2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

[KTDC]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

Is there no audio with the video? Or is it just bad? I recall the UMD p by p guy being pretty bad.

Actually, I didn't even try it. I just assumed I wanted our guy.

[ARM]

Actually, I didn't even try it. I just assumed I wanted our guy.

Good assumption. The UMD guy gets distracted and forgets to talk about the game every so on. He will also start laughing and when he gets around to telling us why, it never seems worth interrupting the game for 30 seconds. He isn't quite the homer he used to be now that UMD isn't as dominant, but yeah, Dan is the way to go.

[KTDC]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

Molly Illikainen 13 for 14 face-offs won today after 2 periods for St Cloud. Like to see some of that tonight for the Gophers. (St Cloud down 4-1 to Lindenwood after 2 periods, don't want to see that)

[brookyone]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

I bought the daily pass for UMD. Hope the video is decent.

Was at AMSOIL last night. Like Frosty I hope for some improvement tonight. An uptick in intensity at the outset.

By the way, Maryanne Menefee dressed and participated in pre-game warmup Friday night. Didn't see her take a shift though. I'm told she was on the line chart.

[KTDC]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

I bought the daily pass for UMD. Hope the video is decent.

Was at AMSOIL last night. Like Frosty I hope for some improvement tonight. An uptick in intensity at the outset.

By the way, Maryanne Menefee dressed and participated in pre-game warmup Friday night. Didn't see her take a shift though. I'm told she was on the line chart.

I thought the video was decent, although they tended to miss face-offs and the start of play showing replays and announcement type things.

I didn't notice any shifts by Maryanne Menefee either.

[Golden Tuuk]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

Coach's decision is the official word. Frost usually uses something like, "nicked up," for injury related.

That still doesn't really answer the question. The coaches don't have final word on injury's. That would be the doctors and trainers so it must be something else.

[ARM]

That still doesn't really answer the question.

I know, but that's what is on the record.

Added to that, #13 didn't play in the first period on Saturday until a late shift on the PP. My guess is that she was sitting out one period for some team rule violation, because she seemed to be sitting one shift in the second period to make up for the first-period PP.

It says something about how the UMD/UM rivalry has evolved such that the 'Dogs blow a two-goal third-period lead and are still delighted with a shootout win. I guess it looked pretty good after 12 straight losses.

I'd like to say that the Gophers deserved a better fate, but they really didn't. Yes, two of UMD's goals were on bounces, but the Goph's effort was just too spotty.

Brandt, Cameranesi, Lorence, and McMillen have combined for 16 goals. The rest of the team has three, and Piazza has two of those. Not quite the balance we've come to expect. It's still early, so I'm sure some combinations will start to click and the offense will spread out. One positive is that Pannek is getting closer and closer, and Baldwin started to be more assertive in the third period, before the coaches drastically shortened the rotation.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

Win, Lose, or draw, getting to watch Hannah Brandt do her thing is worth the price of admission.

[ARM]

Win, Lose, or draw, getting to watch Hannah Brandt do her thing is worth the price of admission.

A veteran hockey observer told me after Friday's game that he expected to be more impressed with her. I think that is the key with Brandt, that she doesn't make jaw-dropping plays, but when you get to see her game after game, she does so many subtle things to help her team, whether it is to block a shot and get a clear, pick a puck out of a pile of bodies and make a blind four-foot pass to a teammate, or get her stick on a hard blast from the point, change the puck's path radically, but still keep it on net. You're right; it's a treat to watch her career.

[Eeyore]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

A lot of what happened last night was that the Bulldogs were really aggressive, smart, and worked hard. They were in our passing lanes all night. The Gophers looked kind of lethargic and made a bunch of bad decisions, but they had a lot of help in doing that.

One worrying trend over the first two weekends is that Rachel Ramsey is back to taking a lot of shots right into a high defender. It's something she did a lot her first two years but really got away from the second half of last year. I don't like that it's becoming a regular occurrence again.

Rachel Bona has also seemed ineffective so far. It mostly seems to be a matter of strength. She's having trouble being able to get through a defender once contact is made.

On the other hand, aside from whatever issue caused her to miss the first period last night, I'm very impressed by the way that Milica McMillen's game keeps getting better. She's making a lot of good decisions in the defensive zone.

[ARM]

One worrying trend over the first two weekends is that Rachel Ramsey is back to taking a lot of shots right into a high defender. It's something she did a lot her first two years but really got away from the second half of last year. I don't like that it's becoming a regular occurrence again.

She's taken a ton of shots, and they aren't all going to get through. She seemed tired much of last night, and it probably didn't help that she had to log so many minutes early when McMillen wasn't available and Stecklein was called for a penalty. I agree that it wasn't #5's best game, but her turnovers concerned me more than the shots that weren't getting through.

Rachel Bona has also seemed ineffective so far. It mostly seems to be a matter of strength. She's having trouble being able to get through a defender once contact is made.

I think the problem is that Rachael has been one on two or one on three a lot so far. She's never achieved her success by being the biggest, strongest kid out there, but she's shifty enough to beat someone if the defense can't collapse on her. When she's the only person on the rush, she doesn't have a lot of options. Eventually, she'll wind up with the right line mates and her game will take care of itself.

[Hux]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

Miss Schleper [http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=7...=nhl:topheads] laces 'em up with the Tampa Bay Lightning.[/url]

[Golden Tuuk]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

I agree that it wasn't #5's best game, but her turnovers concerned me more than the shots that weren't getting through.

Shots from the point that go into shin pads can turn into odd-man rushes. That's a bad turn over every time. I like a player with a hard shot shooting the puck but you have to be smart too.

[ARM]

Shots from the point that go into shin pads can turn into odd-man rushes.

At least the goalie has a couple of zones to prepare for the breakaway. While UMD was doing a nice job of getting in the shooting lane, I agree that she has to recognize when the shot isn't there and give it back to Brandt, because the Bulldogs weren't really denying that pass. If they move it quickly back and forth a couple of times, something will open up. My overall point is that Ramsey is doing a lot of good things on the power play as well, and the PP numbers support that.

[brookyone]

Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!

http://www.mndaily.com/sports/womens...es-against-umd

Sunday Pioneer Press print version had a brief recap with the Gophers winning the shootout Saturday night. Glad to see they're paying attention.