WHKY Game Notes: SIoux back to action against Manitoba Maple Leafs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

WHKY Game Notes: SIoux back to action against Manitoba Maple Leafs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

WHKY Game Notes: SIoux back to action against Manitoba Maple Leafs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

WHKY Game Notes: Sioux look to take advantage of time off - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

WHKY Game Notes: Sioux look to take advantage of time off - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Highlights from Saturday's game vs. OSU

Interview with Coach Idalski after Saturday's game against OSU

Sioux fall to Buckeyes 3-1 in series finale - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux fall to Buckeyes 3-1 in series finale - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

GAMEDAY: Women's hockey vs. Ohio State - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

GAMEDAY: Women's hockey vs. Ohio State - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux one-up Buckeyes in back-and-forth 5-4 game - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Interview with Coach Idalski after 5-4 victory over OSU

Sioux+one-up+Buckeyes+in+back-and-forth+5-4+game+-+FightingSioux.com%3A+Official+Web+Site+of+University+of+North+Dakota+Athletics

Sioux+one-up+Buckeyes+in+back-and-forth+5-4+game+-+FightingSioux.com%3A+Official+Web+Site+of+University+of+North+Dakota+Athletics

GAMEDAY: Women's hockey vs. Ohio State - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

GAMEDAY: Women's hockey vs. Ohio State - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Interview with Coach Idalski about hosting OSU this weekend

WHKY Game Notes: Sioux return home for weekend tilt with Buckeyes - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

WHKY Game Notes: Sioux return home for weekend tilt with Buckeyes - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux split weekend with St. Cloud; Success on Power Play and Overtime

Lewis scores game winner in ot; Wiebe sets new program record with five points

After scoring only seven goals through six games to open the year, the University of North Dakota women's hockey team explodes for five goals, which was just enough to squeak by St. Cloud State University 5-4 in an overtime thriller at the National Hockey Center tonight.

Junior captain Kelly Lewis (Forest Lake, Minn.) connected on a one-timer at 2:26 of overtime on the power play for her first goal of the season, while sophomore Alyssa Wiebe (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) set a new program high .....

http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58668&SPID=6403&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204824543

Sioux fall to Huskies 3-2 to split series

ST. CLOUD, MINN. --- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team came into the day looking for a sweep over St. Cloud State University at the National Hockey Center but will have to settle with a series split as the Huskies edge the Sioux, 3-2.

"There was a lot of good things this weekend," head coach Brian Idalski said. "We are starting to execute a little better and got some good looks. Any points on the road in the WCHA are tough to come by and we put ourselves in position for a sweep...

http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58668&SPID=6403&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204824845

Ketch & Go: Vol. 1 (Oct. 21) - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Ketch & Go: Vol. 1 (Oct. 21) - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux penalty-killed into 4-1 loss against Bulldogs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux penalty-killed into 4-1 loss against Bulldogs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Penalties ache UND again, Sioux swept by Bulldogs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Penalties ache UND again, Sioux swept by Bulldogs - FightingSioux.com: Official Web Site of University of North Dakota Athletics

Sioux fight hard but fall to Mankato State University 4-2 and 2-1 in overtime shootout

http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58668&SPID=6403&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204815790

http://www.fightingsioux.com/newMediaPlayer/console.htm?type=vod&id=654345&oemid=13500



http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58668&SPID=6403&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204816478

http://www.fightingsioux.com/newMediaPlayer/console.htm?type=vod&id=654467&oemid=13500

UND to take on Mankato Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th

WHAT'S ON TAP: North Dakota opens WCHA action at the Ralph Englestad Arena this weekend hosting rival Minnesota State in a Saturday/Sunday series. Both games are scheduled for a 2:07 p.m. opening faceoff.

MEDIA INFORMATION: Most Fighting Sioux regular season home hockey games can be heard on 1440 AM ("The Fan") and on stations across the Fighting Sioux Radio Network (excluding Oct. 18 against Minnesota State, Nov. 21 against Manitoba Maple Leafs and Dec. 13 against Minnesota) with broadcaster Darrin Looker calling the action. A webcast and live stats will be available at FightingSioux.com

SCOUTING REPORT FOR THE MAVERICKS: .....

UND kicks off season with win over Manitoba

Sioux to open hockey season hosting Manitoba

The Positive Success Formula

Great blog post form Jon Gordon. Our team is going to be reading his book, TRAINING CAMP this season and I am excited to see some of the personal development of our players.


"You have more control and influence than you think you do."

These were the words of an economist I heard speak as he talked about the economy, the housing market and the recession.

He reminded his audience that a lot of people make a lot of money during recessions. He stressed that these are the times when successful companies and successful people gain market share. He shouted when he told the group to look for buying opportunities over the next three years because there will be many.

In essence he was saying not to let the economy dictate your situation and success. Rather, change your belief system and focus on opportunities instead of challenges. Reminds me of the "Positive Shark Formula" (also known as The Positive Success Formula) I wrote about in The Shark and The Goldfish.

E + P = O

In the book, Sammy, a nice shark who feels that sharks get a bad rap and are in need of some positive publicity, teaches Gordy the goldfish that while we can’t control the events (E) in our life, we can control our positive energy and our positive actions (P) to these events and challenges and in turn this will determine the outcome (O).

Indeed, we have more control than we think we do. Our positive energy, our belief system, our attitude, and our actions have a huge impact on the life we live and the success we enjoy.

You can listen to the Constantly Negative News Channels and believe that success is impossible or you can change your belief and know that with God and an optimistic attitude, all things are possible. Instead of focusing on what they say you can't do, focus on what you can do. Instead of listening to the negative voices, focus on your positive choices.

I'm not saying it will be easy. We will certainly be tested on our journey. I'm an optimist but also a realist. These are challenging times. We may lose our job. We may experience financial difficulties. We may not sell our house as fast as we'd like. We may have to start a new business or venture. We may have set backs. But if we apply the Positive Success Formula to our life I guarantee we will have a big say and influence in the outcome. Instead of letting the world create us we will have a significant role in creating our world.

- Jon Gordon

The 8 Laws of Leadership

Shared this with the team recently and thought I should pass it on further. Dr. William Cohen in his book, The Stuff of Heroes, writes that the eight universal laws of leadership are:

1. Maintain absolute integrity.

2. Know your stuff.

3. Declare your expectations.

4. Show uncommon commitment.

5. Expect positive results.

6. Take care of your people.

7. Put duty before self.

8. Get out in front.

twtpoll :: Which new Women"s Hockey jersey do you like best? (via @UND_WIH)

twtpoll :: Which new Women"s Hockey jersey do you like best? (via @UND_WIH)

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Why Hockey Players Must Train Like They Play

Nice article written about specific female hockey player training:

Determining how to condition properly for hockey is a controversial subject that is debated by coaches from the atom ranks all the way up to the pros. When it comes to designing an off-season training program, most experts agree on how to best develop strength, speed and power in young hockey players

, but there is always disagreement on how to best develop conditioning.

Slow & Steady Does NOT Win the Race

The game of hockey is characterized by short, explosive, high-intensity efforts interspersed with periods of complete rest. The best hockey players in the world are the ones who are strong, fast, agile and powerful - not those who can run at 10 miles in the fastest time. Hockey is simply not an endurance sport

. In fact, the best players on the ice tend to be the ones who perform poorly on off-ice tests of endurance.

The challenge is that players feel as though they are becoming more fit for hockey by focusing on increasing their endurance in the off-season. Players who go for long slow distance runs over the summer will definitely develop their endurance, but this enhancement will come at the expense of their ability to perform at the highest intensity level consistently throughout the game.

Do You Want to Be "Fit" or "Fast"?

Ultimately, on the issue of proper conditioning for hockey, it comes down to choosing between being aerobically ‘fit’ or being strong, fast and powerful. Players must make a trade-off when it comes to conditioning. They can either possess a high level of endurance or game-breaking speed and quickness. It is physiologically impossible to develop both of these qualities to their highest extent in athletes.

Elite hockey players are speed and power athletes

and must train to enhance those qualities. Players must develop their ability to perform repeated high-intensity intervals and maintain their ‘jump’ and explosiveness throughout an entire game, instead of focusing on their ability to go for long distances at a moderate pace.

In the majority of cases, young players are simply unaware that the endurance training they are devoting so much time and energy to is actually detrimental to their overall performance on the ice.

Bottom line: When young players focus on doing long slow distance training instead of high-intensity interval-based training, they are quite often training themselves OUT of hockey shape and are making themselves SLOW.

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS is a Player Development Specialist and Founder of Total Female Hockey. In addition to training and coaching girls at all levels of hockey, from novice to the National team, Kim has also played at the highest level of women's hockey in the world for the last decade. Kim's female player development website (http://www.totalfemalehockey.com) features a state-of-the-art Complete Off-Season Training Program and her blog (http://www.totalfemalehockey.blogspot.com) gives the coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to the most up-to-date tips and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about female-specific player development, get your Free Report: The #1 Mistake Female Players Make in the Off-Season at http://www.totalfemalehockey.com

Indicators of your next Success!

Has been a long couple of weeks on the road working camps but I have come back with a ton of great information. Here is a terrific e-mail blast from Ryan Walter, I need to get him in to speak with our team soon.

What if I told you of a secret that the best in the world utilize to stay ahead of their opponents… would you take the next 4 minutes to think through how you could apply this to your life?

In his great read Talent is Overrated, author Geoff Colvin has a section on how the best in the world have developed their abilities to look for small, significant “Indicators” that give them an edge.

“Just as top tennis players look at the server’s body, not at the tennis ball, excellent performers in other fields have learned to spot non-obvious information that’s important.

More than 30 years ago, Sam Walton found an innovative way to gauge customer satisfaction. He realized that the best indicator of how happy his customers were was to measure how happy his employees were; the way managers treat the employees was the way employees would treat the customers.

What “Indicators” do you use in your sport, business or family?

Coaches at the NHL level have become very astute at developing “indicators” of how certain opposition teams will play their game.

Because video is used so efficiently to pre-scout opponents, coaching staffs will look for team trends or “indicators” on team tendencies in the areas of breakouts, fore-checks, power play setups and much more.

Many old NHL forwards like me developed simple “indicators” that could help us understand future moves or trends. One that I remember specifically: while driving wide with the puck on a defenseman in the offensive end we (forwards) would always watch the defenseman’s feet (or skates). As soon as that defenseman started to turn from skating backwards to pivoting to skate forward we would try our inside lateral move knowing that it was harder for the “D” to respond with his or her skates turned the wrong way.

The best in the world understand the significance of “indicators” in giving them the edge. What “indicators” have you developed in your life and business and what future “indicators” could you creatively develop to help you win tomorrow?

Dumbbell Combo Lifts - part 2

The benefits are numerous:

1. Save time: train more than 1 body part at the same time
2. Less equipment: all you need is a set of dumbbells
3. Save space: you only need a couple of feet of space
4. Versatile: use your creativity to train almost any muscle group

Besides the above benefits, I've also found the dumbbell combos are great to work with small groups and teams. You can have you athletes stand in a circle so you can watch them all together.

Try these combination lifts in order for 6-8 reps.

LUNGE
BENT-OVER ROW
HAMMER CURL
WIDE
45 DEGREE LUNGE
SQUAT
BICEP CURL
ANGLED PRESS SHOULDER PRESS

Dumbbell Combo Lifts

Here are some general guidelines for choosing an appropriate dumbbell weight:

Beginning male athletes: 12-20 lbs.
Beginning female athletes: 5-12 lbs.
Intermediate/Advanced male athletes: 25-40+ lbs.
Intermediate/Advanced female athletes: 15-25+ lbs.

Here's a sample circut that will work quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors/extensors, deltoids, and triceps.

Try these exercises in order - do one rep of each lift for 5-8 total lifts in the set. Repeat the set 2-3 times.

SQUAT
UPRIGHT ROW
BICEP CURL
SHOULDER PRESS

Coach serves sobering alcohol facts

Came across a great article discussing the effect of alcohol on the body and how it hampers performance. Below is a couple excerpts from CANDACE CHASE's article in The Daily Inter Lake.

Youthful drinking steals more than innocence from young drinkers, according to former champion runner and Olympic coach John Underwood.

For athletes, one drunken episode wipes out 14 days of training.

“That’s a huge price tag,” he said. “These are things I share with athletes.”

Speaking Tuesday at the third annual town-hall meeting in Kalispell on underage drinking, Underwood said studies have found that binge drinking impairs the brain longer than the night of partying does. He said alcohol damages the brain’s ability to send signals to the muscles. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to make the connection, he said.

“Your brain operates your body,” he said.

A former NCAA All-American distance runner and World Masters Champion, Underwood coached or advised more than two dozen Olympians. A crusader for drug-free sports, he holds three International Olympic Solidarity diplomas for coaching.

As founder and director of The American Athletic Institute, Underwood made a reputation examining athletics and recreational drug use. He performed the only case study of the residual effects of alcohol on elite athletic performers.

But Underwood said he finds the greatest satisfaction working to keep all youths, not just athletes, free of alcohol and drugs. Because a majority of students participate in sports, he said, the alcohol-athletics connection resonates.

4- Week Summer Conditioning Program for
All Athletes
Ryan Lee, MS, CSCS

Training during the summer is not always easy. Athletes might not have access to strength training equipment, and when it's nice outside, who wants to be stuck in a gym? People also tend to vacation during the summer so there might be a time constraint as well. Here's an effective conditioning workout you can do anywhere with only 1 medicine ball.

The program is designed to alternate between upper/lower body exercises. You can also add more sport specific exercises such as rotations or twists for baseball, tennis or golf. You are only limited by your imagination.

It's a great workout for an individual or an entire team lined up to perform together for workout variety.

The Program:
Mark 2 cones approximately 40 yards apart

^ ________________________________________ ^
A 40 yards B

Start at "A" and perform the first exercise. Then immediately after you perform the first exercise, jog to "B" with the medicine ball and perform the next exercise. Continue until your goal time is completed.

Perform the following program 3 days per week:
(do each exercise for 30 seconds before moving to the next cone)

Week 1:
1 Set of 12 minutes

Week 2:
1 Set of 15 minutes

Week 3:
2 Sets of 15 minutes

Week 4:
2 Sets of 20 minutes

LeBrun: Red Wings can pick 'em, but they also can d

LeBrun: Red Wings can pick 'em, but they also can d

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7 Plyometric Exercises For Skaters

These are a series of exercises that specifically help hockey players:

1. SPLIT JUMPS : Stand with feet as far apart as you can, front to back. Bend the front leg 90 degrees at the hip, and 90 degrees at the knee. The back knee should almost touch the ground. Jump up and switch leg positions. Land and jump right away to the original position. Repeat 10 times.

2. LATERAL BOUNDS: Stand with feet together and knees slightly bent. Bound sideways to your right by reaching out with the right leg as you push with the left. Land on the right foot. The left foot follows and lands in the original position. Repeat 10 times to the right and then reverse it and bound 10 times to the left, pushing with the right leg. Be careful to move sideways and use the muscles on the sides of hips for propulsion.

3. PIKE JUMPS: Start with feet shoulder width apart. Jump up and lift the legs up and out to each side. Try to touch your toes at the height of each jump. Try to keep your legs straight. Repeat 10 times.

4. SQUAT JUMPS WITH 360: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and jump. While in the air, turn a complete revolution so that you land in the original position. Immediately jump again and turn a complete revolution the opposite way and land in your original position. You can use the same arm positions as your jumps on the ice. Repeat 10 times.

5. ONE FOOT ZIG-ZAG: Draw or tape 2 parallel lines 3 feet apart and about 30 feet long. Balance on one foot on one of the lines. Jump from one line to the other with the same foot in a continuous forward motion. Do not double-hop. Try to get 10 foot touches the length of the line. Then turn around and get 10 foot touches back with the other leg.

6. CALF PLYOS: Balance on the ball of one foot. Hop in place on that one foot propelling yourself upward with the calf and not the thigh. Don’t let your heel touch the ground. Try 30 continuously before switching to the other leg.

7. PLYO PUSH UPS: In regular push up position, with hands wider than shoulders, touch your chest to the floor and powerfully extend your arms. At the height of the motion, switch your hands to a narrow "stance", thumb to thumb and forefinger to forefinger. Touch your chest to this little "window" on the ground, and powerfully extend your arms again. While in the air switch to the original wide position. Repeat 10 times.

Hockey Conditioning - Part 2

Here is the rest of Peter Twist's list:

9. Micro unloading: There are times in the season when players will physically and mentally hit the wall. To be clear, being tired doesn’t always mean rest is needed. If we rested every time someone was tired in a sport season we would rest every day. Even my 5 year old daughter says, “Daddy my legs are tired, I’ve got to get me some energy, can we run?”. Exercise gives energy. So usually we look to activity to energize the body over the long haul. However, in reading players, occasionally I will interpret their body language, on-ice mechanics, play, mood and other variables that suggest they have hit the wall. More is not always better. At these times we will lighten the frequency of workouts, cancel post-game workouts, and implement variety in routine and exercise style. This is not scheduled precisely into the master plan. Periodization (training schedule of what and when) is more than crunching numbers into a schedule. Hitting the wall can’t be predicted with accuracy. It is a subjective assessment and we must be responsive and willing to modify schedules when it appears.
10. Automatic unloading. A couple of months before play offs I implement an automatic unloading where players incur less taxing routines. This is to allow them to re-load for the home stretch so they can work hard going into play offs. Workouts heading into playoffs are intense and all about quality efforts.
11. Play Offs: Players who do not dress have a responsibility to do extra conditioning on the court/field/ice and in the weight room. They may sit every game until the championship and then get the nod. For themselves and for the team, they need to be more than ready, should the opportunity arise. Also, athletes getting minimal playing time per game require conditioning, as the game action is not enough to maintain their fitness levels. Dependent on the league, playoffs can run for up to two months. Someone can lose massive amounts of fitness over 8 weeks. Going into the championship round, players want to be at their very best. Go-to players who see endless playing time each game need plenty of rest – their energy expenditure is high plus it is a war of attrition as the physical combat intensifies. However, they should do a brief strength routine. This is to maintain their strength as well as give the sense of feeling strong. Even a short, light workout provides the kinesthetic sense of having strong, tight, powerful muscles, players feel like their joints are strong and have more confidence in their durability.
12. The cycle. Sport breaks the body down. Conditioning builds it back up. The trick is that each time the cycle is repeated, a player’s starting point needs to be higher each year, which leads to a better peak condition. This points to efforts during the season so that players are not deconditioned at the start of the off-season, putting themselves right back to the starting line again. Always take steps forward.

In a game, the most skilled players will look so in the first period. In double overtime, the most fit will be your top performers. Skill without fitness makes for a nice practice player. Play off performance is earned over the long haul through year-round sport-specific conditioning.

Peter Twist has coached in the NHL for 11 years and is currently a consultant for several NHL players and agents. An exercise physiologist with an MSc and specialization in Coaching Science, Twist has published over 300 papers, authored 4 books and 11 DVD’s on athlete development and delivered lectures to thousands of trainers and coaches internationally. Recognized as a leader in his industry, Twist was honoured with the National Strength & Conditioning Association's 1998 Presidents Award and CanFitPro 2003 Specialty Presenter of the Year Award. Twist is the President & CEO of Twist Conditioning Inc. For more information or to contact Peter, visit www.sportconditioning.ca For Fitness products from Peter visit www.athleteconditioning.com

Hockey Conditioning - Part 1

As a college coach I am often asked what is the greatest weakness of most incoming players. The answer is most players have not learned how to physically train their bodies. This week I want to focus on sharing information regarding Strength Training and Conditioning.

Probably my favorite article is Peter Twist's about gearing up for the playoffs and his list -

You want your team to work hard in the off season and continue to ramp up to play offs with a full season conditioning commitment. You want a team that will go to work at the most important time – the final game segment leading into play offs – versus dropping off. To accomplish that through a long season and within the complex dynamics of a team of personalities, there has to be specific mechanics in place to have a successful process. First, here are the rules:

1. There are challenges, but there are no excuses.
2. The best players on the team are by default also leaders. Less skilled players can be leaders if they want to and have the attributes. A team’s best players are automatically in a leadership position, it is not an option.
3. Your best players must lead. They must buy into training, speak positively about it, and essentially walk the walk. They don’t skip out of workouts. If they do, more players will eventually join them. If they are the most dedicated, focused and hardest working, they set the pace for the entire team. It is a dramatic effect – positive or negative.
4. The head coach must be able to articulate the importance of conditioning, speak positively about it, and make it a formal part of player evaluations and the selection process. They must also have consequences in place for poor conditioning or poor adherence, and reinforce the importance of conditioning to team success.
5. Support staff, including medical trainers, equipment trainers, administration, what have you, must speak positively about player development and encourage the players to commit to the time to do it as well as encourage them to go after it. If support staff is more worried about being buddy buddy with players to the point they speak poorly about team activities, weak links develop which are cancerous to the team building process.
   
6. An injury is not a ticket to watching TV and hanging out in the trainers (medical) room. It is instead a ticket to extra weight room time, extra time on the ice/court/field, building up both the injured area as well as turning the set back into an opportunity to improve unrelated areas.
   

Peter Twist has coached in the NHL for 11 years and is currently a consultant for several NHL players and agents. An exercise physiologist with an MSc and specialization in Coaching Science, Twist has published over 300 papers, authored 4 books and 11 DVD’s on athlete development and delivered lectures to thousands of trainers and coaches internationally. Recognized as a leader in his industry, Twist was honoured with the National Strength & Conditioning Association's 1998 Presidents Award and CanFitPro 2003 Specialty Presenter of the Year Award. Twist is the President & CEO of Twist Conditioning Inc. For more information or to contact Peter, visit www.sportconditioning.ca For Fitness products from Peter visit www.athleteconditioning.com

Developing Expectational Performance

Here is the second part of Ryan Walter's e-mail blast from yesterday.

Developing Expectational Performance
Create the win in your mind's eye

During the 1999 World Championships of Hockey, Canada and the Czech Republic were tied at the end of regulation play. Under the tournament format, the two teams would next compete in a ‘shoot out' to decide the winner of the game. The shoot out consisted of five players from one team moving in from the red line one at a time, trying to score on the other team's goalie. The opposing team would also get their shots and the team with the most goals would then win the game.

The two teams involved had very different attitudes towards the impending shoot out, and expressed these views publicly. Team Canada goaltender Ron Tugnutt said later, "The thought of a shoot out had been going through my mind for the last five days. My worst nightmare had come true."

Conversely, Radik Dvorak, of the Czech Republic team, was on record as saying that he had been looking forward to the shoot out. "We wanted to go to penalty shots, because it is our best chance. We can score goals on penalty shots; many guys can."

Can you guess the outcome? The Czech Republic won the shoot out, and enjoyed every minute of it. Winning mental expectations are crucial to a winning performance.


Have an awesome week!

Ryan

Contact Ryan Walter:
Email: ryan@ryanwalter.com
Telephone: 1-866 728-3603
www.ryanwalter.com

We get what we FOCUS on... and EXPECT

I often receive little e-mail blasts from former Stanley Cup Winner and Motivational Speaker Ryan Walter. I thought this one was a perfect fit for the playoffs right now.

I have watched many professional hockey players complain publicly, "I am playing poorly, I just can't seem to score any goals, and I hope that I don't get traded." If an athlete is making these negative statements to the public, imagine what is going on in his or her mind. In effect, we talk ourselves into our ‘goal scoring slumps.' We often focus on what might happen, instead of creating energy around what WILL happen (what you want to happen.)

There is an old parable about a foolish peasant who was sent to visit his master's house. The master brought him into his study and offered him some soup. As the peasant was about to drink it, he noticed a small snake in his bowl. Not wanting to offend his master, he drank it anyway, and within a few days fell so ill that he was brought back to the house.

The master again took the peasant into his study, and prepared some medicine in a small bowl, which he then gave to the peasant. Just as the peasant was about to drink the medicine, he noticed another snake in the bowl. This time he pointed it out, and loudly complained that this was the reason he had become sick in the first place. Roaring with laughter, the master pointed to the ceiling where a large bow was hanging. "It is the reflection of the bow blowing in the wind you are seeing," he said. "There is no snake at all."

The peasant looked again and, sure enough, there was no snake in his bowl, only a reflection. He left the house without taking the medicine and regained his health within the day.

When we put limitations on ourselves, we have swallowed imaginary mental snakes. And they are always real... until we find out otherwise.

Physical preparation to play at the NHL level requires amazing dedication. In fact, today's NHL player is in better shape than players were in previous generations. I recognized early in my NHL career that physical preparation was extremely important, but I also found that if I developed my mental toughness, I would gain a significant edge over players who played hard only when they felt like it. While I was playing professional hockey through two decades, I worked to focus my reading and research on the exact areas that I needed to improve. One of the best compliments that a player can receive from his peers in the game of hockey is, "He comes to play every night!" By working on my "mental muscles," I was ready to play my best, whether I felt like it or not.

Contact Ryan Walter:

Email: ryan@ryanwalter.com
Telephone: 1-866 728-3603
www.ryanwalter.com

11 Winning Mental Attitudes for Hockey - Part 2

Psychologists have identified eleven mental attitudes that have a direct bearing on success in athletics whether an athlete becomes an all-star or also-ran depends on what’s in his head and heart

5. LEADERSHIP
Winners tend to enjoy the role of leader. When leadership is reached, they step forward and take charge. They are dynamic people who like to influence others and take control of situations.

4. RESPONSIBILITY
Winners accept total responsibility for their actions. They admit errors and will not blame other or makes excuses. They recognize their own mistakes and the need for change and improvement.

3. DETERMINATION
Determination make winners. The refusal to quit or accept defeat the persistence to try and try again, the willingness to practice long and hard. Determined athletes are relentless in their efforts to improve and to win.

2. AGGRESSIVENESS
Winners make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. They take charge, force actions, and produce results. They assert themselves strongly, make their presence felt. They thrive on competition.

1. DESIRE
Desire provides the drive that carries an athlete to success. Dedicated athletes have strong desire to improve, to compete, and to win. No one gets to be best without a burning desire to do the best.

11 Winning Mental Attitudes for Hockey - Part 1

Psychologists have identified eleven mental attitudes that have a direct bearing on success in athletics whether an athlete becomes an all-star or also-ran depends on what’s in his head and heart.

11. TRUST

Winners are believers. They accept people at face value, and know that mutual trust is a major factor in building team morale and unity. Trusting athletes communicate and cooperate better with their teammates and coach.

10. CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Winners have high standards of character. They have a deep sense of obligation, and knows team must have discipline to be successful. They put the welfare of the team first, don’t beat rules, and regulations to suit themselves.

9. COACHBILITY

Winners respect the coach and the coaching process. They know that coaching is important to their development and progress as an athlete. They are receptive to the coach’s advice and follow it.

8. MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Mental toughness is a big factor in athletic success. Winners can accept strong criticism and rigorous training from a demanding coach. They recover quickly from setbacks, don’t fall apart when the going gets rough

7. EMOTIONAL CONTROL

Successful athletes can handle the pressure of competitive sports. They stay cool, adjust quickly, and are not upset by bad calls. They deliver top performance regardless of the circumstances.

6. SELF-CONFIDENCE

Self-confidence builds winners. Winners have confindence in their abilities and can act decisively. They believe they can successfully meet challenges, handle unexpected situations. Never doubt their own ability.

Colorado Select’s Furia blazes trail to UND

Nice article by USA Hockey on Sioux recruit Ashley Furia.

USA Hockey

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Potential Jerseys styles for next season -

Game 7 winner

Source: www.freep.com

Detroit's Daniel Cleary celebrates on the ice after scoring his teams game winning goal during 3rd period action between the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim ducks in game 7 of their playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2009 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)

The FIVE Golden Rules

Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey
The FIVE Golden Rules

DO YOUR BEST
- Academically
- Athletically
- Socially

ALWAYS STRIVE TO DO BETTER

DO WHAT IS RIGHT

TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED

COMMUNICATE

MANAGEMENT LESSON #1

Lesson One:

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?" The eagle answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson - To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Detroit Red Wings escape Anaheim Ducks in second round's best series - ESPN

Detroit Red Wings escape Anaheim Ducks in second round's best series - ESPN

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N.D. higher ed board advocates dumping UND nickname, logo | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota

N.D. higher ed board advocates dumping UND nickname, logo | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota

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Wings, Ducks know what's at stake tonight | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Wings, Ducks know what's at stake tonight | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

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16 Rules for Survival and Success - PART II

Here is the rest of Bob Parson's list:

9. Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around. In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."

15. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time."

I wanted to share this great list with you, because sometimes its good to take a step back and make sure our attitudes and direction are on track. This list, for me, helps me to maintain a good perspective.

16 Rules for Survival and Success - Part I

This is an article I received awhile back from Dan Tudor and I refer to it often. It is Bob Parsons, the founder of GoDaddy.com, (the Internet domain registration company) tips for survival and success.

Here is Part I of the list:

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."

2. Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."

5. Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."

6. Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward. Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide. Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks - Recap - May 12, 2009 - ESPN

Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks - Recap - May 12, 2009 - ESPN

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Carlyle keeps Ducks players loose as they face elimination

Interesting approach to game 6 by the Ducks coach playing small games on Monday. Read below for more we will see if it works.

As the Ducks took the ice for practice Monday, Carlyle had his players reverse the way in which they normally hold their hockey sticks. Righties became lefties and vice versa as multiple pucks where thrown into play for a series of scrimmages around the rink.

"I didn't think it was a day where you want to come to work and drag your knuckles and say here we go again," explained Carlyle, a Norris Trophy winning defenceman during his 18-year NHL career.The plan was to take some playoff tension out of the air.

"You can see a lot of smiles on faces and a much lighter approach to practice," said Carlyle. "Turn the page and you start to feel good about being at the rink."

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The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Means named women’s hockey coach

The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Means named women’s hockey coach

Welcome coach Means to women's hockey. Und hopes the developing rivarly continues to grow with him as the new head coach at Mankato.


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Are Ducks feeling effects of playoff inexperience? | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Are Ducks feeling effects of playoff inexperience? | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

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Wings' Brian Rafalski could play in Game 6 vs. Ducks | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Wings' Brian Rafalski could play in Game 6 vs. Ducks Freep.com Detroit Free Press

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15 reasons to love the Blackhawks

Though a devoted Red Wings fan I enjoyed the article regarding the Blackhawks. You need to respect the sudden impact and leadership from former Sioux Player Jonathan Toews .

At 20, he's already wise and winning beyond his years. Wee Patrick Kane, a cocky little sprite, might have received the Calder Trophy last season and still generates most of the out-of-town attention, but Toews is the complete article. And he hasn't stopped growing, or developing. This guy is going to be a captain on the Steve Yzerman/Joe Sakic level, and in short order.

If Detroit can advance this should be a heck of a series.

Technology

How crazy is it that I can update a blog from the road? I am looking at being more active blogger as I do hockey camps all over the world.

Patience, Perseverance Pays Off

Great article in the Detroit Free Press about the philosophy of general manger Ken Holland of the Red Wings. A couple of things that stood out was their commitment to patience.

"I guess I would say to you: This is the toughest league in the world. And if you get here, and you start making mistakes, you lose your confidence or the coach loses confidence in you. There is a lot of rehabilitation that needs to go on. "The longer you can be away from this league and keep the player improving, the more prepared he is when he gets here. I mean, you are talking about a guy (Ericsson) that was a winger until he was 18 years of age. He is learning to play defense." Patience. Holland says it's the most important trait in the organization.

UND drops to fifth in WCHA after setback in Wisconsin

The Fighting Sioux dropped to fifth place for the time being in WCHA standings as they were swept by the second-ranked Wisconsin Badgers this past weekend, 6-2 and 7-2. St. Cloud State moved ahead of the Sioux into fourth place as they took both games against the Buckeyes on the road.

For full recaps of this weekends action click here Friday / Saturday

Sioux come up just short Saturday and in attempt of regular season sweep over Huskies

The Fighting Sioux concluded their regular-season action against WCHA rival St. Cloud State taking three-of-four games this season. The Sioux won both games in Grand Forks earlier this season by one goal, took the opening game of the Series in St. Cloud, Minn., 3-1, before dropping its first game of the year against the Huskies on Saturday, 3-2.

Senior captain Casie Hanson had her best weekend of the season for the Sioux as she scored the game-winning goal on Friday and both Sioux goals on Saturday for a three-point weekend.

"Casie has had some unbelievably good practices as of late," Brian Idalski said. "She has just been terrific and I am not surprised she is having success back on the ice again. She is the heart and soul of our team."

Brittany Kirkham backstopped the Sioux to its win on Friday with 43 saves allowing just one goal.

For Full recaps of the games click here: Friday / Saturday

Sioux go bowling

After a few weeks hiatus for the holidays, the FletchSKO show is back.

This week hosts Kelsey Fletcher and Randi Motsko (doing the camera work this week) go bowling on a team-building activity. They find out some New Year's resolutions from Stephanie Roy, Margot Miller and Samatha Turner. Others show off their bowling style and some scores.

To view the show click here: Episode 6

Poirier named to Rookie of the Week honors; Wiebe FSC Athlete of the Week

Freshmen Marie-Michelle Poirier and Alyssa Wiebe both received recognition for their efforts last week in the Easton Showcase against Rensselaer and Wayne State. Poirier was named the conferences Rookie of the Week while Wiebe was name Fighting Sioux Club Athlete of the Week.

For full releases click here: Poirier / Wiebe

Sioux go unbeaten to start second half of season at Easton Showcase

The Sioux took part in the Easton Showcase tournament hosted by St. Cloud State this previous weekend where they battled in two overtime games against Rensselaer and tenth-ranked Wayne State (Mich.).

On Friday, the Sioux rallied late to defeat Rensselaer 3-2 in overtime. Marie-Michelle Poirier scored her first of a two-goal game against RPI short-handed for the for UND's first short-handed goal of the season. Poirier added her sixth goal of the season with only 2:35 remaining in regulation to even the game at two goals apiece, sending the game to overtime. Alyssa Wiebe found twine for the game-winner and her second overtime goal this season. Netminder Stephanie Ney improved to 6-3 on the year with 23 saves. For full game story click here

The Sioux went to overtime against Wayne State on Saturday to go to extra time for the third consecutive game. The game ended in a 3-3 tie before winning the shootout 1-0 with the only goal coming from senior Melissa Jaques. Wiebe scored two first-period goals while junior Alex Williams added her first of the season. Backstop Brittany Kirkham had 30 saves in the tie while blanking the Warriors in the shootout. Wiebe is now on a five-game scoring streak with four goals and four assists while senior Randi Motsko has six assists in her last three games. For full game story click here

Jaques named to player of the week honors

Senior Melissa Jaques was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association offensive player of the week and Fighting Sioux Club Athletes of the Week (along with Mario Lamoureux) for her performance over Bemidji State. Jaques scored two goals and an assist in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win becoming the programs all-time leading scorer. It is the first time this season she has received the award and second time in her career (Nov. 16-17, 2007 for back-to-back two-goal games against Niagara).

Sioux head into Christmas break in top-half of WCHA standings; Jaques becomes all-time points leader

With its sweep over Western Collegiate Hockey Association foe Bemidji State this past weekend, for the first time in program history the Sioux are in the top-half of the conference standings.

The Sioux did so with 2-1 and 3-2 (ot) road wins. The Sweep on the road was also the first-ever WCHA road sweep since entering the conference in 2004-05.

Here are the standings heading into the break: WCHA Standings

The Sioux are one point behind third-place and defending national champion Minnesota Duluth and one point ahead of fifth-place St. Cloud State.

Senior Melissa Jaques was able to step up with the Sioux in a jam. She was able to find the net twice (tying goal with only 1:21 remaining and game-winner in overtime) past a Bemidji goaltender, Zuzan Tomcikiva, that was the previous weeks WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and backstopped Bemidji with 98 saves on the weekend.

In doing so, Jaques became the all-time point leader in the programs eight-year history with 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists) passing Liz Funk's 67. She only needs one goal to tie the school record of 35 goals and one assist to tie Funk's record of 35 assists. Jaques leads the Fighting Sioux in all three major scoring categories with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points on the year.

Senior captain Casie Hanson, sophomore Stephanie Roy and freshmen Sara Dagenais and Alyssa Wiebe added goals for the Sioux against the Beavers.

Full Recaps can be found here: Friday / Saturday

Weekly Press Conference for 12/10/08 with coach Idalski and Kelsey Fletcher

After facing the top three teams in the WCHA the past three weeks, the UND women's hockey team heads to Bemidji State this weekend. The Sioux must remain as focused and continue to play at the same high level, head coach Brian Idalski said.

"Our kids need to understand they need to continue to play at a high level," Idalski said. "And they need to understand the ramifications of this (weekend's series) down the road. We are playing for something bigger."

To view complete press conferenence click here: Press Conference

Sioux come up just short in series against Gophers

The Sioux showed once again that they are becoming a team that nobody can overlook anymore as they had the second-ranked Gophers on the ropes going into the third period on Saturday leading 2-1. The Gophers would score four unanswered goals in the third to win 5-2 (last goal was an empty net).

On Friday, the Sioux could not take advantage of golden opportunities as they were held 0-for-12 on the power play and had four 5-on-3 opportunities in a 4-0 loss.

To view full FightingSioux.com recaps click here: Friday / Saturday

“If you look at the NHL as a model there are genuinely a few playoff
heartaches before you ultimately win the surprise of the Stanley Cup,” head coach Brian Idalski said. “That just seems to be a natural progression for an organization. I think to a lesser extent that is what we are going through here. We have to be close and feel some of those heartaches, and go back to the drawing board and put in the work to make ourselves better. We need to be hungry to get over that hump. I believe that is happening and that we are close. I think our kids believe that now, too.”

To view full post-game press conference from coach click here: press conference

Also, if you have a premium subscription to FightingSioux.com you can watch full games which are linked along with the stories.

This weeks FletchSKO show; Weekly press conference

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- At Wednesday's weekly press conference, University of North Dakota women's hockey head coach Brian Idalski was upbeat and said the Fighting Sioux have been practicing well lately.
The results have continued to pay off. After winning a number of games at home early in the season, UND split at Minnesota Duluth last weekend.
The Fighting Sioux host Minnesota this weekend. It's a rivalry not lost on Alex Williams, whose father Brian played for UND from 1982-86 and is 12th on the all-time scoring list. She said it's a rivalry not lost on her, growing up in Eagan, Minn., in the Minneapolis area. To view this weeks press conference click here: December 3, 2008, press conference

In this weeks episode of the FletchSKO show hosts Kelsey Fletcher and Randi Motsko breakdown some shootout celebrations with other members of the squad. To view this weeks episode click here: Episode 5

To catch up on previous episodes click on the episode:

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1

There will be FREE popcorn and FREE soda Friday and fans will have a chance to win one of six pairs of tickets to watch the Minnesota Wild take on former Fighting Sioux Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on December 28

Sioux split series against defending national champs

After a disappointing Saturday game where UND lost 6-2 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center against Minnesota Duluth, the Sioux bounced back with a 4-0 shutout over the defending national champions.

It was the first WCHA road series for the Sioux who needed a win to remain in a strong position to finish the season in the top half of the WCHA standings for the first time ever.

Freshman goaltender Stephanie Ney came up big in the win with her first career shutout while stoping a career high 45 saves against the Bulldogs.

Senior Melissa Jaques scored her seventh and eighth goals of the year on Sunday moving her closer to topping all three of the programs major scoring records in a career. Jaques needs five points to become the school’s all-time leading point scorer. Liz Funk (2002-06) currently holds the record with 67. She can also become the school’s all-time leading goal scorer. She has 30 career goals, seven shy of Stasia Bakhit’s (2002-04) school record of 35 and trails Funk’s record of 35 career assists by two.

Derek Koenen's full game recaps can be found here: Saturday / Sunday

UND Sweeps OSU, Earns First National Top 10 Ranking

UND Sweeps OSU
UND's sweep of Ohio State was the first in the programs' history. The Sioux won Friday 4-2 and Saturday 5-4 on OT. Women's Hockey SID Derek Koenen's OSU Game Recaps can be found here: Friday - Saturday.

Series video highlights can be found below.



Sioux Enter Top 10
With WCHA series sweep #2 of the season over Ohio State, the Sioux gained their first ever national ranking in the programs' seven year history. The Nov. 4th USCHO.com poll had UND tied for 10th along with upstart Northeastern and in the Nov. 5th USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, UND was all alone in the #10 slot.

There has been a bit of a buzz since the Sioux started to 'receive votes' in both national polls this season. Brad Schlossman included a nice recap about the programs' first national ranking on the UND men's hockey blog. Derek Koenen also ran a story on Fightingsioux.com. What many are surprised by is how short a time it took Idalski to actually get IN the top 10. Many thought it would take years before that ever happened. Idalski acknowledged how people viewed his team's recent success when asked about being in the top 10 for the first time.

"I personally struggle with the fact that expectations were so low here that every time we come over a little hill, people get all giddy and expect me to jump for joy. I didn't come here to be 10th in the country".

UND Swept by Badgers
After a weekend off, the Sioux returned to action and faced the #1 ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin won both games 5-1 and 4-0. Derek Koenen's game recaps can be found here: Saturday -- Sunday.

Were it not for Wisconsin goaltender Jessie Vetter, the Sioux may have handed the Badgers their first two losses of the year this past weekend. Vetter, who came off a Team USA 4-Nationas Tournament gold medal shootout win over Canada, picked up right where she left off, turning away just about every chance UND had. Saturday, the Sioux out-played and out-chanced Wisconsin with several breakaways, odd-man rushes and point-blank scoring attempts. UND even managed to hit two posts as well. But Vetter was fantastic saving everything UND threw at her. And it was more of the same on Sunday. With the score tied 0-0 in the firsst period, Vetter made some HUGE saves to keep the game scoreless. Vetter's best may have come in the second period with Wisconsin up 2-0 as Steph Roy broke in alone on a breakaway. UND continued to get it's chances but did not convert. It was the first time all year the Sioux have been shutout all year.

Series video highlights can be found below.



Up next for the Sioux is a date with the defending National Champion Duluth Bulldogs.

National Polls

For the second week in a row, the UND women's hockey team finds itself receiving votes in consideration of a national top 10 ranking. The Sioux swept Union college 3-0 and 4-1 this past weekend at the Ralph. UND received 1 top 10 vote in each the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls.

Unbeaten Wisconsin still holds the top spot in the country followed by #2 Minnesota, #3 Harvard, #4 Boston College, #5 New Hampshire, #6 Dartmouth, #7 MN-Duluth, Boston University, #9 St. Lawrence and #10 Clarkson. Both Harvard and Dartmouth have yet to play an NCAA game. MSU-Mankato, who had been recieving votes, dropped out of both polls after losing a pair to MN-Duluth.

Ohio St. Preview
OSU, fresh off a sweep of Bemidji State last weeked comes to the Ralph Saturday and Sunday to take on the Sioux. Game time is set for 12:07pm each day. OSU is 4-4-0 this year sweeping Providence on the road to start the year before being swept themselves by Wisconsin and Minnesota respectively. Here's a breakdown of OSU.

Goaltending:
OSU returns both Liana Bonanno and Deirdra Facklis. Lianna has seen a majority of the action this year recording a 4-3-0 record with a 3.30 and a .907 save %. Facklis played the 3rd period of the first game vs. Minnesota and played in game 2 of that series and lost 8-2.

OSU graduated a ton of fire power last season in Tessa Bonhomme and Lisa Chesson which leaves two very large gaping holes back on the blue line. Both combined for 71 points and were always a threat to score. OSU returns a group of 4 lead by JR. Rachel Davis and Sophomores Shannon Reilley and Teal Bishop. Newcommers include Cretin-Derham Hall graduates Kelly Wild and Brittany Carlson

Forwards:
Graduating 50-point scorer Erin Keys along with Mallory Peckels up front at forward doesn't bode well for OSU's offensive output. But OSU does have a highly touted recruiting class in forwards Natalie Spooner, Laura McIntosh, Melissa Feste and Kim Theut. Spooner and McIntosh were members of Canada's silver medal U-18 National Team while Feste won a MN State title as a senior at Eden Priarie HS. Theut comes from the highly regarded Little Caesars U-19 Club program in Detroit, MI. Spooner leads OSU in scoring and has been counted on to produce early and often. She has 7 goals and 3 assists for 10 points in 8 games.

What to Expect:
Look for UND's speed up front to test OSU's young defense and put the pressure on. Senior forward Melissa Jaques has been on fire as of late. UND is ranked 7th in the nation in offensive scoring with 3.38 goals per game to OSU's 26th overall ranking at 2.28 goals per game. As always, special teams will be key and OSU leads the nation in penalties averaging just over 8 minor penalties a game. UND's power play will have to produce. UND's penalty kill has been strong thus far and continues to get better with an 87% effectiveness. Both teams are young and playing freshman in key roles. UND has a more balanced scoring attack and overall depth up front at forward. It should be a great tilt!

Sioux Back On Track, Sweep Union

Behind another 4-point weekend from Senior Asst. Captain Melissa Jaques, the UND women's hockey team swept Union College 3-0 and 4-1. It was the first ever meeting between the two programs. Friday, Marie-Michelle Poireier scored her 2nd goal of the year, Melissa Jaques potted her 4th and 5th goals of the season and goaltender Brittany Kirkham stopped 9 shots. UND fired 44 of their own on Union netminder Lundy Day enroute to their 4th win of the season.

On Saturday it was Jaques assisting on Sara Dagenais' 4th and 5th goals of the year while Alyssa Wiebe and Marie-Michelle Poireier each added a goal and an assist to help UND to a 4-1 win. UND finished the game out-shooting Union 42-16. The game was scoreless well into the 2nd period until Wiebe got UND on the board first with a great wrist shot from the mid-slot off a pass from Poirier streaking down the left-wing. Union's Jackei Koettritz would tie it up on the power play with a top-shelf bullet passed UND goaltender Stephanie Ney. Poirier would give UND the lead for good with a power play goal of her own 1:23 into the 3rd period off a nifty feed from sophomore Stephanie Roy. Dagenais would add 2 goals of her own scoring an even-strength goal at 6:53 and adding one on the power play with 17:53 remaining.

A Program First
By virtue of their second series sweep this past weekend over Union College, the UND women's hockey team accomplished something it hasn't done since 2005-2006. Win at least 5 games in a season. UND's record after 8 games thus far is 5-2-1 and is off to it's best start in program history. UND could very well be 8-0 had it not been for 1-goal loss to Maine and an overtime loss and tie to MSU-Mankato. UND certainly played well enough to win all three of those games.

Union Game Notes
Junior goaltender Brittany Kirkham recorded her 1st shutout of the season and 6th of her career.

Melissa Jaques has 15 points in 8 games. Jaques is 7 points shy of her point toal from last year of 22.

UND was short staffed this weekend and down to 3 lines plus an extra forward and 6 defenseman. Injuries to Junior Ashley Paulson, Sophomore Nikki Hebert and Freshman Kelsey Ketcher kept them out of action.

National Attention

For the first time in program history, the UND women's hockey team is receiving votes in two separate media polls. On Monday, the October 20th USCHO.com NCAA D-I Women's Top 10 poll had UND receiving 1 vote. Out of the 15 voters on the committee, 12 of whom are coaches, someone ranked UND at #10. And for those who are wondering, NO, Coach Idalski is NOT on the committee. On October 21st, the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine Women's D-I Poll had UND receiving 2 votes in consideration of a top 10 ranking.

Surprised? UND tied and had a shootout loss last Friday and a loss in OT to MSU-Mankato on Saturday. Obviously both close games and should have been won outright by UND. St. Cloud grabbed 4 points from Duluth with a tie and shootout win on Friday and a 3-2 win on Saturday which defintely helped UND's cause.

It may not seem like a big deal to most, but to the team, coaching staff, the University as well as the UND hockey community it's a HUGE deal. This kind of recognition was expected when the program first began 7 years ago. To say the lack of success was disheartening during the first five years would be an understatement. Success on the national stage is what hockey fans in Grand Forks expect. The news of last weeks' top 10 polls circulated so much so that congratulatory e-mails and phone calls came from those within faculty and athletic departments at UND as well as fans who have seen the program since its inception. There is a nice little buzz going on about the success of this team and where they are headed. Idalski definitely has them on the right track.

Brad Schlossman, who writes for the GF Herald and author of the 'University of North Dakota Hockey' blog wrote a nice peice last Monday in recognition of the women's team getting votes. Click the link and scroll down to 'Sioux women are receiving votes'.

Sioux Tie Friday, Lose Heartbreaker Saturday

The Sioux came within twelve seconds of taking three points from last weekends' series vs. MSU-Mankato. Friday night, the Sioux and Mankato skated to a 2-2 overtime tie. The Sioux earned 1 point while Mankato earned a point for the tie and an extra point by winning the newly instituted shootout format in five rounds. On Saturday, Nina Tikkinen's overtime goal at the 2:46 mark capped an almost improbable comeback win for the Mavericks as they found themselves down 4-2 with under five minutes remaining to play in regulation. After a questionable penalty on UND's Margot Miller for checking, the Maverick's Kayla Buganski scored an extra attacker power play goal to send the game into overtime with only 12 seconds remaining.

UND Women's Hockey SID Derek Koenen's game recaps can be found here:
Friday - Saturday

Mankato Game Notes

Friday night's shootout was the first this year for the Sioux in WCHA play. UND Senior defenseman Susi Felner scored the lone shootout goal as she came in skating across the crease from right to left and pulled Altman to one side. Once Altman went down, Felner buried the puck high tying the shootout score 1-1.

Senior Forward Melissa Jaques continues her great play as she notched her second four-point weekend with an assist on Friday and 2 goals and 1 assist on Saturday. Jaques is 3-8-11 in 6 games. She is already at the half-way point 6 games into the season of her point total from last year of 22. Jaques is currently tied for 4th nationally in scoring and leads the country in assists.

With her tie on Friday, Junior goaltender Brittany Kirkham continues her steady play. Her record now stands at 1-1-1 with a .926 SAV % and a 1.97 GAA.

Freshman forward and former Notre Dame Hound Alyssa Weibe scored 2 goals on the weekend. Her tally Friday was off a great wrist shot high to the glove side. Saturday's goal was more of a bank-shot from the right half-wall as she threw the puck to the net. Altman was unable to handle it cleanly and the puck trickled in behind her.

UND's penalty kill continues to impress as they killed off 11 of 12 MSU-Mankato power plays last weekend. Opponents are 1 for 26 vs. UND's power play the last 4 games.

Up next, UND hosts Union for the first time in program history Friday at 7:07pm and on Saturday at 4:07pm.

Kirkham Earns Pair of Awards

Junior goalie Brittany Kirkham was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for her 32 save performance vs. St. Cloud last weekend. The Fighting Sioux Club also recognized the Ottawa, Ontario native as their 'Athlete of the Week'. With the win, Kirkham improves to a 2.03 GAA and a .922 save percentage on the year.

Up Next: MSU-Mankato
This weekend UND plays host to MSU-Mankato at the Ralph Friday October 17th & Saturday October 18th. Game times are set for 7:07pm and 2:07pm. The last time these two teams met they combined for 176 minutes in penalties in the infamous 'YouTube game'. As always it should be an interesting weekend with Mankato.

How Sweep It Is!

There's always a weekend or two during the hockey season that coaches tend to look forward to for one reason or another. A weekend where there is a little bit more at stake than just beating your opponent and gaining two points in the standings. May be it's the chance to beat your arch-rival or avenge a heart-breaking loss. Well, the weekend of October 10 & 11 2008 vs. St. Cloud State University happened to be one of those weekends for coach Brian Idalski and the Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey Team. There's a connection between Idalski to the Husky program as he spent one year as an assistant coach under current St. Cloud boss Jeff Giessen during the 2006-2007. In Idalski's first year behind the bench for the Sioux in 2007-2008, he went 0-2-2 vs. St. Cloud. Two close losses and 2 well earned ties. So it would be easy to see where the extra motivation may have come from for this past weekends' WCHA opening series sweep for the Sioux. But this past weekend was not just about a former assistant coach trying to beat his old boss for the first time or a team trying to avenge two close losses from last year. This series was about something more, something you can't quantify. This weekends' sweep was about one thing - earning RESPECT.

Friday night it was Brittany Kirkam's 32 saves and Sophomore Marie-Michelle Poirier's first collegiate goal with 9:50 left in the 3rd period that gave the Sioux a hard fought 2-1 win. The Sioux penalty kill was outstanding shutting out a Husky powerplay that went 0-6 on the night. The Sioux played much of the second period short-handed as they were whistled for four strait penalties and killed off two separate five-on-three attempts. None better than UND's last penalty kill to end the game. Poirier was whistled off for checking with only 1:19 remaining and St. Cloud pulled their goalie for a six on four advantage. UND used thier penalty kill to build momentum and late in the second period UND Senior winger Randi Motsko netted her third goal of the year on the power play with only :25 seconds remaining in the period. UND wasn't without its offensive chances though. UND had several prime scoring oppportunities in the first and second periods but St. Cloud's goalie Ashley Nixon turned away thirteen of the fourteen Sioux shots she faced through two periods. Poirier's game winner came off a great feed from linemate Alyssa Wiebe down low in front of the net on a nice two on one play. Poirier one-timmed a cross-crease pass from Wiebe to put the Sioux up 2-1 for good.

On Saturday, freshman goalie Stephanie Ney got her second win of the season as she turned aside 38 St. Cloud shots while Freshman Margot Miller provided the go-ahead goal with 10:18 remaining to put the Sioux up 3-2 and earn the series sweep. The Sioux came out flying and went up 2-0 early in the first period on goals by Sophmore defenseman Kelly Lewis on the powerplay and Alyssa Wiebe, her first collegiate goal, a nice tip in off a Cassandra Flannagan shot. St. Cloud would score a short-handed goal with just 3 seconds remaining in the first period off a breakaway by Katie Kemmerer to make it 2-1. In the second, St. Cloud's Caitlin Hogan beat Ney high to the glove side to tie the score at 2. It would stay tied at two until Margo Miller popped in her second goal of the season and first game-winner to give the Sioux a 3-2 lead with just over ten-minutes remaining. The Sioux penalty kill was outstanding again denying all 8 St. Cloud powerplays.

Backed by two very solid goaltending performances, a stifling penalty kill and timely scoring, the Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey Team improved to 3-1-0. True it's early in the year. But for a program that won only four games last year, earning a 3-1 record four games into the season and sweeping a quality WCHA opponent in St. Cloud should put other WCHA teams on notice. More than four points was won this weekend. This team won a little bit of respect in that process. Last years' St. Cloud team hosted a WCHA playoff series. They lost little to graduation and returned 8 of their top 10 scorers. Did they expect just to walk in, grab four points and go? I bet Coach Idalski was glad to beat his former boss, anyone would in that situation, right?. But I have a feeling he's more proud of his team gaining the respect of a worthy opponent and others in the WCHA.

St. Cloud Game Notes
If there was any doubt left in UND Freshman forward Margot Miller's mind as to whether or not she made the right choice to come to UND, I'm sure scoring the winning goal Saturday to help sweep St. Cloud wiped any of those doubts away. St. Cloud and UND were the final two schools Miller considered during the recruting process. Her high school coach at Shattuck St. Mary's was Gordie Stafford, father of former UND standout Drew Stafford. I wonder which direction he pushed her in? Interestingly enough, Husky Asst. Coach Jennifer Kranz, coached at Shattuck under coach Stafford before moving on to St. Cloud. Chalk one up for the Sioux on winning that recruiting battle.

Interesting UND hockey fact... you have to go back to the 2003-2004 season to find a weekend where the UND women's team won 2 games and the UND men's team lost two. The UND Men's team lost Febuary 6 and 7 to Wisconsin 4-3 and 5-2. The Women's team beat Bemidji State Friday night Febuary 6, 5-1 and again on Sunday Febuary 8, 5-3 in a home and home series.

Sioux Split With Maine

After a 3-2 loss Friday night, the Fighting Sioux women's hockey team came out Saturday and pumped 53 shots on Senior University of Maine goaltender Genvieve Turgeon, en route to a convincing 7-3 win. 7 different players scored for the Sioux providing a well balanced attack. Leading the charge was Senior Assistant Captain Melissa Jaques who had 1 assist Friday and 1 goal and 3 assists Saturday for a 5 point weekend. Freshmen forward Sara Dagenais notched her first collegiate goal Friday only to follow up on Saturday scoring 1 goal and adding 2 assists for a 4 point weekend. Senior Assistant Captain Randi Motsko scored 2 goals in Saturdays' win. Freshmen goaltender Stephanie Ney recorded her first collegiate win Saturday with a 16 save performance.

To lose a game when you dominate your opponent is a tough pill to swallow. Friday night the Sioux took a heavy dose of Genvieve Turgeon and her stellar 46 save performance allowed Maine to steal the first game of the 2-game series with a 3-2 win. UND dominated play allowing only 9 shots on net during 5 on 5 play. Sophomore Defenseman Kelly Lewis scored her first of the season on the powerplay in the second period cutting Maine's lead to 2-1. Maine would go up 3-1 with a powerplay goal of their own about 7 minutes later. In the 3rd period with just under two minutes remaining, Sara Dagenais cut the lead to 3-2 off of a great 2 on 1 play with linemate Melissa Jaques. This would set the stage for a furious finish. However, Turgeon was at her best when it counted most. With a 6 on 4 man advantage, UND Freshmen forward Margot Miller was left scratching her head after 3 point-blank scoring attempts all stopped by Turgeon. The best of which came when Miller picked up a loose puck off a faceoff in Maine's defensive zone and ripped a low-hard wrist shot labled for the lower right corner only to have Turgeon flash her pad to make the save through heavy traffic in front.

Saturday, UND controled play from start to finish just as it had Friday. Only this time, UND's offensive attack was just too much for Maine or Turgeon to handle. UND had a 41-13 shot advantage after 2 periods and a 5-2 lead. All lines seemed to be clicking and getting their chances. The Miller-Jaques-Dagenais line combo was dominating; they combined for 8 points and some highlight reel goals. The Motsko-Williams-Hanson combo wasn't too shabby either, combining for 3 goals and 1 assist. So what was the difference? The biggest adjustment from Friday was they made life miserable for Turgeon with a lot of net-front traffic and screens which took her out of her rythem and ability to see shot cleanly.

All in all it was a strong weekend for the Sioux. The freshmen got some very valuable ice time, 11 different players recorded points and they dominated a team for two full games. The loss Friday was a good lesson to learn early on in the year considering so many new faces on the team. The Sioux showed Saturday they can bounce back... and in a big way. That is not always easy to do when you are on the road.

Next up for the Sioux is St. Cloud State at the Ralph.

Sioux Beat Manitoba 2-1

Alyssa Weibe's power-play goal with 6 seconds left in the 1st period proved to be the game winner as the Sioux beat the University of Manitoba 2-1 in their exhibition game Saturday afternoon at the Ralph Engelstad Olympic Arena. Senior forward, Melissa Jaques, scored first for the Sioux at 8:55 of the first period off of a nice give-and-go exchange with Senior Defensemen Susanne Fellner. Jacques ripped a slapshot to the lower right corner of the net as she was moving laterally across the high-slot area. Jaques' goal came just seconds after a Manitoba powerplay had expired.

The Sioux dominated much of the game out-shooting Manitoba 25-15 and spent most of the game in Manitoba's half of the ice. Manitoba wasn't able to muster much in the way of offense but did make things interesting late in the 3rd. While on a 2-man advantage, Manitoba pulled within 1 scoring a powerplay goal with 30 seconds remaining.

Idalski played all 4 lines and 7 D regularly. Britt Kirkham got the start and Freshmen Stephanie Ney came on in releif with just under 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd period. Games like these are prefect for getting everyone playing time and to see who can make a play.

The odd game time of 12:07pm and location of the game in the Olympic Arena was due to the Carrie Underwood concert at the Ralph later that evening. Unfortunately Carrie did not sing the Canadian and American National Anthems prior to the game.

The Sioux travel to Alfond Arena to play the University of Maine Friday at 6pm and Saturday at 1pm. It will be a short week for the Sioux as they leave Wednesday afternoon after practice to head to Orono, Maine.

The Votes Are In

The WCHA held it's annual pre-season fall meetings last week in Minneapolis. Head Coaches voted Duluth to repeat and win the WCHA for '08-'09. Here's a breakdown of how the voting went, coaches could not vote for their own teams.

2008 - 2009 WCHA pre-season rankings poll - 1st place votes in parentheses
1. Minnesota Duluth (5) - 47 points
2. Minnesota (2) - 41 points
t-2. Wisconsin (2) - 41 points
4. Ohio State University - 29 points
5. St. Cloud State University - 27 points
6. MSU - Mankato - 18 points
7. North Dakota - 14 points
8. Bemidji State University - 7 points

It's clear most of the head coaches don't expect UND to do much this year. In fact, head coaches haven't differed from their 7th place ranking from a year ago. The low expectation suits coach Idalski and his team just fine I am sure.

Teams across the WCHA underestimated UND last season but had reason to do so with a 0-27-1 WCHA record in '06-'07. UND was shutout 14 times, lost 21 games by 3 goals or more and had 8 one-goal games. In '07-'08 UND had 4 WCHA win's along with 4 ties to earn 12 WCHA points. UND was shut out only 4 times. All of this accomplished with a younger and more inexperienced lineup. Idalski was basically "given" his first recruiting class in '07-'08 with the exception of Stephanie Roy who committed to UND in the late spring under Idaksi's watch. UND had 21 games decided by 2 goal or less and 17 of those decided by 1-goal or less. 9 of those games were wins or ties. Looks like there was a little bit of coaching going on over there at the Ralph last year eh?

UND didn't graduate a single senior last season and has 10 new players (5 F's, 3 D's and 2 G's) who all will be expected to contribute. Now, here's where things get interesting. There are some big name teams that graduated a lot of offense & goal tending from last season. Here's how it looks in terms of the number of total points (goals+assists), goals scored and notable goalie statistics WCHA teams graduated.

1. Ohio State - 152 points / 61 goals (5th place reg. season WCHA)
2. Minnesota - 140 points / 62 goals (2nd place reg. season WCHA)
3. MSU-Mankato - 71 Points / 30 goals (6th place reg. season WCHA)
4. Wisconsin - 58 points / 26 goals (3rd place reg. season WCHA)
5. St. Cloud - 42 points / 11 goals (4th place reg. season WCHA)
6. Duluth - 21 points / 16 goals (1st place reg. season WCHA)
7. Bemidji - 20 points / 7 goals (8th place reg. season WCHA)
8. UND - 0 points / 0 goals (7th place reg. season WCHA)

Goalies
1. St. Cloud - 28 games played, 2.57 GAA, .911 SV %
2. MSU-Mankato - 33 games played, 2.72 GAA, .904 SV %
3. Bemidji - 34 games played, 2.99 GAA, .917 SV %

Granted all teams are bringing in excellent recruiting classes. You can't help but think when you graduate 50% or more of your offense and play in a league where goal scoring is at a premium, that teams are going through a bit of an adjustment. Just how big we'll have to wait and see.

USA Today / USA Hockey Women's Top 10 Poll
The first pre-season USA Today / USA Hockey Women's poll came out earlier this week with Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin and Minnesota all holding the top 3 spots respectively in that order. Looks like the other coaches and sports writers across the nation feel the same as they do in the WCHA as Duluth had 19 first-place votes. Ohio State was in the 'also receiving votes' category with 2.

Academic Spotlight - UND's Nationally Ranked Entrepreneurship Program
When you hear the term 'national rankings' in conjunction with UND, thoughts of the Men's Hockey team, Football or Women's Basketball come to mind right? The feeling you get as a fan who's team just made it to yet another 'Frozen Four' makes you feel pretty darn good doesn't it? Makes you want to brag a bit to your buddy that's a fan of that "other school" down in the Twin-Cities at work?

Outside the upper mid-west, people know of UND primarily because of its sports programs. Just ask the folks out east who live near Boston College. Yet little fan-fare or recognition is given to a particular institutions' academic programs' with in the sports community. It's not real sexy stuff for sports writers to promote I guess. Many who know UND as a sports powerhouse have no clue as to how great a school - academically - UND really is. So how great is it?

Well for starters, UND can lay claim to the 13th nationally ranked Business/Entrepreneurship school in the country. That is #13 out of 2,300 schools that were evaluated in a recent survey conducted by Entrepreneurship Magazine. (Just as a heads up, that other school in the 'Twin-Cities' received an honorable mention as did Harvard University... i.e. they didn't make the final cut. And BC didn't even make the list). A little research tells us Entrepreneurship is a growing field of study and very popular with the fortune 500 crowd when looking at resumes from recent graduates. It seems the traditional business school teaching/program model isn't cutting it anymore. UND's program is a hands on, practice-what-you-preach environment. Not only do students crack the books, but they interact and rub shoulders with local and national business leaders. Relationships with resources such as local and national entities like the Center for Innovation, the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and the Dakota Venture Group to make the experience for a student majoring in entrepreneurship invaluable.

So the next time you hear the term 'national rankings' in the same sentence as UND, you just might wonder where the Business/Entrepreneurship program is ranked at.

1st Annual Team Retreat Weekend

Roughing it - Team Tough
The Sioux women's hockey team spent last weekend camping at the Turtle Lake Campground as part of their 1st annual retreat weekend. Coach Idalski & company spent the better part of two days with limited to no cell phone reception and no access to the internet or television. It was a weekend where the team could focus on just one thing, being a team. Players were divided by cabin and each was responsible for cooking a specific meal. Word is Sara Dagenais' Sheppards Pie was a huge hit. Each cabin competed against one another in the first annual 'Sioux Olympics'. Events included the Egg-Toss, Two-Man one-legged race and team building sessions.

In addition to team bonding, Spencer Wood, President of the Icebox Athlete, was on hand to help coach players on mental skills training tecniques and mental toughness strategies. Spencer Wood is an internationally renowned speaker and dynamic trainer of athletes and coaches in the areas of cutting-edge Mental Skills & Toughness Training; and Athletic Speed, Agility, & Quickness. Said Spencer about his experience with the team... "I had a great time and I found your ladies to have one of the best attitudes I have encountered this year. They were polite, receptive and very humble".The team will have it's first 'mental' test Sept. 27th vs. Univ. of Manitoba.

Practice Makes Perfect
The Sioux Women's hockey team takes the ice tomorrow for their first practice of the year. Officially under NCAA guidelines, the first 'official' practice date for D-I women's hockey programs is Saturday, September 20th. However, a provision in the NCAA rulebook allows coaches to work on the ice with their teams up to 2 hours per week on the ice after September 15th and before Sept. 20th.

Let the Games Begin
Saturday, September 27th the Sioux will play an exhibition game vs. the University of Manitoba at 12:07pm in the Olympic Rink of the Ralph. Last season the Sioux beat the Univ. of Manitoba 3-1 in coach Idalski's Fighting Sioux coaching debut. This is the only exhibition game before the Sioux head out on the road for a pair of games to begin NCAA play Oct. 3-4 vs. the University of Maine. The Sioux has one other exhibition game scheduled this season vs. the Team USA Select Team October 19th at 2:07pm at Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, MN.


'Wild' Week at the Ralph
The Minnesota Wild will make Ralph Engelstad Arena 'home' as they being training camp on Saturday, September 20th thru Sept. 23rd. Modifications to the Xcel Energy Center for the Republican National Convention promted the shift from Minneapolis to Grand Forks. This will mark the first time the Wild have held training camp outside the state of Minnesota. The Wild's training camp roster includes two familiar names in Roseau, MN native and former Sioux forward Bryan Lundbohm (1998-2001) as well as Fargo native and Grand Forks Red River star Danny Irmen. Practices will be closed to the public with the exception of Sunday, September 21st. Sundays practices are free and go begin at 10am, doors to the Ralph open at 9:30am.

Dagfinrud leads Norway One Step Closer to Vancouver

UND red-shirt freshman goaltender Jorid Dagfinrud lead the Norwegian Women's National Team to a 3-0 record in a pre-olympic qualification tournament in Maribor, Slovenia September 3-5. Dagfinrud posted an impressive .66 GAA while allowing just one goal on 23 shots in 3 games. Norway downed Great Britain 3-1, Autria 1-0 and host Slovenia 15-1 to advance to the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament set for November 6-9 in Shanghai, China. Norway is in Group D and faces China, Japan and the Czech Republic as they look to qualify for the Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010.

Pre-Olympic Qualification Notes
UND Defenseman Sussanne Felner will also play for a chance to go to Vancouver. She will play for Team Germany in the Group C Final Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Bad Tolz, Germany and face Kazakhstan, France and Slovakia Nov. 6-9.

Bemidji State University forward Eva Schwarzler played for Team Austria.

Norway's Women's National Team is coached by NHL and International coaching veteran George Kingston. Kingston was the first Head Coach of the San Jose Sharks and had stints as an Assistant Coach with the Clagary Flames, Minnesota North Stars, Atlanta Thrashers and Florida Panthers. He also won a Gold Medal as Head Coach of Team Canada (Men) at the 1994 World Championships. He was then hired to coach the German Men's National Team and did so from 1994-1998. Kingston currently lives in Norway and serves as both Assistant Coach of Norway's Men's National Team and Head Coach of Norway's Women's National Team.

WCHA to add NHL style shootout format to league play

It's official - shootouts will be part of the 2008-2009 WCHA season. (You can click on the link for full WCHA press release) Much has been debated about this subject amongst the coaching circles since the idea was batted around at the AHCA (American Hockey Coaches Association) Convention this past April in Naples, FL. The WCHA won't be the first women's NCAA D-I conference to implement a shootout format. It will be, however, the first Women's D-I conference to have shootout results count in league standings. College Hockey America (CHA) tinkered with a shootout format last year which had no bearing on league standings and was as used more from a promotional / fan-experience perspective. The Women's WCHA announcement comes on the heals of the CCHA's recent decision to re-introduce a shootout format which will have bearing on final league standings. I say 're-introduce' because in the mid-90's, Hockey East (Men) used a shootout format.

So what does this mean for the Women's WCHA? For starters it means every game will have a winner with the integrity of the NCAA selection process intact. What is lost, is the "Good Tie". After a 60 minutes of regulation and a 5 minute overtime tie, you have to follow it up with a shootout win to have it mean something. Lose the shootout and your opponent gains 1 point more than you. In the WCHA last season UND and St. Cloud had 4 ties followed by Wisconsin and OSU with 3, Minnesota, Mankato and Bemidji each with 2. MN-Duluth had 0. For the Sioux that could have meant possible wins against OSU, St. Cloud twice and Mankato.

On the men's side, the WCHA has no imediate plans to implement a shootout format. I'm sure curious eyes will be watching the CCHA and how well received the shootout format is this year before making any decision. Time will tell... UND's first WCHA game is Oct. 9 & 10 vs. St. Cloud at the Ralph.

Welcome to Let'sGoSioux!

Hello and welcome to the 'Official' blog of the University of North Dakota Women's Hockey Program - Let'sGoSioux! We are delighted you chose to stop and check us out. We are confident you will like what you read.

You can expect weekly updates on all matters relating the UND Women's Hockey, the WCHA and women's college hockey in general. So, let's get started!

New season set to start
The 2008 - 2009 season unofficially begins tomorrow with the first day of class. Officially, in the eyes of the NCAA, things won't get underway until September 20th which is the first official NCAA D-I practice date in women's ice hockey. It has been quite an active off-season for the Sioux. Around two-thirds of the team stayed on campus this summer to take classes and participate in on and off-ice captains' practices. This included returners as well as incoming freshmen.

New in town
At press-time, 10 new players will join the Sioux this year. 4 countries, 6 Canadian provinces and 4 US states will be represented. Quite a geographical change from in years past. Also new to the program is Kevin Vaughan, Director of Women's Hockey Operations. Kevin was the Asst. equipment manager for the Men's and Women's Hockey Programs at St. Cloud State University.

USA vs. CANADA U-18 and U-22 Series

The USA Under-18 Select Team went 2-1 vs. its archrival Canada this past weekend in Lake Placid, NY. The Under-18 Select Team won the first two games of the three game series 4-1 and 3-2 before losing 3-2 (ot) in game three. The USA Under-22 Select Team won it's first game 3-2 in a shootout before losing its next two, 7-2 and 4-3 (ot). That series was held in Pierrefonds, Quebec.

Two of UND's incoming recruits, defensemen Ashley Holmes (USA U-18 Select Team) and Alyssa Weibe (CANADA U-18 Team) played against one another in last summer's U-18 Select Series. Holmes received player-of-the-game honors in the first game of the series.