The first thing, it has been brought to my attention that I may have been a little harsh in my post last Monday related to Scott Sandelin. I am not a Sandelin hater, and I think he is a good coach. I am worried about complacency. UMD fans should expect a team to win and not be a flash in the pan.
My opinion comes from a person on the outside not knowing what is going on in the bowels of the DECC. His first few seasons the teams seemed fired up at all times and never showed any let down. After the Final Four season, the teams seem too often pack in games and look disinterested. This season is one where it was often said “if we would have played better”. Well unfortunately now we are looking at every game like it could be the last.
I realize Sandelin is not the one playing but there has to be some level of accountability. I keep looking back to the Sertich years as a bench mark. In all of the season’s Sertie was behind the bench UMD had 4 seasons where they finished with fewer than 15 wins. So far Sandy has already had 5 seasons. The last three seasons there has been improvement each year and there still is a chance to go further this season. Final judgment for this season needs to wait until all of the UMD games have been played. Hopefully that will be in April.
Second thing, last night game was well played by UMD. They showed a lot of composure and played to win. The defense was strong, along with Stalock who was great between the pipes. Tonight UMD needs to come out and continue with the scoring they had last night. If they do, they will be playing in the Final Five.
For the NCAAs I think what would be best for UMD would be the following: UMD keeps winning, Denver sweeps UAA, Mankato wins tonight and UW wins tomorrow, SCSU wins at least 1 or both of the remaining games with UMTC, Umass Lowell beats Vermont, NMU gets a couple wins against Miami, the Nanooks sweep OSU and Quinnipiac comes back to take the series from St. Lawrence. This is a lot, hopefully a few can happen, and especially UMD keep winning! GO 'Dogs!
Who is going after Andy? It was a great take looking back at teams under Sandalin. Now, I do think that "fire Sandelin now" comment was hasty, I do not at all question the intentions and love of UMD hockey by Andy. It is easy to look at what is happening in Colorado and say that Sandy is what UMD needs. But let us not mince words, UMD should be at home this weekend. It would have ended up that all UMD needed was one win at UMTC and they would have been home, but UMD went 0-3-2 in their last five. Did they want it?
ReplyDeletePS: 5 of 12 respondants to the poll question voted to fire Sandy now.
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