The Fighting Sioux's road to the NCAA tourney is not going to be a gimme or a slam dunk, they are going to have to work for it. The Fighting Sioux must keep winning if they want to play past the WCHA playoffs. Tonight was the first step in the right direction on a long road. The road to the NCAA playoffs doesn't get easier and the Mavericks will come out tomorrow guns blazing. The Sioux must be ready and can't take a shift off, they must play a complete disciplined game like they did tonight. If the Fighting Sioux can continue their pace and their current path they could very well finish a top of the WCHA. Tomorrow night the Sioux can not get wrapped up in the after the whistle bravo sierra.
The effort tonight was impressive as the Fighting Sioux out worked, out hustled and pretty much had their way with the Mavericks tonight. If it wasn't for Mike Zacharias the score could have been 10-1. The Fighting Sioux had the Mavericks on their heals all night and improved their record to 9-1-1 in the last 11 games against the Minnesota State University Mavericks.
Tonight I was even more impressed with the play of LGM's favorite Sioux player Big Joe Finley who had missed 16 games at the beginning of the season with a head injury. Big Joe has come back to the line up and been a major force on the blue line. I would have to say that the last three series Big Joe has taken a big leadership role on the ice for the Fighting Sioux.
Brad Miller was impressive with his two goals on the evening. It nice to see Miller chipping in after missing many games the first three years of his UND hockey career. There will be more tomorrow, I have to work in the morning.
Box Score
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1st Period (20:00)
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MNS-1 Zach Harrison (2-Interference) NDK 0x1 0:16
NDK-1 Brett Hextall (2-Roughing) MNS 0x1 8:52
NDK-2 Matt Watkins (2-Boarding) MNS 0x2 9:38
MNS-2 James Gaulrapp (2-Hooking) NDK 1x2 14:39
NDK 1 - 0 6x5 PP LL Brad Miller (5) (Jake Marto, Ryan Duncan) 15:26
NDK: 14,25,16,26,29,G31 MNS: 19,12,17,5,G1
MNS-3 Nick Canzanello (2-Holding) NDK 2x3 17:40
MNS-4 Trevor Bruess (2-Kneeing) NDK 2x4 19:32
NDK 2 - 0 6x4 PP GW Brad Miller (6) (Brett Hextall, Chris VandeVelde) 19:39
NDK: 14,26,29,16,5,G31 MNS: 4,19,22,G1
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2nd Period (20:00)
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MNS-5 Trevor Bruess (2-Boarding) NDK 2x5 1:47
NDK 3 - 0 6x6 Evan Trupp (6) (unassisted) 6:05
NDK (+): 29,21,19,24,14,G31 MNS (-): 5,12,16,3,20,G1
NDK-3 Matt Watkins (2-Tripping) MNS 0x3 9:06
MNS-6 Cameron Cooper (2-Interference) NDK 2x6 13:57
NDK-4 Darcy Zajac (2-Interference) MNS 0x4 18:14
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3rd Period (20:00)
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MNS-7 Trevor Bruess (2-High-Sticking) NDK 2x7 0:30
MNS 1 - 3 5x6 SH Geoff Irwin (9) (unassisted) 0:59
MNS (+): 19,22,4,15,G1 NDK (-): 17,21,8,19,5,G31
NDK-5 Brad Malone (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) MNS 0x5 3:58
NDK 4 - 1 6x6 Andrew Kozek (7) (Joe Finley, Brad Malone) 10:28
NDK (+): 10,2,22,5,9,G31 MNS (-): 18,15,10,2,17,G1
NDK-6 Matt Frattin (2-Hooking) MNS 0x6 11:08
MNS-8 Nick Canzanello (2-Roughing) 18:57
MNS-9 Nick Canzanello (2-Roughing) 18:57
MNS-10 Ben Youds (5-High-Sticking) 18:57
NDK-7 Mario Lamoureux (2-Roughing) 18:57
NDK-8 Mario Lamoureux (2-Roughing) 18:57
NDK-9 Brad Malone (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 18:57
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End of Game
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Finley bites. Plain and simple. Oddly though, I didn't notice him as much tonight. Honestly, our seats were so damn high that I had a hard time paying attention! At the Alltell my seats are so close to the ice that the game is in "real time" so sitting so far away throws me off:(
ReplyDeleteIts not our fault you can't see, but I'm sure you can still see Davis beating women from your seat.
ReplyDeleteI sit the exact opposite your seats and you can see the plays develop better in the upper deck.
ReplyDeleteBoys! Now, look at my comment. I didn't say I couldn't SEE the game (I don't think there's really a "bad seat" at the Ralph),
ReplyDeleteI said I had a hard time paying attention. I could see the whole game and the view was good, just seems like it was in "slow motion" compaired to what I'm used to.
Mr. Burns- do you really think I even look at THAT?!?
Amy maybe you should have drank a few more mixed drinks then the action would be more intense.
ReplyDeleteNaw, drinking more would have made it even harder to pay attention!! :)
ReplyDeleteI just put my post up about last night. It's not bad but I'm sure some Sioux fans will find offense in it somewhere! :)