Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Zumwinkle will likely have to make a bigger adjustment to the college game than some players because her HS team needed the puck to be on her stick so much of the time. She reminds me of a right-handed Erica McKenzie in several ways, and that is one of them. But if at some point in her career she winds up skating on the wing of a center like Kelly Pannek who is looking to get her the puck in a position to shoot, then look out.

Breck ran three lines that could pretty much play with anyone in the State so it wasn't like she was always on the ice. And you had teams like Blake that put specific players out there to shadow and harass her. She has extensive international experience so I don't think she is going to have to make a bigger adjustment than some players. Is she going to be guilty of hanging on to the puck more than she should? Sure, but I think pretty much all high school players who enter D1 college programs have to adjust to time and space being taken away from what they are used to.

What sets her apart is the combination of speed and size with a way above average ability to shoot the puck. Some of you who hadn't seen her play before have now gotten to see that shot first hand. The goal she scored in the first game against Merrimack you just don't see much of at all in the women's game. A one timer off of a very nice feed that was an absolute rocket. The goalie had no chance. That sounds like hyperbole but I'm telling you it is not. She just has the mechanics and power combined with hand-eye coordination that is very rare in women's hockey.

It would make sense to find someone like Pannek before next year to feed her the puck this year. Maybe Piazza or Agnew?

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Good points about #12. After watching her play in HS, I thought that she would need to make an even bigger adjustment to her game than what was in evidence last weekend. At this level, it is hard for a scorer to be successful if the puck stays on her stick for too long.

It would make sense to find someone like Pannek before next year to feed her the puck this year. Maybe Piazza or Agnew?

Admittedly, I'm spoiled after five years of watching Brandt and/or Pannek, but I think that one of the flaws on this team is that we don't have anyone who is a natural distributor. We have a lot of people whose first instinct is to try to create her own shot.

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Admittedly, I'm spoiled after five years of watching Brandt and/or Pannek, but I think that one of the flaws on this team is that we don't have anyone who is a natural distributor. We have a lot of people whose first instinct is to try to create her own shot.

This! I am aching to see forward to forward passes in the offensive zone that aren't just cycling along the boards.

Hopefully Zumwinkle will at some make some good passes as she's doing her circling thing through the zone with the puck

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Admittedly, I'm spoiled after five years of watching Brandt and/or Pannek, but I think that one of the flaws on this team is that we don't have anyone who is a natural distributor. We have a lot of people whose first instinct is to try to create her own shot.

Funny you say that -- Coach Crowley said in our Q&A (shameless plug!) that she thinks the one thing BC needs to work on is taking more shots and that they pass too much.

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Funny you say that -- Coach Crowley said in our Q&A (shameless plug!) that she thinks the one thing BC needs to work on is taking more shots and that they pass too much.

The Gophs have had teams and players where that was an issue. I doubt that it will make their top 10 list of problems this year. It's not that they are selfish, they just don't seem to see the plays develop like some we've watched in the past.

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Breck ran three lines that could pretty much play with anyone in the State so it wasn't like she was always on the ice. And you had teams like Blake that put specific players out there to shadow and harass her. She has extensive international experience so I don't think she is going to have to make a bigger adjustment than some players. Is she going to be guilty of hanging on to the puck more than she should? Sure, but I think pretty much all high school players who enter D1 college programs have to adjust to time and space being taken away from what they are used to.

What sets her apart is the combination of speed and size with a way above average ability to shoot the puck. Some of you who hadn't seen her play before have now gotten to see that shot first hand. The goal she scored in the first game against Merrimack you just don't see much of at all in the women's game. A one timer off of a very nice feed that was an absolute rocket. The goalie had no chance. That sounds like hyperbole but I'm telling you it is not. She just has the mechanics and power combined with hand-eye coordination that is very rare in women's hockey.

It would make sense to find someone like Pannek before next year to feed her the puck this year. Maybe Piazza or Agnew?

as long as she gets 8 shots a game, I don't care who she plays with

Funny you say that -- Coach Crowley said in our Q&A (shameless plug!) that she thinks the one thing BC needs to work on is taking more shots and that they pass too much.

IMO, the current problem with the Gophers (and last year) is that they lack the puck control they had in previous years, both controlling the zone and controlling the puck on their stick, something they had in spades the previous years, both individually and as a team

a good accurate shot on goal (putting it where you want) starts with puck control, can't do that it ain't gonna happen

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Buckeyes kicked the living c**p out of us first period. Sydney Baldwin seemed to have no awareness as Jacyn Reeves was getting by her for the first goal. Even once the pass was by her she kept skating backwards for two more steps before she turned around. We are counting on Sydney to anchor the defense this year. That looks problematic.

Hard to blame Gulstene on that goal, and couldn't blame her for the third. I couldn't really tell on the second.

I thought we played well in the second period. I wish we played better in the third.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

Brad Frost deferred his talk to the media to this guy to speak about his team...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvx-r3n4Es8

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

I thought there were 2 games last night. OSU dominated game 1 & won 2-0. I thought we had a drop off in D last year, this year it is not debatable. The defensive breakdowns do no take away from the fact that the Buckeye's controlled every aspect of the game for most of 20 minutes. MN won Game 2 2-1 It started when MN came out in the second period and was flying, they looked very good and the results showed it. The 3rd was mostly a draw with both teams having their moments but another breakdown gave OSU a goal. It was fun and frustrating. I sort of figured this would be a learning year and so far it is. It is early and I expect the Gophers will grow and get more attuned to playing with each other.

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

I thought there were 2 games last night. OSU dominated game 1 & won 2-0. I thought we had a drop off in D last year, this year it is not debatable. The defensive breakdowns do no take away from the fact that the Buckeye's controlled every aspect of the game for most of 20 minutes. MN won Game 2 2-1 It started when MN came out in the second period and was flying, they looked very good and the results showed it. The 3rd was mostly a draw with both teams having their moments but another breakdown gave OSU a goal. It was fun and frustrating. I sort of figured this would be a learning year and so far it is. It is early and I expect the Gophers will grow and get more attuned to playing with each other.

I'm pretty much with what everyone here has had to say about the Gophers. But specifically to you here and D2D in the other thread. It could be fun to watch this team. They are probably going to struggle to win games, although I think they can win a lot of games. The biggest thing to me right now is are they going to come out and grind and work their butts off and will we see the improvement? If so, it could be pretty darn fun. Will they get discouraged and get trapped in a vortex of the same problems and mistakes? That might be harder to watch. Fun and frustrating could very well be it. I'm hoping it tilts a little over time towards fun with the emphasis on grinding and working and improving!

[Puckdrop14]

I'm pretty much with what everyone here has had to say about the Gophers. But specifically to you here and D2D in the other thread. It could be fun to watch this team. They are probably going to struggle to win games, although I think they can win a lot of games. The biggest thing to me right now is are they going to come out and grind and work their butts off and will we see the improvement? If so, it could be pretty darn fun. Will they get discouraged and get trapped in a vortex of the same problems and mistakes? That might be harder to watch. Fun and frustrating could very well be it. I'm hoping it tilts a little over time towards fun with the emphasis on grinding and working and improving!

I also believe that many are discounting the fact that the Buckeyes are a pretty good team.

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

I also believe that many are discounting the fact that the Buckeyes are a pretty good team.

Not me

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

What do you think about Woken?

I like to think she is showing signs. I'd love to see her start to turn the corner and put some points up.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

What do you think about Woken?

Kind of a general malaise as with most of the upperclassmen. You'd like to think that someone will turn the corner but it just seems like the combinations that get put together for lines aren't on the same page. Quite unusual for a Gopher team to appear this disjointed.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2017-18 Season Thread

I have no explanations...Just numbness at what I am witnessing.