Sioux City, Lincoln win in very different ways

I had Lincoln at Fargo and Sioux City at Sioux Falls on my two OLED TVs tonight (the house that became a sports bar…since the pandemic shut them down, I made my own!). The Sioux City-Sioux Falls game was spirited from the start, some good hits, momentum shifts, big crowd. The Muskies led 1-0 after one, but the Stampede got three quick ones early in the second to lead 3-1 after two. 

Sioux City fought back, literally and figuratively (there was a decent fight and some good hits), and scored 3 in the third - on the road - for an impressive 4-3 win.

Lincoln was again…posititionally sound, fundamentally good (except for Fargo’s second goal, which was an own goal actually assisted by two Lincoln players…even though the stats sheet doesn’t show that), they did the right things. But there’s a wow factor, an excitement that’s completely lacking from their game right now. 

A few times in the third, Fargo would try to start something after a whistle, Lincoln actually looked disinterested - not just turning away, but like they’d rather be elsewhere. In one case, a Stars player was taken down in front of the net, three Fargo players went after a Stars player behind the net, one Stars player went to step in but saw a Fargo player coming and decided it was too much trouble. 

Now some might say that’s smart, you have the lead, don’t give any momentum. But here’s the thing - out of all the scrums, each team got one penalty total, and Fargo got a few face washes, takedowns, shoves in while Lincoln didn’t. Fargo built momentum for the next game, Lincoln didn’t. And I’m not sure what it says to a player outnumbered in a scrum when nobody will step in and help him.

I know, a 4-1-0-1 team shouldn’t be looking for the negative, but what I saw tonight in Sioux City was a scrappy team that won’t quit, one that’s on the same page. What I saw in Lincoln is a team that’s winning on skill…but how long can that last?