Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

[osualum86]

Let's get this started. This is a huge road series for Ohio State. This is another top-tier team that we have not had a lot of success against historically. If this Ohio State team is going to make a push to finish in the top four of the WCHA this season, this is a series they need to find a way to get points in. Brooky, ARM, anxiously awaiting for your input here. After this series, we take a break until hosting Princeton at the end of the year. Good luck to both teams. I am actually looking forward to seeing what we can do against the Olympic bronze medal goalie, Nora Raty, although just thinking about us facing her reminds me of that line in 'Miracle'. You know which one I am talking about ... paraphrasing here ... "If you score against her, keep the puck, because it doesn't happen very often." I will definitely take a split on the road in this one. Just find a way to get some points and go to Christmas break with some happy thoughts.

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I hate replying to threads that I start. Just wanting to get some chatter going on this. Pgb, CanHockGuy, others, I would love to see us earn a split up there. It would help in the pairwise and give us some confidence heading into the break! Looking at the second half of the season, we should get some wins, but we will have some tough games, too. Hopefully our team continues to improve and gets some big wins down the stretch.

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I have a funny feeling Minnesota will NOT be in a good mood after getting shut out in Grand Forks on Saturday. That should provide all the motivation the Gophers need as they strive to get back to their winning ways against OSU.

[CanHockGuy]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

With Bemidji and MD breathing down your neck, I would say a split is very important going forward. It won't be easy; they're not happy right now. Minny has many weapons at their disposal, but they are beatable. We witnessed this last weekend where a solid game plan was implemented. Even though the Minny power play was weak on Saturday, Ohio State must stay out of the box to have any chance of winning. You won't see it, but I personally would go with something like a 1-4 umbrella, to try and slow down the Minny speed. Transition is the key to creating good scoring chances, but a run and gun with Minny would mean certain death; they're too deep. The neutral zone will be the key to any Ohio State success. Nat, Laura, and Ally can transition very well, but the player I would need to pick up her game is Hokey Langan. The coach has to find a way to get her more involved. Her numbers are ok, but not Hokey numbers. Is she healthy? If she is, I would look for her to do her usual damage the rest of the way. Maybe she can be a factor this weekend. She may have to be.

[5 4 Fighting]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

With Bemidji and MD breathing down your neck, I would say a split is very important going forward. It won't be easy; they're not happy right now. Minny has many weapons at their disposal, but they are beatable. We witnessed this last weekend where a solid game plan was implemented. Even though the Minny power play was weak on Saturday, Ohio State must stay out of the box to have any chance of winning. You won't see it, but I personally would go with something like a 1-4 umbrella, to try and slow down the Minny speed. Transition is the key to creating good scoring chances, but a run and gun with Minny would mean certain death; they're too deep. The neutral zone will be the key to any Ohio State success. Nat, Laura, and Ally can transition very well, but the player I would need to pick up her game is Hokey Langan. The coach has to find a way to get her more involved. Her numbers are ok, but not Hokey numbers. Is she healthy? If she is, I would look for her to do her usual damage the rest of the way. Maybe she can be a factor this weekend. She may have to be.

+1

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I hate replying to threads that I start. Just wanting to get some chatter going on this.

Agreed, double-posting should be used sparingly. But to get something new going, you do what you have to do. IMHO, your weekly OSU vs. Current Opponent threads have met or exceeded all reasonable expectations. There's certainly no need to apologize. Quite to the contrary, you're to be congratulated.

Pgb, CanHockGuy, others, I would love to see us earn a split up there. It would help in the pairwise and give us some confidence heading into the break!

Amen!

Looking at the second half of the season, we should get some wins, but we will have some tough games, too. Hopefully our team continues to improve and gets some big wins down the stretch.

Home ice for the conference playoffs is a reasonable goal. A berth in the 8 team NCAA field is a reasonable goal. Would a first round match-up with Mercyhurst be OK?

Achieving those goals will indeed require some big wins down the stretch. Here's to hoping.

[WCHFan]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I've seen both play and feel the key will be stopping Minnys top line and staying out of the box. 5 or more penalties and Minny wins going away. Also feels OSU needs to be able to clear the puck from D zone. Looks like they have 3 centers on every line. Wings don't get to the boards quick enough and bunch which results in opposing D firing it back in and sloppy play. Wings must be smarter and not bunch to the middle and chip the puck out of the zone quickly. Goalies will also have to have great games.

I hope for good games and see Minny with a sweep.

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! CanHockGuy, you are spot on as usual! I enjoy your wisdom on these threads! Pgb, if the team can achieve those goals (home ice in WCHA playoffs, NCAA tournament berth vs anyone), that would be fantastic in Coach Nate's first season here! D2D, I agree, Minnesota is going to be ready to go this weekend after getting blanked by North Dakota. We just might be going into a hornet's nest Friday. Fiver, stop by anytime! Hope all is going well this season for Elmira!

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I'm not sure how radically your team has changed from year's past with a new coach. However, in the recent past, the most competitive games have come when your goaltender has played very well. Working backwards, your wins in this series are by scores like 4-1, 7-1, 2-1, 3-2 OT, and 2-1 OT. Last season, you took us to OT in a 2-1 UM win here where the Gophers were held off the board until the 3rd period and their only goals came on shots from just inside the blue line. So of late, if the Gophers can get 3 goals, they tend to do well.

[BozIce99]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

I think any success tOSU hopes for in this series will be defined not by how many you put in but by how many you keep out.
Your team defense and goalkeeper will have to be lights out.

[WCHFan]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

Agree with Boz. OSU will have to score at least 3 a game to have a chance. It can be done especially having a Spoon and a Mac.

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

Agree with Boz. OSU will have to score at least 3 a game to have a chance. It can be done especially having a Spoon and a Mac.

Like your line about us "having a Spoon and a Mac." We'll need them both to have big weekends if we are going to be successful up there. Hope I have the coin to make a road trip up there sometime! I would love to have a facility like yours down here with a couple of hockey-only arenas for our programs. Hey, are you guys getting the Womens Frozen Four this season or is it at UMD's new arena? We actually went last season when it was right up in Erie. You never know when it's going to be that close again. I would love to see the Womens Frozen Four here in Ohio sometime. The problem here is that we don't really have the right size arena. You can't hold a Womens Frozen Four at Nationwide Arena or the Schott ... too big. Toledo just built a new downtown arena that could work. The Toledo Walleye of the ECHL play there and I think it holds 6,500 or something like that. Anyway, not to get off topic here, good luck this weekend. I'll be doing the live stats or gametracker thing on this one unless some of you Minnesota fans know where I can watch online for free (LOL)!

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

Hey, are you guys getting the Womens Frozen Four this season or is it at UMD's new arena?

It's at Duluth this season, Minneapolis the next.

I'll be doing the live stats or gametracker thing on this one unless some of you Minnesota fans know where I can watch online for free (LOL)!

Minnesota's video is a subscription service, but the audio is free.

[WCHFan]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

OSUALUM and PGB Ohio you might get your wish after this weekend as the Wed column says they will be watching (below) I do hope for competitive games. I'll have to admit I've always been a Minny fan but OSU is right up there. I do wish for the WCHA which is by far the best and toughest conference to have 6 teams in the top ten. Big fan of Spooner. My hope is for some GREAT hockey. I'm a little nervous after the UND series. Saw both games and have never seen a game like the first one. Every shot seemed to go in and I think 9 goals on 15 shots. Hope that never happens again to OSU. Stay out of the box!



Arlan: Can I take a raincheck on Ohio State? After watching North Dakota on television last weekend, the Buckeyes are the one WCHA team that I’ve not seen at all this year, but I get to watch them live on Saturday and Sunday. My column in another week will focus on Ohio State.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2011/12/07/wedn...#ixzz1fulz8iaP

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 12/10 - 12/11

Weekend Preview: Gophers Host Ohio State Saturday and Sunday

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w...120711aaa.html