2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

[Bakunin]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

To extend the similarity a bit further:
Dartmouth finished 16th in the pairwise and whiffed on the tourney. They would be UND right now.
Cornell was not far behind (I haven't found a final pre-NCAA tourney pairwise from last season as of yet, but I am quite sure that team was in the thick of it for the last at-large bid), so they would be CC.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

To extend the similarity a bit further:
Dartmouth finished 16th in the pairwise and whiffed on the tourney. They would be UND right now.
Cornell was not far behind (I haven't found a final pre-NCAA tourney pairwise from last season as of yet, but I am quite sure that team was in the thick of it for the last at-large bid), so they would be CC.

I don't think anyone would say the ECAC and to a lesser extent other conferences have anywhere close to the talent in the WCHA. But frequently teams in those other conferences play with a chip on their shoulder. Its no wonder that there are a fair amount of upsets in the NCAAs even when talent is stacked heavily against the underdogs.

 

[Handyman]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

And how the **** can you forget about #26 Union? That's been a uscho meme for quite some time!

I read this side of the board once every few weeks I am not up on the USCHO memes anymore

 

[shiftyjedi]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

The reason why the gophers are so high in the polls, but so low in the Pair Wise and Krach is because Pollsters look at things other then that used in the comparison rankings. The gophers goal differential is crazy high. They are top five in scoring offense and scoring defense. The Pair Wise looks at the two victories this weekend and sees two victories against teams not in consideration. Pollsters see a decent but banged up team get completely dominated. Pollsters know that teams that go against the Gophers bringeth the A game every night. If the gophers would have gotten at least a tie in Friday CC game they would probably have moved up two spots. One goal with 30 seconds remaining.

 

[burd]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

Being atop the WCHA this season is little different than leading the ECACHL most years. The conference is almost that ****ty.

True. UND is pretty soft and still has a chance of getting home ice.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

The Gophs have to carry this forward. Much of the goal differential comes from early in the season when they suprised teams. During October the Gophers goal differential was 46 to 14. If you take out one game against UND, the Gophers have been outscored in the last month. IMO the big difference is that they showed the first real fire we've seen in some time last weekend.

 

[Stauber1]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

The Gophs have to carry this forward. Much of the goal differential comes from early in the season when they suprised teams. During October the Gophers goal differential was 46 to 14. If you take out one game against UND, the Gophers have been outscored in the last month. IMO the big difference is that they showed the first real fire we've seen in some time last weekend.

I disagree. They showed some fire Saturday in Grand Forks. And that third period on Saturday against CC was one of the most determined efforts I've seen from a Gophers team. ****, that whole weekend against CC was a pretty good showing outside of not being able to put that final play together to find the back of the net.

If you want to talk about "fire", the issue has been seeing it for a full 60 minutes. But maintaining a balls-to-the-walls effort for 60 minutes, twice a weekend for an entire season is incredibly difficult. Every once in a while a team can come close to that, but those teams are few and far between and quite special.

And hell, even against Notre Dame they showed some real fire to make it close.

To me the issue has been, in general, an increased difficulty in scoring. And more specifically, an ineffective powerplay and to a lesser extent 2nd line.
It may be time for many of us to throw out the complaint about a porous defense. There are still some glaring mistakes being made, but those mistakes have become fewer and fewer and the defensive effort that they are in between has been down right great as of late.

I still am not expecting any banners out of this year. But I think this team will be competing for them, both on the merits of the season as a whole as well as in those specific 1-off games.

 

[Handyman]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

The team gives up 2 goals a game roughly...we are far and away the best scoring defense in the WCHA with an 8 goal lead on Duluth. (we have 38 goals against in 20 games) The team hasnt even given up 60 goals total all season through 29 games. The defense isnt perfect, but they are not in the Top 5 problems of the squad. (I am agreeing we throw the argument out)

And I got to say the "play hard for 60 minutes" argument that people always use as their benchmark really makes me angry. There are maybe 2-3 games all year by good teams that you can point to where that happens in reality. The thing is, some people equate wins by their team as meaning they played hard all game which we all know is bs.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

College Hockey Stats has the numbers.

Scoring Offense: Games Goals G/GM
1 Minnesota Duluth 26 99 3.81
2 Minnesota 29 108 3.72
3 Denver 26 95 3.65
4 Boston University 24 85 3.54

Scoring Defense: Games Goals G/GM
1 Union 27 48 1.78
2 Merrimack 24 48 2.00
RIT 26 52 2.00
4 Minnesota 29 59 2.03

Scoring Margin: Games GF GF/G GA GA/G Margin
1 Minnesota 29 108 3.72 59 2.03 1.69
2 Union 27 92 3.41 48 1.78 1.63
3 Minnesota Duluth 26 99 3.81 65 2.50 1.31
4 UMass Lowell 23 80 3.48 53 2.30 1.17


Those numbers are pretty awesome by the way. Those numbers are compete for National Title type numbers.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

Justin Kloos mentioned in <A HREF="http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/44470-The-Hot-List-Thrower-one-to-watch.html">The Hockey News</A> article.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

I don't think anyone would say the ECAC and to a lesser extent other conferences have anywhere close to the talent in the WCHA.

If you're going to quote me, at least make some sort of tangible response to what I said. Nowhere in my post was there any sort of mention of talent or NCAA upsets. I was pointing out the strong pairwise similarities that exist between this year's WCHA and last year's ECACHL. Nothing more.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

I disagree.

The team played with fire last weekend...and if you want to include the third period of the previous weekend, fine.

But the team has played .500 hockey over the last month...at that rate, the team will not get out of the regionals. Frankly, if that continues they will neither make the NCAAs nor deserve to do so. Over the last month, having the best talent in the country has not been enough, nor wil it be. Having said that, I do think the team has the make up to keep this recent improved play going, even with a tough upcoming weekend at DU.

If you're going to quote me, at least make some sort of tangible response to what I said. Nowhere in my post was there any sort of mention of talent or NCAA upsets. I was pointing out the strong pairwise similarities that exist between this year's WCHA and last year's ECACHL. Nothing more.

I was making a tangential point to your comment.

 

[SanTropez]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

Patterson has and will keep us in most games we play, we need to start scoring again on the PP and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[gopher wes]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

College Hockey Stats has the numbers.

Scoring Offense: Games Goals G/GM
1 Minnesota Duluth 26 99 3.81
2 Minnesota 29 108 3.72
3 Denver 26 95 3.65
4 Boston University 24 85 3.54

Scoring Defense: Games Goals G/GM
1 Union 27 48 1.78
2 Merrimack 24 48 2.00
RIT 26 52 2.00
4 Minnesota 29 59 2.03

Scoring Margin: Games GF GF/G GA GA/G Margin
1 Minnesota 29 108 3.72 59 2.03 1.69
2 Union 27 92 3.41 48 1.78 1.63
3 Minnesota Duluth 26 99 3.81 65 2.50 1.31
4 UMass Lowell 23 80 3.48 53 2.30 1.17


Those numbers are pretty awesome by the way. Those numbers are compete for National Title type numbers.

Are you feeling alright, Scoobs?

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

2 things.

1. Minnesota didn't start the Big 10 hockey conference.
2. Minnesota doesn't need UND, UMD, or SCSU to survive to keep itself a power in college hockey.

Why these two universal truths are forgotten on this board much like Simple Math is forgotten is beyond me.

 

[Dirty]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

2 things.

1. Minnesota didn't start the Big 10 hockey conference.
2. Minnesota doesn't need UND, UMD, or SCSU to survive to keep itself a power in college hockey.

Why these two universal truths are forgotten on this board much like Simple Math is forgotten is beyond me.

Minnesota certainly does not need any other school and certainly doesn't have to play any other school, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be nice if they did play the other schools. UND sure as hell doesn't need Minnesota either, but they'd still like to play them. Hopefully the Minnesota AD has a different view than many of it's fans here which seems to be "Well sucks to be you but don't blame us. It's that guy's fault. What? Oh no, we won't help you. That's your problem not ours."

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Minnesota certainly does not need any other school and certainly doesn't have to play any other school, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be nice if they did play the other schools. UND sure as hell doesn't need Minnesota either, but they'd still like to play them. Hopefully the Minnesota AD has a different view than many of it's fans here which seems to be "Well sucks to be you but don't blame us. It's that guy's fault. What? Oh no, we won't help you. That's your problem not ours."

They'll play UND after realignment, but it won't be yearly. That has nothing to do with "wanting" to play UND and everything to do with the 20 home game minimum set by the school.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

Minnesota certainly does not need any other school and certainly doesn't have to play any other school, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be nice if they did play the other schools. UND sure as hell doesn't need Minnesota either, but they'd still like to play them. Hopefully the Minnesota AD has a different view than many of it's fans here which seems to be "Well sucks to be you but don't blame us. It's that guy's fault. What? Oh no, we won't help you. That's your problem not ours."

They're going to play other schools. But sorry other schools it's not going to happen every year and it's really not going to happen at your rink every year.

 

[4four4]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

Guentzel article

Nice article.

 

[Stauber1]

Re: 2011-12 Minnesota Season Thread (Pride On Ice Returns!)

The team played with fire last weekend...and if you want to include the third period of the previous weekend, fine.

But the team has played .500 hockey over the last month...at that rate, the team will not get out of the regionals. Frankly, if that continues they will neither make the NCAAs nor deserve to do so. Over the last month, having the best talent in the country has not been enough, nor wil it be. Having said that, I do think the team has the make up to keep this recent improved play going, even with a tough upcoming weekend at DU.

My point about the 3rd period on Saturday against CC wasn't to contrast that effort level with the effort level of other games this season. Rather, it was to say that the effort and determination displayed by the squad that particular period was exceptionally fantastic. The way they defended that 1 goal lead to earn the split was downright inspirational.
But again, in the effort department that entire weekend was pretty darn good. They outplayed CC all week. If the PP hadn't failed them, they easily would have gotten 3pts there.
The same thing can be said for their trip to Grand Forks. The effort was pretty darn good, and if the PP could have chipped in 1 goal on Friday (when they had a full 5min major to work with) they would have easily come out of that series with 3pts as well. So, I don't buy that effort or intensity is what has been the cause of their modest recent record. Had the PP scored just 1 goal on both of those Fridays they would be 7 pts away in 1st place and a firm #2 seed in the current PWR rankings.

I don't think the Gophers have had the effort let them down for a 60-minute span all season. It often seems like people think that if a good team just plays hard they won't ever lose; so when a good team does lose then that team just must not have been trying very hard. My point was simply that even for really good teams it is difficult to play at the pinnacle of their ability for 60 minutes, twice a week all season long.

Lets put it this way. Last season Duluth cruised until Christmas being ranked #1 pretty much perpetually from Nov. - mid Jan. They couldn't keep that up and ended the regular season 4th in the conference, and for the last 4 weeks of the season leading into the NCAAs they were anxiously eying that PWR cutoff line. We all know how the year ended for them.

If MN can get either its PP rolling at over 20% again, its 2nd line consistently scoring, or both, then they will be extremely difficult to beat for any team in the country.