Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

That weekend was the best hockey Michigan has played all season. The weekend after that we played awful. I don't know if this team has another good performance in them.

I was part of a group that took a bus trip to the Saturday game. We had a great time and I was impressed with Yost Ice Arena. We actually won that game (Bucks haven't had a lot of success at Yost through the years). Really hope I live long enough to see OSU's athletic department actually show that they give a rip about hockey and build our programs their own building. I have finally started getting around to seeing the other hockey barns in the BIG Ten and it just makes me envious every time I see what other programs have vs what we have. We took a bus trip to Munn Ice Arena a couple seasons ago, and earlier this year, the wife and I went over to Hockey Valley to see our women's team take on Penn State at Pegula Ice Arena. Their place is an absolute palace. We still have not been to Minnesota. We have been to Wisconsin for some women's games at LaBahn Arena, but have not been to a men's game at Kohl Center. I have not been to Notre Dame's new arena yet, either. I threw ND in there since we were talking about BIG Ten venues and they are joining BIG Ten Hockey next season. Anyway, I agree with Hockeybuckeye, our hockey fans aren't that bad (all 2,000 of them or however many of us will actually be there this weekend), so come on down! Just make sure you set your expectations accordingly regarding our venue/atmosphere.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

With this crazy 72 degree weather in February I hope the ice isn't crap!

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

With this crazy 72 degree weather in February I hope the ice isn't crap!

Good point!

[alfablue]

With this crazy 72 degree weather in February I hope the ice isn't crap!

That would have been more likely in the old rink. But I had good ice in the summer of '75.

[Happy]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

I would like to see the ugly helmets get slapped to the bottom of the Big Ten. make it happen.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Good win tonight but somebody in MINNESOTA didn't do us any favors with the Badgers!
When we got the double minor in the 3rd I thought "Here we go again, refs trying to hand it away!"
You know if Michigan didn't have so much of their talent leave after last season they would have been a real force in the conference this season.

[klbaum1077]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Nice win tonight that was probably the best 60 minute hockey game they have played all year long. They had the better of the play for about 48 of the 60 minutes and we can almost never say that against Michigan. On to tomorrow night another great effort will be needed to earn 3 more points.

[UMICH]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Good win tonight but somebody in MINNESOTA didn't do us any favors with the Badgers!
When we got the double minor in the 3rd I thought "Here we go again, refs trying to hand it away!"
You know if Michigan didn't have so much of their talent leave after last season they would have been a real force in the conference this season.

We lost major talent each of the last two years. Typically we reload, not this year. Ouch.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

We lost major talent each of the last two years. Typically we reload, not this year. Ouch.

Let me ask you this, with Red's age and the fact his contract is year to year is that becoming a detriment for your program's recruiting?

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

We were considering going to Saturday's game. I'm trying to get my husband to all the B1G rinks, but it's difficult to want to watch this season's team play. Then he told me if we were to hang around Columbus he didn't want me wearing my Michigan stuff. I tried explaining the hockey fans aren't bad. It's some of those football fans you have to watch out for.

You speak the truth. Short explanation:

The Buckeye Hockey fanbase is made up of two groups. One group is truly committed to college hockey, and understands that we're a niche sport. From that perspective, any member of the college hockey community is something of a compatriot -- regardless of school. Such sentiment is mostly lacking on the football side.

The other major group at the Schott is families with young kids. That group is unlikely to engage in the goofball nonsense that can crop up with the football program. For most, becoming a parent has at least a small sobering effect. And beyond the simple demographic point, lots of those kids play on youth teams. That makes it a little more difficult to totally demonize opposing players.

I'm also compelled to point out that visitors have an analogous experience in AA, at least if you're from OSU. I made the trip for football once, and that was enough. Even if 100% of the nastiness comes from "Walmart Wolverines" with no direct connection to UM, the nuisance just isn't worth it.

In contrast, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Yost. Football is a great show. I love watching the games. But Hockey People > Football People; and it's not close.

[alfablue]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Let me ask you this, with Red's age and the fact his contract is year to year is that becoming a detriment for your program's recruiting?

It's mostly hard to co-ordinate the talent. You expect a certain level, and can recruit around it- then it changes after you can deal with it.

I'm sure there's an element of "retirement fear" that people are avoiding, though.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Well that was disappointing last night. I will certainly give Michigan credit that their fore & back checking was improved and their defense overall. Their sticks deflected so many of our shots away from net that I couldn't count and Nagelvoort was very solid in net.
OSU didn't really do anything wrong but seemed to lack that spark to push their game to the highest level.
If I were to dissect our play we weren't getting to the far side of the net in time to have a play on the rebounds and a LOT of our shots simply weren't on net and we couldn't get a re-direct to save our lives.
Lastly when we did get in close to the crease nobody elevated their shots to the corners. Nagelvoort had his pads solidly on the ice stopping everything at ice level.
Congrats Michigan, perhaps we'll break our 2-2 tie with you this season in the playoffs?

[UMICH]

Re: Ohio State vs Michigan - That Team up North comes south!

Let me ask you this, with Red's age and the fact his contract is year to year is that becoming a detriment for your program's recruiting?

What he-said....

It's mostly hard to co-ordinate the talent. You expect a certain level, and can recruit around it- then it changes after you can deal with it.

I'm sure there's an element of "retirement fear" that people are avoiding, though.