Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Interesting that Minnesota outscored bc from last weekend in one period tonight...

Minnesota's forward depth against UMD's young defense has been a mismatch...

Gophers win the 3rd period to make it a 5-2 final. Shots were 46-23.

[Blackbeard]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Minnesota's forward depth against UMD's young defense has been a mismatch...

This is a polite understatement.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

The Pots and Pan line was not able to stir much of anything up tonight but the Shamwow line certainly mopped up...

[Still Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

That game was . . . interesting. I have no idea how neither team scored in the second. Late in the period, I said that this could easily be 10-4.

The Gophers finally tightened things up with about 15 minutes left, and allowed only one shot the rest of the way. Prior to that, it seemed like our worst fears about the defense were coming true and they'd have to win games 7-5. After seeing all 60 minutes, I think this team has the potential to be pretty good defensively, but they have a ways to go to get there. Ostertag has obvious, and unsurprising, adjustments to make. Skarzynski looks like she's still trying to readjust to being a defenseman. Marshall and Robinson have moments where they're great, and then stretches where it all seems to fall apart; the former gets caught up the ice as the puck goes the other way.

In all three games, I've thought that Knowles and Brown were pretty clearly Minnesota's two best defensemen, and as a pairing, they complement each other nicely. Brown looks about a half step faster than she was last year, allowing her to recover better and she can disrupt plays everywhere. Knowles mostly just needs to stay out of the box, which she did a better job of tonight.

The first line didn't get anything to completely click, but they were inches away from getting the puck and having an empty net to shoot at on multiple occasions. They're going to give other teams nightmares. And, unlike some previous years, this team isn't going to be so dependent upon them scoring. Wente/Schammel/Zumwinkle is going to do plenty of that themselves, and Heise/Williamson/Woken likely will, too.

The fourth line looks like its floor is as a very nice checking line. Skaja and Keller can fly, and if the latter maintains her defensive focus, they backcheck like some of the lines of five years ago. It will be interesting to see if Frost eventually settles on a consistent third player for them. Oden takes most of the shifts, but Tianna Gunderson has made semi-regular appearances in the two games she's played, and Boreen did the same in the second game against Mercyhurst. One of my few gripes about Frost as a coach over the years is that he doesn't trust his depth enough, but he's giving ice team to 14 forwards at the moment, and not just once the game is out of hand.

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

. . . The Gophers finally tightened things up with about 15 minutes left, and allowed only one shot the rest of the way. . . but he's giving ice team to 14 forwards at the moment, and not just once the game is out of hand.

It is very encouraging to see them roll all 4 lines, it will be interesting to see what he does in Madison though. I think they wore the Bulldogs out and the team speed was much more noticeable in the last 15 minutes. That was one of the encouraging signs last night. I am much less worried about the defensive capabilities today than 2 weeks ago. Both the Ds and the Fs provided stiffer defense than what we saw last year I think.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

To my eyes anyway, as the game wore on it appeared that the first line was overly pressing offensively and all three players would get caught up ice, leaving some odd-man breaks going the other way. Fortunately the Bulldogs were not able to convert on those breaks.

No doubt the 'Pots and Pan line' became frustrated at their inability to score, but with their team having built a relatively safe lead I would have preferred that they would have been a little more defensive minded by keeping one player back, ready to help the D.

[Still Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Knowles mostly just needs to stay out of the box, which she did a better job of tonight.

Today, not so much.

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Very entertaining game between two good teams. I think the difference yesterday was that UMD tightened up their D and UM made far too many defensive mistakes. Not just the Ds but the Fs did not perform D the way they did Friday night and the result were too many good chances for the Bulldogs. UM had many great chances on crossing passes and solid feeds that just missed, same as Friday. A lot of credit to the young Dog defense.

One thing I noticed Saturday was the the game was very physical. THere were a lot of hip and shoulder 'assists' into the boards and hands up contact to chest & head. I didn't get the sense that this determined the outcome but just noted it.

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Good first period by the Gophers, outshooting the Dawgs 19-11 and taking a 4-2 lead. Surprisingly Minnesota's top line has not yet figured in the scoring...[/

I think one of the Gopher coaches left KP a memo between Friday & Saturday game:
SHOOT!!!
Friday shots=0
Saturday=7
tough to score a goal when you don't shoot, and given your linemates are excellent passers, I'd say it is OK to shoot once in a while

To my eyes anyway, ... all three players would get caught up ice, leaving some odd-man breaks going the other way. Fortunately the Bulldogs were not able to convert on those breaks.

yes, but I'd give the Bulldogs some credit for breaking up their play

Skaja and Keller can fly, and if the latter maintains her defensive focus, they backcheck like some of the lines of five years ago. It will be interesting to see if Frost eventually settles on a consistent third player for them. Oden takes most of the shifts, but Tianna Gunderson ...

Oden had a number of chances in the first two games and exhibition that she couldn't find the handle, I think it may be affecting her. I do like the new more aggressive and physical Keller to go with her skating, and I really like the play of Skaja, the 4th line, if that's who they are, are fun to watch, … and effective.

.... Prior to that, it seemed like our worst fears about the defense were coming true and they'd have to win games 7-5. After seeing all 60 minutes, I think this team has the potential to be pretty good defensively, but they have a ways to go to get there. Ostertag has obvious, and unsurprising, adjustments to make. Skarzynski looks like she's still trying to readjust to being a defenseman. Marshall and Robinson have moments where they're great, and then stretches where it all seems to fall apart; the former gets caught up the ice as the puck goes the other way.

In all three games, I've thought that Knowles and Brown were pretty clearly Minnesota's two best defensemen, and as a pairing, they complement each other nicely. Brown looks about a half step faster than she was last year, allowing her to recover better and she can disrupt plays everywhere. Knowles mostly just needs to stay out of the box, which she did a better job of tonight.

.

Brown really is playing well, easily the most improved player from last year at this time. I'm not seeing the problem you see with Marshall, I'm thinking in your old age you saw it once and can't remember if it happened once or half a dozen times. I really like the play of both.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Big congrats to Gopher alumna Hannah Brandt on being selected as the first VEDA NWHL Player of the Week of the 2018-19 season. The Whitecaps swept the Metropolitan Riverters 4-0 and 3-1 in front of sold out crowds for both games at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul.

https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/956768

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I see where Friday night's game in St. Cloud will be streamed live at FloHockey.com. Who knows, having paid for the annual subscription I just might get my money's worth by the end of the season.

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Big congrats to Gopher alumna Hannah Brandt on being selected as the first VEDA NWHL Player of the Week of the 2018-19 season. The Whitecaps swept the Metropolitan Riverters 4-0 and 3-1 in front of sold out crowds for both games at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul.

https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/956768

We went to the Saturday game. Very nice facility, of course. Much younger adult crowd than there usually is at Gopher games. Hannah still does it all including shifts on the power play and the penalty kill. Leveille looked as good as ever and Thunstrom, Coyne and Schipper as fast as ever. It was a fun game to watch.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Nice article on Ostertag from the Team USA hockey website...

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/955113

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Nice article on Ostertag from the Team USA hockey website...

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/955113

Thanks for posting. Pretty amazing that 13 current Gophers have experience with USA National teams.

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

How did you guys only get like 1.4 points out of Agnew last year