Lumberjacks Season Ends and Thank You's

Well we put up a battle and we were not able to get it done.  WSC scored 4 goals in the first period and it ended up 6-1. I thought we battled hard and tried to the end but we lost to a better team.  I was disappointed in our discipline and the way some players left the ice after getting misconducts. We need to remember that their our kids watching who look up to the Jacks watching all the time.  We took too many penalties and that hurt us all year.  We have made many inroads this year to get back where we need to be but the bottom line is we need to get some difference makers in here. Overall I think this team underachieved on the ice. We had the talent to have at least double our win total but we seemed to never get it together for 60 minutes. It was frustrating as coaches.  "What could have we done different?  What combinations can work? How can we get them to buy in to what we are doing?" We asked ourselves these questions too much.  Of coarse we would have changed some different things this year but we have learned from our mistakes. We have changed a lot for the better but we still have a ways to go. A couple of things I am proud of this year was all our work with the youth hockey players. It was fun working with the Blueline and I hope our players got more out of it than the little guys. We also have supported or volunteered for more than 30 groups and organizations. It was good to give back.
Thank you to the following for all they do for Lumberjack Hockey:
- The Players for all their work.
- All those who contributed money to Lumberjack Hockey and the Program Sponsors.
- Students who came to the games. Especially the Softball and Volleyball Girls.
- Staff and Faculty at DCB for all they do.
- Clint for the awesome pictures as well as being an inspiration. 
- My fellow coaches here as I apologize for not keeping up with  the wins you guys are getting. I appreciate all the talks and wisdom that you guys provide.
- All the volunteers who help out at games.
- Gabe S. for driving us to all our road games. Also Jimmy K.
- Zelda, Penny and Sodexho Staff for taking care of us.
- Donovan Bertsch  at Theels for the Hockey Leadership Scholarship.
- Terry Charnholm for all the work he does and the Charnholm Family for their Scholarship.
- Dustin Penner for being an inspiration for all of us as well as your support. 
- Rachel Patterson for her getting the adapt a Jack program off the ground and being a good success.
- Boomer Patterson for starting the Hockey Ministries program that had a good start along with Pastor Rob.
- Brian, Chris and Rob down at the Arena for all they do.
- The Alumni who give words of support and hanging in there during some rough years. Everyone who has played or coached the Green and White of the Lumberjacks is very important in our past and the future.  We need to reconnect and things are happening behind the scenes. (Summer 2015)
- My family for the sacrifices that are made during recruiting and hockey season. I love you guys!!
- Coach Gorder and his presence in Lumberjack Hockey. You will never know how important you have been and will be in our rebuild here.
- All the fans who came to the games. Next year lets bring a friend and get the Lumberdome rocking once again.
> Thank you to anyone I have forgotten as I know I am forgetting a few people.
- Please do not give up on us as we will get back to the top and we are working hard in achieving that goal.
LONG LIVE THOSE LUMBERJACKS!

Play-Offs

Well we are down 1-0 in the best of three series. Williston played really well in Game 1 and dominated us on the big ice over West. Tonight is the second game and if we cannot win it will be the last game of our season. I hope we come ready to play and are mentally in the game. I thought we were ready last time but I think we gave our players too much prep and it was overload and we need to go back and play a simple game. We need to play hard and get pucks to the net. Another key will be to stay out of the penalty box.  We gave up 5 PP goals and 2 shorthanded goals. Not very good special teams. Lets keep this going and all it will take is one win and then you never know what can happen.

Long Live Those Lumberjacks!

Jan 31 - Feb 1

Well we went up to the UP in Michigan to play Finlandia JV. Coach Hanson has a good squad and they played well.  Friday we tied 3-3. I thought we came out hard and dominated the 1st period and then Finlandia came out and played much better and clawed there way back into it. We scored a late one to salvage a tie. It was good to see Danny Hosmer and CJ Westlake get there first collegiate goals. On Saturday we lost 5-1. I do not think we came ready to play.  Our meetings and game plan was a good one but guys seemed to want to do there own thing and we really did not get things rolling. We took too many poor penalties and we never really played our game, it was individuals games out there.  I have not seen a team like ours in many years who gets along off the ice but there seems to be a disconnect on  the ice.  We need to do a better job of our leaders and best players stepping up and leading this team.On the way home we helped a stranded motorist who was in the ditch on highway 2 in ND.  It is always good to give back and help people when they need it.

Up next we have Williston State in our Region 13 play-offs.  It is going to be some good hockey and it starts this Wednesday on the road in Williston. Game time is 7 PM.  The next game in the series will be at the Lumberdome at 7:30 Tuesday February 11.  Long Live Those Lumberjacks!!