After taking some time to think about this year's WCHA Final Five in St. Paul last weekend, here our my thoughts.
The Sioux looked terrible. This was not the team of 2009, but rather the same squad we watched at the beginning of the season. The power play was missing on all cylinders and the team had NO PUCK LUCK! I almost wonder if there was a little MacNaughton Cup hangover on the ice last weekend.
The only highlight of the Final Five was on Thursday night as we watched Minnesota Duluth finish off (along with ND's two loses) the Minnesota Gophers season. We attended all the games and in my opinion the games were not very exciting or spectacular. Maybe it was how the Sioux played or just to many hours at work prior to the tourney. All I know is this was not my favorite Final Five memory.
Congrats to the Bulldogs from Duluth, they played well and their goalie was on fire, they deserved to win and did.
On Sunday morning we watched the selection show and again the NCAA gave the Sioux a tough draw, going out to New Hampshire to play against the hometown hero Wildcats. If the Sioux win and the number one seed in the country wins their game UND will be taking on Boston College for a trip to the Frozen Four in DC. Not an easy task! They always say you have to play the best to be the best, but it would have been nice to have saved that for DC.
If the team plays as it can, anything is possible. But if they play like they did last weekend, hockey season will not extend into golf season this year. THAT IS NOT GOOD!!!!!!!
So here it goes, my prediction for this weekend is that the Sioux will be playing BU on Sunday but will come up two goals short and the season will be over. I hope the boys prove me wrong.
Good luck out east, let's show them that WCHA hockey is still the best college hockey in the country.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Saturday Night Was Special
Last Saturday night the Fighting Sioux took on Michigan Tech in the second game of the best of three series for the right to move on to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul this weekend. Although I had predicted a blowout it was anything but.
The Huskies did not rollover and play dead as I thought they would but came out growling and played tough to the final seconds. Hats off to them (or was it Ryan Duncan with his almost hat trick, I was not sure) for making the Sioux work for the win.
Between the first and second period we had a chance to visit with Derrick LaPoint and his father Scott. We were happy to see that both were in good spirits. Derrick's attitude was great as he is already gearing up to put the Sioux jersey on again this fall. We know that with his work ethic and strong family support, that it is just a matter of time before he is staring for the Sioux again.
As mentioned, the game was tight to the end but UND did finish the Huskies season on Saturday and went on to celebrate winning the WCHA regular season. I have a couple of articles posted on our website with pictures including a link to watch the event unfold. For me there were two very special moments, the first was seeing Captain Ryan Duncan lift the cup over his head and to see the look of joy on his face. I remember the meet the Sioux night when he was an incoming freshman and he scored a goal and thinking to myself "This one is going to be special". I was right! He is Fighting Sioux hockey at it's best, a hard working, humble, champion.
The second special moment was when several of the Sioux players skated the cup over to Derrick, helping him lift the cup. I know how bad he wanted to be on skates rather than crutches and it was heart warming to seeing his teammates looking out for him. It kind of brought a tear to my eye.
Once the ceremony was over the seniors came out for a final farewell. We we wish them the best of luck in the playoffs but even more in what lies before them in life. They are a great group of young men who have wore the Fighting Sioux jersey in a way that brings pride to the program and themselves.
Until next time, GO SIOUX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Huskies did not rollover and play dead as I thought they would but came out growling and played tough to the final seconds. Hats off to them (or was it Ryan Duncan with his almost hat trick, I was not sure) for making the Sioux work for the win.
Between the first and second period we had a chance to visit with Derrick LaPoint and his father Scott. We were happy to see that both were in good spirits. Derrick's attitude was great as he is already gearing up to put the Sioux jersey on again this fall. We know that with his work ethic and strong family support, that it is just a matter of time before he is staring for the Sioux again.
As mentioned, the game was tight to the end but UND did finish the Huskies season on Saturday and went on to celebrate winning the WCHA regular season. I have a couple of articles posted on our website with pictures including a link to watch the event unfold. For me there were two very special moments, the first was seeing Captain Ryan Duncan lift the cup over his head and to see the look of joy on his face. I remember the meet the Sioux night when he was an incoming freshman and he scored a goal and thinking to myself "This one is going to be special". I was right! He is Fighting Sioux hockey at it's best, a hard working, humble, champion.
The second special moment was when several of the Sioux players skated the cup over to Derrick, helping him lift the cup. I know how bad he wanted to be on skates rather than crutches and it was heart warming to seeing his teammates looking out for him. It kind of brought a tear to my eye.
Once the ceremony was over the seniors came out for a final farewell. We we wish them the best of luck in the playoffs but even more in what lies before them in life. They are a great group of young men who have wore the Fighting Sioux jersey in a way that brings pride to the program and themselves.
Until next time, GO SIOUX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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