Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

[burd]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

I don't know . . . if you guys care to hear from a completely neutral observer, I'd say the gophers are circling the drain a little early this year.

But hey, you've got God back in your lives.

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

Not if you win you don't, you only have score enough to win which they did.

How many years have you been watching hockey? A win is a win. If you have been watching any amount of time, you've seen teams that were clearly outplayed win because of a hot goalie or luck. You just need for your team to play hard, and to win. The Gophs did both. Everything is fine. (Although I feel a little pessimism creeping in. Not based on their play, but on the fact that I feel I need to counter Scooby. Is it meth???)

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

Glad to already see in-fighting amongst Gopher fans when the team is 4-1. Too early in the season to make any kind of accurate prediction how it will turn out, but I believe this team is destined for greatness, despite scoring only 1 goal against a Canisius team that had not given up more than 3 goals in a game* all year.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

By the way D2D, that was directed towards others more than towards you. Just tired of how some have over-blown the results of that game.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Completely irrelevant to the original statement!

If you want to say, "Holding other teams scoreless will win you a lot of games" then that would be a true statement also.

Not really. It was one game. If you want to project one aspect of that game (only scoring one goal) onto the entire season last year, maybe we can project another aspect (allowing no goals) onto last season too. It makes just as much sense, which is none.

Fact remains, it was just one game. One game against a team that played a very sound, disciplined defensive game in which they kept four guys back, clogged the neutral zone, and limited the amount of second chances very effectively. Not to mention, their goalie played pretty darn well.

And we still controlled the puck 90% of the game, had it in the offensive zone 80% of the game, attempted 73 shots, and got 42 on net.

If you think we're going to struggle to score more than a goal a game average this season, you're rudely mistaken. And if not, I'm not quite sure why we're talking about how many games we'll win while only scoring one goal.

It was one game.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

And if the Gophers didn't let their opponents score any goals in the 43 games they played last year, how many would they have won?

Completely irrelevant to the original statement!

If you want to say, "Holding other teams scoreless will win you a lot of games" then that would be a true statement also.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Looking at last year's results, if the Gophers had scored just the one goal in each of their 43 games they would have only won 8 of them. So 'gopher wes' was right when he said, "One goal isn't going to win you many games."

And if the Gophers didn't let their opponents score any goals in the 43 games they played last year, how many would they have won?

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

It does when your opponent doesn't score any goals. Seems simple to me.

Looking at last year's results, if the Gophers had scored just the one goal in each of their 43 games they would have only won 8 of them. So 'gopher wes' was right when he said, "One goal isn't going to win you many games."

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

Which is great! I'm not going to disagree with that.

My point: One goal isn't going to win you many games.

It does when your opponent doesn't score any goals. Seems simple to me.

[MINNESOTA]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

Either way, it was a pretty stupid comment, as the USA team that plays in the USHL is primarily made up of the U-17 players.

I didn't watch or listen to the game, but I'm not surprised that the U-18 squad played well against Minnesota. They are very talented. Plus, my guess is that Minnesota did not play up to their ability either. In an exhibition game, all I ever care about is that everyone comes away healthy, which it sounds like happened.

I think that's definitely fair. The U-18 team certainly DOES have some real talent. They played UND and Bemidji State very, very tough as well. They outshot UND 38-19 in the loss. They outshot BSU 30-24, also in a loss.

I must admit I was maybe a wee bit troubled that Minnesota only managed a tie, but Demko did have a strong night in goal for the U-18 boys. The Gophers were actually very dominant in that game during several stretches.

As for Canisius? The Gophers almost entirely dictated play. When a goalie stops 41 shots it's difficult not to tip your cap to him a bit.

It isn't time to panic in MN. The Gophers have real talent. They aren't firing on all cylinders yet... but it's EARLY. It's early and they ARE 4-1-0 after all.

I think fans were way too high after stomping on a very young Michigan State team (and too low after losing a game on the road against a much improved Michigan Tech team).

Calm down, folks. It's a long season.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

2-0 vs. the CCHA
1-0 vs. Atlantic Hockey

PWR is in great shape.

Correct.

http://siouxsports.com/hockey/rankings/pwr/

Of course Penn State is in the tournament along with Dartmouth and Brown but yeah winning NC games is huge come tourney time.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Which is great! I'm not going to disagree with that.

My point: One goal isn't going to win you many games.

Agreed. And my point is, it was one game. If we continue to only score one goal a game from here on out, then I'll be more concerned.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

But the Gophers didn't give up a goal. They stayed patient and didn't make any costly mistakes.

Which is great! I'm not going to disagree with that.

My point: One goal isn't going to win you many games.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Hindsight is 20/20. Had the Gophers given up a late goal to tie the score, everyone would be saying exactly what I said.

Bottom line: Yes, I'm happy the Gophers won. But the Gophers have more than enough firepower to put up more than one goal against a team like that even with a hot goalie(I do credit Canisius for coming in with a gameplan that kept them in it right to the end, though).

But the Gophers didn't give up a goal. They stayed patient and didn't make any costly mistakes.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Minnesota hosts U-18 and Canisius 10/26-10/28

2-0 vs. the CCHA
1-0 vs. Atlantic Hockey

PWR is in great shape.