December 12, 14-15

The Jacks had 3 games in the last 5 days against two top 5 teams in the ACHA Division I.  The Jacks started at home on Tuesday against the defending National Champions from Minot State. It was good to see some of the old Lumberjacks playing again at the Lumberdome. After a slow start the Jacks found themselves in Penalty Trouble  and down 2-0 after the first. The guys hold in there in the second before MSU pulled away in the third.  Goalie Ryan Miner played well between the pipes for the Jacks.  Minot defeated the Jacks 6-1.

 DCB then hit the road on Thursday for the 14 hour trek down to Ames, Iowa to face another former Lumberjack Seth Serhienko and the Iowa State Cyclones. On Friday the Lumberjacks spotted the Cyclones with three goals in the first. "We played really well but had a few mistakes in the first period but we came back after that and I thought we played our best game of the season, minus those goals in the first period." The Cyclones scored a goal in the final minute of the game and won 5-1. On Saturday the Jacks struck first and played a great road first period as they were tied up at 1 after 1.  "We had a few long shifts in a row in the second period and it caught up to us and they scored two goals that we should have defended." The Cyclones added 4 more after that as the wheels fell off and we lost 7-1.  "We still have too many guys who are not buying in to what we are doing for 60 minutes. We seem to take a shift off here and there and then it ends up in the back of our net.

Overall it was a grind of a week but these games will make us a better team in the second half.  Put it in perspective I think we lost 8-0 and 11-0 to Iowa last year and I do not think we won any shifts in the game so we are getting better.  We also lost to Minot 15-0 last season so we are better now we just have to play better.

December 7

The Jacks won on Saturday night in Melita MB, 6-5. It was a fun game and a game that was played to help the Skelton family of Melita. Trent was a player for the Lumberjacks in the late 80's and was injured in an accident a month ago. It was an honor helping out a good family and we were happy to do it.  It was so inspirational to hear Trent's wife talk before the game and how strong the family is and how great the community of Melita is.  Thanks to the Melita Bison for hosting this game as well as the Loucks family for all they did to make it happen. I am very grateful for being a Lumberjack as a player and as a coach.  We have a super Alumni group and I have to do a better job reaching out to this group and getting as many Lumberjacks back into our program.  Long Live Those Lumberjacks!!!