A week ago today the Fighting Sioux ended their season with an uninspiring effort against the Yale Bulldogs. I still scratching my head on the ending of the season for the Fighting Sioux. I like most Sioux fans hate losing, there is no medal for second and third place and I hope this painful loss burns hot in each and ever one of the Fighting Sioux players' gut during the offseason. I hope that the 2010-2010 Sioux take the mind set that they refuse to lose, be a bear to play against in all three zones. Do whatever it takes to be a winner. The more the league fans and teams bitch about you and your style of play the more you’re successful you will be. I think the 2010-2011 team has a chance to be one of the better Sioux teams in the last 10 seasons.
I think that ine the end the Sioux ran out of gas and their six games in nine days caught up with them. If anything it taught the Sioux a valuable lesson, put teams away when you have the chance early in the season. The Sioux were one point from not having to play in the Thursday play in game.
Watching this goal against the Yale Bulldogs makes me wonder; what is Matt Frattin’s upside? I think if Frattin had not been kicked off the team last summer the Fighting Sioux might be waving good bye to Matt Frattin in the offseason. Frattin had (11g-9a-19pts) in 24 games, and the points came in bunches Frattin was held scoreless in 10/24 games. Matt Frattin ended the season on a hot streak nine points in the last six games. I can only hope that we are watching Frattin light the league goalies up next season; most of Frattin's goals this past season were pretty highlight reel goals. This goal is the Goon's World goal of the season - unbelievable.
If the loss to UNH didn't burn in them this season, what makes you think that the loss to Yale will burn for next season?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it is time to look at the motivation (or lack thereof) provided by the coaching staff. I am tired of the 'late season run' the Sioux make every year, which tends to coincide with matchups with weaker opponents on the schedule.
If a player cannot get himself excited or "motivated" about playing for a national title then they have problems, don't try to blame this on coaches.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest reasons for UND's NCAA loss this year was travel and fatigue. Yale hadn't played in two weeks and they were basically playing at home. In comparison UND had played something like 6 games in 9 days, and had to travel hundreds of miles and cross timezones to go play a school from Connecticut in Massachusettes.
Not complaining because the Sioux definitely benfitted when they hosted a regional a few years back, I am just stating the obvious.
Lastly I think Hakstol and staff have done a tremendous job over the years. He has adjusted to each teams strengths and weaknesses admirably. With Toews, Oshie, and Duncan they were a high flying, high scoring team. With this year's team they were not nearly as skilled as in years past and they adjusted by hunkering down defensively and playing very physical whcih was a strength of this year's team.
Bottom line is that it is a crapshoot in a single elimination playoff format. Bad luck or a hot opposing goaltender can knock any team out in the blink of an eye. Look at Yale's first goal and Zajac's penalty shot. If the Sioux get a couple of bounces to go their way on those two plays then they are playing the next night.
I don't think we can blame the coaching staff for this loss, if you go back and watch the post game comments of Hakstol after the loss against Yale, you will see that Dave is obviously upset. The guys ran out of gas whether Hakstol wants’ to acknowledge it or not, that is a fact. The Fighting Sioux hockey team was one of the youngest in the WCHA last season and I think one might make the argument that they over achieved.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that I agree with the statement that they played weaker opponents, all of the teams UND beat with the exception of MTU and UMN going down the stretch were above them in the standings before they played - SCSU (X2), DU, UMD (3x) C.C. (X2)... They made up a lot of points going 12-2 down the stretch.
ReplyDeleteI try to look at the "it's the coach's fault" mentality like this:
ReplyDeleteThe powers that be (in this case UND AD Faison and anyone else holding the power to tell Hakstol what to do and whether or not he still has a job) has decided not to fire Hakstol this year. They've spoken favorably about him whenever asked.
So.....
Until they change their mind, the people who dislike Hakstol and wish him fired are simply... well, wrong.
And trust me, I'm being civil. I won't say how wrong because I try to make an effort to not make personal attacks or broad generalizations regardless of how correct they may be.