Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

[mnstate0fhockey]

Get bent. MN has two games that they haven't played yet, did u c that? Yep, didn't think so. LOL

It's amazing how many people don't realize the Gophers have two games in hand on everyone ahead of them in the WCHA.

[4four4]

It's amazing how many people don't realize the Gophers have two games in hand on everyone ahead of them in the WCHA.

This . Even Doug woog knows.

[Greyeagle]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

Get bent. MN has two games that they haven't played yet, did u c that? Yep, didn't think so. LOL

[Driftryder]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

From Gophersports

–Keeping with the state of Minnesota’s legacy as the land of pond hockey, the Minnesota men’s hockey program will unveil a commemorative jersey for the upcoming OfficeMax Hockey City Classic on Tuesday night at Lake of the Isles Outdoor Rink in Minneapolis.

Minnesota head coach Don Lucia and team captain Zach Budish will be on hand for Tuesday’s unveiling with the event scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT. Lucia and Budish will be available for interviews following the unveiling.

The team also announced that each of the game worn Gopher jerseys and select replicas will be auctioned off following Sunday’s game with the proceeds benefitting Defending the Blue Line. More information for the auction will be announced at a later date. Defending the Blue Line families and staff will also be on hand for Tuesday’s unveiling and will skate with members of the Gopher hockey staff following the unveiling. The unveiling and skate are open to the public.

The OfficeMax Hockey City Classic is set for Sunday, Feb. 17 at Chicago’s Soldier Field with Minnesota taking on border rival Wisconsin following a matchup between Notre Dame and Miami. Sunday’s event marks Minnesota’s first outdoor game in the modern era.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m...021113aaa.html

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

This is purely my speculation(obviously), but even with two games in hand I think the Mac is pretty much out of reach.

With St Cloud's remaining schedule, I just don't see it. At CC I see a three point weekend, at home against Tech is a sweep, and then "at" sconnie could easily be a sweep. That would put Cloud at 42pts.

UND is at DU which is a big rivalry and DU just doesn't get swept, split. Then the play at home against BSU, who they should sweep. Their final regular season series is at Kato, I say split there. Total of 36pts.

UNO finishes up at UAA who they should sweep, at home against sconnie which should be at least a three point weekend, and their last series is at UMD which even with how erratic UMD is I'll say a split because it's in Duluth. Total of 35pts.

The Gophers have sconnie this weekend, but the outdoor game is kind of a crap shoot. I'll say split, even though this is a series that the Gophers could easily sweep. Duluth at home should be a sweep with how weird UMD is but they might be in a home ice battle and they will play the Gophers tough. Denver at home and, again, they just don't get swept so I see a split. Finish the regular season at Bemidji and that should be a sweep, but I'm not sure what exactly to expect out of them. I have the Gophers with 38pts to end the WCHA season. Pains me to say, good enough for second place and a Thursday night bye in the Final Five(should they advance), but just not enough to overcome SCSU's easy schedule down the stretch.

Didn't realize this until I looked at all the schedules, but sconnie is gonna have their say in this one by the looks of it.

[mnstate0fhockey]

This is purely my speculation(obviously), but even with two games in hand I think the Mac is pretty much out of reach.

With St Cloud's remaining schedule, I just don't see it. At CC I see a three point weekend, at home against Tech is a sweep, and then "at" sconnie could easily be a sweep. That would put Cloud at 42pts.

UND is at DU which is a big rivalry and DU just doesn't get swept, split. Then the play at home against BSU, who they should sweep. Their final regular season series is at Kato, I say split there. Total of 36pts.

UNO finishes up at UAA who they should sweep, at home against sconnie which should be at least a three point weekend, and their last series is at UMD which even with how erratic UMD is I'll say a split because it's in Duluth. Total of 35pts.

The Gophers have sconnie this weekend, but the outdoor game is kind of a crap shoot. I'll say split, even though this is a series that the Gophers could easily sweep. Duluth at home should be a sweep with how weird UMD is but they might be in a home ice battle and they will play the Gophers tough. Denver at home and, again, they just don't get swept so I see a split. Finish the regular season at Bemidji and that should be a sweep, but I'm not sure what exactly to expect out of them. I have the Gophers with 38pts to end the WCHA season. Pains me to say, good enough for second place and a Thursday night bye in the Final Five(should they advance), but just not enough to overcome SCSU's easy schedule down the stretch.

Didn't realize this until I looked at all the schedules, but sconnie is gonna have their say in this one by the looks of it.

I think it is too close to call right now, but agree that SCSU is in the driver's seat. We just need to take it one game at a time and worry about our own house. It's far more important to be playing our best hockey at the end of the year, and this close race for the Cup is going to keep the team hungry.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

If and it's a big if (sconny always plays us tough) we sweep Becky I think we have a decent shot at the Mac, we would be 1pt back and I think we make that up playing UMD at home. I have us sweeping UMD and splitting with Denver then sweeping Bemidji. So 13 more pts for 39 pts total for the Gophers and winning the MacNaughton.

Cloud splits at CC, takes 3 from Tech and splits with Becky for 38pts and 2nd place.

We'll see.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

I think it is too close to call right now, but agree that SCSU is in the driver's seat. We just need to take it one game at a time and worry about our own house. It's far more important to be playing our best hockey at the end of the year, and this close race for the Cup is going to keep the team hungry.

Agree on the one game at a time comment. At this point I'm really not worried about the Mac. I'd rather this team get the most out of every remaining game. If that results in the Mac, great! If not, I just hope they have their focus on for the Final Five(and moving forward to the regional), which is what I would consider to be much more important than the regular season title.

[Stauber1]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

If and it's a big if (sconny always plays us tough) we sweep Becky I think we have a decent shot at the Mac, we would be 1pt back and I think we make that up playing UMD at home. I have us sweeping UMD and splitting with Denver then sweeping Bemidji. So 13 more pts for 39 pts total for the Gophers and winning the MacNaughton.

Cloud splits at CC, takes 3 from Tech and splits with Becky for 38pts and 2nd place.

We'll see.

St. Cloud going 3-2-1 over their last 6 would be a pretty big choke job.
I don't think it's likely that they will only earn 7 of the last 12 points available to them. They are playing too good right now.

It really comes down to them. If St. Cloud comes out hungry for the next 6 games, I don't see them going ANY worse than 4-1-1.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

St. Cloud going 3-2-1 over their last 6 would be a pretty big choke job.
I don't think it's likely that they will only earn 7 of the last 12 points available to them. They are playing too good right now.

It really comes down to them. If St. Cloud comes out hungry for the next 6 games, I don't see them going ANY worse than 4-1-1.

Pretty much how I feel, which is why the Gophers need to focus on themselves. No need to scoreboard watch, just focus up one game at a time(as mnstateofhockey said) and I think the 2 seed is very attainable and very beneficial for the Final Five.

[Tiggsy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

Pretty much how I feel, which is why the Gophers need to focus on themselves. No need to scoreboard watch, just focus up one game at a time(as mnstateofhockey said) and I think the 2 seed is very attainable and very beneficial for the Final Five.

I'd be okay with that and taking the Broadmoor. I finally got a pic of my kids with the Cup this year so need the Broadmoor to complete the set. Plus it's been a bit longer since we've taken tat home.

Love to see the Cup come home one last time but it will take a huge fall by SCSU. But if anyone can find a way to lose the Cup, the huskies can.

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

Agree on the one game at a time comment. At this point I'm really not worried about the Mac. I'd rather this team get the most out of every remaining game. If that results in the Mac, great! If not, I just hope they have their focus on for the Final Five(and moving forward to the regional), which is what I would consider to be much more important than the regular season title.

I agree that all they can do is take each game one at a time and see how things fall out. They haven't exactly been sweeping every weekend, so while they seem to have the skill to outplay anyone, it hasn't worked out that way on paper. But at the same time. That also means it is tough for SCSU to sweep two series as well.

But the talk about taking the McNaughton not mattering much is something I don't feel. NC's are the pinnacle, but not all there is. There have been several seasons that the Gophs seemed to have a team capable, or even almost expected to win the NC. But everything has to fall into place for that to happen. Only one team wins that game and it often isn't the most talented. So I savor every McNaughton and Broadmore they can win as well. It is a great feeling and you need to enjoy those moments when they clinch, or win those. At least that way you've experienced that feeling even if they come up against a hot goalie or get the wrong bounces in a game later. So I won't say that all that matters in the NC, because they can be a long time in between. I want them to win everything every year, if possible.

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

Its too bad SCSU has a bye this week. Could have easily seen a let down following playing the Gophs, but now they have a week to get tuned up.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

To go along with the throwback jerseys at this weekend's outdoor game in ChiTown, the 1960-61 Golden Gophers roster. They went 8-1-1 in their last 10 games including placing 3rd in the NCAA Frozen Four. This was relatively fresh off of John Mariucci's protest against overage Canadians in NCAA college hockey (e.g. Denver), yet he never regretted keeping one lone Canadian on his roster, 19 year old sophomore defenseman, Lou Nanne. Nanne would go on to spend his entire NHL pro and management career with the Minnesota North Stars. Mariucci later worked for Lou Nanne as an asst. general manager of the Minnesota North Stars until his passing in 1987.

*****http://i594.***********.com/albums/tt28/harleymc1/Larry_NCAA_hockey_program_Mar16_1961b_2_zpsa01cdcc e.jpg******

John Mariucci and Lou Nanne with the home jersey version (this weekend #2 will be worn by Brady Skjei):

*****http://i594.***********.com/albums/tt28/harleymc1/Lou_Nanne_with_Maroosh_zps3e790421.jpg******

Lou Nanne interview:

Q.What don’t we know about John Mariucci?

A.That he was really a kind, caring, giving guy who really wanted to see his players succeed, the kids that he took to the
University. He kept a special interest in them long after they were at the University. And he was probably the most influential
guy in American hockey in, I’d say, in the last 30 years, of the last century. Well, more than 30, 50 years. I don’t know of
anybody in the United States that did more for US hockey from 1950 to 2000 than John Mariucci.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!

Never again shall we play outside. THis is an abortion.