Wisconsin Hockey 22-23 Empty Dreams & Empty Seats

[Timothy A]

And on the 5th goal Wisconsin lost multiple multiple 1 and 1 fights for the puck. They gave up.

 

[MadCityRich]

…I got a bit soft there for a few weeks but I’ve had enough.

McIntosh needs to show the Men’s Hockey fan base that he wants a highly successful hockey program that has a standard of winning national titles.

so…fire the staff Sunday. Period. End of discussion. This is an utter embarrassment.

I totally agree with this and have been posting exactly that across many platforms. If not after Sunday, it should be after that Milwaukee Peewee tournament that they're hosting.
Who gives a fukk who the intern coach is, can it be any fukken worse? NO!

I just happened to turn on Bally sports and at the end of the second period it's already 6 to 2 Minnesota. Is McIntosh paying any fukken attention or is his face glued to the women's volleyball team?

 

[Timothy A]

The last 5 minutes the Badger showed a little bit of juice . Urdahl, Stange and Gorniac.

 

[Timothy A]

And now the gophers are just standing around and we pop a couple quickies. Showing some heart.

 

[solovsfett]

I totally agree with this and have been posting exactly that across many platforms. If not after Sunday, it should be after that Milwaukee Peewee tournament that they're hosting.
Who gives a fukk who the intern coach is, can it be any fukken worse? NO!

I just happened to turn on Bally sports and at the end of the second period it's already 6 to 2 Minnesota. Is McIntosh paying any fukken attention or is his face glued to the women's volleyball team?

my god. If McIntosh doesn’t act soon there will be no fans left to sell tickets to.

I don’t think he understands the history nor importance of Badger Men’s Hockey. And Badger Bob’s legacy to hockey is superior in every single way to Barry Alvarez, Lou Holtz, Woody Hayes, Bo Schembeckler(sp?) and Nick Saban combined for football. It’s that simple. 3 NCAA titles, putting Wisconsin on the map, took Calgary to the Stanley Cup finals and then won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh. This lack of effort from the AD is inexcusable.

 

[druzy192]

It's a good article for the most part. It's been 17 years since 2006 and that was 16 years since the 1990 title. So two titles in the last 33 years. Before that they had 4 in 17 years 1973 to 1989...

I saw in the paper or somewhere today that the Badgers haven't won an NCAA playoff game since 2010. I didnt realize that. WTF is going on? How is everyone not fired 3 years ago?

 

[druzy192]

Just heard on 97.3 in Milwaukee that women’s volleyball is outdrawing men’s hockey.

no offense to volleyball team but that’s a joke.

Dude I'd watch volleyball over men's hockey 9 games out of 10. Probably 10/10. It's exciting. Place is rocking. They're winners.

And I'm a hockey guy.

 

[LordofBrewtown]

Dude I'd watch volleyball over men's hockey 9 games out of 10. Probably 10/10. It's exciting. Place is rocking. They're winners.

And I'm a hockey guy.

Yeah, I love them both (actually attended more volleyball games while I was a student; but, hockey tickets were very hard to get way back then). And volleyball is averaging some very large crowds - so that in itself isn't necessarily the issue. The issue is that between Barry and and now McIntosh, they've destroyed the hockey program. You really have to ask yourself, if you were a rival or enemy, and trying to tank the program, what would you have done differently than what they've done over the last 10 years?

 

[digitalbooya]

The call against strammel was garbage but he's gotta stop taking dumb penalties. Wisconsin was in total control until that point. I don't care if he sits the rest of the season. What a dumbass.

Watching the replay, how on earth was that called!? Stramel was pulled into Faber's helmet... by Faber! You can't call that a dumb penalty when he did nothing wrong.

 

[GoBucky18]

TG has got to be let go...like right now. The idea that you can have a 2 goal lead with players consistently making boneheaded decisions on ice (not even talking about the Stramel penalty) with poor effort, bad passes, bad time and space/awareness decisions on D and on a week in and week out pace...just...it is over man.

Fire him and get a head start on the hiring search process if your team is so fragile that you let a team score 6 goals in under 6mins, it just has to stop.

They are consistently one of the youngest, most penalized, highest GAA, lowest save %, lowest PK%, and lowest scoring teams in the NCAA. The record reflects it. Time to move on.

Does anyone even know what kind of offensive scheme TG employs? For all I can tell its a wingers at the boards center line that relies very little on the blue liners exiting the zone in a coordinated fashion. Its awful.

 

[solovsfett]

Dude I'd watch volleyball over men's hockey 9 games out of 10. Probably 10/10. It's exciting. Place is rocking. They're winners.

And I'm a hockey guy.

It’s not for me (volleyball). I honestly don’t get it. Why do more people watch and care about UW volleyball over say a 6-time national champion women’s hockey team with a famous gold-medal winning and NCAA champion coach and the team is still kicking ass?!?!!!!

 

[MadCityRich]

I saw in the paper or somewhere today that the Badgers haven't won an NCAA playoff game since 2010. I didnt realize that. *** is going on? How is everyone not fired 3 years ago?

Seriously druzy? Come on man, we all knew that. Why do you think we're all so pissed off? I know you've been keeping track because you even said everybody should have been fired 3 years ago.

It just sucks that Granato has been allowed to coach this long and Chryst got whacked so quickly. I understand the money difference in the sports but come on!

 

[GoBucky18]

Thay's easy. They got their ass handed to them 5-0 in 2010 Natl Champ game by BC and then lost in the first round to UMass Lowell, the Sioux, and recently (Bemidji State)...and none of those were really close contests either.

Plus, saying they haven't won a game since 2010 gives the illusion they've been in a lot of NCAA tourneys.

3 appearences over 12yrs is not an acceptable outcome.

 

[GoBucky18]

Last 4 NCAA tourney games the Badgers have been outscored 22-6.

Vs BC 0-5
Vs UMass Lowell 1-6
Vs Sioux 2-5
Vs Bemidji 3-6

That's 22-6 folks.

 

[Punudski]

I checked to see who would be breaking the news that TG is gone, but alas, we are all still left waiting and hoping. I have heard from many that he is a great guy, but it must be obvious to everyone by now that he unfortunately cannot coach. I do not know the advantages/disadvantages of moving on during/after the season but my goodness, it’s over, right? RIGHT?! Please?!

 

[WiscTJK]

I thought I should do a traditional update now that the first half is completed. This weekend got swept by Minnesota (L 1-7 Fri, L 4-6 Sat).

**Comparisons below are from early Nov after MSU series.**

Record: 7-11-0 (1-9-0-0 3 pts, 7th in Big7 (n/c))
USCHO Poll: NR; (NR)
USA Today Poll: NR; (NR)
PWR: 33 of 62; (+12)
RPI: 33 of 62; (+13)
KRACH: 34 of 62; (-3)
Scoring: 2.50 GPG (+0.9); (45th of 62) (+14)
Defense: 3.39 GAPG (-0.19); (T49[SUP]th[/SUP] of 62) (-5)
Save %: .889 (-.020); 48[SUP]th[/SUP] of 62 (-28)
Power Play Rate: 16.67% (13 of 78) (+5.86%); T45th of 62 (+8)
Penalty Kill Rate: 78.67% (59 of 75) (+4.31%); 39th of 62 (+13)
Penalty Min per Game: 12.17 (+.47); 16th of 62 (1st is worst) (-7)
Penalty Min: 219 (+102); 14th of 62 (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst) (-5)
Shorthanded Goals Scored; 3 (+2); T9th of 62 (+7)
Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 2 (+1); T14th of 62 (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst) (-5)
Team Faceoff: 54.5% (+1.4%) 5th of 62 (+9)

Next games 12/28 vs Lake Superior State and 12/29 vs TBD at Kwik Trip Holiday Faceoff.

Analysis - it is FUGLY with some ups and downs, but basically in the bottom half of all NCAA teams in every statistical category that matters (except Faceoff% (thanks Lindy) and Shorthanded Goals Scored. Finish of last in the Big7 seems all buy certain unless they suddenly start winning and Notre Dame / maybe Michigan collapses.

PS: Last 5 games against Minnesota 0-5, goals scored UW 6, Goofers 30 - 1.2 GPG, 6.0 GAA. Oof is that awful.

PSS: Since Motzko took over Minnesota ('18-'19 thru this weekend): 19 games, 6-12-1 (.333), goals scored UW 53, Goofers 80 - 2.79 GPG, 4.21 GAA (-1.42 GPG).
(even the Cole Caufield - Hobey year 20-21 was only 3-2-0 versus Minnesota (lost 6-4 in big7 finals)

 

[solovsfett]

I checked to see who would be breaking the news that TG is gone, but alas, we are all still left waiting and hoping. I have heard from many that he is a great guy, but it must be obvious to everyone by now that he unfortunately cannot coach. I do not know the advantages/disadvantages of moving on during/after the season but my goodness, it’s over, right? RIGHT?! Please?!

Tony Granato IS a great guy and will always be Badger royalty. But he’s not succeeding and should be replaced.

the longer McIntosh waits the more we see he doesn’t give a good damn about hockey whatsoever. It’s reaching a point where I wonder if he wants the team to remain an after thought.

 

[Almington]

So, this is what rock bottom feels like. Why are we getting out the pickaxes and shovels?

 

[WiscTJK]

So, this is what rock bottom feels like. Why are we getting out the pickaxes and shovels?

This sure feels allot like 2016 and the end of the Eaves era. Both should have been fired the year before, but were kept on and made to get new assistant(s). They struggled that last year and then were / will be let go after the season. I really like Granato and Oseicki, and they will always be Wisconsin legends, but it is past time to move on.

Next question is who is the list of candidates? My #1, is no UW ties. Like 7 years ago, my first call would be to Mike Hastings. Take a bag of money and see if he is interested in trying to turn the ship around here. After that I would pick an up an comer from the USHL, young D1 head coach, or even from D3 if it was the right person (like Coghlin). Managing todays young men, NIL, the transfer portal and the potential of added coaches (ie full time goalie coach) make this a really difficult transition, but one that could set UW up for a long time if they find the right staff. One thing that is different, is there is more team talent than there was in 2016, so a quick turnaround could happen.

I don't see a scenario they let go of Granato now, specifically due to the 3 coach limit they have for hockey. It will be when the season is over. And I believe it will happen as Tony's buyout goes up if they keep him on another year.

Long winded post to say I agree with you! Good hearing from you Almington.

 

[MadCityRich]

I'm VERY curious to see how attendance is at the Kwik Trip Peewee tourney in a couple of weeks. Single game tix in good seats are $40 -$55 EACH. The 200 upper level isn't even open, so they can't be expecting much. I hope the end of 2022 brings us bigger and better things; like a new coaching staff.