Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2022-2023

[Patricio]

What an ugly weekend. After today, Bucky has lost three in a row and managed only 1 goal over 9 periods!!!! And there is a strong possibility that the strings may be extended next weekend. And the final two weekends of the regular season against MN and OhSt are only 3 weeks away. The way things are looking now, the Badgers may well suffer SIX more losses before the regular season ends and a 7^th in the WCHA tournament that follows in which they will play either MN or OhSt again. Not a recipe for a bid to the NCAA championship.

Suddenly, something is seriously wrong. It began last weekend against Quinnipiac and got worse this weekend. Assuming the coaches attempted to make adjustments between the two weekends as well as during the games, they still haven’t found any fixes. Somehow, they apparently decided switching the line assignments of Eden and SS would improve things. I was surprised by this when Eden was announced as starting on Line1 Saturday since I thought the first 2 lines were fine as they were. Personally, I have felt for a while that moving Picard to Line 3 with Simms and Woz and LE to Line 4 would make sense since Picard is similar to Simms and Woz in speed and aggressiveness, while LE has less speed and tends to be more passive. So, I think it would be nice if someone would explain the choice to shuffle the first 2 lines.

As for LE, many in this forum (including myself) have expressed interest in her establishing a presence around the net as a routine role (something which, in fact, started shortly after her recruitment was announced). The fact that she hasn’t adopted such a position suggests that the coaches have not as yet emphasized that she do this. She is a very tall and strong F for women’s hockey, and she likely would provide a distracting presence for goalies. But, like many of the taller girls in my sons’ classes, she may have experienced most of her growth before or shortly after starting high school. If so, she may not have had a need to be very aggressive to have her way on the ice and the level of aggressiveness at this level is unfamiliar to her. I also have noted that she has been less rambunctious when she scores goals. So, she simply may have a less aggressive personality and still is trying to adapt to the more intense level of play at this level. Frankly, if this is the case, I admire her for struggling and for refusing suddenly to adopt a totally new persona. Perhaps a line switch would help her decide how to adapt to the new environment and remain true to her personality. Everything I have heard about her indicates she is a wonderful young woman, and it is for her to define who she is on and off the ice. However, I can’t help wishing that she finds ways to occupy more space around the goal that she finds comfortable.

On a more positive note, nice to see Gervais return to action. Never know when one may need to call on a backup goalie.

[robertearle]

Re: Laila Edwards - during the U18 Worlds last summer (where she was the MVP, remember), I don't recall her spending much time in front of the net. I DO recall how comfortable she was with the puck on her stick, and how often and how long the puck found its way there and stayed there. So much so that I commented just that to the mother of current US U18 goalie, Anneleis Bergmann, and she readily agreed (Mrs. Bergmann happened to have tickets next to me for a number of nights, and we talked a great deal during the many games).

That is, the skill set she displayed last summer was an outside puck-handler and not someone inside, taking up space. If she could help the offense by setting up in front of the goal, I expect Mark Johnson would have her there. She's maybe more Meghan Duggan than Hilary Knight.

Don't try to fit a square peg into the round hole just because the hole needs filling. Instead, see if you have a round peg somewhere nearby.

[Timothy A]

I'd take UMD's goaltending over yours. Maybe that will change in a couple of months, but that's how it looks now.

I'd take UMD goaltending and D play (as a team unit) over UW's right now. And probably their F's too. UW is a team of immense talent who have not learned how to play at a high enough level as a group when under pressure. It's a deep flaw. If they make the ncaa's, they could win a game or 2, but if they get to the FF, I don't see getting out of the semi's.

WI clearly lacks a creator like Watts or Roque. I was hoping Harvey could fill that roll to some extent. She looked the part early on, but now against tougher competition she's not as wowy as before. Simms may be a creator in the making, we shall see.

And something else that strikes me is of the games I have seen, I don't recall seeing any sniper shot goals (maybe LE had one?), any goals where you say to yourself, "wow she put the puck there!?!". I get part of that is having time and space. Teams either give it to you, or you create it. UW is not creating it and teams are getting better at not giving you it either. Not even on the PP.

UW's forecheck has never been about planting a F in the front of the net. It's frustrating that they often times end up with 3 F below the goal line along the boards, get the puck, then have no one to feed. The D can't seep down too far because of the depth of the F's. I was very happy to see LE parked in front of the goal on the 2nd pp unit. Both units should do that, and then pass, pass shoot! Even stick 2 in front. These intricate down low plays are SO low percentage.

[Patricio]

I want to thank the authors (Robert Earle and Timothy A) for their posts preceding this one for their comments.

Robert does an excellent job explaining why LE has not adopted a role in front of the crease. He notes that he recognized in last summer’s U18 Worlds that her skill set is that of an outside puck-handler. I attended only two of the U18 championship games but do recall noting that she tended to adopt the same position during those games as she does with the Badgers. Anyway, his comments strike home and I will stop harping about her hanging out around the crease though (to answer a question Timothy raises) I will add that I do recall a LE hard wrist shot from between the circles that she snapped off into the upper right corner so quickly and with such speed the goalie was unable to react.

As for the U18 Worlds, though LE was voted the MVP of the Worlds, I personally was more impressed by the play of Potter, Simms and Janecke of the US and Ava Murphy of Canada – all of whom notably played with high intensity. For about half of the 2^nd period I found myself sitting next to a member of Canada’s development team who was logging comments about the game, and he spoke very positively about Murphy. She and Potter are expected to join the team next year at D and I expect them to be entertaining to watch.

As for Timothy A’s post, I agree with all of it. So, I only can say amen.

For now, my curiosity (though not necessarily any posts) will focus on whether Picard gets a chance to play on the 3^rd line with Simms and Woz. That and maintaining an adequate supply of beverages to dull the pain I see coming for the remainder of this season.

[Lindsay]

I went and rewatched her 4 goals and some of the assists from the u18s and I think we’re both right. Had success in front, and off the rush, off the wall etc.

Regardless Edwards is a wonderful hockey player and having a solid freshman season by any normal measure. I have no doubt more hockey success is in store for her and I am definitely cheering for her, as I do all the players from Ohio.

[Steamboat]

.......maintaining an adequate supply of beverages to dull the pain I see coming for the remainder of this season.

A quart of thinner and a plastic bag are all that is necessary for some of the Wisconsin posters.

[Timothy A]

A quart of thinner and a plastic bag are all that is necessary for some of the Wisconsin posters.

Quart? I lived through the painful end of the Eaves and this Granato disaster, when's the next 55 gallon drum getting delivered?

[Still Eeyore]

This conversation is a lot more confusing for the continued use of the initials "LE." You guys do realize that that could refer to multiple skilled forwards on your team, right?

[Steamboat]

This conversation is a lot more confusing for the continued use of the initials "LE." You guys do realize that that could refer to multiple skilled forwards on your team, right?

You need more thinner.

[robertearle]

This conversation is a lot more confusing for the continued use of the initials "LE." You guys do realize that that could refer to multiple skilled forwards on your team, right?

We could do what often happens on Gopher discussion threads and do it all by jersey number. :-)

(Which, BTW, Laila is wearing #10. Even though the school "retired" Mark Johnson's #10 for hockey a couple years ago; there were going to let Delany Drake wear it until she graduated, and that would be it. But here's Laila wearing it. So...?)

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

I suppose #6 could spend more time disrupting things in front of the opposing goalie...

For those much more in the know on Wisconsin stats, when was the last time Wisconsin had a run of three games only scoring 1 goal and getting shutout twice in those 3 games?

[ARM]

... a run of three games only scoring 1 goal and getting shutout twice in those 3 games?

I'm no robertearle, but I can say with certainty that if the first of those statements is true, the second will always be true. But to your point, the Badgers scoring slumps have typically been more of the goal-per-game variety.

[robertearle]

I suppose #6 could spend more time disrupting things in front of the opposing goalie...

For those much more in the know on Wisconsin stats, when was the last time Wisconsin had a run of three games only scoring 1 goal and getting shutout twice in those 3 games?

During the 2014 WCHA playoffs, they lost to Mankato 3-0, then beat Mankato 2-0 to get to the second weekend (they won the first game 4-0), and then lost to North Dakota 1-0. So, close.

In the 2012-2013 season, they lost at North Dakota 3-0, then won the next game 2-1, then lost to Minnesota 2-0. Again, close.

But earlier in that 2012-2013 season, they were shut out three games in a row: 2-0 and 1-0 at Duluth and then 1-0 vs Bemidji.

(Also a three-straight shutouts and two goals in five games in the pre-Johnson years, 2001-2002, and three straight again in 1999-2000.)

[Timothy A]

This conversation is a lot more confusing for the continued use of the initials "LE." You guys do realize that that could refer to multiple skilled forwards on your team, right?

If you've been in the locker room with us the whole season (or past seasons when there are sisters on the team) you'd have an understanding of Watts we are talking about. It's a little insider code. If you don't get it, oh well.

[Timothy A]

(Which, BTW, Laila is wearing #10. Even though the school "retired" Mark Johnson's #10 for hockey a couple years ago; there were going to let Delany Drake wear it until she graduated, and that would be it. But here's Laila wearing it. So...?)

I thought it was just on the men's side 10 was retired.