University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Does anyone here have video of the jt brown hit on blood?

Not that I can find, but here was the hit on Nick Mattson...

http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/2012/02/j...n%27s+World%29

FWIW, the JT Brown hit was far worse...I wouldn't be surprised if Goon's site had it online shortly.

[SJHovey]

Not that I can find, but here was the hit on Nick Mattson...

http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/2012/02/j...n%27s+World%29

FWIW, the JT Brown hit was far worse...I wouldn't be surprised if Goon's site had it online shortly.

The mattson hit was far more dangerous. By the way, I'm going to take credit for the backbreaking 3rd goal. I just finished telling my wife, "we haven't scored on a 5 minute pp for 14 years" when Parks banked one in (that's why my wife never listens to what I say).

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

The mattson hit was far more dangerous. By the way, I'm going to take credit for the backbreaking 3rd goal. I just finished telling my wife, "we haven't scored on a 5 minute pp for 14 years" when Parks banked one in (that's why my wife never listens to what I say).

Now I'm curious...when was the last time we had scored on a 5 minute powerplay? Did we have one last year against Tech?

[Goon]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Now I'm curious...when was the last time we had scored on a 5 minute powerplay? Did we have one last year against Tech?

Last night.

[Goon]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Not that I can find, but here was the hit on Nick Mattson...

http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/2012/02/j...n%27s+World%29

FWIW, the JT Brown hit was far worse...I wouldn't be surprised if Goon's site had it online shortly.

No one has it up on line yet. I will if I see it come out.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Well, that was a disappointing result tonight. Duluth killed us on the powerplay. You just don't win many games when you give up 4 goals on the powerplay. That being said, the Sioux played well 5x5, and had an opportunity to send it to OT, which is a whole lot more than I could have asked for when the game was 5-2 with Duluth on a 5x3 advantage. Ultimately, North Dakota got the 2 points they needed this weekend. It was also nice seeing Carter Rowney continue his strong play. If we can get a consistent scorer on another line besides the 1st, we can do some damage in tournament play.

Looking forward to Tech, this is almost a must sweep series. Sweeping Tech, splitting at Denver, and sweeping Mankato probably puts North Dakota around the 10-12 position in the PWR, home ice for the first round, and potentially in the 3 or 4 spot in the WCHA. That likely means that Wisconsin or Bemidji will make their way to Grand Forks, and I like how we match up with both teams, despite splitting the season series against each side. Given that, this isn't the same Tech team that we are all used to, and I'm sure most of us realize that. However, despite Tech's improvement, North Dakota is the better side and has home ice. Hopefully the Sioux play up to their potential and get the 4 points. If they do, it will set up a huge series the following weekend at Denver.

[Siouxfaninseattle]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Well, that was a disappointing result tonight. Duluth killed us on the powerplay. You just don't win many games when you give up 4 goals on the powerplay. That being said, the Sioux played well 5x5, and had an opportunity to send it to OT, which is a whole lot more than I could have asked for when the game was 5-2 with Duluth on a 5x3 advantage. Ultimately, North Dakota got the 2 points they needed this weekend. It was also nice seeing Carter Rowney continue his strong play. If we can get a consistent scorer on another line besides the 1st, we can do some damage in tournament play.

Looking forward to Tech, this is almost a must sweep series. Sweeping Tech, splitting at Denver, and sweeping Mankato probably puts North Dakota around the 10-12 position in the PWR, home ice for the first round, and potentially in the 3 or 4 spot in the WCHA. That likely means that Wisconsin or Bemidji will make their way to Grand Forks, and I like how we match up with both teams, despite splitting the season series against each side. Given that, this isn't the same Tech team that we are all used to, and I'm sure most of us realize that. However, despite Tech's improvement, North Dakota is the better side and has home ice. Hopefully the Sioux play up to their potential and get the 4 points. If they do, it will set up a huge series the following weekend at Denver.

Agree on all points. A sweep would have been great but a split was pretty much what we expected. You can't play short-handed and win against a team like UMD. We're on track to do what needs to be done to make the tournament. It means a sweep against Tech, 2 points at Denver and a sweep of Mankato. That should mean home ice for the WCHA playoffs and a Pairwise ranking that gets us an at-large bid. Of course a Broadmoor win would work quite well.

[Goon]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Here is the J.T. Brown hit on Ben Blood video [click to watch]

[willythekid]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Here is the J.T. Brown hit on Ben Blood video [click to watch]

I like the bullpuppy fan in the background giving the double birds... here I was led to believe only UND fans and coaches did that.

[Dirty]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Sounds like Claude Lemieux's son, Brendan, has committed to UND. If Brendan does come, what will be the level of whining from opposing fanbases? Holy Moses.

[Goon]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Sounds like Claude Lemieux's son, Brendan, has committed to UND. If Brendan does come, what will be the level of whining from opposing fanbases? Holy Moses.

As a Bruins fan I am torn.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

More on Lemieux, UND - and his USHL stop before that:

GAMBLERS SIGN BRENDAN LEMIEUX TO TENDER…

(Green Bay, WI) –) The Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) are pleased to announce that forward Brendan Lemieux has been signed as a tender by the team and will play for the Gamblers in the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Lemieux is the son of four-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe winner Claude Lemieux. Currently, Lemieux plays for the Toronto Red Wings AAA program and comes to the Gamblers highly touted as one of the top ‘96 birthdates in North America. Lemieux will join top prospect and fellow North Dakota Recruit Nick Schmaltz as high profile player to play in Green Bay next season.

“We are very excited to sign Brendan as our first tender,” said Head Coach and General Manager Derek Lalonde, “To have the caliber of players like Brendan and Nick to decide to play here in Green Bay is a credit to the Gamblers organization and the USHL as a league.”

Both Lemieux and Schmaltz are scheduled to join North Dakota in the fall of 2014.

[Mike Rane]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

Sounds like Claude Lemieux's son, Brendan, has committed to UND. If Brendan does come, what will be the level of whining from opposing fanbases? Holy Moses.

No kidding. Don Cherry used to call him 'Claude the fraud'.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

I always like to look back on my expectations from the season...so here were my preseason expectations...not much has changed.

I don't know if I would call it a "rebuilding" season in the sense that the Sioux won't be very good. They will likely struggle early offensively, but their strengths are still going to be defense and goaltending. If they are solid there, UND will be a top-half team, and if the freshmen develop for the second half, I wouldn't be surprised with another strong finish and perhaps a third straight Broadmoor.

Here are my expectations for this team for this season, and I may have said them before elsewhere, so if you've heard them before I apologize...

1. I expect the offense to struggle to start the season, and perhaps throughout most of the season. We lost so much scoring that it will be difficult to replace. The Sioux averaged 4 goals/game last season. I think we'll be lucky to average 3 this year.

The Sioux are averaging 3.09 goals/game. I can't say I'm too disappointed with that number, especially given the unique circumstances from this season.

2. I expect our defense and goaltending to be top notch. I think Forbort will have a monster year, and if Dell can continue his play, he should have great stats again. The defense will be what keeps North Dakota in games and give them chances to win. If there are any disappointments here, then it will be a disappointing season.

There were definitely disappointments, but overall our d has played well this year. Forbort hasn't had a monster year, but he has played well.

3. I expect a lot of 2-1, 3-2 type games, win or lose. Given our defense I don't see UND giving up much more than 2 or 3 a game (if not less). Of course, I don't see us scoring much more than 2 or 3 a game either.

We've had a lot of close games, but I've been surprised by some of the big margins we've won (and lost) by on occasion.

4. Given that, I expect North Dakota to be hovering around .500 for much of the year. We're fortunate that our only series with CC and Omaha are at home, but the Sioux play @ Wisconsin, @ Minnesota and @ Anchorage (along with a series at Bemidji) in the first half of the season. The second half of the season is a little "easier"...

We did hover around .500 for most of the first half, but have played very well in the second half.

5. Which leads to my expectation that North Dakota will have another "surge" in the second half. I think once the scoring gets settled, and the freshmen start to get used to playing college hockey, North Dakota should be a better team. I'm not thinking that they'll go a crazy 13-0-1 in February and March that they did last year (18-3-1 overall in the second half), but I wouldn't be surprised if they go something along the lines of 12-3 or 11-4 to finish the regular season.

North Dakota is 10-4-2 since Christmas...not too shabby. Hopefully they can continue playing well through March and into April.

6. I expect the Sioux to finish in the top half. I don't think it will be higher than fourth, or lower than sixth.
7. I expect the Sioux to make it to the Final Five. Depending on matchups and how they are playing, a third straight Broadmoor is definitely a possibility.

We've clinched 4th...the highest I thought we could go. Given that, we should be able to advance to the Final Five, and hopefully get that shot at a 3rd straight Broadmoor.

8. I expect the Sioux to make the NCAA Tournament. They should do well in their out of conference matchups this year (home versus Maine, Harvard and Winnipeg game vs Clarkson along with the Icebreaker vs Air Force and BC/Michigan St) which should help out come Pairwise time. North Dakota does not play a road out of conference game this season...something that is quite unusual for the Sioux, but it should help them out especially given the makeup of this team. Also, once you make the Tournament, as so many teams have shown, anything can happen. With a solid blueline and goalie, North Dakota will not be a team that people want to face. It would not surprise me at all to see the Sioux in Tampa, nor would it surprise me if they wound up winning the title. So many times in our school's history they have responded to devastating heartbreak from the previous season with a national title ('58 they lose to DU in the final, come back and win it all in '59. In '79 they lose to Minnesota for it all, come back in '80 and win it all. In '98 and '99 they were so strong but upset in the tourney, come back in '00 and win it all.)

Obviously, this is all way up in the air. If the Sioux win tomorrow and make it to the Final Five, they should be in the tourney.

9. I expect to enjoy another great season of Sioux hockey. We're still about two months out, but it should be a great year. Hopefully everyone stays healthy and they make another great run at that elusive 8th National Title.

As always, it has been another great year of watching Sioux hockey. If only everyone would have stayed healthy it could have been an even more enjoyable year. Either way, they are still in the hunt for #8.

[Goon]

Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012

UND ends with the 6th best team in offense and the fourth best team in defense.