Re: University of North Dakota Hockey: 2011-2012
2011-2012 Fighting Sioux Roster has been released including 10 freshman, I think this will be a rebuilding season unless something ridiculous happens with the sophomore and junior class.
http://www.fightingsioux.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=58685&SPID=6405&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13500&SORT_ORDER=5&Q_SEASON=2011&PRINTABLE_PAGE=
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.
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.
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.
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"...
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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