Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

Gotta love those D2D passes!

Was hoping you'd catch that reference.

Watch out for overconfidence: the Beavers just might be the best zero-win team in the country.

That has to be true!

We play Bemidji at least 4 times a year, and will now have a twenty year history with them. We know what they're about. All that said, your comments are words to the wise.

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

I agree that BSU was unlucky to come away with zero points this past weekend.

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

Watch out for overconfidence: the Beavers just might be the best zero-win team in the country.

Completely agree with this. There are no easy outs whatsoever in the WCHA. Week in and week out, any team can beat anyone else in this league.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

One more reflection from the St. Cloud games. A while back we had a discussion on why a weekend series tends to split; why performance seems to vary from one game to the other. This weekend there was no such variation. From either team.

Now I wouldn't say that the Buckeyes played an A+ game either day. But they were consistently strong, stuck to the plan, and the got the desired result both times.

Maybe St. Cloud was strong enough to give the Buckeyes stiff resistance, but not strong enough to really knock the Buckeyes off their game. Maybe. But I'm crediting the coaches and team leaders for the consistency and perseverance we saw this weekend.

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

Maybe St. Cloud was strong enough to give the Buckeyes stiff resistance, but not strong enough to really knock the Buckeyes off their game. Maybe.

Sometimes these games are decided because over 120 minutes, one team has Emma Maltais and one team doesn't. A goal, three primary assists, and a +3 can tip the scales. It might have been a different weekend if Hockey Canada had invited her to Four Nations.

From a Huskies perspective, I think that they are clearly improved, even if they weren't able to come home with points like they did after tying twice in Columbus last December. For the Buckeyes, they need to hope that SCSU is better than it was to start the season, when it had duplicate 2-3 scores in falling twice at UConn.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

Sometimes these games are decided because over 120 minutes, one team has Emma Maltais and one team doesn't. A goal, three primary assists, and a +3 can tip the scales. It might have been a different weekend if Hockey Canada had invited her to Four Nations.

Different? For sure.

Different result? My belief is that the Buckeyes would have found a different way to sweep. If the thought is that St. Cloud was only one player away from being the more talented team, I have to disagree.

Now if Emma had missed Friday's game, but if every other factor had held constant, St. Cloud might very well have won that one. The comeback was hard work, and obviously Maltais played a major role in it -- both offensively & defensively. But other factors almost certainly would have varied. In particular, I believe that other Buckeyes would have stepped up to fill the void left by Emma's absence. I also have faith that the consistent effort I saw all through the Buckeye line-up would have held up.

It's fun to speculate. Trouble is, since we're dealing with hypothesis contrary to fact, neither of us can prove a case.

From a Huskies perspective, I think that they are clearly improved, even if they weren't able to come home with points like they did after tying twice in Columbus last December. For the Buckeyes, they need to hope that SCSU is better than it was to start the season, when it had duplicate 2-3 scores in falling twice at UConn.

Well, I know next to nothing about this year's UCONN team. But it wouldn't surprise me at all if St. Cloud's Huskies are playing much better now than they were the first weekend. Most teams experience an upward trajectory as they move toward mid-season form.

Thanks for the reply!

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

If the thought is that St. Cloud was only one player away from being the more talented team, I have to disagree.

I didn't at all mean to imply that SCSU's talent is one player away from being greater than tOSU's talent level. But once the talent gap shrinks to a certain extent, all sorts of things can happen. I think that Minnesota has had a talent advantage on everyone they have played this year, excepting Wisconsin, but still winds up in all sorts of compromising situations.

But other factors almost certainly would have varied. In particular, I believe that other Buckeyes would have stepped up to fill the void left by Emma's absence.

I totally agree that once you start changing things, other plays may develop differently. That's why I don't hold to the theory of some on here that had a whistle not blown before the Buckeyes would have potentially scored versus Clarkson in March, then they would have won, 1-0, and advanced. We'll never know that either. Teams respond in all sorts of ways once they are pushed, and you could well be correct. Maybe some unheralded players skates in Maltais' spot and turns the tide.

Anyway, you DID have Maltais, and she did what she did, and you now have the six points to prove it.

[ne7minder]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

I agree that BSU was unlucky to come away with zero points this past weekend.

I believe if BSU had played as hard the previous weekends as they did this last one they would not be an oh-fer. MN did not seem to play up to their potential but some of that has to be credited to the Beavers.

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes 2018-19

I believe if BSU had played as hard the previous weekends as they did this last one they would not be an oh-fer. MN did not seem to play up to their potential but some of that has to be credited to the Beavers.

The thing that really impressed me is the way the Beavers never quit, and didn't seem to tire one bit after falling behind in the second game after losing the first. With their excellent depth the Gophers will often wear out their opponent and take advantage and win (sometimes handily) in the 3rd period, especially in the second game of a series. But Bemidji kept battling, didn't seem to tire in the least, and as a result made it a game until the final buzzer.

Future WCHA opponents should take note and be prepared to go 100% for all six periods.

[Puckdrop14]

The thing that really impressed me is the way the Beavers never quit, and didn't seem to tire one bit after falling behind in the second game after losing the first. With their excellent depth the Gophers will often wear out their opponent and take advantage and win (sometimes handily) in the 3rd period, especially in the second game of a series. But Bemidji kept battling, didn't seem to tire in the least, and as a result made it a game until the final buzzer.

Future WCHA opponents should take note and be prepared to go 100% for all six periods.

All BSU needs right now is that first win. It’s a tough way to start a season but their hard work will eventually pay off. They can bounce back but it has to start soon but next weekend may not be when it happens.

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

That's why I don't hold to the theory of some on here that had a whistle not blown before the Buckeyes would have potentially scored versus Clarkson in March, then they would have won, 1-0, and advanced. We'll never know that either. Teams respond in all sorts of ways once they are pushed, and you could well be correct. Maybe some unheralded players skates in Maltais' spot and turns the tide.

And conversely, you don't know that Ohio State wouldn't have won that game, seeing as our goaltender stonewalled Clarkson for the entire regulation portion of the game.

I do agree with you regarding Emma Maltais, she is a special player, but we have a lot of great players on our team.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

I totally agree that once you start changing things, other plays may develop differently. That's why I don't hold to the theory of some on here that had a whistle not blown before the Buckeyes would have potentially scored versus Clarkson in March, then they would have won, 1-0, and advanced. We'll never know that either. Teams respond in all sorts of ways once they are pushed, and you could well be correct.

And conversely, you don't know that Ohio State wouldn't have won that game, seeing as our goaltender stonewalled Clarkson for the entire regulation portion of the game.

You're both correct, of course.

To put a slightly different spin on it: Had Clarkson fallen behind 1-0 during regulation, they definitely would have coached and played the game differently. The easiest example is that had it still been 1-0 in the final minute, the Golden Knights would have pulled the goalie, enhancing their chances to tie. Or lose 2-0. But the game would have been altered in many ways, both foreseeable and unforeseeable.

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

With the Gophers off this weekend I might have to tune in to FloHockey this afternoon...

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Beavers welcome No. 4 Buckeyes to Bemidji
https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sport...ckeyes-bemidji

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

Despite being outshot 16-6 the Beavers lead the Buckeyes 1-0 after one.

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State Buckeyes

Bemidji takes a 2-0 lead, scoring on a nice 2 on 1 with just 48 seconds to play in the second. Goal by Clair DeGeorge. SOG are now 24-15 OSU.