Open post.

Old Man Schlossman. The decline was swift. twitter.com/UNDSID/status/…
— Jayson Hajdu (@UNDSID) December 9, 2012

You never know what someone is going to take a picture of?

EDIT: The Sky is falling; not hardly...

A couple of things, I have reading the message boards this morning and obviously it hurts to see your favorite team lose a game where they had the lead with five minutes to go and looked like they were going to get the series sweep against the Terriers and let the lead slip away. Let’s also give credit where credit is due. BU is a very good hockey team and there is no shame splitting with them either.

Let’s not forget these numbers, UND is a traditionally slow starter that peaks during the second half of the season. The First column is the win total for Coach Hakstol before the Christmas break. The second column is Hakstol’s win total after the Christmas break.

2004-05: 13-7-2 (.636) - 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06: 12-7-1 (.625) - 17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07: 7-10-1 (.417) - 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08: 8-6-1 (.567) - 20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09: 9-8-1 (.528) - 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10: 9-6-3 (.583) - 16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11: 13-5-2 (.700) - 19-4-1 (.813)
2011-12: 9-8-1 (.528) - 17-5-2 (.750)
2012-13: 3-2-1 (.583) - ?
Totals 83-59-13 (.577) - 133-49-18 (.710)

Related articles

• Terriers bite North Dakota back 4-2 (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Men's Hockey Media Day (thehockeywriters.com)

The morning after the UND vs. UA game



Get off of the ledge...



DU suspends two players

Low and behold this morning we find out that a little karma has finally swung the other direction. I was under the impression that only certain teams and programs have issues and players that get suspended – it appears that another WCHA program has suspended two players for a total of eight games. Funny, in checking my favorite DU fan blog there is nary a word of these suspensions. I am sure we’re going to see a bad boyz post on this matter soon though?

Michael Chambers; Denver Post --- University of Denver hockey players Larkin Jacobson and Juho Olkinuora have been suspended for four games for violating team rules, Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky said. The suspensions stem from separate incidents and will include Saturday's exhibition game against the University of British Columbia at the Pepsi Center.

Jacobson played in 22 of 43 games last season as a fourth-line forward. He did not produce a point. Olkinuora was outstanding in goal, leading the team in starts (19), minutes played (1,236), goals-against average (.924) and shutouts (two).

oth players will continue to practice with the team. Both are sophomores.

Depth is not a concern at goalie, with senior Adam Murray and junior Sam Brittain.

I am wondering if we will see some fan retract their statements or finally grab some perspective that from time-to-time college athletes get into trouble and pay for their transgressions via suspension. No one college sports program is immune from this.

Tuesday afternoon humor

A decent read?



Kurt Snibbe/ESPN.com

Proposed Fighting Sue helmet logo.



Someone posted this article on Sioux Sports – I believe it was a Bison fan. If you haven’t seen this it’s worth a quick look. The reason that UND hasn’t been in March Madness is that UND just finally finished their transition to Division I in all sports, I expect that eventually UND will make the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball tourneys as well.

Low Graduation Rates? Fine with the NCAA. Two Feathers? OMG! Over at the University of North Dakota, the state's voters recently endorsed a referendum to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname. Right now the school's teams are the -- we'll get back to you on that, as UND teams have no nickname at the moment.

The NCAA ordered the University of North Dakota to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname and cease using a Sioux head image drawn by a Native American artist. The NCAA also ordered William & Mary to cease using a two-feathers sports logo. Yet the NCAA is fine with the University of Utah's American Indian nickname, the Utes, and its two-feathers logo.

What's the distinction here? Money. The North Dakota men's basketball team has not made the March Madness event in 20 years. William & Mary has never made the men's tournament. Neither the University of North Dakota nor William & Mary provides the NCAA with the only thing it cares about: greenback dollars. The University of Utah, on the other hand, has 26 March Madness appearances, including 12 of the past 20 tournaments. Because in the case of the Utes, the American Indian imagery generates cash for the NCAA, all is well.

Since the University of North Dakota needs a new nickname, TMQ proposes the Fighting Sue, perhaps with Johnny Cash theme music.

That being said, UND is usually in the NCAA Division I playoffs for hockey every season but once (missed NCAA playoffs in 2001-02) since 1997 and last season was the first time during the span that UND didn't wear the Fighting Sioux logo during the NCAA tourney. I am not so sure that the Johnny Cash Logo would catch on either. :) I did get a good chuckle out of that one though.

I do think it’s funny sometimes how the NCAA picks certain issues like Sports Team logos over more important issues like graduation rates.

An early look at the PWR.

For a good laugh on this Monday afternoon, the Michigan Tech University Huskies are leading the Pair Wise Rankings after four games. You might want to take a picture because I am sure you will see this change as the season continues and the games play out. 

Former Sioux Dave Christian on SCSU opening day roster. :)

All in good fun... SCSU should be really good this season when former Fighting Sioux and 1980 Olympian Dave Christian laces up the skates for the Huskies. I am sure that Mick Hatten meant to say Jordy Christian who is from  Moorhead, MN. [Link to the article]

Sunday night humor

 One of my twitter friends sent me this tweet and I thought I was would share it with you.

Festivus - Airing of grievances...

This was one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes. I thought I would give hockey fans a chance "Airing of Grievances" and "Feats of Strength," and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles"....

Today I decided I would air a few of my personal grievances; 1.) is the poor quality of the officiating in the WCHA. 2.) the college hockey pollsters for picking teams number one that have no business being number one. 3.) the "mask" in college hockey time to go to the half shield. 4.) time to use the KRACH instead of the PWR to pick the teams for the NCAA tourney.

Go ahead and tell us a few of your grievances.

Claude Giroux scores with his junk

Talk about taking one for the teams eh? No pun intended. Credit Flyers Defenseman Chris Pronger with the assist on the Giroux goal. It will be interesting to see if this goal wins an ESPY or not?

Goon's ten favorite goals of the decade. (In no particular order)

1.) This Goal would have to be number one for me. The Bina goal against Gophers sieve goalie Jeff Frazee. It was one of the longest goals that I have ever seen in college hockey history.



2.) This goal doesn't require much discussion. As the Holy Cross homers said, "It's the second chance and the second effort."



3.) The Kessel return and subsequent goal in Madison after he scores for the Gophers, then cups his hand and put it up to his ear. The Wisconsin Badger fans didn't really like that one. I thought it was ballsy thing to do that in Madison, others thought it lacked class.



4.) I never get sick of seeing goal; in fact it still brings tears to my eyes. The Gophers had beaten the Sioux the week before on this sick goal.



5.) It never gets old beating the Badgers, Kozek with a beautiful goal to send the Sioux to the 2008 Frozen Four.



6.) Sparky Scores; watch this video as he goes down town against Gophers sieve  goalie Kellen Briggs for a short handed goal in the 2005 Final Five in St Paul. I wish this kid would have stayed and played for the Sioux for another two years.



7.) This has to be one of the hardest goals to duplicate, the Trupp goal. It seems like most of his goals are of the highlight variety.



8.) The Stick is hot, Alexander Ovechkin's 50 goal for a third straight season. The Tampa Bay lightning wasn't impressed but they could have stopped him.



9.) The Irish man Owen Nolan's pretty goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning.


10.) The Jonathan Toews Goal vs Colorado October 19th 2007, it even sounds good in French.
[Note] There are some of the goals of the past decade that I really like, there are others that I have probably forgotten or couldn't find video of. One goal that comes to mind is the Wild's goal to win the playoff series against the Av's to send Patrick Roy is one of my favorites as well.

Fill in the caption.

Bob from Wisconsin took picture in Houghton Michigan this past weekend and posted it on Sioux Sports and I was wondering if anyone sees the hilarity in tis picture or has a good caption to put on this picture.

Goon's dad likes Air Force.

My father can't get his google account to work but wanted to post this on Air Force.
You would have swore he has been reading LGM's posts.

Goonster: Of course the Air Force Falcons are good as they have two Baudette hockey players on their roster, Brett Nylander and Brent Olson. Brent's brother Derek also played four years for Air Force. I thought Derek was a better hockey player in high school.

They hale from the same high school that Keith Ballard played for, who just signed a big new contract this fall with the Florida Panthers

Humorous picture.

I like this picture, I had this emailed to me by a friend of mine.

Bimbos are us.

I found this on Puck Daddy, maybe it is better to be seen and not heard. Yikes... I like many of my fellow men probably long for the days of babe watch.

Jeff Frazee's WJC back up signs with LA.

The LA Kings signed Jeff Zatkoff "aka Jef Frazee's WJC backup" to an three-year entry-level contract. Jeff Zatkoff the L.A. Kings' 2006 3rd draft choice led the Miami RedHawks to a number two over all seed in this years NCAA hockey tourney. Unfortunately, Miami was bounced from the 2008 NCAA hockey tourney by the Boston College Eagles 3-2 in overtime during the North East Regional final.

Zatkoff LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Zatkoff was the club’s third-round selection (74th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

(Caution this post is an attempt at humor and is not meant to be malicious)

Monday morning Ramblings

Sioux_7 can thank Marty for emailing me this very funny picture. So what the hell, I thought I would post it on the blog. For those of us that live in Fargo and Grand Forks, area have seen the goofy commercial on local television; chips are free dinner is extra. You also gotta love Paradiso because you get your meal free on your birthday, and they let you wear that silly hat as well.

Friday

St. Cloud State @ Michigan Tech - SCSU
Minnesota @ Minnesota State-Mankato - MSU-M
Minnesota-Duluth @ Colorado College - Tigers
North Dakota @ Wisconsin - Sioux

Saturday

St. Cloud State @ Michigan Tech - Tie
Minnesota State-Mankato @ Minnesota - Gophers
Minnesota-Duluth @ Colorado College - tie
North Dakota @ Wisconsin - Badgers

Last week in my Picks I went 8-2
25-9 for the year.

What did he say?

In watching the end of the Gophers and Pioneers hockey game when Doug Woog started pontificating about how Tyler Bozak was the difference in the game with this hat trick, the score was 3-1 at the time. I thought, well yeah duh. I mean really you can't make this stuff up, it's classic Wooger... I suppose when your team is 0-4 in the WCHA and your favorite team is not playing well it probably can be a little painful to announce a game. Your right Doug Tyler Bozak had a great game, but how abou the Goaltending, Mannino was awesome or mention the lack of a game plan by the Gophers.

Over on Win Twins the SCSU and Twins Blogger gave her angle on the Gophers misfortunes.

HAH! Tweedle Dee (Frank Mazzocco) had the gall to say "Looking at the standings from the WCHA this morning, most people are probably wondering if they were printed upside down!" Umm, no, the rest of us in the WCHA are well aware that Minnesota is at the bottom with the big old goose egg, and frankly, we're laughing our ASSES off about it! :)

I have to admit that I enjoy a Gophers loss like the rest of us, in fact I think its funny to listen Frank and Doug spin each miserable painful loss. While it's fun watching the Gophers take it on the chin, I do have a hard time believing that the Gophers are as bad as their record. That being said, I do also see the Gophers losing a game to the Mavericks this weekend. Look for the refs to get the Gophers the split on Saturday night.

Anonymous

You have to love these anonymous trolls that go around on the Internet posting meaningless, hateful and spiteful drivel on other people's blogs. Of course these anonymous cowards never will put a name or a face to the bravo sierra that they post. In essence they are posting graffiti and vandalizing people's blog, simple mind give people simple thrills. Thanks to this kind of mindless juvenile behavior is the reason media blogger(s) like Mike McFeely have decided to shut the comments section of their blogs down instead of wading through meaningless moron-athons. Maybe this is the reason Gopher Blogger Hammy has never actually allowed comments on his blog.

Ode to the Bruins and Kessel with a hat trick

Former Gophers star/player Phil Kessel scoring a hat trick against the LA Kings. One could say that Kessel's hat trick is very good news since the Boston Bruins haven't really been scoring a lot of goals to start the season. However, there is hope in Boston as the Bruins recently went 3-2 in a western road trip. Incidently the Bruins will not leave the eastern time zone the rest of the season.

A weak attempt at Humor

Lastly, some fans think they are so funny (especially New Jersey Devils Fans), first off even though two former Sioux hockey players play on the Devils I am not a fan of their team; not to mention I think the Devils are going to be a punching bag in the east and have a down season. Sioux7 sent me this poem about the Boston Bruins.

Ode to the Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins,
Their Stanley Cup dreams are in ruins.
One cup in thirty-five years,
Has caused many tears,
Fans drown their sorrows in beers
As the players get jeers,
And the cup still avoids them.

Their players are all washed-up jocks,
They're even worse than the sox!
In the playoffs they choke,
And all their fans' hearts are broke.
Half the team is on coke,
The franchise is a joke.
So the cup still avoids them.

Each year the results are the same,
And Peter Chiarelli is the person to blame.
There are thirty-five more
Years of failure in store.
They can't even score,
From the cup they won't pour.
'Cause the cup still avoids them.