The team played well during the Oct. 7 game against Lake State. They played well early, got up a goal in the 2nd (at which point LSSU shored things up and played tougher).

Despite the Lakers knotting things 1-1 early in the 3rd (largely the result of a 5 min. major on Matt Miller at the end of the 2nd), Tyler Weiss gets the game winner 5:39 into the period on a breakaway goal with an assist from Guevin (which is what Tyler needs to do... always).

On Saturday, as SAM alluded to in the "Roster" thread, the FloSports webcast was out throughout most of the 1st period — so we don't know what exactly UNO looked like as they gave up 4 unanswered goals to Lake State. 

I still think some of the lackluster moments we've seen the past two weekends has to do with the team not getting fired up for "non-marquee" opponents. 

I'm *guessing* they came out flat and ran into a buzz saw. But I am curious to know how Latkoczy looked on some of those goals (4 goals on 8 shots isn't great). 

TBH, Kucharski looks like he's starting to settle in. Kucharski was the goaltender of the year and AIC had the overall best GAA in the conference last season (Kucharski had the second best GAA). 

Gabinet has shown a penchant for becoming skittish about his netminder after a bad performance. I'll be curious to see what happens next weekend. Like SAM, I think he'll give each goalie a game against Alaska, but only because the assumption is that Latkoczy is the future. 

It was interesting to hear on the 1290 AM broadcast that Raythan Robbins is still with the team (he apparently didn't go to Muskegon). If there is trouble ahead, it wouldn't surprise me to see Robbins in net. 

Anyhow... credit to UNO for coming back in the 2nd on Saturday and eventually tying things up. 

A tie is better than a loss. I'm still not a fan of the 3-on-3 OT (since a win in that format is basically no better than a tie). The shootout doesn't count for anything unless conference points are on the line. 

It's still disconcerting that UNO nearly went 1-3 against Niagara and Lake State to start the season. 

To say that I dislike the 'tie rule' is putting it mildly. In the NHL a 3 on 3 OT is over as soon as either team scores, and if no one scores during the 5 minute OT THEN it is called a tie, with a shootout to determine who gets a bonus point. Otherwise  OT win is a win, not a tie.I see nothing wrong with that format for college.

If the NCAA or the NCHC wants ties then the game should be over after 3 periods, no 5 minute and definitely no shootout. This would make either or both of them unpopular with fans but if you really believe in the sanctity of the game then you shouldn't let public opinion interfere with your outdated adherence to rules discarded a while ago by other levels.

Ed wrote:

To say that I dislike the 'tie rule' is putting it mildly. 

I just don't understand why Americans hate ties/draws.

Some days neither team deserves to win.

Some days neither team deserves to lose.

Some days the teams are just evenly matched.

Dug up the highlights from CCHA(.com).

Not Latkoczy's fault. Not even certain it was a team effort to get to 0-4.

First goal was a redirect that happened behind the goalie.

Second goal was a rebound, right in the middle of 4 defenders. Latkoczy made the first save, but never located the rebound.

Third goal was a breakaway, looks like maybe the goalie was guessing.

Fourth goal was... (wait for it)... one-timer from the weak side (though, it was a PPG).

Can you sit Mancini against Alaska without sending a message you're not taking the series seriously?

I'd rather Mancini not play. Guevin, Lemay, Pennington, and Krenzen get a lot of ice to time sort things out. And Mancini is ready for NCHC play.

If Ludtke becomes available -- which I suspect he won't -- then Mancini should definitely rest.