Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Thinking back on this season, one thing that stands out is how seldom the Gophers had leads. A lot of the wins required late-game heroics. In the eight losses combined, they had one lead, that came in the first period of the second game in Duluth, and it lasted less than three minutes. I bet if I added up the minutes where they held a lead this season, I'd have to go back a number of years to find a season where a similar problem existed. They didn't get that many opportunities to just relax and play.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

Today's game was emblematic of what we saw all year from the Gophers. They would control play for long stretches and then a couple minutes of sloppy play and the game is tied or they're behind. Without Kloos and Lettieri next year it could be a tough year for the Gophs. That was quite the assist by Notre Dame's goalie Cal Petersen on ND's 1st goal.

Even though the Gophers beat them twice at home fairly easily, I was impressed this year with Penn State. I think they are a team on the rise.

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Today's game was emblematic of what we saw all year from the Gophers. They would control play for long stretches and then a couple minutes of sloppy play and the game is tied or they're behind. Without Kloos and Lettieri next year it could be a tough year for the Gophs. That was quite the assist by Notre Dame's goalie Cal Petersen on ND's 1st goal.

Even though the Gophers beat them twice at home fairly easily, I was impressed this year with Penn State. I think they are a team on the rise.

PSU apparently has grit, determination and . . . pride on ice.

[shelfit]

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

Take this to the men's threads where someone might actually give a sh*t about the Gopher men's team.

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

PSU apparently has grit, determination and . . . pride on ice.

Pride on ice? Ouch!

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

Yes, that's true. But with Connor Reilly's first goal of the year I thought the "Luck of the Irish" was on the Gopher's side yesterday. But then I thought the men and women would win in 2014 and both teams would be meeting Obama at the White House as the Badger's did in 2006 with Bush. "All I Have To Do Is Dream, again."

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

My wife has been saying for a couple of years it's time to hire a new coach for the men's team and she repeated that yesterday. I told her Lucia just signed a two year extension on his contract before this season and that with Claeys there's already been enough money paid out to someone for not coaching. In two years if they don't win it all, yeah, it'll be time for a new guy. 14 years is enough. Don't want to wait 24 years as we did after 1979.

[thirdtime's . . .]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

I was going to send kudos for a seamless thread re-direct, but I see that it is still under review.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Many casual fans of the men's game don't fully appreciate how much the college hockey landscape has changed in the last 10 or so years. With all the parity in the men's game today it's become increasingly difficult to consistently:
(a) make the 16 team NCAA tournament, then
(b) win your two regional games, and then
(c) win two more in the FF to claim the national title

An excerpt from and a link to a good article that explains the current situation:

"As evidence, four of the past six N.C.A.A. champions were first-time winners. Only half of the 16-team field of last year’s N.C.A.A. tournament returned for this year’s tournament, and no conference tournament champion repeated in 2017. More than half of all Division I teams (34) have reached the N.C.A.A. tournament in the last five years."

More here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/23/s...ege-teams.html

Obviously in the men's game you no longer have a team or two or three that can consistently dominate their opponents as we're seen on the women's side. In the last two days we saw BU - a team that has 7 players from the USA World Junior Team (and I believe 4 NHL first round draft picks) - get outshot 59-29 by North Dakota (but still managing to win in double overtime) - only to fall yesterday to Minnesota-Duluth, also in OT.

As far as whether Lucia should retain his job or not, I guess I’m of the opinion that, barring a complete meltdown next season, he should be allowed to finish out his two-year extension, and then retire. As “SteveO” posted in the men’s forum this morning:

“Fire Don Lucia?? This must be the "entertain me" crowd. In the last 6 seasons the Gophers have won 6 consecutive RS championships, a conference tournament and made the NCAAs five times with two FF appearances (inc. a 2014 runner-up). No team in the tournament that can make that claim.”

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

They graduated 3 D and recruited 2 in this class, so if #5 stays up front, they'll have to find another D from somewhere. It doesn't look like any current D are going to be centralized, so depending what happens with the forwards may determine where the greatest need is. Maybe one of the four goalies can play D.

Yes, from a numbers perspective #5 would play D, but 2 years now she has been switched to F when they are setting the roster for the strtch drive
I keep thinking back to 2014, nearly everyone questioned the Gopher's and specifically Ramsey & McMillen's defensive ability, we all know how that turned out. In addition converting two forwards to D turned out well, Garzone played very well paired up with McMillen. IMO, they will enter the season ahead of that group, at least on paper.

Yeah, a big booming slap shot from the blue line would be nice, but I'd settle for someone Dan wouldn't have to say "(...shot wide...)"

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Take this to the men's threads where someone might actually give a sh*t about the Gopher men's team.

sometimes...

https://youtu.be/5BykilS816E

[shelfit]

sometimes...

https://youtu.be/5BykilS816E

LOL, that is awesome vintage footage of a very young Rolling Stones. If you watch/listen all the way to the end, the next guest on the show after the commercial break was going to be Prince Charles!

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

LOL, that is awesome vintage footage of a very young Rolling Stones. If you watch/listen all the way to the end, the next guest on the show after the commercial break was going to be Prince Charles!

Surprised but glad you liked it.