Gopher Women's Hockey 2023-24

[pgb-ohio]

Of course, anything can happen. Most times it doesn't. This time it didn't.

Nicely crafted. And so true.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Bump.

Relegated to page two...About right for this program at this time.

 

[StPaulSam]

Bump.

Relegated to page two...About right for this program at this time.

I find the negativity on these boards confusing. Yeah it wasn't a great year, certainly not the one I had hoped for. But by the standards of almost any other team, it was a phenomenal year. And to think: next year we'll have tons of incoming talent, Isa Goettl will be on the ice for us (presumably, I thought she'd play this year), Murph, Boo, and Huber...we're gonna be fully loaded. I have been to every home game and most away games. No matter how the NCAA tournament goes, this team has played their hearts out and I am very very proud of them.

 

[Steamboat]

I find the negativity on these boards confusing. Yeah it wasn't a great year, certainly not the one I had hoped for. But by the standards of almost any other team, it was a phenomenal year. And to think: next year we'll have tons of incoming talent, Isa Goettl will be on the ice for us (presumably, I thought she'd play this year), Murph, Boo, and Huber...we're gonna be fully loaded. I have been to every home game and most away games. No matter how the NCAA tournament goes, this team has played their hearts out and I am very very proud of them.

It has been very disappointing to see the small crowds in Ridder this year. My work schedule has made it nearly impossible to attend most Saturday games, but I will transfer my tickets when we have interest from other relatives or friends. Where is everyone else?
They came very close on Friday, and still have all to play for. Looking forward to the post season.

 

[StPaulSam]

It has been very disappointing to see the small crowds in Ridder this year. My work schedule has made it nearly impossible to attend most Saturday games, but I will transfer my tickets when we have interest from other relatives or friends. Where is everyone else?

I've been saying the same thing. In addition to not performing at the level we all would like, I think a lot of people who used to come to Ridder but maybe don't have a connection to the U are going to PWHL games instead. It irritates me to no end to see people I know who I couldn't bribe to come to games last year go nuts for the PWHL. At least three people I know are knitting PWHL themed gloves/scarves/etc. with their league logo. I really don't get it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very that the opportunity exists now, but I am tired of "Wow this Grace Zumwinkle is really good! Who knew?!" I did go to the PWHL game at Mariucci a few weeks ago when a coworker offered me a ticket. It was fine I guess, but I've never had much luck getting into pro sports. The generic branding is just boring to boot.

As for myself, living in Dinkytown has its benefits. At most, I'm about a 10 minute walk from Ridder.

 

[robertearle]

I've been saying the same thing. In addition to not performing at the level we all would like, I think a lot of people who used to come to Ridder but maybe don't have a connection to the U are going to PWHL games instead. It irritates me to no end to see people I know who I couldn't bribe to come to games last year go nuts for the PWHL. At least three people I know are knitting PWHL themed gloves/scarves/etc. with their league logo. I really don't get it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very that the opportunity exists now, but I am tired of "Wow this Grace Zumwinkle is really good! Who knew?!" I did go to the PWHL game at Mariucci a few weeks ago when a coworker offered me a ticket. It was fine I guess, but I've never had much luck getting into pro sports. The generic branding is just boring to boot.

As for myself, living in Dinkytown has its benefits. At most, I'm about a 10 minute walk from Ridder.

It'd be more interesting if there were a 'Wisconsin alumni team', and a 'Gopher alumni team', augmented by players from elsewhere. Maybe a 'Hockey East alumni' and 'ECAC alumni' etc. More of a carry-over rooting interest, instead of divided loyalties.

Yes, I'm mostly joking... but a little serious, too.

 

[StPaulSam]

It'd be more interesting if there were a 'Wisconsin alumni team', and a 'Gopher alumni team', augmented by players from elsewhere. Maybe a 'Hockey East alumni' and 'ECAC alumni' etc. More of a carry-over rooting interest, instead of divided loyalties.

Yes, I'm mostly joking... but a little serious, too.

At Mariucci I started calling and cheering them as "the Purple Gophers" much to the dismay of someone in the row behind me in a PWHL jersey. I felt genuinely weirded out cheering for Sophie Jacques who is of course a phenomenal player. There might be some merit to the Gopher/Wisco/ECAC alumni team lol!

 

[ARM]

I felt genuinely weirded out cheering for Sophie Jacques who is of course a phenomenal player.

You mean that Sophie Jaques who for three seasons in Ridder stood at the top of the circles (or lower) in the offensive zone, and I don't think the Gophers burned her even once?

As for why I seldom go to Gophers games anymore, Covid got me out of the habit, and I found other things to do. Then when I tried to return last year, I found that I couldn't get inside the arena in time for their awesome(!!!) 6 pm Friday night starts, after having to wait in line for parking ramps/lots where everyone had to use a credit card.

For other fans, I think Frost's inability to attract the very best players from Minnesota is starting to have a negative impact on interest. Who are the Minnesota players on the Gophers roster that UW and OSU would want? I can think of four. In years gone by, we had Minnesota products that were franchise players for any team. Now, they might be all-league caliber, but not the top tier of those. Maybe the state isn't producing as many blue chips, but when it does, UM doesn't always get them.

 

[KTDC]

You mean that Sophie Jaques who for three seasons in Ridder stood at the top of the circles (or lower) in the offensive zone, and I don't think the Gophers burned her even once?

As for why I seldom go to Gophers games anymore, Covid got me out of the habit, and I found other things to do. Then when I tried to return last year, I found that I couldn't get inside the arena in time for their awesome(!!!) 6 pm Friday night starts, after having to wait in line for parking ramps/lots where everyone had to use a credit card.

For other fans, I think Frost's inability to attract the very best players from Minnesota is starting to have a negative impact on interest. Who are the Minnesota players on the Gophers roster that UW and OSU would want? I can think of four. In years gone by, we had Minnesota products that were franchise players for any team. Now, they might be all-league caliber, but not the top tier of those. Maybe the state isn't producing as many blue chips, but when it does, UM doesn't always get them.

Also for me, even before her personnel got better, Muzerall did a better job coaching her players than Frost did/does. Too many defensive breakdowns, an offensive zone scheme not much better than pond hockey, and, it seems to me, too often the players don't even play hard enough.

To add to your arena issues, I can't get in to the arena anymore for games because they won't print my tickets...lol

p.s. I respect StPaulSam's sticking by them. It's a shame I have such a hard time doing so, but my feelings have grown just a little bit more every year for quite a few years now. Too bad for me, for GWH is maybe my favorite sports team ever, right up there with Bud Grant's Vikings.

I hope they run the table for StPaulSam's sake, as well as the players that are still there trying hard.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

As for why I seldom go to Gophers games anymore, Covid got me out of the habit, and I found other things to do. Then when I tried to return last year, I found that I couldn't get inside the arena in time for their awesome(!!!) 6 pm Friday night starts, after having to wait in line for parking ramps/lots where everyone had to use a credit card.

I am in complete agreement on the Friday 6pm games. Which athletic department genius decided this was a starting time which would be conducive to fan attendance?

If you haven't been there much recently you may not be aware that the building is now almost completely cash free. I think you might be able to produce US currency at the box office if you haven't previously obtained a ticket but once inside the gates cash will do you absolutely no good. All concessions are credit card only.

 

[robertearle]

I am in complete agreement on the Friday 6pm games. Which athletic department genius decided this was a starting time which would be conducive to fan attendance?

If you haven't been there much recently you may not be aware that the building is now almost completely cash free. I think you might be able to produce US currency at the box office if you haven't previously obtained a ticket but once inside the gates cash will do you absolutely no good. All concessions are credit card only.

The same in Madison at LaBahn, and for football and volleyball as well. Completely cashless, no more printed tickets (my final print-at-home pdf tickets were the Ohio State series in February). Digital-only tickets is literally the reason I finally got a cell phone. And as for the cashless concessions, it used to be a coke or a brat or whatever would cost $6. Now that they don't have to make change, they add the sales on; $6.36 or whatever.

 

[PSUfan]

I am in complete agreement on the Friday 6pm games. Which athletic department genius decided this was a starting time which would be conducive to fan attendance?

Penn State also has 6 pm Friday starts -- parking and traffic are probably not as big a hassle as for the Gophers but that's still tight to get to after work for any who isn't already on campus. I work on campus which makes the Friday 6 pm starts a lot easier to get to! I note the Penn State men's team starts at 7 pm on Fridays which seems like a much better choice.

 

[StPaulSam]

Penn State also has 6 pm Friday starts -- parking and traffic are probably not as big a hassle as for the Gophers but that's still tight to get to after work for any who isn't already on campus. I work on campus which makes the Friday 6 pm starts a lot easier to get to! I note the Penn State men's team starts at 7 pm on Fridays which seems like a much better choice.

I also work on campus but my galaxy brained colleagues in athletics won't let me take my work laptop into Ridder. Note: not my backpack, the laptop inside it. So I usually have to leave early to drop it at home.

Since we have separate arenas, men's games also usually start at 7/7:30 which is a good amount of time to avoid congestion.

That said, the free jersey promo in january on a friday at 6:00 vs. Mankato got 3122 people to show up.

 

[ARM]

I think you might be able to produce US currency at the box office if you haven't previously obtained a ticket but once inside the gates cash will do you absolutely no good. All concessions are credit card only.

Already last year, the box office was card only. Fair enough -- for $1, I can buy ahead and avoid that line. As for concessions, a large portion of the fans are an adult or two with a team of a dozen squirts. Do parents send their 9-yr-olds to the game with a credit card, or is Coach supposed to buy popcorn for everyone?

Given that there is still a game to play, I suppose I could save my grumpy old man ramblings for another day and turn attention to that. Do we have any insiders here, and if so, can Kaiser (or any of the other half-dozen wounded) play? Clarkson's style would suggest a 1-0 or 2-1 game, but with the Gophers' recent defensive abilities, I've learned to bet the over.

The H2H history with Clarkson was going well, until it wasn't. Unless there was some very early meeting that I've forgotten, I don't think that the Golden Knights scored on UM in any of the (four) regular-season games. The Gophers took the first NCAA quarterfinal contest in OT, after Noora gave up a goal on a rocket from outside the blue line. In 2014, Lev had the worst game of her Minnesota career as Clarkson earned its first Championship. Clarkson knocked out UM a round earlier in 2017, 4-3, as the Gophs overcame the first three deficits, but ran out of time after Rhyen McGill scored the winner with 91 seconds left.

Trivia fact: the Gophers have never won an NCAA quarterfinal outside the state of Minnesota. Okay, they've only played three road quarters, but they lost the two that weren't in Duluth. Looked at another way, the loss at BC was the only time they've lost a quarter to a non-WCHA team. In the years when the NCAA wasn't saving money on air travel, they have won quarterfinal games against Providence, Princeton (3), BC, the aforementioned Clarkson, BU, and RIT.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Do we have any insiders here, and if so, can Kaiser (or any of the other half-dozen wounded) play?

Strib piece this morning says Kaiser out for the rest of the season.

Upper body injury.

 

[ARM]

Strib piece this morning says Kaiser out for the rest of the season.

Sorry for her. The old "let 'em play" officiating at work. Ignore the blatant boarding, but make sure you assess a penalty when a teammate comes by to say, "WTH!"

 

[vicb]

.......

The H2H history with Clarkson was going well, until it wasn't. Unless there was some very early meeting that I've forgotten, I don't think that the Golden Knights scored on UM in any of the (four) regular-season games. The Gophers took the first NCAA quarterfinal contest in OT, after Noora gave up a goal on a rocket from outside the blue line. In 2014, Lev had the worst game of her Minnesota career as Clarkson earned its first Championship. Clarkson knocked out UM a round earlier in 2017, 4-3, as the Gophs overcame the first three deficits, but ran out of time after Rhyen McGill scored the winner with 91 seconds left.

You are correct on all accounts Clarkson vs Gophers.

Opponent - MINNESOTA
Date---- Result CU Minn
11/27/09 L(A)-- 0-- 4
11/28/09 L(A)-- 0-- 2
3/13/10- L(A)-- 2-- 3 ot NCAA Quarterfinals
10/1/10- L(H)-- 0-- 5
10/2/10- L(H)-- 0-- 3
3/23/14 W(N)-- 5-- 4 NCAA Championship
3/17/17 W(N)-- 4-- 3 NCAA Semifinal
Totals W2-L5 GF-7 GA-21

 

[joecct]

Already last year, the box office was card only. Fair enough -- for $1, I can buy ahead and avoid that line. As for concessions, a large portion of the fans are an adult or two with a team of a dozen squirts. Do parents send their 9-yr-olds to the game with a credit card, or is Coach supposed to buy popcorn for everyone?

Given that there is still a game to play, I suppose I could save my grumpy old man ramblings for another day and turn attention to that. Do we have any insiders here, and if so, can Kaiser (or any of the other half-dozen wounded) play? Clarkson's style would suggest a 1-0 or 2-1 game, but with the Gophers' recent defensive abilities, I've learned to bet the over.

The H2H history with Clarkson was going well, until it wasn't. Unless there was some very early meeting that I've forgotten, I don't think that the Golden Knights scored on UM in any of the (four) regular-season games. The Gophers took the first NCAA quarterfinal contest in OT, after Noora gave up a goal on a rocket from outside the blue line. In 2014, Lev had the worst game of her Minnesota career as Clarkson earned its first Championship. Clarkson knocked out UM a round earlier in 2017, 4-3, as the Gophs overcame the first three deficits, but ran out of time after Rhyen McGill scored the winner with 91 seconds left.

Trivia fact: the Gophers have never won an NCAA quarterfinal outside the state of Minnesota. Okay, they've only played three road quarters, but they lost the two that weren't in Duluth. Looked at another way, the loss at BC was the only time they've lost a quarter to a non-WCHA team. In the years when the NCAA wasn't saving money on air travel, they have won quarterfinal games against Providence, Princeton (3), BC, the aforementioned Clarkson, BU, and RIT.

You realize the men have never beaten an ECAC team in an NCAA championship? You're a lot better at 3-1 vs the ECAC.

Not counting any empty netters, Saturday's game is a 1 goal game. over/under 3.5.

 

[ARM]

You realize the men have never beaten an ECAC team in an NCAA championship?

Having watched many more UMD men's games in person in my life, I don't lose any sleep when the Gopher men lose. The women, in hockey as in life, can make me blue for days.

Not counting any empty netters, Saturday's game is a 1 goal game. over/under 3.5.

Whatever I think is going to happen, this year's Gophers have proven to make the opposite come true. I'm taking the over on 3.5 (EN goals count in over/unders). My guess is that either UM wins like 4-3 after blowing a 3-0 lead, or Clarkson wins about 6-0. If you have a dominant offense, then you will dominate UM like tOSU and UW do. If you have a great defense and try to scratch out a goal somewhere, then the Gophers have enough offense to make it hard to hold a lead for 40 minutes. My expectation is that Desrosiers will ramp up the forecheck pressure and UM turnovers will rain down from the heavens. Frost will shorten the rotation due to being a center short, especially if behind, because only Minnesota's first line is likely to score.

 

[StPaulSam]

Sorry for her. The old "let 'em play" officiating at work. Ignore the blatant boarding, but make sure you assess a penalty when a teammate comes by to say, "WTH!"

my utter fury at the pairing of Ludwig and Kaehler for our quarterfinal series and then the same pair for the semifinals!? To say nothing of the bang up job they did last year in our NCAA Semifinal in Duluth. I'm helping a friend do a statistical analysis of Murph's PIM by ref this season.

As it stands now: when Kaehler and/or Ludwig is on the ice she averages 3.17 penalty minutes. When Kaehler and someone else 4.14. When neither Kaehler or Ludwig are there: 2.06 minutes. Speaking as someone who's worn stripes before (admittedly in football, not hockey), there's something deeply wrong with their officiating.