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binnyrus
02-05-2008, 05:19 PM
Probably the two biggest games for each team so far this season. If UMD sweeps they take the WCHA and go into the final stretch with an incredible amount of momentum. If WI sweeps they turn the WCHA into a horserace to the end.

I'd like to hear other's thoughts on this series.

Keys for UMD:

#1 Santa has to be on her game
#2 Iya and Holmlov need to be healthy, UMD cannot win these games without 2/3 of their top line. (Tuominen, as I understand it, is out until SCSCU.)
#3 The D they've played all year needs to keep it up.
#4 Score early - no waiting until the 3rd to turn it on. Bucky's too talented and getting better every week.
#5 Stay out of the box.

My impression is that until Tuominen's injury UMD was getting better every week, their level of play and team-play becoming more and more impressive.
This second half has been about adapting and depth - about getting those fourth line players up to speed, to have them contribute. The lines have been changed around to accommodate and we've seen Demeule and O'Toole step in and up. Irwin, Friddy and Blais have been together pretty much all season and are becoming a force.

Thoughts on Wisconsin anyone? Predictions, keys?
ARM
02-05-2008, 05:48 PM
Obviously there's no way to measure this, but I get the impression that Wisconsin is the most improved team in D-I from 2007 to 2008. The key for the Badgers will be if they can shut down the 'Dogs, because Bucky has nearly as much trouble scoring on UMD as UM does on UW. I think the biggest difference between the national champion version Badgers and this year's bunch is on the blue line. I'd guess they have improved there from the fall. I just don't think that they have the same bloodlines that they had last season with Slusar and Mikkelson.

I expect a split. I don't think UMD is so dominant that they can sweep the season series from all but one WCHA opponent, and pending the SCSU series, they'd be set up to do so with a sweep here. I don't think anyone has done that since Minnesota in the first year of a much weaker league -- when they finished second to UMD. If UMD wins the series, then I'd say they become the early favorite for the NCAAs, given it will be on their rink. If UW takes 3 or more points, then it is a sign that Bucky is back and intends to mount a serious defense of the title.
dhmn
02-05-2008, 10:33 PM
UMD's been pretty much road warriors, with only 1 series at the DECC since December 9th....We need sort of a playoff atmosphere for this weekend, bring back the noise-makers and everything that was brought up to MARS Lakeview Arena at the end of last season. Whatever it takes to make the 800 or so fans sound like a full house. I'd love to see a huge (in terms of women's hockey) crowd with the men's team off this weekend, but it's probably just wishful thinking as usual on my part.
Snickers
02-06-2008, 09:45 AM
I have to agree with Arm the blueline is where UW is going to be tested. The defense has to be able to hit the forwards in motion with there passes to keep the flow going. As well as hold the line against a fast UMD team. UW is getting production from all the forward lines right now as well as holding teams to less than 3 goals per game. This is going to be a great weekend to watch two of the top teams in the country battle it out. Does anyone have info on how to see vidieo of games.
DC78-82
02-06-2008, 10:10 AM
I have to agree with Arm the blueline is where UW is going to be tested. The defense has to be able to hit the forwards in motion with there passes to keep the flow going. As well as hold the line against a fast UMD team. UW is getting production from all the forward lines right now as well as holding teams to less than 3 goals per game. This is going to be a great weekend to watch two of the top teams in the country battle it out. Does anyone have info on how to see vidieo of games.

Looks like B2 will be streaming both games
http://www.b2livetv.com/default.asp?v=WomensHockey
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 11:03 AM
It's what makes these top contenders so fun to watch . . . both teams have shown they can score (UMD more so) and both teams are close to the top in preventing the other team from scoring. Goaltending has been fairly even between these two teams.

One area UMD has improved on: crashing the net, getting the "junk" goal. That propelled them to the Title game last season, but it was scarce early in this season. Of late, they've been back at it. So, it hasn't been simply speed or one or two players picking it up. This UMD team is much better rounded than last season's.

Both teams need to play well at both ends of the ice. I'd think we'll have close games 3-2, 2-1 kind of affairs. Maybe even a 1-0 nail biter.
RStarr
02-06-2008, 01:05 PM
I am falling head over heals for Iya....but I gotta root for Bucky here.



Let's go Red!!!
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 01:18 PM
I am falling head over heals for Iya....but I gotta root for Bucky here.

Sounds to me like you fell ON your head. That's just the sort of treatment that breaks a girl's heart.;)
DC78-82
02-06-2008, 01:51 PM
Sounds to me like you fell ON your head. That's just the sort of treatment that breaks a girl's heart.;)

Starr seems to have enough heart to pass around;) She'll treat 'em all right:p
D2D
02-06-2008, 03:40 PM
Starr seems to have enough heart to pass around;) She'll treat 'em all right:p

She didn't say in which game she'll be rooting for Bucky! ;)
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 04:10 PM
She didn't say in which game she'll be rooting for Bucky! ;)

Goooooooood point! :rolleyes:
RStarr
02-06-2008, 04:25 PM
Both games for Bucky. But I would settle for a split... :)
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 04:28 PM
Both games for Bucky. But I would settle for a split... :)

Then, give up on Iya!!! ;)
RStarr
02-06-2008, 04:33 PM
Then, give up on Iya!!! ;)
never! :p





...when it comes down to it, I have a feeling Im going to be rooting for her when it matters the most.
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 06:32 PM
never! :p





...when it comes down to it, I have a feeling Im going to be rooting for her when it matters the most.

(The small font won't save you)

The question remains, who do you think will win? Why?

I think UMD will sweep (this just leads to heartbreak) if they are relaxed. When they are the team plays with so much energy and joy that it seems effortless. If they're tight (as I think Bucky will be) then they won't.

An aside here . . . this team is very, very different than the machine of old. When that team was on they were very workman - they were a machine . . . precise. This team is not like that . . . at least not yet . . . .
ARM
02-06-2008, 06:49 PM
An aside here . . . this team is very, very different than the machine of old.What team are you meaning -- the 2000-2003 teams? This team is different in that most of the key players are frosh or sophs. As such, they are still coming together. It'll be interesting to see how they react when the postseason starts.

Still, I think that this series is more about Wisconsin than UMD. No matter how good the Bulldogs have been in years past, UW has managed to take a chunk out of them at some point. I'd imagine that this crew will as well.
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 07:26 PM
What team are you meaning -- the 2000-2003 teams?


I do mean that team . . . and when they won that first title in '00 the core was mostly Sophmore. There was something about the way those gals played every year that was much more . . . um, blue-collar.

But, I also agree with what you're saying about Bucky. Should be interesting.
ARM
02-06-2008, 09:45 PM
I do mean that team . . . and when they won that first title in '00 the core was mostly Sophmore.True. But players like Holst and Rooth had quite a bit of international experience and Ralph was playing in the national tournament for the 4th straight year. Your current team is much more reliant on getting production from freshmen. When Minnesota had teams where they needed to get scoring from the frosh to win (e.g. 2002-2003), they didn't do as well in the postseason. Harvard won it all when Botterill and Ruggiero were freshmen, but they also had a Patty Kaz-winning senior in A.J. Mleczko.

Maybe your frosh are so good that they won't have a letdown at some point. We'll see.
binnyrus
02-06-2008, 09:59 PM
Your current team is much more reliant on getting production from freshmen.

Of course, that's very much the same with this team . . . :o (Tuominen, Holmlov, Peltari, and the Frosh - Irwin, Friddy, Iya, Laroque - all with rather significant national team exp . . . )
dhmn
02-07-2008, 12:16 AM
(The small font won't save you)

The question remains, who do you think will win? Why?

I think UMD will sweep (this just leads to heartbreak) if they are relaxed. When they are the team plays with so much energy and joy that it seems effortless. If they're tight (as I think Bucky will be) then they won't.

An aside here . . . this team is very, very different than the machine of old. When that team was on they were very workman - they were a machine . . . precise. This team is not like that . . . at least not yet . . . .

I've noticed.. if I get there in time for warmups.. if they're flying during warmups.. they almost come out slow when the game starts.. but like, during the North Dakota series, the warmups looked lackluster at best, yet they won the weeked easy... I don't totally understand it but it seems to go that way.