Minnesota Gopher Women's Hockey 20-21

[Offsides Guy]

so maybe umd and um should have been left out and penn state chosen instead? That probably would have been better.

.

yes!

[robertearle]

...had their chance and didn't get it done. That was their season in a nutshell.

Same could be said for BC, for Providence. And most obviously, for Duluth.

[bluffrinkrat]

So my wife asked me this morning if the Gophers have ever not been in the NCCA Tournament before and I said I know they weren't in 2007 which wasn't one of their better seasons and was Coach Halldorson's last season as head coach. She said at the time she wanted her epitaph to read, "Here lies Laura Haldorson. It wasn't about her." Brad Frost was made Associate Head Coach in 2007 as well. I was surprised to find they also did not make the Tournament in 2001, the year after they won it all.

[ARM]

So my wife asked me this morning if the Gophers have ever not been in the NCCA Tournament before and I said I know they weren't in 2007 ... they also did not make the Tournament in 2001...

In 2001, their goalie had a brain tumor which had not yet been diagnosed. In 2007, one goalie left the team and the other was still dealing with an ankle injury. In both seasons, the goaltending wasn't at a championship level down the stretch.

I think that we could say the same about this year's goaltending. It definitely wasn't this team's only issue, and overall, I wouldn't even say that it was the largest one. However, top-notch goaltending can cover a lot of other flaws. I thought that Bench stole the 4-0 win over OSU for them and was their best player during the 2020 portion of the schedule. In 2021, the schedule got tougher, the injuries mounted, the goalie play declined, and other teams improved faster. If the staff had a plan that was the equal of the opponents, then they couldn't get the team to execute it. The effort level was not at the level that is required on a consistent basis. That's a problem that has been increasing from season to season. As another UM coach might say, they weren't elite.

People can learn. I remember the current OSU coach being part of the problem in 2001, making undisciplined plays that cost her team a game it couldn't afford to lose to get into a four-team field. The biggest change that this current team needs is to up its desire. They haven't brought in a lot of hardware thus far in their careers. The first step, IMO, is to be hungry every shift in games, for every practice, for every workout. If you're tired of watching Wisconsin and Ohio State play in big games while you're in street clothes, then do something about it.

[Steamboat]

In 2001, their goalie had a brain tumor which had not yet been diagnosed. In 2007, one goalie left the team and the other was still dealing with an ankle injury. In both seasons, the goaltending wasn't at a championship level down the stretch.

I think that we could say the same about this year's goaltending. It definitely wasn't this team's only issue, and overall, I wouldn't even say that it was the largest one. However, top-notch goaltending can cover a lot of other flaws. I thought that Bench stole the 4-0 win over OSU for them and was their best player during the 2020 portion of the schedule. In 2021, the schedule got tougher, the injuries mounted, the goalie play declined, and other teams improved faster. If the staff had a plan that was the equal of the opponents, then they couldn't get the team to execute it. The effort level was not at the level that is required on a consistent basis. That's a problem that has been increasing from season to season. As another UM coach might say, they weren't elite.

People can learn. I remember the current OSU coach being part of the problem in 2001, making undisciplined plays that cost her team a game it couldn't afford to lose to get into a four-team field. The biggest change that this current team needs is to up its desire. They haven't brought in a lot of hardware thus far in their careers. The first step, IMO, is to be hungry every shift in games, for every practice, for every workout. If you're tired of watching Wisconsin and Ohio State play in big games while you're in street clothes, then do something about it.

That last paragraph is really pinpointing the issue with the team this year. I remember those epic games at Ridder, when every player was focused on getting to the puck, and every time the opponents had the puck they got covered, and every minute of the game was played at top intensity. Maybe this team missed their fans cheering them on. Maybe we forget how much a cheering crowd can inspire a team. Who will forget, if you were lucky enough to be there, the 3 overtime game against North Dakota? Let's hope that we are through with games to empty stands, and we can get back to the energy and excitement of live hockey. As fans let us acknowledge our roles as participants in our sport. Give this season an asterisk and look for the return of the real Minnesota Gophers!

[robertearle]

Frost said in an interview that Sunday afternoon he got a text from the Colgate coach saying "looking forward to the game next week", etc.

SMH ...

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

In the Pioneer Press article that Robert references this is also in there near the end...

Frost said he expects at least four of his five seniors to return next season. Grace Zumwinkle, a Patty Kazmaier Top 10 finalist, is a candidate to make the U.S. Olympic team but he has spoken to blue liners Emily Brown and Olivia Knowles, forward Taylor Wente and goaltender Lauren Bench about using their NCAA pandemic waivers to play another year. All were key members of the rotaton this season.

Zumwinke? Yes. The others? Not so much.

[ARM]

The others? Not so much.

I know that it wasn't her best season, but if Brown isn't good enough to make your cut, then you are going to be left with a very sparse line chart. I also thought that Wente bounced back from her level of a season ago.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

I know that it wasn't her best season, but if Brown isn't good enough to make your cut, then you are going to be left with a very sparse line chart. I also thought that Wente bounced back from her level of a season ago.

So I'm in charge of who makes the cuts? Alright, lets roll...Give me #6 back healthy to be the top pair along with #5. I'll bet on #14 being better in her sophomore year to be in the second pair with either #17 or #13 (who I would strongly encourage to be in a serious off-season conditioning program). Add in the offensive talents of incoming freshman Emily Zumwinkle and I have a pretty decent set of 6 D's.

If #2 and #24 are back that gums up the works.

Wente, as potentially the lone forward coming back (if Zoom Boom makes the Olympic team) is fine. The issue there is Hemp, Huber, Conner, and Lindsey are good candidates to displace her in the lineup.

Bench? Boy, the goaltending room would be really crowded with Vetter coming in.

[ARM]

We rank the D differently, and that's fine. At crunch time, I trust #2 on the ice over the rest. She's traditionally been asked to match up with the other team's top line and done well with that ask.

As far as the forwards, my ideal is having enough healthy bodies that we skate four lines. Always. Everybody goes out there, empties the tank, and then has three shifts to recover. I thought we did that at times in 2018-19, but then we got to the postseason and played three lines. Coaches only develop nine forwards and then the injuries hit and we wind up with a third line we don't trust. Had we had a couple more forwards ready to go in the final OSU series, I think we get points and are in better shape moving forward. Granted, it was also possible to win with what we had, but we'd have had to be better in other areas than we were.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Yes...Agreed on skating 4 lines. It seemed like #7 for sure could have benefited from more ice time and why not let #19 and #26 play more shifts rather than sit on the bench for pretty much all the year? For sure #7 and #19 are above average skaters and #26's best attribute is her passing which could have been put to use.

[ARM]

My understanding is that Burton has been injured for the last month plus.

[D2D]

Congrats to Grace Zumwinkle on being named a top three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award!

https://www.pattykaz.com/news_article/show/1153062

[D2D]

Huge congrats to incoming freshman Peyton Hemp on being named 2021 Minnesota Ms. Hockey. From our Gopher booster club:

"Hemp completed the season with 80 points on 34 goals and 46 assists, leading the Andover Huskies to a Class 2A state tournament runner-up finish. She compiled 253 points with 118 goals and 135 assists in 108 games over her four-year high school career.

Hemp will join Taylor Heise and Madeline Wethington as Ms. Hockey award winners playing with the Gophers this fall. Congratulations, Peyton!!"

[ARM]

Hemp will join Taylor Heise and Madeline Wethington as Ms. Hockey award winners playing with the Gophers this fall.

Which assumes that Grace won't be back, and she seems like someone with a better than even chance of being centralized. If she would be continuing her schooling, even were it not an Olympic year.