Re: Gophers 2013-14 B1G Things To Come!
I agree with you slap and I would add:
What happened to Warning, big drop off and has had far too many bone headed plays with the puck lately.
I like our D, yes even Marshall.
As we get deeper into the season Rau, Condon and Warning need to step it up imo, though Rau has a new role without Bjugs now, so maybe that's not as important as the other two.
Ambroz has been a beast, good for him, we need someone to get down and dirty and he seems to like that.
Good observations San! But what we've seen thus far from Warning, Rau and Condon is typical of the amount of scoring they’ve demonstrated in previous seasons. Below is a first and second half scoring comparison over the past two seasons equivalent in games to this season’s 36 game schedule. Kyle Rau and Nate Condon's first half goal scoring has progressively dropped off over 3 seasons. I suspect Rau's role at center as more of a playmaker, rather than camping at the edge of the net as in previous seasons, may have a bearing on his decrease in goals and increase in assists.
The overall scoring trend for these three players is they tend to drop off the scoring sheet for lengthy periods of time. Last season Kyle Rau closed the season with only 2 Gs/18 games, Nate Condon ended last season with 3 Gs/16 games, and Sam Warning closed out his scoring last season with only 3 Gs/14 games. Warning has not scored a goal this season since Oct.19th against Bemidji, Rau has scored only 2 goals since the first game of this season against Mercyhurst and Condon hasn’t scored a goal since Oct. 27th against BC. Fasching had a brilliant first 8 games scoring 5 goals, but has since buried only 1 goal in his last 8 games. The Fasching/Rau/Warning line has only 3 goals in the last 8 games. That has to change if the Gophers are going to make a run for the Frozen Four.
PROJECTED: Nate Condon and Kyle Rau have bounced back with better second half scoring in their two previous seasons and hopefully we'll see that trend continue again. However, Sam Warning has regressed in scoring in each of his two previous seasons and he had a couple nagging injuries last season. This season he logged his best first half ever as a Gopher and currently leads the Gophers in points with 1.25 pts./game. Hopefully this season he'll break his trend of a second half scoring slump. Admittedly, freshman class scoring has been remarkable, but Rau, Condon and Warning are key upperclassmen and leaders who need to be more consistently on the scoreboard in the second half if the Gophers are to have a deep playoff run.
PLAYER (First half after 16 games)
....................2013-14....................2012-13....................2011-12
KYLE RAU.....................................................3-13-16.....................6-8-14....................10-8-18
SAM WARNING..............................................5-15-20....................5-11-16......................4-3-7
NATE CONDON...............................................2-8-10......................3-9-12.....................5-6-11
PLAYER (Second half after 20 games)
................2013-14....................2012-13....................2011-12
KYLE RAU.........................................................?.........................8-14-22....................6-12-18
SAM WARNING..................................................?...........................3-4-7.......................2-5-7
NATE CONDON..................................................?.........................8-10-18....................5-10-15
