Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

[JDUBBS1280]

It surprises me that Minnesota has never played Vermont.

That surprised me too. There can't be many programs left that we haven't played.

[goldy_331]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Yikes, the Sacred Heart home attendance last season was under 6,000 for 15 games. The Gophs get more than that for a bad game.

[SanTropez]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Yikes, the Sacred Heart home attendance last season was under 6,000 for 15 games. The Gophs get more than that for a bad game.

Minnesota High School games get better than that.

[goldy_331]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Minnesota High School games get better than that.

Their average was 384! I've seen peewee games with more fans than that!

[D2D]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Hmmm, was it not an AHA team, the Holy Cross Crusaders, that beat the Golphers in a first playoff round in Grand Forks a few years ago?

Yes, but I don't recall Holy Cross being picked to finish 11th out of 12th in the AHA that year. The Gophers on the other hand are picked to finish somewhere in the middle of the much stronger WCHA. But if you want to compare this year's Sacred Heart squad to that Holy Cross NCAA team that pulled the big upset over the Gophers, I'd like to hear the rationale.

[The Rube]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Their average was 384! I've seen peewee games with more fans than that!

Last I checked (a couple years ago) AIC's reported attendance was around 200. That's reported attendance. My high school had close to a 500 graduating class.

It's amazing to me that these programs exist, with that kind of attendance.

[mahogma]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Yes, but I don't recall Holy Cross being picked to finish 11th out of 12th in the AHA that year. The Gophers on the other hand are picked to finish somewhere in the middle of the much stronger WCHA. But if you want to compare this year's Sacred Heart squad to that Holy Cross NCAA team that pulled the big upset over the Gophers, I'd like to hear the rationale.

Well,it's the first game of the season for both teams,so in that regard,both are relatively unknown quantities. Secondly, I was one of the few who was convinced the Gopher football team would handle NMSU & NDSU with relative ease because,well,we're bigger and faster and more athletic and we're in the BIG TEN. Lately,my confidence in "sure thing" and "Gophers" used in the same sentence has taken a serious hit.

[cross cheque]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

If they don't it will be very embarrassing:

http://www.sacredheartpioneers.com/s...201109205o114a

More or less embarrassing than having UAA end their season on home ice?

Guentzel will never let this team lose to the sisters of the poor.

[D2D]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Well, it's the first game of the season for both teams, so in that regard, both are relatively unknown quantities.

The first game of the season usually gives the underdog the best chance to pull an upset. I'm hoping the Gophers' first year players were able to get rid of all the jitters during their exhibition against UBC. I was there and I thought they acquitted themselves very well. I look for them to come out aggressively and take charge right away.

Secondly, I was one of the few who was convinced the Gopher football team would handle NMSU & NDSU with relative ease because,well,we're bigger and faster and more athletic and we're in the BIG TEN.

You should know better! When it comes to Gopher football, NOTHING surprises me anymore

Lately, my confidence in "sure thing" and "Gophers" used in the same sentence has taken a serious hit.

I think we can all relate to that, but I seriously look forward to this team surprising on the upside. I do expect they'll still have trouble scoring goals at times, but defensively they'll be much better which should give them a good chance to win games against teams they're not supposed to beat (North Dakota, Denver, CC and Notre Dame, to name four).

[Biddco]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Best part about this series? Gopher fans proclaiming they are back after sweeping

[goldy_331]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Best part about this series? Gopher fans proclaiming they are back after sweeping

Pffft. We don't need to wait for that - we're back after winning an exhibition against UBC!

[JDUBBS1280]

I think we can all relate to that, but I seriously look forward to this team surprising on the upside. I do expect they'll still have trouble scoring goals at times, but defensively they'll be much better which should give them a good chance to win games against teams they're not supposed to beat (North Dakota, Denver, CC and Notre Dame, to name four).

Last year the problem wasn't as much with the ability to beat the top -rated teams as it was with consistency and laying down against teams we had little business losing to.

I'm with you. I think they will bounce back this year as they have better leadership behind the bench and on the ice

[SanTropez]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Best part about this series? Gopher fans proclaiming they are back after sweeping

2011-2012 Gophers

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

If Minnesota wants to get back into the NCAA's this year this series is a must sweep. If they don't sweep they will have dug a hole to start the season that may take the entire rest of the year to fill back up.

[SanTropez]

Re: Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota. October 7-8, 2011.

Yeah non-conference games are huge when it comes to PWR at the end of the year, they need to come out hard and get the sweep.