Gophers @ OSU

[GWH Fan]

So what are we looking at for this weekend? OSU just poped into the top 10 in the ranking. I think it's over due, others may disagree. I've seen OSU play a few times now and they always strike me as a more physical team. Does that sound right to others?

[ARM]

I'd call it more close-checking, rather than physical. They, like Wisconsin, want to take away time and space from the opposition with an aggressive forecheck. Historically, Wisconsin has had slightly better personnel, and thus, better results. IMO, teams like UMD, Dartmouth, Brown, and MSU-Mankato have relied more heavily on contact to disrupt the opposing offense.

It surprises me to some extent that OSU is middle-of-the pack in scoring offense, but ranked only 23rd out of 31 teams in scoring defense. Maybe some one-side losses to UMD and Minnesota skew those numbers. Defense has always been the Buckeye's forte.

[binnyrus]

IMO, teams like UMD, Dartmouth, Brown, and MSU-Mankato have relied more heavily on contact to disrupt the opposing offense.


ARM, ARM, ARM I can't turn away for a second . . . UMD has traditionally relied on speed and talent . . . to simply outscore their opponents. And this season, they've turned up the D to better prevent good scoring opportunities for the other team.

You can expect that OSU will try to slow the game down - by whatever means necessary. They won't score much and they can't skate with the Gophers. If they can somehow grab a lead they will endeavour to stay out of the box and hold the puck in the corners as much as possible. It's their only chance.

[dave1381]

OSU just poped into the top 10 in the ranking. I think it's over due, others may disagree.Well yeah. Look, I always thought OSU was one of the best 10 teams in the country, but they hadn't really earned that ranking until this past weekend. One win over Wisconsin combined with losses to St. Cloud and North Dakota does not make you a top 10 team in my view. By taking UMD even to the last minute and beating Yale twice they played back up to potential.

[Collegehockeynut]

I'd call it more close-checking, rather than physical. They, like Wisconsin, want to take away time and space from the opposition with an aggressive forecheck. Historically, Wisconsin has had slightly better personnel, and thus, better results. IMO, teams like UMD, Dartmouth, Brown, and MSU-Mankato have relied more heavily on contact to disrupt the opposing offense.

It surprises me to some extent that OSU is middle-of-the pack in scoring offense, but ranked only 23rd out of 31 teams in scoring defense. Maybe some one-side losses to UMD and Minnesota skew those numbers. Defense has always been the Buckeye's forte.


I agree with ARM. I think this year’s team tries to play a close checking games and tries to take away ice from the opposition. In previous years, OSU has played a more physical game when they had some bigger players in Hudak and Farrell. In addition, while small in stature, Laaksonen could also play physical.

I think the reasons for the low ranking in terms of defense are:

1) as you mentioned a couple of “blowouts”…the Gophers beating them 10 – 0 and UMD beating them
8 – 3.

2) perhaps more impactful is that they have struggled on the penalty kill. Last year their penalty kill was in the top 10 in the nation. This year they are ranked 28th of out 31 teams. 27 goals have been scored upon the OSU PK units.

3) they have a young defense corp

[GWH Fan]

Well yeah. Look, I always thought OSU was one of the best 10 teams in the country, but they hadn't really earned that ranking until this past weekend.
Your right dave1381, my bad for not expressing myself properly. I meant to say that OSU has the potential to be a top ten team, not that they always play to that level and have been underrated all this time.

I wish I could go and see the games, I think they will be much better this time around. OSU's wins over Yale have got to have boosted their confidence. Binnyrus is probably right, but not about . . . UMD has traditionally relied on speed and talent . . . , but about OSU strategy of slowing the game down. The 10-0 blow out was a case where they let it get totally out of control and Minnesota walked all over them and then some. OSU came back and tried to regain their dignity then next game and to some degree they did. However, I don’t think they could truly rebuild the confidence overnight. So coming off the win, with the new ranking I think that psychologically they should be ready, and like I said earlier they are physically ready.

As for UMD, from the games I have seen, UMD wins with their talent to throw elbows and the speed at which they take the game to scrappy. Don’t get me wrong it's always fun to watch and I look forward to the next meeting, but to not acknowledge that UMD has relied more heavily on contact to disrupt the opposing offense would be rewriting history.

[ARM]

ARM, ARM, ARM I can't turn away for a second . . . UMD has traditionally relied on speed and talent . . . to simply outscore their opponents.
A second? binnyrus, you're hardly ever here these days! Or at least, you seldom favor us with your posts. Yup, UMD has always had a high-flying offense. But their D has been in-your-face, including a lot of bumping, and they've traditionally had the size to go with it. They are always in the top half of PMI. I haven't seen Dartmouth this year, but IMO, they are another team that has featured an explosive offensive, with an aggressive, physical defense.

[fan for life]

NE 19.2
Minn St 18.4
UND 16.9
Maine 15.9
UMD 15.7
Cornell 14.7
St Cloud 14.6
St Lawrence 14.5
Dartmouth 14.4
Wisconsin 14.4
Providence 14.3
Harvard 14.2
Minn 14.2
others
According to my rough calcualtions Dartmouth penalties have been; 01-02-9.13 min/g, 02-03-13.74 min/g; 03-04-13.94 min/g; 04-05-14.33 min/g

[Brian Schulz]

Reminder that Saturday's Minnesota-Ohio State game is USCHO's Game of the Week broadcast. Pregame 6:50PM EST/5:50PM CST. http://www.uscho.com/news/agate.php?item=WGOTW (scroll down to January 22 and click "Webcast")

Note: if you click on the feed and get a "404 Error Not Found," it likely means we have not started the broadcast yet. Refresh or reclick around 10 minutes prior to faceoff and the feed should come up. If problems persist, call 877-913-9739 and the game's producer should be able to help.

Interviews for the broadcast this weekend were taped on the Monday holiday and include:
Minnesota: Laura Halldorson, Lyndsay Wall
Ohio State: Jackie Barto, Jeni Creary
Coach interviews in the first intermission, player interviews in the second.

[brookyone]

My thoughts or expectations in this series depend largely on which Buckeye team shows up to play this weekend...as per their consistency issues. My suspicion in that regard is that after the earlier series at Ridder, including the 10-0 drubbing and a second game that also wasn't very close, we'll see strong efforts from a motivated Ohio State team and two games much more closely contested than either game played in Minneapolis. Ohio State is always the team in the WCHA I fear as most capable of pulling off what would be called a major upset.

I watched the broadcast of the one game which was televised in the first series at Ridder. Doug Woog commented that a Buckeye player or coach he spoke with...can't remember which, stated something to the effect that "If those three would get lost on the way to the rink, we feel we'd be evenly matched with Minnesota." A number of teams likely feel the same way, and they're probably right, but I think since the start of the 2nd half that's a bit of a misconception with Gopher 2nd & 3rd lines, reworked in some cases contributing more points. Also getting some points out of defenders you don't normally count on. I guess I'm expecting those contributions to continue and perhaps increase. Obviously goaltending will be key for OSU, I think the Gophs will get good SOG numbers on the weekend.

I'll just mention one record in passing. All I really hope for in the records dept. this weekend is that Minnesota adds two W's in their quest for the most wins in a season, or more importantly, the now tight race with UMD for the WCHA regular season championship.

Edit: I heard Noelle Sutton had suffered a mild concussion at some point. Hope she's on the mend.

[sec12fan]

I don't think it matters which OSU team shows up . . . the Gophers will sweep the series. OSU simply does not have the fire power to put it in the net. OR, MN would have to have an awfully unusual game. I expect one game to be fairly close . . . say 4-1.

[brookyone]

A few notes from Gophersports...

http://www.gophersports.com/sportsNews/press_release.asp?news_id=10059&sport_id=whock

[Brian Schulz]

Communication mixup. Winny Brodt is not coming this weekend. Sorry about that.

[brookyone]

From the Minnesota Daily...

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/01/21/62854

[pgb-ohio]

My thoughts or expectations in this series depend largely on which Buckeye team shows up to play this weekend...as per their consistency issues. My suspicion in that regard is that after the earlier series at Ridder, including the 10-0 drubbing and a second game that also wasn't very close, we'll see strong efforts from a motivated Ohio State team and two games much more closely contested than either game played in Minneapolis. Ohio State is always the team in the WCHA I fear as most capable of pulling off what would be called a major upset.I don't think that the Buckeyes have a major problem with consistency. It's a long season, and most teams are going to have a disappointing outing or two. The season's results (to date) aren't that far out of line with expectations.

Dave has pointed out the games you'd take a second look at. Yes, it was too bad to lose a home game to St. Cloud. But that was the season opener, and the team had only been practicing together for a short time. Also, give the Huskies some credit; they played a strong game that day.

Yes, the series at North Dakota was an opportunity for a road sweep. But sweeping anyone at their place involves some challenges. The Buckeyes won the season series 3 games to 1. Imperfect, but certainly not a disgrace. As for splitting a series with an excellent Badgers team, my reaction is pretty much the same.

That leaves us with the blowout losses against the Gophers and the Bulldogs. First of all, it's now obvious that UMD was seriously underrated coming into the season. Clearly UMD is a real threat to win it all this year; they're not the middle-of-the pack team many expected them to be.

So in both cases, the Buckeyes were facing teams with significantly more offensive firepower. Sometimes when you fall behind in such games, you start pressing a bit and make mistakes -- and the floodgates open. But in that scenario, the "poor play" occurs after the game has basically been decided. That's a lot different than failing to show up for the opening face-off.

As for if and when the Buckeyes deserved to be nationally ranked, Dave has it right. But overall, I don't think the Buckeyes' current record reflects inconsistency or underachievement.

[ARM]

Per gametracker.

Gopher goals by Wendell, Albrecht, Wall, and Darwitz.

Bonhomme for the Buckeyes.

[brookyone]

Per gametracker.

Gopher goals by Wendell, Albrecht, Wall, and Darwitz.
Ashley's on a hot streak isn't she.

[brookyone]

From Gophersports, a couple of milestones in the process. Congrats to Natalie & Krissy.

http://www.gophersports.com/sportsNews/press_release.asp?news_id=10067&sport_id=wHock

[brookyone]

I'm curious to see if Rhino gets the start tonight. I think she's earned it...six shutout periods I think. It would be nice to witness Horak get the record at home, especially if in a W against Bucky. Here's hoping AA keeps the scoring streak going tonight.

[brookyone]

Gophersports recap of the 2nd game in the series...

http://www.gophersports.com/sportsNews/press_release.asp?news_id=10081&sport_id=wHock

Listening to the webcast, it sounded like a close checking affair similar to the style of play to which some alluded to earlier in this thread. I was sweating bullets while listening until Darwitz' late goal, and even later after the OSU 2nd goal, Creary I think. Seemed like a game that could have gone either way late in the 3rd. At least the women got it done this weekend.