Minnesota Gopher Women's Hockey 20-21

[Lurky McLurkface]

I was not able to gain access to read the article. Does it provide a number of what the minimum is?

According to the story, the minimum number of players is 15, including goalies. I guess UMD is dealing with a combination of injuries and illnesses.

 

[D2D]

According to the story, the minimum number of players is 15, including goalies. I guess UMD is dealing with a combination of injuries and illnesses.

Thanks, Lurky! I think 15 is reasonable. Three forward lines, two sets of D and two goalies. I hope they all get healthy sooner rather than later.

 

[ARM]

Thanks, Lurky! I think 15 is reasonable. Three forward lines, two sets of D and two goalies.

I remember Northeastern being at 13 skaters for quite a few games in early 2014. At one point, the Huskies played (and won) with only 12 skaters dressed. They had three goalies, so they were still at that "magical" count of 15. I've watched games in the not-to-distant past where teams get pretty close to using 10 skaters. If you blink, you can miss that third line.

 

[OldDave]

I remember Northeastern being at 13 skaters for quite a few games in early 2014. At one point, the Huskies played (and won) with only 12 skaters dressed. They had three goalies, so they were still at that "magical" count of 15. I've watched games in the not-to-distant past where teams get pretty close to using 10 skaters. If you blink, you can miss that third line.

I remember a game in Ridder where the Gopher opponent started the game on the PK for "not enough players in uniform" or some such. I don't remember the year, but I think it was a game against UMD. Around that same time period, I remember the Gophers dressing a D in goalie gear so they had a "goalie" on the bench and would not get penalized. I think the rules probably have been around for a while in the WCHA, but now they postpone rather than penalize and play.

 

[ARM]

I remember a game in Ridder where the Gopher opponent started the game on the PK for "not enough players in uniform" or some such. I don't remember the year, but I think it was a game against UMD. Around that same time period, I remember the Gophers dressing a D in goalie gear so they had a "goalie" on the bench and would not get penalized. I think the rules probably have been around for a while in the WCHA, but now they postpone rather than penalize and play.

Yes, UMD didn't have a second goalie for that series during Four Nations. As for the Gophers, I remember Brenda Reinen having minor surgery so there wasn't a backup for Jody Horak. I remember it being 2004-05, but it could have been the season before that. The goalie gear was bigger than Stacy Troumbly; I think they rotated the "honor."

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Zoom Boom 2 SCSU 1...1 down 2 to go.

 

[D2D]

Zoom Boom 2 SCSU 1...1 down 2 to go.

Gotta give the Huskies a lot of credit for battling until the final horn. As with the Mavericks they are a much improved hockey team that can compete with any of the top four in the conference. We'll see what happens in the rematches on Saturday and Sunday...I won't be surprised in the least if they come away with a win, or even two. Today's game was that close.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Gotta give the Huskies a lot of credit for battling until the final horn. As with the Mavericks they are a much improved hockey team that can compete with any of the top four in the conference. We'll see what happens in the rematches on Saturday and Sunday...I won't be surprised in the least if they come away with a win, or even two. Today's game was that close.

To your point, the PP goal SCSU scored was a very skilled play. More like a play you would see out of the top four teams in the league. Minnesota needs more than Zoom Boom scoring. Lots of forward talent on this team but just can't seem to find the right line combos.

 

[ARM]

Lots of forward talent on this team but just can't seem to find the right line combos.

There were large chunks of yesterday's game that led me to believe that the decision of other programs to sit this season out was the correct decision. I agree that the line combos look off. At times the passing was so abysmal, that it wouldn't matter who was on the ice. I'm spoiled watching these ladies play. They make such skillful plays at high speed with such regularity that it looks to us to be a "failure" on those instances when they don't. Yesterday on the PP, a stationary player would attempt to pass the puck to another stationary player, neither of whom was being pressured, and the pass would miss by several feet and clear the O. zone. Other basic puck skills have also declined. Attempts to skate onto a loose puck and possess it are now an adventure that are successful at a far lower percentage than we've come to expect. Players can be standing with the puck on their stick and it just kind of trickles away.

Some look like they aren't doing anything outside of formal practices to keep their reflexes sharp. This could be a year where trophies are won and lost based on the individual investments made in skills and conditioning while everyone was prevented from getting their customary ice time. If so, I'm not optimistic for the home team.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

There were large chunks of yesterday's game that led me to believe that the decision of other programs to sit this season out was the correct decision. I agree that the line combos look off. At times the passing was so abysmal, that it wouldn't matter who was on the ice. I'm spoiled watching these ladies play. They make such skillful plays at high speed with such regularity that it looks to us to be a "failure" on those instances when they don't. Yesterday on the PP, a stationary player would attempt to pass the puck to another stationary player, neither of whom was being pressured, and the pass would miss by several feet and clear the O. zone. Other basic puck skills have also declined. Attempts to skate onto a loose puck and possess it are now an adventure that are successful at a far lower percentage than we've come to expect. Players can be standing with the puck on their stick and it just kind of trickles away.

Some look like they aren't doing anything outside of formal practices to keep their reflexes sharp. This could be a year where trophies are won and lost based on the individual investments made in skills and conditioning while everyone was prevented from getting their customary ice time. If so, I'm not optimistic for the home team.

Kinda eerie...It's almost like Eeyore has taken over your user account and posted for you.

Zoom Boom has been so good it doesn't seem to matter who she plays with plus, when it was together, the line of Boreen, Skaja, and Oden was effective. The rest of it just hasn't worked very well so far.

 

[ARM]

Kinda eerie...It's almost like Eeyore has taken over your user account and posted for you.

I know. And that was me trying to be kind and not naming names of the players whom I thought were positively dreadful.

 

[D2D]

I know. And that was me trying to be kind and not naming names of the players whom I thought were positively dreadful.

Don't have to worry about that today, ARM. Gophs played by far their best period of the year, scoring 4 and getting 19 shots on goal. VERY impressive!

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Don't have to worry about that today, ARM. Gophs played by far their best period of the year, scoring 4 and getting 19 shots on goal. VERY impressive!

That was the 1st period...What Gopher team came out in the second period because that was truly awful...

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Better third period from a puck possession standpoint by Minnesota. They win 4-1. Can't be happy with how they played in the second period, however.

 

[D2D]

Better third period from a puck possession standpoint by Minnesota. They win 4-1. Can't be happy with how they played in the second period, however.

They went from so good in the first to very average (at best) in the second, so much so that they didn't even look like the same team. At this point in the season consistency is definitely not their strong suit. The good news is they have the potential to be great.

 

[Timothy A]

That was the 1st period...What Gopher team came out in the second period because that was truly awful...

So there is a tinge of hope for UW next week. I was thinking MN was going to throttle UW. What I saw out of UW in the first period yesterday was truly awful for UW, most in the O zone, and apparently Friday was about the same.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

So there is a tinge of hope for UW next week. I was thinking MN was going to throttle UW. What I saw out of UW in the first period yesterday was truly awful for UW, most in the O zone, and apparently Friday was about the same.

Sure there is...Minnesota is vulnerable to heavy forecheck pressure on their defensemen and they are prone to making bad turnovers when they are in the offensive zone leading to odd-man rushes. Case in point yesterday...Zumwinkle makes a very bad decision near the SCSU blue line that turns into a 2 on1 for SCSU. It's how they scored their one goal. Stuff like that can be fixed for sure but it hasn't so far.

Thing of it is, there really isn't a team that has separated from the pack this crazy mixed up season. I have streamed some of Northeastern games and I think they could be the one but they have had some struggles as well.

 

[robertearle]

... and apparently Friday was about the same.

Friday was marginally worse; My hope is that this is a "time on task" problem, the season to this point has been so disjointed that they are still getting used to playing with one another, and will improve with time. That, of course, is likely also the case with most all other teams.

 

[Timothy A]

Friday was marginally worse; My hope is that this is a "time on task" problem, the season to this point has been so disjointed that they are still getting used to playing with one another, and will improve with time. That, of course, is likely also the case with most all other teams.

So there was improvement! I'm glad I didn't see Friday's game then.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

After 1 period today Minnesota leads 2-0. Two very nice goals by #9 which were set up by #18. Those two looked very dynamic out there.