Pretty Quiet For The Big Series

[PierBridge]

Welcome to all my FAIR weather friends ...

As bad as it was I'm not all that concerned at this point we're a young team and needed a good thumping.

This was a do or die series for the Sioux IMO and they came through big-time. Only time will tell if the Sioux have magically transformed into a good team like they looked to be this weekend against the Gophers. I have my doubts not only for the Sioux but the entire WCHA which seems to be worse then last year.

Congrats to the the Sioux and Go Gophs and coach Lucia!

[PierBridge]

Originally Posted By: redlake

I'm a little worried that the gophers have played their best hockey in December. Again. History repeating itself. Again.

I'd be more worried about the Sioux peaking too early, the playoffs are a long ways off. And if I recall after a horrible year last year the Gophers got hot at the end.

The Sioux are hardly peaking let's not forget last weeks struggle with Bemidji State. And the previous weekends Great Lake's Invitational debacle. Losing to Michigan State who was 0-9-4 going into the game "worst team in the CCHA" and then losing to Michigan Tech of all teams the next night.

History Red? I thinks it's safe to say at this point Red that History will be repeating itself and the Sioux National Title Drought will rise another year....

[redlake]

Here is a break down of the Fighting Sioux records the last four and half seasons. The facts are right in front of you.

before Christmas 2008-2009 9-10-1 | after Christmas 4-0

before Christmas 2007-2008 9-7-1 | after Christmas 19-4-3

before Christmas 2006-2007 10-10-1 | after Christmas 15-4-4

before Christmas 2005-2006 13-8-1 | after Christmas 16-8-0

before Christmas 2004-2005 13-8-2 | after Christmas 12-8-3

The last five years before Christmas the Fighting Sioux have a .503 winning percentage and after Christmas the Sioux are have a winning percentage of 700 percent.

Go to your room Pierre.

[FL SNIPER]

My feeling is the Sioux play a style of hockey that doesn't always need the most skilled players...even though they have some very skilled players. They seem to play a very aggresive style of play. They work hard, they shoot the puck from anywhere and have guys going to the net when they do shoot. They don't always look for the "perfect" play. They pretty much ran the gophers right off the rink with their aggresiveness and intensity. Looked a lot like what the Flyers did to the Wild last week too. I think that's why the Sioux tend to have a better second half of the season the past few years...because their style of play improves their players as the year goes along. Kudos to their coach for getting his players in that mindset. Just my $.02.

[PierBridge]

Of course it takes the Sioux longer to get going year to year have you seen their ACT/SAT scores...

Now for the REAL Fact's "REALITY" we need to concern ourselves with...

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in the last 7 years....

Gophers 2

Sioux ZERO!

WCHA Titles in the last 4 years.

Gophers 2

Sioux.....ZERO!

WCHA Playoff Titles in the last 6 years.

Gophers 3

Sioux.....wow they did win ONE!

Class adjourned Red-lake!

[redlake]

I like your style Pierre. The gophers have great tradition.

I live in Bemidji so I see more gopher games on FSN than sioux games. Two great programs. I think the gophers need to get tougher on defense and offense. They got hit and didn't respond in a good way and the sioux kept hitting them all weekend long. When the gophers didn't respond the UND players smelled blood and the rest is a sweep. Our ACT/SAT scores have very little to do with taking the body. Maybe the gophers need some guys who didn't score as well on the ACT/SAT......

I like the gopher team. They are skilled and very talented. Hitting and taking the body is a big part of hockey and the gophers need more players who know how to play that style of game. Checking is a skill that many gopher players just are not very good at.

Fact.

[DEADhead]

the fact that we can debate the minutia here over two of the greatest college hockey programs in the country is fantastic.

keep it up. It will only get better as March rolls along

[PierBridge]

Let's hope it gets better for the WCHA. If it doesn't dramatically improve the WCHA will be Championship-less for the 3rd year in a row.

Right now I see one team "denver" that looks like they have a chance to win it all.

Good points as always Red!

[Bear55]

I'd say Denver, The Sioux and the Gophers all have a legitimate chance at a title, maybe a couple other WCHA teams too depending on how the rest of the year plays out. Sure the WCHA may not be as dominant as years past but we can still compete with any league in the country. The gophs may have had a terrible weekend but there is a lot of season left and plenty of time to fix whatever went wrong.

And as I have told a few of my friends who happen to be sioux fans, better to lose 6-1 in January then get blown out 6-1 by BC in the frozen 4.

[Steve Foss]

My Dad was in the locker rooms after the Friday night Sioux-Gopher game getting quotes for a story he was working on and he told me one of the Gopher seniors said (paraphrasing): It's always a war when the Gophers and Sioux play. Tonight they came with guns. We came with butter knives.

Funniest quote I've heard in awhile.

Nice for a Sioux fan to see the sweep. Doesn't matter much in the long run, as pointed out here. Lots of hockey to come. I understand why PierBridge needs to console himself by using historical data after the stinging he took over the weekend. Been there, done that. I'm a Packers fan, you see, who is not bashful about pointing out Packer Super Bowl victories and the sorry lack thereof for the Vikes. I'm sure PierBridge will be much more sympathetic to that argument in the future since he just played a card from the same suit in here.

Oh, wait, wrong board for that argument!

[PierBridge]

Butter Knives......

I wouldn't call the last 5 years as Historical as the 1960 Packer Titles you guys are clinging on to...But point taken!

Just to clarify the present inspite of the whoooping the Gophers took this weekend we are still ahead of you guys in the National Rankings.

Go Gophs!

[Steve Foss]

I wouldn't call the last 5 years as Historical as the 1960 Packer Titles you guys are clinging on to...But point taken!

Well, you COULD update your calendar by 35+ years to add one during the Bret Favre era, but I can understand your pain and why you might have left that one out.

Oh yikes, more football talk on the wrong board!

To return this back on topic and to quote the OP: GO SIOUX!

[redlake]

4 strait frozen fours. Crank it up for another run this year.

The Holy Cross Crusaders can't even match those numbers.

[PierBridge]

4 strait frozen fours. Crank it up for another run this year.

The Holy Cross Crusaders can't even match those numbers.

So you are kind of like the Buffalo Bills "losers of 4 straight super bowls" who also LOST 4 Straight....

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

Tonight they came with guns. We came with butter knives.

that was (SR) R.J. Anderson. I read the article in Star Trib [i think] interviewing the players after the game.

[redlake]

Dam_n spell check. Works about as well as the gopher for-check.

[Steve Foss]

It's OK, redlake. They only pick on spelling when they can't effectively hip check your argument.

[PierBridge]

Actually I didn't even notice the spelling error.

I was just trying to make the outlandish stretch comparing the Bills losing 4 straight Super Bowls with the Sioux losing in 4 Straight Frozen 4's....

[redlake]

And the turtle necks from Gopher Nation wouldn't like to get to four STRAIGHT frozen fours? They would love it and they wouldn't ever shut up about it. There would be more jersey pumping than Mazzocco and Woog watching highlights of themselves from FSN broadcasts.

"when you pull your goaltender you get some chances, but at the other end you don't have anyone to save the puck."

--Doug Woog

[PierBridge]

At least we know it was a fluke now!

A tie and loss to Michigan Tech who has won like 1 game this year....

[Bryce]

Maybe try reading the weekend results without the gold tinted glasses? Makes things much clearer doesn't it?

[Bear55]

And the turtle necks from Gopher Nation wouldn't like to get to four STRAIGHT frozen fours? They would love it and they wouldn't ever shut up about it. There would be more jersey pumping than Mazzocco and Woog watching highlights of themselves from FSN broadcasts.

"when you pull your goaltender you get some chances, but at the other end you don't have anyone to save the puck."

--Doug Woog

When we get there we like to win, sure making it 4 times in a row is nice but if you can't beat BC what good is is.

[PierBridge]

Maybe try reading the weekend results without the gold tinted glasses? Makes things much clearer doesn't it?

Read them perfectly.... this season you have LOST to and TIED the worst team "michigan Tech" in the WCHA. A team that has one conference win. You LOST 2-1 and tied 3-3....Clear now?

[Bryce]

USCHO must have it wrong then. They show a 3-3 tie Friday and a 5-0 Sioux win Saturday. By my math, that's a pathetic 7 points over the past two weekends. Have your early season points. We'll take them when they count.

[PierBridge]

I never said anything about this weekends series. I just pointed out that the Sioux have now lost and tied Michigan Tech THIS SEASON.

Calm down I'm sure you guys will win another Title someday!

[Bryce]

I try not to post if I can't smile about it so no problem staying calm. Please keep on with your logic though. The Sioux are so terrible because they have a loss and a tie( this season ) against the doormat of the WCHA. Let's just say I still follow your logic.... where does that leave the rodents after getting swept by said terrible squad? If you're going to use some fuzzy math to deduce that they win another title, please show your work so we can all follow along.

[Steve Foss]

Hey now, this is getting better than the Sioux-Gopher series itself. I'll have to start tuning in here more often to see who gets tossed in the penalty box first.

[Bear55]

Last time I checked early season points added up the same as late season points. I think we can agree that you want to be playing your best hockey in the end, the sioux are playing much better than the first half (as usual) and the gophers had a nice rebound weekend after getting killed.

[redlake]

I think the gophers played much better against St. Cloud. As for the Sioux, it is hard not to have a let-down game after the big weekend with the goofers. And Pierre, lets give some credit to Michigan Tech, for playing some good hockey in the past few weeks.

I think the gophers have an easy schedule to end the year. Wisconsin and CC being the only "elite" teams left to play. Watch out for Michigan Tech in the last series my maroon and gold friends. It is all set up for the gopher nation to walk into the sunset.

[PierBridge]

It's certainly not an easy schedule as if there were such a thing in college hockey today."parity"

I would expect the Sioux to be the ones potetionally walking into the sunset if their not careful.

I know you guys think you won the Super Bowl when you beat us.....

But the facts are the Sue are 14-10 and rated 15th and the Gophers are 12-5 and rated 7th...

So be very Careful down the stretch my friends...