Yesterday my good buddy Redwing77 touched on a few things in his post yesterday and it has been an amazing year. There were some high points and some low points. But the past year wasn't uneventful to say the least. I think we are all waiting to exhale.
This past summer the formation of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference had people talking about college hockey during the month June, July and August. I look forward to watching the UND Hockey compete in the new NCHC to start the 2013-2014 season.
To quote Redwing77, “We also had to endure Goon's team, the Bruins, winning the Stanley Cup. And they're on a roll again.” He is right; it was an amazing run for the Boston Bruins. During last summer Stanley Cup playoffs, the Boston Bruins won three game sevens, to win their first Stanley Cup in 39 years
The Boston Bruins are looking to make a run again this season, after starting out the season with a dismal record of 3-7-0 the Boston Bruins have gone an impressive 20-3-1 and have won six games in a row and are in my opinion the best team in the NHL right now.
While the Fighting Sioux didn’t win it all, they did have what most would qualify as a very successful season. The Fighting Sioux won the MacNaughton Cup and the Broadmoor Trophy and made it to the Frozen Four before losing 2-0 to the Michigan Wolverines.
While you will never be able to please all of the fans in the Fighting Sioux Hockey fan base and there will always be those distracters that say that Hakstol will never be successful until one of his teams finally wins an NCAA championship. No matter what, you can't ignore that UND has been a major player on the NCAA Division I hockey scene since Dave Hakstol took over the reigns of one college hockey’s most historic programs.
Coach Hakstol has led his team to five Frozen Fours in seven seasons and has won Two MacNaughton Cups and Three Broadmoor Trophy in just seven seasons. The Fighting Sioux have also won two Broadmoor Trophies in a row.
I have no idea what to expect from the Fighting Sioux hockey team during the second half of the season, they look like a solid defensive team that could make a lot of noise during the second half of the season, if the Fighting Sioux can get Corbin Knight and Roco Grimaldi healthy. The all freshman line of Brendan O’Donnell, Mark MacMillian and Michael Parks appears as if they are on the verge of breaking out. We will just have to wait and see how things shake out. I will continue to cover the progress of the Fighting Sioux UND hockey team for Inside Hockey as well.
Recently, I redesigned Goon’s World and I hope you like the new layout. You will maybe recognize the back drop; it’s a snap shot of the score board at the Ralph taken during a game in January 10th, 2009, where the Sioux pasted the Gophers 6-1.
So during this Christmas season enjoy your family and I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2012.
