MSU comes into this weekend's 2 game series with the Gophers with a severe identity crisis. MSU lost 3/5 of their top scorers and have added a boatload of freshman, many of whom have no D1 experience. Going into their recent exhibition game against Windsor, senior Kevin Walrod commented, "We all didn't know, when you have 12 new guys what it was going to be like, what our make-up was going to be like..." Well, sure enough their Mabeline eyeliner was dripping down their cute freshman faces and their red lipstick was smeared all over their face shields after the pop collar Spartans beat a wimpy Windsor team with ugly uniforms, 6-1.
However, second year coach Tom Anastos quickly dismissed the victory when asked about this weekend's series with the Gophers, "The speed of that game will be light years from the speed of this game. It will be a completely different game than we saw tonight in terms of how the game is played. I don't want to read too much into this", he said (maybe with a little quiver in his voice too). Wise man that Tom Anastos! I wonder what MSU's make-up will look like this weekend after they're crushed by the powerhouse scoring machine called the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers?
The Gophers will sweep MSU in their opening series of the 2012-13 season.
Either MSU will place an order for new jerseys next Tuesday when they can't get the make-up stains out OR since Chris Chelios' sons, Jake and Dean play for MSU, maybe they'll give him the jerseys so he can burn them like he did with a Bears jersey in bar recently. Whatever...
Are we playing green Michigan or obnoxious Michigan?![]()
Hope minny wipes the floor with state.
Hope minny wipes the floor with state.
MSU might be able to get one but a ton of young guys usually spells trouble in a big road opening series.
No, sparty just sucks. They don't even try against most teams because they know they are inferior. They do however try plus goon it up a bit against Big Brother. They only care about when they play Michigan, it's like that in every sport. They are annoying, destroy them please.
You should keep trying to hammer home that "make-up" bit some more.
Minnesota enters its 92nd season of collegiate hockey with a 1655-942-171 record. The Gophers were 28-14-1 a year ago and returned to the Frozen Four for the 20th time in program history. Minnesota also captured the MacNaughtonCup(regular season WCHA champion) for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Gophers return 19 players from last year's program including 83 percent of its scoring.
Six of Minnesota's top seven scorers return including last year's leading scorer Erik Haula (20-29--49). Other returners of note include sophomore Kyle Rau (18-25--43), junior Nate Schmidt (3-38--41), redshirt junior Zach Budish (12-23--35) and junior Nate Condon (11-19--30). The biggest question mark entering the season for Minnesota will be goaltending as junior Michael Shibrowski and freshman Adam Wilcox will compete for the starting gig after All-American Kent Patterson graduated in the offseason.
Minnesota vs. Michigan State
Minnesota and Michigan State have a long and storied history with both programs having been members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and now both moving to the Big Ten Conference in 2013-14. The Gophers own a 101-43-12 overall record against the Spartans although recent history has been favorable to both teams (Minnesota is 4-4-5 against the Spartans since 2000-01).
The two teams played a pair of games in East Lansing last season with Michigan State picking up a 4-3 win on Friday before the two teams tied 4-4 in overtime the next night. Both teams reached the NCAA tournament last season with suprising results. Minnesota -- picked to finish sixth in the WCHA a year ago -- turned heads by reaching the team's 20th Frozen Four after winning its regional against Boston University (7-3) and North Dakota (5-2). Minnesota suffered a 6-1 loss to eventual national champion Boston College in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals. Michigan State, meanwhile, picked up an at-large bid to the national tournament, but was upset 3-1 in the first round by Frozen Four-bound Union.
Big Ten Preview
Two games this weekend against the Spartans are the first of six total games against future Big Ten opponents. Minnesota will also play four contests against Wisconsin this season. Minnesota is 396-248-47 all-time against teams that will compete in the Big Ten next season. As a WCHA rival, Minnesota has played Wisconsin most frequently -- owning a 155-86-20 overall record against the Badgers. Minnesota is 128-117-14 against Michigan, 101-44-13 against Michigan State and 12-1-0 against Ohio State. The Gophers have never met Penn State (in first year of NCAA competition).
So "Other returners of note" doesn't include Bjugstad? Or did I just miss his name the 3 times I re-read that sentence?
No, sparty just sucks. They don't even try against most teams because they know they are inferior. They do however try plus goon it up a bit against Big Brother. They only care about when they play Michigan, it's like that in every sport. They are annoying, destroy them please.
"Hammer home"?Butt pirate-asaurus? Here's a little Hendrix for your gayblade metro boys:
Green and white all in my brain
Lately things just don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
excuse me while I kiss this guy.
Gophers sweep.
No, sparty just sucks. They don't even try against most teams because they know they are inferior. They do however try plus goon it up a bit against Big Brother. They only care about when they play Michigan, it's like that in every sport. They are annoying, destroy them please.
You form sentences like a *******.