Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey: 2011-2012 Season Thread
I know, we shouldn't complain, they are having a great season so far.
They are, by a lot of measures. Are they by their own? I sure hope not, because I believe that they want to be champions, and right now, they aren't playing at a championship level consistently enough to get there. They set the bar on Friday night, showing what they are capable of doing. Coming out in game two on the road with an effort some distance below that, when you can be positive that the team that you beat the night before is going to come out harder just isn't going to get it done. I know North Dakota was far, far better on Saturday than they were on Friday, but we all know how hard teams go in March, so we may as well get used to it. I realize that we missed Seeler last night, but UND missed Slavin, and they found a way to reconfigure and win in spite of her absence.
So players, consider this some tough love. Because the way that you're going right now just plain isn't going to get you there. You want to be NCAA champs? Prove it. Show me in December, don't think you can turn it on at some point in March and that will be enough. And the coaches need to look in the mirror as well, because at this level, it is a pretty unforgiving game. You can't get called for "too many" in the final minutes when you're trying to come back, and there can't be any confusion with your goaltender as to when to come off. Wisconsin made it rather clear last season that they won't be beaten by a team trying to get by playing mostly two lines. We need a third line that can be trusted on the ice at any point of a tie game. If we don't have one now, then somehow, we need to figure out how to construct one. Because when a team gets its first PP chance 3 minutes into the third and the players that are counted on to score are already too gassed to get anything done, that is a problem that can't be repeated. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
If I've misjudged this team's aspirations, I apologize, because if our definition of great is make the NCAAs, maybe even the Frozen Four, and get to add a number to our participation banner, then we are looking great.
I read it online, but whether it was in the forum or some team's live blog I don't recall. Based on yungblud's post, I'll retract what I said in relation to UND, because in years past when I've attend games at the REA, there did seem to be a head count to support the announced figure. Definitely not the case in Madison.
