Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

[SanTropez]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

I don't know about the rest of the conference but we don't play a conference opponent until the first week of Dec. and then we're on break until the New Year.

We don't start conference play until then either.

He was talking about us playing against the fighting birds next weekend, hence the couple easy wins comment.

 

[KaMiGo]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

It is entirely possible that that MSU will be playing an entire conference schedule against ranked teams given where teams are right now and what they have in the next several weeks.

Latest poll had Ohio State @ 11, Minnesota @ 13, Penn State @ 14, Michigan @17, Wisconsin receiving votes.

Ohio State has a good shot to stay hot and improve their ranking against Robert Morris, Connecticut, RPI
Minnesota could make big strides or fall back with games against #3 North Dakota, #10 Minnesota State, #5 BC
Penn State should make a statement and get a bunch of wins with games against Niagara (winless), Anchorage (traveling to PA), and Arizona State (traveling to PA)
Michigan gets a good test against Boston University and a possibly sneaky good Lake Superior State team
Wisconsin can get some momentum going and get into the polls with matchups against Northern Michigan, Merrimack, CC/Denver, and Omaha

5 of 6 teams ranked going into the conference schedule, I'd say that's pretty reasonable at this point and a solid showing for the conference that nobody wanted.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

There is no way all five teams stay ranked all year. They have to play each other...

 

[Decatur Spartan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

There is no way all five teams stay ranked all year. They have to play each other...

Your right. And then add in that beating MSU (even playing MSU) will bring their Pair Wise down.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

It is entirely possible that that MSU will be playing an entire conference schedule against ranked teams given where teams are right now and what they have in the next several weeks.

Latest poll had Ohio State @ 11, Minnesota @ 13, Penn State @ 14, Michigan @17, Wisconsin receiving votes.

Ohio State has a good shot to stay hot and improve their ranking against Robert Morris, Connecticut, RPI
Minnesota could make big strides or fall back with games against #3 North Dakota, #10 Minnesota State, #5 BC
Penn State should make a statement and get a bunch of wins with games against Niagara (winless), Anchorage (traveling to PA), and Arizona State (traveling to PA)
Michigan gets a good test against Boston University and a possibly sneaky good Lake Superior State team
Wisconsin can get some momentum going and get into the polls with matchups against Northern Michigan, Merrimack, CC/Denver, and Omaha

5 of 6 teams ranked going into the conference schedule, I'd say that's pretty reasonable at this point and a solid showing for the conference that nobody wanted.

The Gophers are playing what is ostensibly a road game at Mariucci this weekend with the sea of green that will be in the seats, likely dropping both those games. Mankato State will be a real issue for them as the Gophers are 1-14 over their last 15 games played against other Minnesota schools, but BC could be their salvation. They play UMD in the first round of the North Star Cup in January, so there's another OOC loss for tDon and crew. They *might* beat Bemidji in the loser bracket of the North Star Cup tournament, so they have that going for them, which is nice.

Really, outside of the cupcakes they've scheduled for the Mariucci Classic (which they've not fared too well in over the past few years), and Northeastern, their OOC schedule doesn't look too promising for them.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

The Gophers are playing what is ostensibly a road game at Mariucci this weekend with the sea of green that will be in the seats, likely dropping both those games. Mankato State will be a real issue for them as the Gophers are 1-14 over their last 15 games played against other Minnesota schools, but BC could be their salvation. They play UMD in the first round of the North Star Cup in January, so there's another OOC loss for tDon and crew. They *might* beat Bemidji in the loser bracket of the North Star Cup tournament, so they have that going for them, which is nice.

Really, outside of the cupcakes they've scheduled for the Mariucci Classic (which they've not fared too well in over the past few years), and Northeastern, their OOC schedule doesn't look too promising for them.

Boy, I'm not sure I agree with any of this.

First, UND is simply not as good as a lot of people think. We may have the best player in college hockey, but the rest of the forwards have been inconsistent at best. We have a ton of holes on defense and those holes have been exposed by both good teams and bad. I think they'll struggle on the big ice this weekend. I think by the end of the year UND will be pretty solid and a team you won't want to play, but I wouldn't bet on a sweep by UND this weekend for anything. I'd say it's probably about 55-60% MN sweeps, 30-35% they split, with the remaining small percentage consisting of a UND sweep or a win and tie by either team.

Mankato is home and home, so that will be a split.

UMD will be though for MN, but no way will BC be their salvation. I see BC giving MN real problems, especially with the skilled forwards they bring to the table.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

Boy, I'm not sure I agree with any of this.

First, UND is simply not as good as a lot of people think. We may have the best player in college hockey, but the rest of the forwards have been inconsistent at best. We have a ton of holes on defense and those holes have been exposed by both good teams and bad. I think they'll struggle on the big ice this weekend. I think by the end of the year UND will be pretty solid and a team you won't want to play, but I wouldn't bet on a sweep by UND this weekend for anything. I'd say it's probably about 55-60% MN sweeps, 30-35% they split, with the remaining small percentage consisting of a UND sweep or a win and tie by either team.

Mankato is home and home, so that will be a split.

UMD will be though for MN, but no way will BC be their salvation. I see BC giving MN real problems, especially with the skilled forwards they bring to the table.

I think you're discounting how bad the Gophers have already choked this year. In Mariucci, they gave up a three-goal lead in the third period to SCSU and lost in OT. They same basic thing then happened in St. Cloud the next night, only it was two goals in the first period and SCSU didn't require OT for the win that night. Mankato State pretty much owned SCSU the weekend they played.

As to UND, I think they'll be fine. The Gophers are accustomed to playing on the big ice, but they're not accustomed to having so many fans in Mariucci, especially road fans. That'll put them off their game. UND may very well be overrated right now, but they're probably good enough to get a sweep this weekend because the Gophers have plenty of troubles of their own - there's a whole lot of quit in that team.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

Boy, I'm not sure I agree with any of this.

First, UND is simply not as good as a lot of people think. We may have the best player in college hockey, but the rest of the forwards have been inconsistent at best. We have a ton of holes on defense and those holes have been exposed by both good teams and bad. I think they'll struggle on the big ice this weekend. I think by the end of the year UND will be pretty solid and a team you won't want to play, but I wouldn't bet on a sweep by UND this weekend for anything. I'd say it's probably about 55-60% MN sweeps, 30-35% they split, with the remaining small percentage consisting of a UND sweep or a win and tie by either team.

Mankato is home and home, so that will be a split.

UMD will be though for MN, but no way will BC be their salvation. I see BC giving MN real problems, especially with the skilled forwards they bring to the table.

Minnesota is playing with House Money until conference play starts. No one there cares about non-conference wins, PWR, or the like. Just hang that banner.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

I think you're discounting how bad the Gophers have already choked this year. In Mariucci, they gave up a three-goal lead in the third period to SCSU and lost in OT. They same basic thing then happened in St. Cloud the next night, only it was two goals in the first period and SCSU didn't require OT for the win that night. Mankato State pretty much owned SCSU the weekend they played.

As to UND, I think they'll be fine. The Gophers are accustomed to playing on the big ice, but they're not accustomed to having so many fans in Mariucci, especially road fans. That'll put them off their game. UND may very well be overrated right now, but they're probably good enough to get a sweep this weekend because the Gophers have plenty of troubles of their own - there's a whole lot of quit in that team.

North Dakota has had a lot of great teams over the years. But I think they've swept Minnesota once, in Minneapolis, since something like 1980. I don't think this is the team to change that.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

Minnesota is playing with House Money until conference play starts. No one there cares about non-conference wins, PWR, or the like. Just hang that banner.

lol...

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

It's interesting the only person here talking smack about these games is a JBSU fan.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

It's interesting the only person here talking smack about these games is a JBSU fan.

There are a lot of Gopher fans in my life, so the topic comes up quite a bit. Some of them even went to school there!

 

[Happy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

I think you're discounting how bad the Gophers have already choked this year. In Mariucci, they gave up a three-goal lead in the third period to SCSU and lost in OT. They same basic thing then happened in St. Cloud the next night, only it was two goals in the first period and SCSU didn't require OT for the win that night. Mankato State pretty much owned SCSU the weekend they played.

As to UND, I think they'll be fine. The Gophers are accustomed to playing on the big ice, but they're not accustomed to having so many fans in Mariucci, especially road fans. That'll put them off their game. UND may very well be overrated right now, but they're probably good enough to get a sweep this weekend because the Gophers have plenty of troubles of their own - there's a whole lot of quit in that team.

St Cloud's biggest weekend of the year.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

St Cloud's biggest weekend of the year.

Do you see many (any?) UMD or other SCSU fans on this site anymore? If there's hockey talk to be had for me, it pretty much has to be about games in which my team isn't involved.

 

[Speed Kills]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

The Big Ten is now 30-16-7 in non-conference play for a winning percentage of .632, trailing only the NCHC in that category with a mark of 27-14-7 (.635). Taking these facts into consideration, I wonder how many people here are going to continue to be stubborn enough to cling to their "The NCHC is sooooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the Big Ten" nonsense.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/interconference/division-i-men/2016-2017/

 

[UMICH]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

The Big Ten is now 30-16-7 in non-conference play for a winning percentage of .632, trailing only the NCHC in that category with a mark of 27-14-7 (.635). Taking these facts into consideration, I wonder how many people here are going to continue to be stubborn enough to cling to their "The NCHC is sooooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the Big Ten" nonsense.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/interconference/division-i-men/2016-2017/

The wastern michigan and miami fans definitely. You know, the MAC schools...

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

The Big Ten is now 30-16-7 in non-conference play for a winning percentage of .632, trailing only the NCHC in that category with a mark of 27-14-7 (.635). Taking these facts into consideration, I wonder how many people here are going to continue to be stubborn enough to cling to their "The NCHC is sooooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the Big Ten" nonsense.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/interconference/division-i-men/2016-2017/

Do keep in mind that outside of UNO and Miami, the entire NCHC has a SOS in the top 10. But you're right...the Big ten has a really solid season going and that bodes well for its tourney chances.

 

[Dirty Dream No. 2]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

Nice job by Michigan tonight, blowing a 2-1 lead with 10 min to go to lose 4-2.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

The Big Ten is now 30-16-7 in non-conference play for a winning percentage of .632, trailing only the NCHC in that category with a mark of 27-14-7 (.635). Taking these facts into consideration, I wonder how many people here are going to continue to be stubborn enough to cling to their "The NCHC is sooooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the Big Ten" nonsense.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/interconference/division-i-men/2016-2017/

The Buckeyes, who I keep hearing are so very good this year, got spanked by Robert Morris last week. You were saying? Also, look at overall SOS for non-conference opponents and then take these things into account before posting a comparison that's so simplistic.

 

[Happy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey 2016-2017

Do you see many (any?) UMD or other SCSU fans on this site anymore? If there's hockey talk to be had for me, it pretty much has to be about games in which my team isn't involved.

I agree. If there are new fans, they don't come here.