With the win last night the UND Fighting Sioux temporarily took over top spot in the WCHA, also, the UND Fighting Sioux have clinched home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs. Actually, I really didn’t think that was ever in doubt, because getting home ice was basically a formality for the Fighting Sioux hockey team based on how they had played this season to date. The UND Fighting Sioux would have had to fall flat on their face and stumble pretty bad not to get home ice.
So with the Fighting Sioux clinching home ice on Saturday night for the WCHA playoffs, again, the REA and the Fighting Sioux will host a first-round WCHA home playoff series for the ninth consecutive year, which currently is the longest streak in the WCHA.
Anyone want to get the “Let's fire coach Dave Hakstol” threads going on Sioux Sports now? Nah! I didn’t think so… I am just kidding, that being said, this weekend’s series the Sioux badly out shot the UAA Seawolves by a wide margin of 78-40. The Sioux used their speed to their advantage and basically just blew by the slower Seawolves all weekend long. The way the Sioux played this past weekend against a gritty tough opponent makes me very happy. The Sioux were all over the Seawolves forwards and they no answer to the Sioux’s tenacity. The Sioux also beat the Seawolves to the puck all weekend long, they won the battles along the wall and got good opportunities in the slot all weekend long. The main thing that I was impressed with was the Fighting Sioux ability to limit turnovers in the neutral zone that lead to odd man rushes. I don’t remember a lot of odd man rushes this past weekend.
Brett Hextall reemerges
This past weekend I thought that the Gregoire, Knight Hextall line reemerged as a dominate line, they played with discipline and were creating offensive opportunities off turnovers all weekend long. One of the factors for that reemergence was the play of forward Brett Hextall who was (1g-2a-3pts) on the weekend and only had one minor penalty called against him on Friday night. The Gregoire, Knight, Hextall line had ten points on the weekend – Jason Gregoire (2g-2a-4pts), Corbin Knight (1g-2a-3tps) and Brett Hextall (1g-2a-3pts)… This line needs to keep producing if the Fighting Sioux wants to go far in the post season. If Brett Hextall can regain his scoring touch and stay out of the penalty box with disciplined play he can be an effective weapon in the Fighting Sioux arsenal.
[Box Score]
Goon’s Three Stars of the game
1.) Jason Gregoire 1g-1a-2pts
2.) Corban Knight 0g-2a-2pts
3.) Brett Hextall 1-g-1a-2pts
Links to the game
USCHO
UND Hockey Blog
Grand Forks Herald
Sioux Yeah Yeah!!!
Woody, ADN
