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?