University of North Dakota, version 2.0

[dxmnkd316]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Another benefit to it is that it would make the games fair. If Hexy and J play against the Gophers it'll be like bringing a gun to a plastic knife you got at McDonalds to cut your pancakes fight.

Pretty much

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Just to look at it historically, here are our first half records from our championship years...

1999-2000: 14-3-1
1996-1997: 12-4-2
1986-1987: 16-6-0 (finished the year an impressive 24-2-0)
1981-1982: 15-7-0
1979-1980: 12-4-0
1962-1963: 7-2-0 (in both '63 and '59, season didn't start until Thanksgiving)
1958-1959: 5-3-2

Now, compare that with our last 10 years...

2009-2010: 9-6-3
2008-2009: 9-9-1
2007-2008: 9-7-1
2006-2007: 9-10-1
2005-2006: 13-8-1
2004-2005: 13-7-2
2003-2004: 13-2-0
2002-2003: 18-1-1
2001-2002: 9-9-1
2000-2001: 14-4-4

I'd like to think we could put up a decent record in the first half this year with the quality of team that we have. We play 21 games in the first half of the season, and I would think 15-16+ wins in the first half of the year would be a great start, 12-14 would be acceptable, and anything less than 11 would be a disappointment.

I thought I would revisit this post, as we're halfway through the first half of the year. We're 5-4-1 against a very difficult schedule. That being said, we have a lot of room for improvement. Based on my thoughts from the beginning of the season, we need to win 7 of our next 11 games to have an "acceptable" record given the talent on this team. So let's look at our schedule from here until 2011...

Nov 12/13 - @ Wisconsin: This is going to be a very difficult series. Wisconsin has shown that they are not rebuilding, but reloading. While I think that the Sioux have more talent on paper, Madison is a very difficult place to play. While I could see just about any result coming out of this series, odds are a split. This would put the Sioux at 6-5-1

Nov 19/20 - @ Nebraska-Omaha: UNO has shown that they are here to play and compete. It's their second year under Blais and have shown that they can score, and in bunches...reminds me of some other teams coached by Blais. Saying that, I believe North Dakota has a pretty good edge in talent, and have a good enough D-corps (if they can play up to their talent level) to stop UNO. If we're really as good as we think we are, we should sweep this series. That would put the Sioux at 8-5-1

Nov 26/27 - vs Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish have shown that they can beat anyone (BC) and lose to anyone (Bowling Green). I haven't seen Notre Dame enough to know just how good they are, so this is a difficult series to predict. Given that we are at home, I am inclined to pick a sweep. That would put the Sioux at 10-5-1

Dec 3/4 - vs SCSU: The Huskies have struggled at times, just as the Sioux have. While this series is at home, I can't really see any other result other than a split. That would put the Sioux at 11-6-1

Dec 10/11 - @ Mankato: We're better than Mankato, and should sweep. That would put the Sioux at 13-6-1

Dec 30 - @ Duluth: We go into Duluth right before the end of the year to open up their new arena. I can only imagine that Duluth will be pumped up for this one, and while I certainly think we can win, I have to give the edge to Duluth. That would put the Sioux at 13-7-1

That record is awfully similar to the '04-'05 team and '05-'06 squad. At this point, I'd be pleased with a 13-7-1 record at the halfway point...

Thoughts?

Well, we're now at the halfway point of the season. I thought I'd look back at these two posts, the first from right before the season began, and the second right before the Wisconsin series.

We're 14-5-2, which basically equates to 15 wins. That gives us a winning percentage of .714. That is very similar to the title runs in '82, '87 and '97. It's also the best start in the Hakstol era, and best since '03-'04 when the Sioux went 13-2-0.

Before the season, a .714 winning percentage would have fit into my idea of a "great start". I think we've played very well, and could easily have a much better record than that. Dell has been the biggest surprise (well, both Eidsness and Dell). He has put himself into consideration for first team All-WCHA.

At the midway point, I thought a record of 13-7-1 would have been a solid start. We surpassed that. After starting 5-4-1, we're 9-1-1.

Looking at the second half of the season, the schedule gets somewhat easier. There are still tripping points, and nothing is a given, but I think we should have a very good chance of hitting 30 wins this season. Frattin is on a tear, and looks like a possible Hobey candidate. The MacNaughton is ours to lose, and we could very well be looking at not having to travel outside the midwest for the NCAA's. This season was shaping up to be something special before the season, and while there have been hiccups on the way, I think we're well on our way to bringing home some hardware come March and April.

[Mike Rane]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

there are still tripping points, and nothing is a given, but i think we should have a very good chance of hitting 30 wins this season.

38-5-2

[brianvf]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Huh?

I didn't expect UMD to lay down so much in their new arena opener.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

38-5-2

That would definitely be something. Finish the season going 33-1-1...not too bad

[ecbrevik]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

I'm going to be at REA next Saturday for the second RMU game. Any board regulars going to be around?

I didn't expect UMD to lay down so much in their new arena opener.

No kidding! Dell had a strong say in how that game ended too, with 35 (if I remember right) saves.

Looking at the second half of the season, the schedule gets somewhat easier.

It certainly looks easier on paper. Hopefully we can get some guys healthy and avoid letdowns in places where they shouldn't happen. I'm excited to see where this team is at come March.

[Mike Rane]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

I'm going to be at REA next Saturday for the second RMU game. Any board regulars going to be around?

We should meet by the statue again, dawg. Everybody is welcome. Sec. 106 concourse after 1st period. Dirty chickened out last time.

[Dirty]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

I picked the wrong night! There was a misunderstanding! Don't worry though, I'll be there next weekend to grace you all with my omnipotence.

[Mike Rane]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

I picked the wrong night! There was a misunderstanding! Don't worry though, I'll be there next weekend to grace you all with my omnipotence.

That's right...I remember now. I also just remembered my brother gave away the Sat. night tix. So I won't be there in person but in spirit only.

Be careful ec, Dirty is everything he is hyped up to be...

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Here are some interesting stats from the first half of the season...

NCAA Leader in Wins for a Goaltender - Aaron Dell (13) Dell also leads the WCHA in conference GAA and Winning %.
Matt Frattin leads the nation in goals with 18. Of those 18, only 2 are game winners. Brad Malone leads the Sioux with 3 game winners. 9 Sioux players have GWGs this year.
Brad Malone is also putting up big numbers in other ways...he has 72 PIM, 2nd in the nation.
Ben Blood is a +13 for the Sioux, tops on the team and tied for 8th in the nation. Only 3 Sioux have have a negative +/- rating (Gleason -3, Lamoureux -2, Kristo -1).
North Dakota as a team is NOT in the top 10 nationally in offense, defense, powerplay, penalty kill or penalty minutes.
Frattin is tied for the WCHA lead in conference points with Jason Zucker of DU w/19. He's 1 goal behind Zucker for WCHA goals.
Chay Genoway leads the WCHA in points by defensemen in conference with 14.
In WCHA play, North Dakota is 2nd offensively and t-1st defensively. We're also tied for 8th in penalty minutes.
We kill teams in the 2nd and 3rd periods. In those two periods we've combined to outscore our opponents 38-20.

[brianvf]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

It certainly looks easier on paper. Hopefully we can get some guys healthy and avoid letdowns in places where they shouldn't happen. I'm excited to see where this team is at come March.

No kidding about getting players healthy. I'm really hoping that Gregoire doesn't turn into a Genoway-type situation from last year...

We should meet by the statue again, dawg. Everybody is welcome. Sec. 106 concourse after 1st period. Dirty chickened out last time.

Too bad I won't be in town, it'd be fun to meet up with everyone. Except Dirty.

Here are some interesting stats from the first half of the season...

NCAA Leader in Wins for a Goaltender - Aaron Dell (13) Dell also leads the WCHA in conference GAA and Winning %.
Matt Frattin leads the nation in goals with 18. Of those 18, only 2 are game winners. Brad Malone leads the Sioux with 3 game winners. 9 Sioux players have GWGs this year.
Brad Malone is also putting up big numbers in other ways...he has 72 PIM, 2nd in the nation.
Ben Blood is a +13 for the Sioux, tops on the team and tied for 8th in the nation. Only 3 Sioux have have a negative +/- rating (Gleason -3, Lamoureux -2, Kristo -1).
North Dakota as a team is NOT in the top 10 nationally in offense, defense, powerplay, penalty kill or penalty minutes.
Frattin is tied for the WCHA lead in conference points with Jason Zucker of DU w/19. He's 1 goal behind Zucker for WCHA goals.
Chay Genoway leads the WCHA in points by defensemen in conference with 14.
In WCHA play, North Dakota is 2nd offensively and t-1st defensively. We're also tied for 8th in penalty minutes.
We kill teams in the 2nd and 3rd periods. In those two periods we've combined to outscore our opponents 38-20.

Good stuff. Weird about them not being in the top 10 in the nation in any of those categories with how successful their 1st half has gone.

[Mike Rane]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Here are some interesting stats from the first half of the season...

NCAA Leader in Wins for a Goaltender - Aaron Dell (13) Dell also leads the WCHA in conference GAA and Winning %.
Matt Frattin leads the nation in goals with 18. Of those 18, only 2 are game winners. Brad Malone leads the Sioux with 3 game winners. 9 Sioux players have GWGs this year.
Brad Malone is also putting up big numbers in other ways...he has 72 PIM, 2nd in the nation.
Ben Blood is a +13 for the Sioux, tops on the team and tied for 8th in the nation. Only 3 Sioux have have a negative +/- rating (Gleason -3, Lamoureux -2, Kristo -1).
North Dakota as a team is NOT in the top 10 nationally in offense, defense, powerplay, penalty kill or penalty minutes.
Frattin is tied for the WCHA lead in conference points with Jason Zucker of DU w/19. He's 1 goal behind Zucker for WCHA goals.
Chay Genoway leads the WCHA in points by defensemen in conference with 14.
In WCHA play, North Dakota is 2nd offensively and t-1st defensively. We're also tied for 8th in penalty minutes.
We kill teams in the 2nd and 3rd periods. In those two periods we've combined to outscore our opponents 38-20.

Nuff said there. Let's Party!!!!

Happy New Years ya'll!!!

Wooooo!

[carltonbarrett]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Looks like BC and the Sioux may very well be on another collision course come tourney time. Would be a hell of a game!!

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

Looks like BC and the Sioux may very well be on another collision course come tourney time. Would be a hell of a game!!

It definitely would. I don't know about them meeting up though. For no particular reason, I think one of the two will slip up in the tourney. Saying that, I'd love to see these two play for the title in St. Paul come April.

[ecbrevik]

Re: University of North Dakota, version 2.0

I picked the wrong night! There was a misunderstanding! Don't worry though, I'll be there next weekend to grace you all with my omnipotence.

Yeah yeah, likely story!