Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

For winning the B1G, the Gophers don't control their own destiny.

You're correct Koho. MSU and Michigan control their own destiny. MSU leads the B1G in pts and a sweep wins the B1G. If Michigan sweeps MSU, and the Gophers sweep Penn State, Michigan wins the B1G Title on the first tiebreaker...most wins in the B1G regular season.

In the last 7 home and home meetings since 2009-10 between Michigan and and Michigan State, both teams have swept each other once (MSU/2009-10, Mich/2012-13). Michigan was just swept last weekend on the road by Penn State. I think Red would go into cardiac arrest if they were swept back to back to close out their season. Last time that happened to Michigan under Red was probably '86.

Michigan hasn't been swept back to back during the season since 2009-10 (Miami, Michigan State), yet later in the CCHA playoffs that season they swept MSU at the Munn. MSU has not been swept by a B1G team this season. Head to head, Michigan leads the series 2-1. Should be an intense series between these two rivals this weekend.

Also, you know your conference awards points in a stupid fashion when the team with the best winning percentage sits in 3rd place.

Losing 3 shootout pts. this season bit us in the ***. Wisconsin and MSU are tied for the B1G lead at 2 shootout wins each this season. Penn State lost 1 shootout and the Gophers have lost 3 this season.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Game day I guess. If we drop one, we're out of the bye. That's rough too because with our poor record on Saturday's I don't think there's any way we can win three straight games.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

SO pts being a part of the conference is pretty stupid. Losing crucial pts because of a gimmick makes this conference even tougher to swallow.

Just go back to a tie being a tie, it is ok not to have a "winner".


In the NHL I always laugh when the announcers say x team wins 3-2 over y team and it was in a shootout. NO, they didn't "win" they tied the F 'n game dumb ***.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

IT'S GAME DAY!

There's much at stake this weekend for both teams in the final home series of the regular season for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. It's noteworthy, that Penn State is also in contention for the B1G title this weekend as well. To win the B1G Title, the Nittany Lions would need to sweep the Gophers and hope Michigan wins two shootouts in their 2 game tilt with Sparty allowing Penn State to win the B1G on the first tiebreaker with Michigan. Overall, Penn State is 0-2 at Mariucci. A tall order indeed as PSU will need to turn their poor road record of 5-10-1 around this weekend on an unfamiliar olympic sheet of ice.

The Gophers are entering this weekend's series tonight intending to keep Penn State winless at the Mooch. I expect a very physical, dump and chase game from Penn. They lead the nation in shot attempts and SOG and no doubt will put Adam Wilcox's butterfly style to the test from all angles this weekend.

The Gophers have an opportunity to win the B1G with a sweep and earn a first round bye in the B1G tourney at the Joe in Detroit next week. It's senior weekend and Gopher fans will be bidding farewell to a very good senior class: Seth Ambroz, Travis Boyd, Christian Isackson, Ben Marshall, Kyle Rau and Sam Warning. I expect to see the seniors on fire all weekend, with Kyle Rau leading the charge. If they win the B1G title this weekend they will be the first senior class to play a role in winning a regular season title in each of their 4 years at the U. Go Gophers!

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Game day I guess. If we drop one, we're out of the bye. That's rough too because with our poor record on Saturday's I don't think there's any way we can win three straight games.

Even with a bye I'm not sure about their chances in the B1G Tourney given their recent history in conference tourney appearances. The last time they won one was in '06-'07 and I'm not sure when the last time was that they even won a single game in a conference tourney. I think it was probably the '07-'08 run that they made to the Final Five championship game before losing to DU.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Let's face it though, most years the conference tourney means nothing for the Gophers. They usually have an NCAA bid wrapped up by now, even a number 1 seed a few times. Right or wrong, that usually means a less than stellar effort by our squad. I think the Gophers know they will need to play hard this year to get in the tourney.

I expect a sweep this weekend and at least 1 win in the B1G tourney to get us in the NCAA tourney. Go Gophers!

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Let's face it though, most years the conference tourney means nothing for the Gophers. They usually have an NCAA bid wrapped up by now, even a number 1 seed a few times. Right or wrong, that usually means a less than stellar effort by our squad. I think the Gophers know they will need to play hard this year to get in the tourney.

I expect a sweep this weekend and at least 1 win in the B1G tourney to get us in the NCAA tourney. Go Gophers!

I agree, but this ain't most years.

And while it means little to nothing as far as PWR is concerned, it's when you want to be playing your best hockey. Now, I've seen it happen both ways. Getting spanked by UND after being up 3-0 a few years ago, they came back the next weekend and won their regional to go to the Frozen Four. Last year they lost a close one to tOSU in the B1G and came back the next weekend to win the regional, we ultimately know how last year ended. But if you look back a couple years ago to the Gophers losing on Friday night of the Final Five to CC. They went on to lose to Yale in the opening round. Then in the unspeakable game up in hell on earth, they had lost to SCSU on Friday of the Final Five.

You can say what you want about it not mattering as far as seeding is concerned, but you still want to be playing your best hockey come conference tourney time.

[MN Magic]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

I agree, but that one loss in the Big Ten Tourney could be enough to end the season.

MN Magic! We've needed you for some time now...

[captain beefheart]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

I had my car washed on the first day of the North Star Cup and on the Saturday game at Penn State, both losses. I shan't be washing it any time soon. Superstitious? Nah. Dedicated.

[Stauber1]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

You're correct Koho. MSU and Michigan control their own destiny. MSU leads the B1G in pts and a sweep wins the B1G. If Michigan sweeps MSU, and the Gophers sweep Penn State, Michigan wins the B1G Title on the first tiebreaker...most wins in the B1G regular season.

Aren't they co-champions, with MI only earning the #1 seed on tiebreak?

Losing 3 shootout pts. this season bit us in the ***. Wisconsin and MSU are tied for the B1G lead at 2 shootout wins each this season. Penn State lost 1 shootout and the Gophers have lost 3 this season.

I'm a little surprised their hasn't been more chatter about the fact that if these records were in the WCHA, Hockey East, ECAC or AHA then MN would be alone in first place heading into this weekend...

...and there would be no debate about who, exactly, controls MN's destiny

[captain beefheart]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Odds of this, odds of that, pshaw.The Gophers ultimately DO control their own destiny. If they sweep this weekend, they avoid a play in game at the Joe. If they win two there, they are in the NCAA's. Even if they lose one or even two this weekend, win three next weekend and they're in as well. Am I missing something ?

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Odds of this, odds of that, pshaw.The Gophers ultimately DO control their own destiny. If they sweep this weekend, they avoid a play in game at the Joe.

I believe the "control their own destiny" originally was with regard to first winning the B1G regular season conference title.

[captain beefheart]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

I believe the "control their own destiny" originally was with regard to first winning the B1G regular season conference title.

I never said that I'm smart , although it seemed to have nuances of both that and entry into the NCAA's. I'll get back to my Legos now... Go Gophers!

[Stauber1]

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Another strong Friday showing for the lads. PSU just really seemed to struggle with the pace the Gophers were playing at. Lots of bad passes and rushed decisions with a Gopher bearing down on them.

If the boys can carry the play to the same extent tomorrow night I just might start to feel a bit better about their postseason chances. I have a feeling PSU will be more prepared and better adjusted for the speed, so it's going to be more difficult.


How Conway only received a misconduct for that sucker punch he threw on Lettieri is totally beyond me. The NCAA went out of their way at the beginning of the season to tell officials that major penalty infractions (in particular hits from behind and contact to the head) occurring in the waning minutes of lopsided contests should receive game disqualifications. This was as obvious a situation to apply that rule to as any you will see. And the refs clearly saw it, otherwise they wouldn't have called the 5 and the misconduct.

I'd like to take a guess at the conversation in the officials circle as they were determining what to call:

Pochmara: "So, obviously a 5 and a DQ for contact to the head, eh?"
Marco Hunt: "DQ? Uhhmmmm....let's just let the league take care of that."

The referees should be ashamed, and the Big 10 should be embarrassed that they have officials in their employ who so gutlessly disregard their obligations.

If the league has any sense they will swiftly hand out a suspension before tomorrow night's rematch.