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Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

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  • Originally posted by Koho View Post
    JFC How many deflections and bounces can a team get in a weekend?

    (Although MN let up a little after pulling within one.)
    I've turned it off. They just can't beat them for some reason. Doesn't matter how bad they are.
    the state of hockey is good

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    • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

      Gophers haven't been swept by MSU since 1976. Another infamous record for a Gopher team that showed NO HEART this weekend. Gophers were outplayed and outmuscled. They didn't come mentally and physically ready to play; and looked out sync and sloppy all weekend.

      What I saw this weekend from the D was embarrassing. I stopped counting how many times they were out of position, standing around puck watching, failed on breakouts, gave the puck away or just threw it away. A few of those puck watching blunders led to goals.

      I was thinkin' split, but this might be the PWR hole that buries this team for the season (#24). I hear golf season calling.

      Last edited by SteveO; 01-20-2019, 07:01 PM.

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      • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

        It's amazing how nonchalant and careless the Gophers can be with the puck, that so often leads to prime scoring chances - and goals scored - for their opponent. And here I'm not talking exclusively about the D; the forwards are just as guilty of this, often even more so. Overall I thought the play tonight was pretty even, but if the Gophers could have cut down on their careless turnovers and needless giveaways they had a decent chance to win this game. Unfortunately, I've come to realize that that's just in their DNA, and with this group that's just the way it is.
        Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey

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        • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

          Originally posted by D2D View Post
          It's amazing how nonchalant and careless the Gophers can be with the puck, that so often leads to prime scoring chances - and goals scored - for their opponent.
          What we saw this weekend were players not mentally prepared for battle, and therefore not be fully engaged. That led to undisciplined play, very little physicality and continuity and consistent carelessness on both sides of the puck.

          What was the coaching strategy to shut down the KHL line?? The Gophers forecheck AND backcheck were totally weak and ineffective. I could drive a car through some of those open shooting lanes in front of Robson, which was where the KHL line helped bury 60% of Sparty's 10 total goals scored. Overall, D zone play was a disaster.

          Motzko told the press they were concerned about the team's "demeanor" going into Saturday's contest. If so, then partial blame for this poor performance falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. They're getting paid big bucks to get this team ready mentally and physically to play by any means possible.

          I don't know what Motzko and his staff are like in the locker room or in practices, but I suspect they're not tough enough on certain players on this team. IMO there seems to be a toxic subculture on this team and a need for an attitude/ego adjustment in some of the upperclassmen that continues to resurface.

          The Freshman line is the only line that has their head on right. If it was up to me, some of the D and F would be warming the bench for the next game or series.

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          • Originally posted by SteveO View Post
            I don't know what Motzko and his staff are like in the locker room or in practices, but I suspect they're not tough enough on certain players on this team. IMO there seems to be a toxic subculture on this team and a need for an attitude/ego adjustment in some of the upperclassmen that continues to resurface.
            Exactly this. There’s no way the team as a whole are actually as slow of skaters as the strides they make in games. I get the impression half the team is ready to Hirsch themselves off the team or hockey in general
            I wanna go fast!

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            • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

              MSU hasn't swept the Gophers at HOME since 1973.

              "We played one period out of the six,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. “And I wish I could sit here with an answer, because we're all completely blindsided by what we've just gone through".
              There are 12 games remaining in the regular season, so this is crunch time. Seems to me if a coach is being paid $600K/season on a 5 yr/$3M contract, he and his staff should know where the problem lies after 23 games sitting below .500 [9-10-4 (.478)]. Making changes and adjustments during the game is the best case scenario, not afterwards.

              Where was the hard forecheck that worked so well against Penn St.?

              Sparty literally kicked the **** out of the Gophers. Where was the physical response that was promised at the beginning of the season? Sure, a lot of blame can be placed upon the players, but there's a disconnect here that is indeed puzzling.
              Last edited by SteveO; 01-21-2019, 12:11 PM.

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              • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                You can only do so much when players have spent up to three years putting in brutal efforts a lot of the time and still getting to play every weekend.

                Mentioned it on GPL. Next year I make Walker captain and no one else deserves to even be an assistant captain until they earn it.

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                • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                  Originally posted by SteveO View Post
                  What I saw this weekend from the D was embarrassing. I stopped counting how many times they were out of position, standing around puck watching, failed on breakouts, gave the puck away or just threw it away. A few of those puck watching blunders led to goals.
                  Honestly I thought the D looked slightly improved in terms of what they were doing in the offensive zone at least. Not saying much but seeing Sadek actually get a puck past a shot blocker into the net and actually being mobile in that zone was good to see. I think Phillips and Brinkman have shown that occasionally too and had some nice pinches.

                  They're still mediocre as hell in terms of defending, terrible on the breakout (to the point that the forwards are all well behind the hash marks and the transition game is non-existent), and just lack offensive talent but you can kinda see some of what Motzko's trying to do become reality.

                  I thought Walker looked good at least, he had a goal in the first game and a few good chances yesterday. The GPS line and Novak's are still mediocre and didn't match up well with the KHL line, I suppose that isn't terribly shocking but it's disappointing to get swept by a one line team with subpar goaltending.

                  If MSU had Robson yesterday the game wouldn't have even been close, two of those goals he just looked off his angle and let in stoppable shots.

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                  • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                    Originally posted by Bonin21 View Post
                    You can only do so much when players have spent up to three years putting in brutal efforts a lot of the time and still getting to play every weekend.

                    Mentioned it on GPL. Next year I make Walker captain and no one else deserves to even be an assistant captain until they earn it.
                    NO...that's a load of BS. So Motzko comes out of this mess with impunity and it's all the players fault? Good coaches KNOW what's happening and make changes accordingly. That's what Motzko is getting paid $600K to do...that's HIS responsibility. This isn't quantum physics.

                    I've been on a lot of hockey teams. I've seen good coaches take very little and win. I'm not buying it. Motzko takes some of the blame for this debacle.

                    Next year...earn your C? That should have happened THIS year.

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                    • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                      Originally posted by SteveO View Post
                      NO...that's a load of BS. So Motzko comes out of this mess with impunity and it's all the players fault? Good coaches KNOW what's happening and make changes accordingly. That's what Motzko is getting paid $600K to do...that's HIS responsibility. This isn't quantum physics.

                      I've been on a lot of hockey teams. I've seen good coaches take very little and win. I'm not buying it. Motzko takes some of the blame for this debacle.

                      Next year...earn your C? That should have happened THIS year.
                      Walker is earning his C for next year. Who is earning their A for next year? I'll wait.

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                      • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                        Originally posted by trixR4kids View Post
                        Honestly I thought the D looked slightly improved in terms of what they were doing in the offensive zone at least. Not saying much but seeing Sadek actually get a puck past a shot blocker into the net and actually being mobile in that zone was good to see. I think Phillips and Brinkman have shown that occasionally too and had some nice pinches.

                        They're still mediocre as hell in terms of defending, terrible on the breakout (to the point that the forwards are all well behind the hash marks and the transition game is non-existent), and just lack offensive talent but you can kinda see some of what Motzko's trying to do become reality.

                        I thought Walker looked good at least, he had a goal in the first game and a few good chances yesterday. The GPS line and Novak's are still mediocre and didn't match up well with the KHL line, I suppose that isn't terribly shocking but it's disappointing to get swept by a one line team with subpar goaltending.

                        If MSU had Robson yesterday the game wouldn't have even been close, two of those goals he just looked off his angle and let in stoppable shots.
                        That's not what I saw. You need to watch the tape again. I'm a university professor and know what student-athletes go through to do what they do. So normally I don't like calling them out publicly. In the D zone there were three goals that were DIRECTLY the fault of Dmen being out of position much less all of the other poor decisions some of them repeatedly made.
                        Last edited by SteveO; 01-21-2019, 12:53 PM.

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                        • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                          Originally posted by SteveO View Post
                          The Gophers forecheck AND backcheck were totally weak and ineffective. I could drive a car through some of those open shooting lanes in front of Robson, which was where the KHL line helped bury 60% of Sparty's 10 total goals scored. Overall, D zone play was a disaster.
                          Yeah... as much as the GPS line has put up points and what not their forecheck is just garbage and Novak's line is the same thing. Not surprisingly the one line that does it consistently is all new guys who never played under Lucia. I think what you said about the toxic culture is probably the best explanation for that.

                          Motzko told the press they were concerned about the team's "demeanor" going into Saturday's contest.
                          I'd be curious to know what they mean by that. Were they cocky from the previous weekends or something? If so I wouldn't be shocked though they really shouldn't be with how they were getting some of those wins.
                          Originally posted by SteveO View Post
                          That's not what I saw. You need to watch the tape again. I'm a university professor and know what student-athletes go through to do what they do. So normally I don't like calling them out publicly. But there were three goals that were DIRECTLY the fault of Dmen being out of position.
                          I didn't say they looked good in the D zone lol, the part you bolded I was solely talking about their offensive contributions.

                          And yeah, I can't recall every goal against but the one where Zuhlsdorf let that back door pass across I just laughed, Robson had no chance and RZ had one responsibility on that play. There were plenty of other blown coverages too.
                          Last edited by trixR4kids; 01-21-2019, 12:53 PM.

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                          • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                            Originally posted by trixR4kids View Post
                            I didn't say they looked good in the D zone lol, the part you bolded I was solely talking about their offensive contributions.

                            And yeah, I can't recall every goal against but the one where Zuhlsdorf let that back door pass across I just laughed, Robson had no chance and RZ had one responsibility on that play. There were plenty of other blown coverages too.
                            I didn't see much substantive offense from any of the D.

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                            • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                              Let's not let the forwards off the hook when it comes to defending in the D zone. Just like the defense is instrumental in generating good offense it's critical that the forwards do their job in preventing goals against. All too often you see one of our D trying to gain possession behind the net or in a corner, while the forwards are standing around waiting for the breakout, leaving just the other D to cover two or more opposition players, one of which is left wide open in a prime scoring area.
                              Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey

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                              • Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2018-19: The Motzko Era Begins!

                                Originally posted by SteveO View Post
                                I didn't see much substantive offense from any of the D.
                                Well yeah... substantive offensive improvement would likely require all of them being replaced.

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