Today UND finally fell to Minnesota... well, fell again to Minnesota as the season record for UND falls to 2-4. The story of the game was fundamentals.
UND simply played without discipline and refused to just shoot the puck at the net. Minnesota's 4th goal was EXACTLY the kinds of goals UND needed. Same with UND's 2nd goal. All that the goal scorer did was throw the puck at the net. The net was crashed and the puck deflected in.
UND time and time again forgot about the backcheckers, hesitated, and failed to be able to make simple passes.
In the end, the inevitable will happen:
1. Minnesota fans will flock to UND message boards and blogs and gloat.
2. UND fans will look forward to next season.
3. Haters will again call for Hakstol's head.
Inevitably Hakstol and Forbort will be thrown under the bus, but again I argue that Minnesota won because they swarmed the puck better, passed better, played more disciplined, and overall played better.
My hat's off to them. I just wish it didn't have to end.
Players of the game?
3rd Star - Danny Kristo
2nd Star - Erik Haula
1st Star - Travis Boyd
Honorable Mentions: Zach Budish, Nate Condon, Tayler Matson, Joe Gleason.
Here's why: Danny Kristo.... other than perhaps Joe Gleason and Mario Lamoreaux, Danny played the hardest of any of the Sioux players out there. No one really stood out more than Kristo for UND.
Haula was all over the ice and scored a big powerplay goal to get the ball rolling out of UND's grasp.
Boyd scores his first goal of the season and of his career and it is the game winner that sends Minny to Tampa.
I could have given a nod to Condon as he was VERY noticable all over the ice. He only factored in on one goal, but he was a lot like Kristo was, but for Minnesota.
