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The Buckeyes just completed a sweep of Penn State last weekend to get the new year started off the right way. The Buckeyes won 8-0 Friday and 4-0 Saturday. Things get quite a bit tougher this weekend as the team travels to Minneapolis to take on #1-ranked Minnesota. The Gophers are coming into the game with a record of 19-1. Their winning streak was finally stopped by North Dakota, so as good teams do, they started another winning streak. This will be a tall task for the Buckeyes. Minnesota defeated Ohio State in Columbus last month by scores of 9-2 and 5-1. Ohio State is currently setting in last place in the WCHA with 8 points, although the Buckeyes are playing much better now than they were earlier this season. We'll see what happens. Good luck to both teams and let's have an injury-free weekend for all. CrazyDave, ARM, Brookyone, other Minnesota fans, feel free to chime in with your thoughts!
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
I've seen a little rust on Minnesota in the past after break. Honestly would not expect that from this Gopher squad that seems to have the proper focus and motivation. I'd bet there will be no 7 goal margins in the rematch. Buckeyes will be energized from the Penn St. series. If I recall...Saturday is live on the BTN network. Hope to see tons 'o teddy bears this weekend. I'm looking forward to getting back to the rink.
Oh...and catching Spooner during the USA vs. Canada games...I'm reminded how pleased I am I won't be watching her this weekend at Ridder. As entertaining as she was...and frightening for opponents.Minnesota Hockey -
Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Brook, thank you for responding. Hey, you would know this, but when is Amanda Kessel going to be ready to go? I knew she was out, but I never heard what happened or how long she would be out. I know the standard terminology ... upper body injury, lower body injury. Honestly, if the USA does not win gold in Sochi, I will be disappointed. They have a speed advantage, which should bode well on the larger ice surface in Sochi. Getting back to the original topic, maybe getting the loss/streak out of the way helped your kids to refocus. And yes, you will not have to see Natalie Spooner playing for the Bucks (LOL). We did a nice job last season with 'scoring by committee', but it's been a little tougher this year. We had that brutal stretch in October and November. Time will tell if we have righted the ship. I hope so. Hey, quick question, is Ridder NHL-size or Olympic-size? I know Mariucci Arena is a big sheet of ice, but in checking out the pic on Minnesota's athletic website, Ridder appears to be NHL-size. Is that correct? I know I sound like a broken record complaining about our facilities, but I really need to start buying mega millions or powerball tickets so we can have something like that here (Ridder/Mariucci). Best hockey facilities in the Big Ten/WCHA, in my humble opinion. I, and many other OSU hockey fans, believe that our facilities are hurting both programs. I have always believed in something in the 7,000 - 9,000 range that both programs would use, but at this point, I would probably settle for 6,000 or 7,000. Our men have only been getting 4,000 and change lately at Value City Arena. We'll see if that changes with the Big Ten Hockey Conference games like some down here think it will. Value City Arena would actually be a decent facility if we could at least fill up the lower bowl. As things are, it becomes very cavernous when only 25% full, and the atmosphere suffers. Anyway, enough about that. Enjoy this weekend's games. I sincerely hope we can be more competitive this time around. Take care, Brook!Originally posted by brookyone View PostComment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Ridder is 200x85.
As for the games, I expect the Gophers to be a bit rusty but so much that it makes up the difference from the Columbus series. Ohio State is going to have to look like a much better team than they did then. I'd also appreciate it if they did less headhunting.Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Ridder is 200 X 85...so not an Olympic sheet like next door.Originally posted by osualum86 View Post
There are quite a few of us Minnesota fans who have the very same questions regarding Amanda Kessel. I don't know the answer or anything other than what Katey Stone has said...that she'll be ready when the games start in Sochi. We...or I have my concerns about her being in game shape. Others may know more than me. I was discussing this with some GWH fans just the other day. I thought I had read, or heard Kessel was skating with some men's or boys teams while training, or doing rehab away from the team. Which should / would help IMO when it comes to being ready. A healthy Kessel would be a major plus for USA I think.
I'm inclined to agree regarding facilities potentially affecting recruiting positively, or negatively depending. Maybe not for all...but certainly many. I mean seriously, who would want to spend 4-5 years in Grand Forks if not for...
Kidding...KIDDING! Seriously...I don't quite understand OSU not having hockey facilities on par with most others in the men's / women's WCHA or Big 10 schools.
You guys will be able to watch the BTN broadcast right?Minnesota HockeyComment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Would like to add to the discussion as to how the Gophers have been looking lately, but there has been no lately...they will have been off for more than a month when they drop the puck on Friday, which makes it so hard to predict what might happen. Although based on the results in the first half, which would clearly say the Gophers are the clear favorite to sweep, I'd say that the Buckeyes will come to Ridder with lots of confidence (based on their impressive sweep vs. Penn State) and very determined to start anew (after their very disappointing first half) and wanting to build onto their promising start in the second half. Bottom line is that nearly everyone expects this to be an easy Gophers' sweep, but personally I don't see it that way. I predict a very close game on Friday - with one goal deciding it either way - and a +2 or +3 game Gopher win in the rematch when the Gophers find their legs and get back to playing their normal game. Of course, I very well could be wrong, but that's my (somewhat) fearless prediction.Originally posted by osualum86 View PostMinnesota Golden Gopher HockeyComment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
True enough.Originally posted by Eeyore View Post
That's uncalled for and unjustified. But rather than just assume you were out of line, I went ahead and checked penalty stats for the last five seasons. I collected numbers for Average Penalty Minutes Per Game, and Rank Within The WCHA. First means most penalized, eighth means least penalized. The source for the raw data is USCHO. Computational errors are mine.I'd also appreciate it if they did less headhunting.
2008-09
MN 16.43 1st
OSU 14.86 5th
2009-10
MN 12.00 5th
OSU 12.14 3rd
2010-11
MN 13.64 3rd
OSU 8.89 6th
2011-12
MN 10.16 6th
OSU 12.67 4th
2012-13
MN 8.50 7th
OSU 8.61 6th
Five Year Averages
MN 12.15 4th
OSU 11.43 4th
It's a virtual dead heat. Over the long term, neither program is more penalty prone than the other.
Now, what about the current season? Due to the infamous OSU/BSU post-game brawl, the numbers for both those teams are skewed high. With that game included in the count, OSU has 358 penalty minutes over the course of 20 games, for an average of 17.9 minutes. That does lead the league. So if that's what where you're coming from, yeah, I guess you've got "bragging rights" in 2013-14. But suppose we exclude that once in 15 years anomaly:
2013-2014, Excluding 11/8 Game vs. BSU
MN 8.29 7th
OSU 9.74 4th
The numbers remain more similar than different. The gap is a bit less than 1 additional minor per game. Given that we've just been through perhaps the most frustrating 1st Half in program history, that's not a huge difference.
I don't know, maybe I should just shrug off such banter. But head hunting is a pretty incendiary charge, particularly when it's not backed up by the numbers.Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
In addition to just a return to hockey after 5 weeks, we should see a near-sellout on Friday thanks to $1 tickets, the aforementioned Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday, and the new Wall of Champions on the Ridder Arena concourse.
Just a couple of thoughts about the games...
Is Lisa Steffes the #1 starter in goal now for the Buckeyes? She's clearly got the better numbers this year compared to Chelsea Knapp, including getting both shutouts against the Nittany Lions.
I'll be very interested in seeing how much jump the Buckeyes have. They had picked up a big sweep on the road at New Hampshire on Thanksgiving weekend... and then the Gophers came into Columbus and lit them up 14-3. Now the Buckeyes just picked up a big non-conference sweep of Penn State and now face Minnesota again.
What I don't want to see is another game like we saw on Dec. 8th. Excluding the game misconduct that accompanied the checking-from-behind penalty, there were 19 penalties in that game. It wasn't just ugly, it was "U"-gly. Certainly that wasn't entirely on OSU -- the Gophers went to the sin bin 11 of those 19 times -- but it does raise some questions about the Buckeyes' willingness to play a chippy game (if not a chip on their shoulders) following the brawl with BSU a few weeks earlier and the fact that the Gophers had lit the lamp 9 times the previous night.Last edited by CrazyDave; 01-07-2014, 08:01 AM.Give blood... Play Gopher Hockey!
Men's National Championships: 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003
Women's National Championships: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
FWIW, I didn't see Kessel at the USA / St Sebastian's game on Sunday. Obviously she wasn't dressed, but I didn't see her in the audience or after the game either.Originally posted by brookyone View PostComment
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I have as much respect for you as I do for any poster on this forum, but I think we can all agree that what happened over the final three seasons of the Jackie Barto regime isn't that relevant to what may have occurred in one particular series or game back in December. As for the Minnesota penalty minutes, it took several years of the coaches harping on the players to stay out of the penalty box before the message seemed to start to sink in. The Gophers did not beat Wisconsin much over the start of your five-year window, and one of the problems was that they spent far more time sitting in the box. Coincidentally or not, when the penalty minutes started to decrease, winning started to increase.Originally posted by pgb-ohio View Post
We get that it is frustrating to be in last place. Some of the comments made after the brawl with BSU were a little concerning. Teams are going to celebrate when they win. If an opponent doesn't like that, then it should try harder while the 60 minutes are counting down to prevent that win. Once the horn goes, a player needs to accept the fact that the game is over and wait until next time.
So personally, I hope that neither team feels the need to commit penalties such as CFBs that result in DQs or that involve contact with the goaltender. I want everyone available to play in future games, and I don't want to see any injury that ends a season or career or completely alters a young lady's life.
In OSU's most recent series versus Penn State, the Buckeyes committed zero minors in one game, two in the other. I take that as a positive sign of the type of hockey that they intend to play this weekend."... And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;" -- Rudyard KiplingComment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
LOL, I don't think our athletic department understands it either!Originally posted by brookyone View PostI'm inclined to agree regarding facilities potentially affecting recruiting positively, or negatively depending. Maybe not for all...but certainly many. I mean seriously, who would want to spend 4-5 years in Grand Forks if not for... Kidding...KIDDING! Seriously...I don't quite understand OSU not having hockey facilities on par with most others in the men's / women's WCHA or Big 10 schools.Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
I'm not relying on the numbers but rather what I watched myself back in December. That check from behind was one of the most brutal I've seen in the women's game and overall I thought OSU played extremely chippy. And from a little farther back, two years ago Ally Tarr broke Emily West's jaw with a check to the head. So, no, I don't think this is out of line at all.Originally posted by pgb-ohio View PostComment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Well, back when JLam wore a Gopher sweater I saw her commit a very vicious slashing penalty -- and complain about the call all the way to the box. Does that demonstrate those Gophers were a team of slashers? Of course not.Originally posted by Eeyore View Post
I do remember the CFB you're referencing, and I specifically condemned that hit in my Three Stars post. So no disagreement on that particular play. But the bigger picture? Of course you're not relying on the numbers. The numbers get in the way of your naughty little pleasure of hating OSU.
No useful purpose would be served by trotting out old quotes, but you've made your feelings on our school and community pretty clear over multiple posts. Maybe I have too long a memory. But the headhunter comment feels like just one more installment in the series.Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
Note to pgb -- though he might be wearing maroon and gold now, you're trying to reason with someone from Ann Arbor. Good luck with that.
Give blood... Play Gopher Hockey!
Men's National Championships: 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003
Women's National Championships: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016Comment
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Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11
That was before I started following women's hockey so I couldn't really say. However, I have no problem with criticizing a team for continuing to play them and I do think that doing so says something about a team's character. I suspect that I would have enjoyed the last several seasons quite a bit less had I been watching them in maroon and gold.Originally posted by pgb-ohio View Post
Overall penalty numbers are actually a terrible way to determine which players and or teams are dirty because penalties can be called for many things that are related to obstruction rather than dangerous play. And it is not just that one play. I pointed out another play on which an OSU player cheapshotted a Gopher into a significant injury and, as much as you may like to, you can't just ignore that the Buckeyes were involved in a bench clearing brawl in which it was your player that picked up an instigator call.I do remember the CFB you're referencing, and I specifically condemned that hit in my Three Stars post. So no disagreement on that particular play. But the bigger picture? Of course you're not relying on the numbers. The numbers get in the way of your naughty little pleasure of hating OSU.
So, no, it's not just one play. And it should be noted that when I talk about this with people in person, and not just with Gopher fans, it's clear that I'm not the only one that feels this way about your team. There is a fairly widespread perception that OSU is a chippy, nasty team.Comment
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