Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

They looked good for about 10 minutes but pretty discombobulated the rest of the way.

Yeah. My guess is a little extra Gopher adrenaline...and it took that long for Vermont to get comfortable.

[JoeGopher]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

First, Vermont played a great game, Good on all aspects and generally outplayed the Gophs in every aspect. Second, I thought Schierhorn played pretty well. Only made a couple of mistakes, but they were big. If Glover had covered/cleared his man that rebound on the 2nd goal wouldn't have mattered. Bottom line, if you only give up 2, you should win.

Kloos was busting his butt all night. Got NO help at all. Fasching was non existent like much of last year. Collins was terrible - surprised he didn't work on skating and puck handling over the summer - maybe just a really bad game. Cammarata??? He was worthless. And him on point on the first PP unit? I don't get it. Most of the frosh were invisible. But then again, so were the upper-class.

I have no doubt tDon will mix things up this week.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

I have been hoping Fasching would develop to become a Bjugs kind of player. He's fine as is, we just need him to be more. He was heralded when young. Seem to fade in Ann Arbor which was a bit of a flag. But had a strong Freshman campaign in large part to Rau and company. So it appears as with other players we've had in recent years, he does well when paired with great players. If Kloos isn't enough, then there's a problem.

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Yeah. My guess is a little extra Gopher adrenaline...and it took that long for Vermont to get comfortable.

Two PPs right out the gate could also create the illusion of a good start.

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Or playing up the PP angle discounts the rest of what was witnessed. But I understand your need to find the cloud within the silver lining.

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Or playing up the PP angle discounts the rest of what was witnessed. But I understand your need to find the cloud within the silver lining.

What was the 'silver lining'? They need to improve in all areas. Defense is less experienced and will rely a lot on less experienced guys. Other than Kloos, no one stood out as looking like they would be a consistent threat.

None of the Freshman surprised me like I seemed to remember being surprised 2 years ago (granted, they probably had one game before I saw them then) and outside of maybe Novak, I don't know if they are expected to do as much as Kloos, Fasching and Cammi were when they came in, so I don't expect them to contribute tons of points consistently. Seems more like a solid class of good players that have the chance to be a good class if they stick around a few years, then the type that will have immediate impact. And the goalie (can't remember spelling) looked nervous and just ok.

They had a fair amount of energy, which is good, but energy in the first game doesn't always translate to consistent energy all season. A team that isn't top heavy needs energy, but that might come from the competition for spots, since there are probably less players 'guaranteed' a spot than normal.

I know people will read this as a completely pessimistic rant, and I can be pessimistic with the best (less disappointment when things don't turn out) , but I think a lot of what I am saying is true. I don't think they will be a bad team, nor that they can't pull together and play better than the sum of their parts if the chemistry starts clicking near the end of the year. It is going to take some coaching to get them there. I just see a lot of necessary improvement in several parts of the game. I would predict a roller coaster season, if I were a predicting sort of guy.

Just didn't see a lot of positives in that game.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

It's one game guys

Think Don regrets not scheduling a exhibition game?

Vermont executed their trap game to perfection, and Gophers tried to force too many stretch passes and had far too many turnovers thru the neutral zone. And WAY too many missed nets.

Will be interesting too see which adjustments coaches make this week.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

It is going to take some coaching to get them there. I just see a lot of necessary improvement in several parts of the game.

I totally agree, and look at it as an OPPORTUNITY for the coaches to make a meaningful difference as to how the team progresses throughout the season.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Rant away. Its a message board...people can say what they feel.

My opinion is that the defense is ok. We've actually got ok experience back there. Bischoff and Brod, Collins, Glover, Johnson and Seeler. All have anywhere between some and quite a bit experience. I am much more concerned about offense. Historically, we've been less likely to lose to a team that scores 4 plus goals...than when we score 2 or less. And I don't know who is going to make 3+ goals a game.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Rant away. Its a message board...people can say what they feel.

My opinion is that the defense is ok. We've actually got ok experience back there. Bischoff and Brod, Collins, Glover, Johnson and Seeler. All have anywhere between some and quite a bit experience. I am much more concerned about offense. Historically, we've been less likely to lose to a team that scores 4 plus goals...than when we score 2 or less. And I don't know who is going to make 3+ goals a game.

I like the D corp we have and over time they'll settle into a more solid positioning and puck support game. There's experience there as you said as well as some feisty physicality, which I like. They definitely weren't terrible on Sat. They won quite a few puck battles, worked the corners and in front.

But there were too many errant passes in transition that gave VM a chance to jump back and get offensive zone time. That essentially killed a lot of offensive momentum for the Gophers in the 2nd and 3rd period and they couldn't get SOG. It didn't look to me like VM ran an official trap, but their game plan to slow the Gophers down with a strong presence and forecheck in the neutral zone worked for very well for them. We saw that at times last season and I would expect to see teams use that same strategy at times against the Gophers throughout this season.

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

What was the 'silver lining'?

Very little outside the first dozen or so minutes of the game which is precisely what I said. My point was they moved the puck well and had some scoring chances early in the game that had nothing to do with the PP, but Debbie Downer had to find a way to make it look worse.

Unfortunately, they also 1) Misfired on too many passes 2) The PP didn't look dangerous and 3) Missed the net an awful lot even from close range. For much the of rest of the game they looked out of sorts, not surprisingly like a team playing together for the first time.

As far as the Fr. Novak and Ramsey both stood out for me, Romanko unfortunately had some noticeable miscues.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

Thoughts from being at the game on Saturday though I did not go back and watch the DVR yet:
-Kloos was flying
-Seeler looks like a darn good defender, bright spot of the defense IMO
-Cammarata was soft as ever and made some worthless plays and passes
-I don't understand the Fasching hate at times around here. He work his *** off every shift, it just doesn't always result in goals but I think that will come
-Gophers were terrible in the neutral zone

Not giving up or anything, just not much positive to take away from that game lol

[mnstate0fhockey]

I like the D corp we have and over time they'll settle into a more solid positioning and puck support game. There's experience there as you said as well as some feisty physicality, which I like. They definitely weren't terrible on Sat. They won quite a few puck battles, worked the corners and in front.

But there were too many errant passes in transition that gave VM a chance to jump back and get offensive zone time. That essentially killed a lot of offensive momentum for the Gophers in the 2nd and 3rd period and they couldn't get SOG. It didn't look to me like VM ran an official trap, but their game plan to slow the Gophers down with a strong presence and forecheck in the neutral zone worked for very well for them. We saw that at times last season and I would expect to see teams use that same strategy at times against the Gophers throughout this season.

They ran a 1-3-1.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread 2015-16

They ran a 1-3-1.

Correct.

And they ran it very well, causing our young guys to give up the puck on the rush. They will learn, have to dump and chase against a team like that. It's like playing against sconny, only Vermont is better.

It probably would have been nice to have played an exhibition game before jumping into games that count, especially with 6 freshman in the lineup.

[mnstate0fhockey]

It probably would have been nice to have played an exhibition game before jumping into games that count, especially with 6 freshman in the lineup.

I agree 100%. I think Don was tiredof all the antics we've seen in the exhibition games recently, but an exhibition would have done a lot of good for such a young team IMO.