Re: 2014-2015 Minnesota Women's Hockey: The Maroon & Gold Strike Back!
Yeah, I thought BSU looked rather slow for most of the game and at times embarrassingly slow to the point of lazy. In the first period there were several times when a BSU player had the puck with 10-15 ft of empty space around them in the neutral zone but instead of turning on the jets they just lethargically started skating forward with the puck as if there was no ultimate intent. Looked like their skates were anchored in concrete. And it occurred several times regardless of whether or not the puck carrier had support.
In person, I didn't see that. There were times when Bemidji State players were caught on the ice for too long and needed a change, and players in that situation will look slow, I'll admit. Overall, the Beavers that you'd expect to be flying around the ice did so.
I didn't feel that the Gophers were bad by any means. Were they cranked up to the level that one would want to see at this stage of the year? No. They played a good, solid game, but did not possess enough urgency throughout to ensure that they would put away a good team with its season at stake. As the game went along, it became clear that a bounce would go a long way toward deciding it. There were numerous times both ways where pucks hit traffic and skittered just wide of a post. The odds favor the team with more zone time -- usually. However, relying on getting a bounce isn't the "Get It Done" or "Leave No Doubt" mottos we've seen from previous championship teams.
Certain people played with a lot of intensity yesterday. Pannek was great, but I didn't feel either of her wings were at their best. Brandt was flying, but she tried to force passes to the slot that may have been there a fraction earlier, but BSU recovers too quickly for the window to remain open for long. As a team, Minnesota wasn't as efficient as it needed to be yesterday.
As for goaltending, I saw Noora lose when her team got shut out as well, including a trip to Harvard where she allowed one goal in 125 minutes and got one point for her efforts. It's hard for a goalie to score or read a shot that is never taken.
The good news is that after losing yesterday, I'm okay with any quarterfinal opponent. Bemidji State? I wouldn't mind another shot at the Beavers. The Gophers have yet to beat them away from the Sanford Center, ironically enough, so I'd welcome the chance. RIT? Always good to see a team I've never watched before. Clarkson? The attraction there is obvious. BU wouldn't be my first choice, but Minnesota dropped the ball enough times over the year that the risk is you play a more dangerous first opponent than you'd like. That's not to say that the others aren't dangerous, but they have attributes that make them a more favorable opponent than someone like the Terriers where the revenge motive flows only in one direction.
