Minnesota in terms of arrogance from its fanbase. And Chambers is pretty much the worst reporter/beat writer on the planet.

Yet today, the program was humbled in a way it never has been before, falling 2-1 to RIT in the East Regional, sending the #15 Tigers to the regional championship game and sending Denver to the golf course.

Chambers made it quite clear earlier in the season that DU was well on it's way to its 8th championship and was making comparisons to the Boston University team that won it all last year. With all due respect, that Boston team was the best team I have seen in college hockey since the 1999 Maine Black Bears. This DU team was built around one line and a goaltender. This was not a complete team. Sure, in February they were clicking on all cylinders, but is it possible the DU boys were reading their press clippings a little? Starting to believe the National Championship would be theirs?

You can never lay down in college hockey, because as soon as you do, another team will jump on top of you and destroy you. As I've discussed before, the parity in college hockey is going way down. Any team on any given night can win. And in a one and done scenario, there is no second chance. You either show up or you're saying "what if?"

Hats off to RIT!

Preview...

2010-03-25T07:42:00.001-06:00

The WCHA correspondent for USCHO wrote a piece for USCHO about the Sioux yesterday. Here it is:

Record: 25-12-5 (15-10-3 WCHA, t-4th place)

NCAA tournament appearances: 25 (40-19, 7 national championships)

Players to watch: F Danny Kristo (20-17—37 in 42 GP), F Evan Trupp (8-26—34 in 42 GP), G Brad Eidsness (24-9-4, 2.09, .915).

Why the Fighting Sioux will get to Detroit: The Sioux are one of the hottest teams in hockey, winners of 12 of their last 13 games. Though that doesn’t always guarantee success this time of year, the Sioux more importantly have the correct attitude to succeed this time of year — playing one game at a time, which is how they were able to win the Final Five despite playing their sixth game in nine days for the championship.

Why the Fighting Sioux will get bounced: As hot as the Sioux are, they’re also a young team and experience can mean a lot come playoff time. Also, even though they will have had six days off by the time the puck drops again, their WCHA playoff grind may come back to bite them.

The inside story: Given their recent play, there really is no one inside story about this year’s edition of the Fighting Sioux. Rather, there are a few small ones.

First: You’ll notice that the players to watch above aren’t necessarily the Sioux’s leading scorers, but rather the players that are probably currently playing their best hockey. Unlike previous versions of UND, this year’s team doesn’t have that one superstar player.

Second: Even though fatigue is mentioned as a reason this team might fall short in its quest for an eighth national title, coach Dave Hakstol almost thinks of it as an excuse.

“The fatigue factor certainly is an obvious one, but [we’ve taken] care of that,” he said. “That’s a nice benefit that we don’t play until Saturday.”

Third: This team is focused. Throughout the Final Five, Hakstol deflected questions about a game that was further in the future than the one on deck. That mind-set got them through the WCHA championship and he hopes it’ll get them even farther.

“It’s no time to relax,” he said. “It’s one goal to get into the national tournament, but we got into the WCHA tournament two weeks ago as one of 10 and said our goal was to win it. Well, we’re in a tournament now as one of 16 and our goal is to win it.”

Out east we go!

2010-03-21T21:00:00.002-06:00

The Sioux are heading out east as the highest number two seed, as most of us were predicting yesterday. However, I think their road got a little easier just by the "smoking room". Somehow, instead of playing Michigan or New Hampshire, the Sioux get to face Yale, a team that is reeling as of late.

I sure hope this game is on TV this weekend...