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Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

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  • #31
    Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

    Originally posted by nappyvalley View Post
    This series had a much bigger luster to me before last weekend's huge letdown at MSU. Now we're likely out of contention in the Pairwise. But it's still Minnesota so I'm looking forward to it. Hoping we can get our first ever win against them out of the way.
    Well that answers my above question

    Any insight on PSU's squad this year? Players to watch? I haven't been able to watch many PSU games this year.
    "It ain't over, baby! And that took only six seconds!"

    USCHO gives me another reason to not do work while I am at work.

    Everything is Hill's fault.....

    "Hakstol you hack!!!!"

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    • #32
      Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

      Originally posted by gopher wes View Post
      Well that answers my above question

      Any insight on PSU's squad this year? Players to watch? I haven't been able to watch many PSU games this year.
      I wasn't here last year, but I'm the only one I've seen here this year. Oh so lonely.

      We have a really talented squad, who on a great day can hang with anyone in the country, but it's accurate to say we're not quite "there yet". But I'm thrilled at how far we've come since last year. At this moment it feels a little down, just because making the tourney (without winning the B1G tourney) seemed like a real possibility before last weekend so were were on a real high. Maybe that's a little greedy; overall we're in a great spot considering 8 wins last year and it being year 3.

      Watch our line of Bailey-Holstrom-Goodwin. Just a nasty top line. I saw a stat recently that they account for something like 42% of the total points. Bailey in particular looks like a special player. Jump to the 2:17 mark here -- that's an NHL caliber finish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqXNoKgiKqM

      As someone said, they shoot... a lot. They will pepper the goalie from anywhere and everywhere. They've had their share of inconsistent performances, so who knows what version of PSU you'll see this weekend, but ****it they're entertaining to watch.

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      • #33
        Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

        Looks to me like if you can shut down the 1st line of penn state you will have success.

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        • #34
          Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

          Originally posted by SanTropez View Post
          Looks to me like if you can shut down the 1st line of penn state you will have success.
          Probably accurate. So don't shut it down please, guys

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          • #35
            Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

            Originally posted by nappyvalley View Post
            Probably accurate. So don't shut it down please, guys
            The Gophers have gone through some defensive lapses at times this year. They will pay for it if they fall asleep against that line. Wilcox has started to look like his old self in net over the past two weekends, hopefully he is up to all the shots PSU pours on net.

            I'm curious to see how the Gophers come out on the road with their recent success coming at home.
            "It ain't over, baby! And that took only six seconds!"

            USCHO gives me another reason to not do work while I am at work.

            Everything is Hill's fault.....

            "Hakstol you hack!!!!"

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

              Originally posted by gopher wes View Post
              I'm curious to see how the Gophers come out on the road with their recent success coming at home.
              Me too. Can they get emotionally ready (psyched!) after that critically important Michigan series? Especially on the road as you point out? I'm concerned, even though I know that they know that they must keep winning.
              Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey

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              • #37
                Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                Originally posted by D2D View Post
                Me too. Can they get emotionally ready (psyched!) after that critically important Michigan series? Especially on the road as you point out? I'm concerned, even though I know that they know that they must keep winning.
                I think they keep rolling. The last few games have shown a great improvement in offensive scoring and control, defensive play in their own end as well as puck control AND it seems that Wilcox is Twocox again. I am starting to get excited for the games again.
                You hardly know a day goes by in a cardboard cutout sundown...

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                • #38
                  Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                  Originally posted by 5mn_Major View Post
                  Not sure that there's any team that the Gophers should overlook. My guess is our chances at PSU are in line with our chances at MSU.
                  I don't know if the Gophers will be overlooking anybody with the position they are in.
                  Slap Shot - 444 might want to consider a restraining order.
                  dggoddard - Minnesota is THE ELITE Program in all of college hockey.
                  wasmania - you have to be the very best to get ice time with the great gophers!

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                  • #39
                    Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                    IT'S GAME DAY!!

                    It seems like the Nittany Lions' motto this season has been "shoot from all angles no matter how extreme". Their offensive strategy has been puck control, pucks on net by any means possible and a two-way physical game of intense backchecking and forechecking. They lead the nation in SOG at a whopping 41/game and much like the Gophers, have a host of players on their roster that can bury the puck (i.e. Top goal scorers: Bailey/20, Scheid/13, Goodwin/12). If Penn State has a weakness, it's been finding a "go to" netminder who performs consistently every week.

                    The Gophers are looking at a tough challenge to earn a sweep in Happy Valley. With the exception of a couple bumps in the road, Penn State has played fairly consistent "smashmouth" hockey all season. Prior to being swept last weekend by Sparty, they were unbeaten in their last 8 games (6-0-2). They're an extremely good home team (10-1-3), and support for hockey in Happy Valley has grown exponentially in only two seasons. So the Nittany Lions will most likely have a packed house this weekend cheering for PSU to upset the Gophers. Unfortunately, the Gophers have a losing record on the road this year and that must change drastically this weekend (3-5-2).

                    The Gophers will need every ounce of energy they demonstrated against Michigan and stellar goaltending from Adam Wilcox to defeat Penn State. The Maroon and Gold have been a very strong 1st period team this season ranked #2 in the nation vs Penn State at #32. But the Gophers are only 8-7-1 when scoring first vs Penn State's 9-1-2. Why? PSU gets stronger as the game progresses and they're ranked #9 in the nation in 3rd period goals vs the Gophers ranking at #26. They've been a "comeback" team and are also ranked #3 in the nation in goals scored when trailing.

                    So the Gophers will need a full 60 minutes of shutdown D and offensive zone pressure; and score often, or they could easily end up dropping both games. That could spell disaster for the Gophers in the PWR. Go Gophers!

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                      You always hear coaches speak of road trips as being an opportunity for the team to bond, with the increased time they spend together (though not usually this late in the year). I don't know if there were any locker room or leadership issues holding the gophers back before this latest surge, but if there were, this road trip might present an opportunity.

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                      • #41
                        Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                        Gameday!

                        News/notes from Gophersports

                        http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m...021815aaa.html



                        Coming off a two-game sweep of Michigan that propelled Minnesota into a tie for first place in the Big Ten and also moved the Gophers back into the national rankings, No. 15/17 Gopher Hockey returns to action this weekend with a two-game conference series at Penn State.

                        The two Big Ten foes meet for the first time this season on Friday, Feb. 20 at 6:40 p.m. ET (BTN, BTN2Go.com, 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network) while the series finale at Pegula Ice Arena is set for Saturday, Feb. 21 at 5:07 p.m. ET (ESPNU, WatchESPN, 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network).

                        Seniors Set the Tone
                        Since Minnesota started its current six-game unbeaten streak on Jan. 30, no class in college hockey has tallied more points that the Gophers’ senior class. The six Minnesota seniors have combined to score 16 of the team’s 29 points over the stretch including back-to-back hat tricks from Travis Boyd and Kyle Rau. All six seniors have tallied points during the run including the team’s top three scorers over the unbeaten streak in Boyd (4-6--10), Seth Ambroz (6-3--9) and Rau (5-3--8).
                        Originally posted by CavalryNate
                        Disrespecting the Gophers is like disowning your mother the first time you get a girlfriend.
                        sigpic

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                        • #42
                          Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                          I'm still optimistic. In addition to an inflated record at home (due to a 47th SOS out of 59 teams and less than that at home), PSU's shots and shots allowed indicates that it plays a wide open style of play. MN's 5 player puck domination style works well against a wide open style of play. If they're not too physical, we could well have a good weekend. Go gophers!
                          Go Gophers!

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                          • #43
                            Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                            Page 2???

                            Game Day! Go Gophers, beat Pedo State!

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                            • #44
                              Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                              What a constipated game.

                              Thought I was watching the Badgers.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

                                Nice win for the Gophers/ I really liked their 3rd period. They weren't sitting back, but they were taking the smart play, not forcing anything and do the simple things to take time off the clock. A few mistakes, but Wilcox stood tall.

                                Scores around the country are looking pretty good at the moment as well. Hopefully they stand up...

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