Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Now that I'm done slip-sliding home (freezing rain s*cks )...

Interesting game tonight, but I'm happy with the "W". Gophers win 3-0, and Noora gets another shutout. But it felt like the Gophers let "Those Who Shall Remain Nameless" hang around too long. I think Frosty made a great call taking his timeout in the middle of the 2nd period, because the team was not playing well. It was pointed out that, after starting with an 11-0 shot advantage for Minnesota, the shots for the remainder of the 1st period and the 2nd were 15-14 (MN's favor).

Beautiful unassisted goal by Laura May to open the scoring in the first. She just flat-out out-raced the North Dakota defender and then put it past Ms. Dagfinrud. And then after the tough 2nd period, the Gophers capitalized on a power play with a goal by Sarah Erickson 8 minutes into the third. Finally Chelsey Jones scored the empty-netter with a lob from her own blue line to cap the scoring.

Did anyone see which Gopher was the first to be helped off the ice? I thought it was Ms. May, but then I saw her back on the ice later. And then Mira Jalosuo took an uncalled body check and went down for a minute before coming off the ice under her own power.

Both Wisconsin and UMD won, so the Gophs maintain their 7-point lead over the Bulldogs and 11-point lead over the Badgers.

Links:
-- Box Score
-- GopherSports.com game recap - Gophers Earn Second-Straight Shutout Over UND

Don't know if I'll make it out tomorrow. Everything was really icy in my neighborhood. I ended up sliding past my cul-de-sac and then having a challenge turning around at the next cross street. I crawled at idle speed back to my street and then the 1 1/2 blocks into my driveway and garage.

 

[brookyone]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Did anyone see which Gopher was the first to be helped off the ice? I thought it was Ms. May, but then I saw her back on the ice later. And then Mira Jalosuo took an uncalled body check and went down for a minute before coming off the ice under her own power.

I was sitting behind the UND net at the time...it was indeed Laura May that was down and helped off. There was no expression of pain on her face while down. She appeared to not be able to breath initially, then began taking deep breaths...kind of gasping. May have had the wind knocked out of her...but then seemed to favor her left leg while being assisted off. I was glad to see her back so soon.

I thought the Sioux got away with a few obvious body checks tonight. a hook / trip or two as well.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Well, it wasn't pretty (again ) but it was another win and a sweep of North Dakota.

The Gophers looked pretty good in the first period, but couldn't solve UND goaltender Jorid Dagfinrud (who, despite the losses, had a pretty good weekend with 65 saves and a .942 save percentage). I think there were some missed chances as well.

The second period was sad again. Noora Räty kept the Gophers in the game once again, and deservedly was awarded the first star of tonight's game. UND outshot the Gophs 13-6 in the period, but one of the three for Minnesota was a power play tally by Laura May that she sniped past Dagfinrud to make it 1-0 Gophers after two.

The third period was much better, though UND still had some good opportunities. Minnesota controlled much of the play in the UND zone and had a 15-3 shot advantage in the third, but two of the UND shots were odd-man rushes where Noora had to make great saves to maintain the shutout. Still, Kelli Blankenship's insurance goal was a great rebound tally off of Anne Schleper's initial shot that completed a great series of passes; it was one of those where you wish they could award 3 assists.

My take from all of this is that, while the sweep was great, the Gophs are going to have to play better when they face UMD and Wisconsin. There have been some defensive breakdowns, periods where they have been absolutely flat, and offensively they are going to need more scoring than the 1.5 goals-per-game they've scored in the past 4 games (excluding last night's empty-netter). Hopefully Grogan and Lura can be as stingy as Räty, but more goal support would really help.

Links:
-- Box score
-- Recap on GopherSports.com - Gophers Earn Series Sweep Over UND

 

[taz91]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Maybe next year FSN will put the women's game on instead of the men. Nice to have one team on campus that can play the basic part of the game (granted the passing game was a bit weak this weekend) and win.

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Maybe next year FSN will put the women's game on instead of the men.

Should the day ever come when the powers that be decide that GWH has earned the right to be included in Hockey Day Minnesota, I hope that they capitalize on the audience afforded them and play well.

I realize that we spend a lot of time in this thread grumbling about the things we don't do well, ignoring all of those that we do. So for the record, if I was on a theoretical game show where the "banker" offered me to trade my women's hockey team for one in a suitcase labeled "UMD", "Mercyhurst", "UNH", "Wisconsin" or what have you, I wouldn't need any audience members or family support to know that the right answer is "No deal."

Onward and upward Gophs!

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

I realize that we spend a lot of time in this thread grumbling about the things we don't do well, ignoring all of those that we do. So for the record, if I was on a theoretical game show where the "banker" offered me to trade my women's hockey team for one in a suitcase labeled "UMD", "Mercyhurst", "UNH", "Wisconsin" or what have you, I wouldn't need any audience members or family support to know that the right answer is "No deal."

Onward and upward Gophs!

Amen, amen, amen, and amen!

 

[brookyone]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

When you don't have a lot of scoring to talk about...perhaps a mention of "the little things" that serve the team well and often help facilitate a winning outcome.

I can't characterize the performance of Noora in goal as a little thing. Her play was very big in the two wins. When your team is not finding the back of the net very often...it's very nice to #41 in your net. I think I heard coach Frost allude to the potential for the team to take Noora's skills for granted during a post game interview. The team obviously has great confidence in her. You can't take her performances for granted though...so I hope the team can cut down the need, and opportunities actually, where she has to continue to prove that confidence is justified...even when it is certainly justified.

I thought Brittany Francis played a great couple of games this weekend and was an absolute beast on the forecheck every shift. Sarah Erickson was also very effective all weekend IMO, even without showing up in the box score.

I really enjoyed watching the May/Kortum/Jones line and thought they had had a good weekend as well with a nice job forechecking and creating chances...a number of which were quite creative too. All did a good job in those battles along the boards in the offensive zone

Pretty impressed with the UND 'tender this weekend also. Looks like another strong goaltender in the WCHA...that should keep the Sioux in games, and steal a few as well. Until UND gets their offense boosters next season.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Sarah Erickson was also very effective all weekend IMO, even without showing up in the box score.

If I may be nitpicky for a moment...

I'm isolating this piece of your comments, Brooky, because I saw something both games at Bemidji and the first game against UND that I find disconcerting. On multiple occasions, Sarah received a pass or picked up a loose puck on her backhand. Then she tried to switch the puck to her forehand -- but she took too long to do so and lost the puck to an opposing player. IMO, it negated several offensive zone opportunities in Bemidji, and we know how those games turned out.

I'm hoping that the coaches saw the same thing I did and had a talk with her. I don't know if she's that uncomfortable with her backhand or what the situation is, but she cannot take that much time to switch.

I am very glad she scored the insurance goal on Friday night. That was very much needed. This is just something I saw which appeared to need improvement.

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

On multiple occasions, Sarah received a pass or picked up a loose puck on her backhand. Then she tried to switch the puck to her forehand -- but she took too long to do so and lost the puck to an opposing player.

Regarding this issue in particular, I'm obviously no hockey coach. But I've heard Doug Woog many times criticizing a player for trying to go to their backhand and losing the puck, when they had the opportunity to use their forehand or stronger side. So she may be doing what she has been coached to do.

I think for a number of reasons, the team's 1st line has been off for the last couple of weekends. They didn't have an even strength goal in either series, and it isn't a secret that we aren't going to get where we want to go without production from them.

It looked to me like they pretty much emptied the tank against Team USA. That may not have been the wisest thing to do, but they are competitors, and as such, you can't blame them for wanting to compete. Unfortunately, that has left them with a little less zip than we are accustomed to seeing, West and Erickson in particular. I don't think that they are dogging it in any way -- I saw both back checking hard at the end of shifts this weekend -- but I don't believe they had their usual legs under them. Rather, they both appeared to be trying to do too much at times. For example, West got control of a puck in her own zone early in a 2nd period PK, tried to beat two defenders rather than getting it deep and chasing like she would typically do, and wound up stuck back in her zone w/o the usual energy. Later in the game, she did a much better job of ragging the puck and killing time with a similar opportunity.

I am not trying to single out #17, because we are accustomed to always seeing the smart play from her. I just feel the whole team is fighting it a little bit right now, and not playing their game. The third line has been our strongest for much of the 2nd half, but yesterday, Kelli kept backing away from loose pucks. When she is flying to the puck and winning battles, she does a ton to fuel our attack. We really need her offense right now as the 1st line works through it. And it was wonderful timing for May to find her scoring touch once more.

A number of the people we usually count on didn't play that well this weekend. That we got all four points is due in part to the performances we are now getting from other sources (I thought both 6-foot D played well, and the 4th line made a solid contribution). Another huge reason is despite what one may hear from folks in the East, I'm convinced that the best goalie in the country dons her pads in the largest locker room in Ridder Arena.

 

[taz91]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Should the day ever come when the powers that be decide that GWH has earned the right to be included in Hockey Day Minnesota, I hope that they capitalize on the audience afforded them and play well.
QUOTE]
If I'm not mistaken, the first year they did a boys' and girls' HS game, Gopher women, Gopher men and the Wild instead of two boys' HS games. Probably more entertaining that what the team next door is putting on.

As for this past weekends' games, I thought the May/Jones/Kortum line and the Frischmann/Downey/Ludwigson lines both played exceptionally well. I was hoping someone on the 4th line could've gotten a star in Saturday's game. The forechecked very well and didn't give up many odd man rushed like the top line. I also thought all 6 D had pretty solid weekends. I wonder what the coaching staff thought of all the odd man rushes this weekend? It seemed like Noora was seeing 2-on-1s, 3-on-1s and 3-on-2s all weekend along with a few breakaways.

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

I wonder what the coaching staff thought of all the odd man rushes this weekend? It seemed like Noora was seeing 2-on-1s, 3-on-1s and 3-on-2s all weekend along with a few breakaways.

One of Coach Frost's quotes after Saturday's game:

Noora was incredible once again tonight and played very well, stopping multiple breakaways, two-on-ones, stuff that we’re certainly not happy about at all, and we need to clean up.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

From John Hageman at the Minnesota Daily: Minnesota sweeps North Dakota to maintain seven-point conference lead

“If a couple of those pucks go past Noora, then maybe we start playing better. But because she is making those saves, I think sometimes our team kind of falls into a lull and realizes she’s going to make the save, which is not always the case,” Frost said.

But even with a comfortable lead in the conference, Frost said his team is doing just enough to win, which may not be enough come postseason time.

“If we continue in this pattern, it will bite us eventually,” Frost said. “That’s why if we can learn from winning and start getting back to who we are, what we’re about, then we’ll be in good shape down the stretch.”

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

A Gopher fan has asked me to post a reminder that the rebroadcasts of the Gopher games will be on the Big Ten Network tonight and tomorrow morning.

Monday at 5:30pm CST is the rebroadcast of the Friday 3-0 victory

Tuesday at 8:00am CST is another rebroadcast of the Friday 3-0 victory immediately followed by
Tuesday at 9:30am CST is the rebroadcast of the Saturday 2-0 victory

Here's the link to the network schedule:

http://www.bigtennetwork.com/schedule/

 

[LLL]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Thanks for the reminder!! Fun to watch the women on the TV.

 

[D2D]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Thanks for the reminder!! Fun to watch the women on the TV.

Ditto, I missed both games this past weekend and it was great to see them play in HD, even though the team was not at their best. I've set the DVR for tomorrow AM and will watch the second game when I get home after work!

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Here's an interesting tongue-in-cheek look at the sports scene around the Twin Cities from Josh Katzenstein at The Minnesota Daily.

Sports expectations in Land of 10,000 Lakes should fall

The only reason I even bring up this article was that the article's summary on the Daily's sports section web page grabbed my attention: The Vikings are now done, so let's turn to Gophers women's hockey.

I doubt that it's going to get more rear ends into seats at Ridder Arena , but it's at least some more attention for the women's hockey program (as silly as it is ).

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Congrats to Noora Räty on another WCHA Player of the Week award. Good luck in the Olympics and we look forward to your return at the end of February.

Just to update the stats: this is the 5th POTW award for Noora, and the 11th for the team in the 13 weeks the Gophers have been in action (Erickson and Bozek have each won twice, and Jones and Schleper have one each).

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

Congrats to Noora Räty on another WCHA Player of the Week award. Good luck in the Olympics and we look forward to your return at the end of February.

Of course, if you'd like to win another PotW award before you go, we'd be okay with that.

Just to update the stats: this is the 5th POTW award for Noora, and the 11th for the team in the 13 weeks the Gophers have been in action (Erickson and Bozek have each won twice, and Jones and Schleper have one each).

Sounds like Westy is due.

 

[brookyone]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

http://www.mndaily.com/2010/01/28/gophers-focus-learning-mistakes

 

[ARM]

Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010

http://www.mndaily.com/2010/01/28/gophers-focus-learning-mistakes

The Gophers will be without their star goalie this weekend, as freshman Noora Räty will leave the team Friday to join the Finnish National Team.

So Noora is gone already this weekend. Good luck in Vancouver #41!