Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

[Still Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

It seems to me that over the years Senior Day has sometimes proved to be a distraction of sorts for the players. I don't know if they lose focus because it disrupts they usual routine and takes their minds off the task at hand, or what.

The Gophers certainly didn't look good for the first two periods (plus the wasted 5-on-3 power play in the third), but I think the most consequential decision came before the game even started. I understand, and approve, of making sure all of the seniors dressed today, but it meant deactivating Skaja and Boreen. Along with Oden, they were the best line Minnesota had last night, and they were badly missed. And having made that decision, especially given how lethargic the team looked for most of the game, Gunderson/Pieper/Smith really should have gotten some shifts.

Given that I've criticized the defense a number of times, I should point out that they absolutely were not the problem today. One really bad goal notwithstanding, neither was Scobee. This was on the forwards. There was a lot of bad decision making, especially finishing 2-on-1s by expecting a player to shoot a puck that's a foot and a half in the air. The effort was often lacking, and they need to stop shooting the puck three feet over the net.

On the whole, though, I don't think a bad effort today really means that much. The Gophers have been fortunate that, one game against Duluth aside, they've managed to pull out wins on the other occasions when they played poorly. That hasn't happened much, and I'll take my chances on it not happening in the playoffs. I expect that, if they lose, they'll go down swinging. And, hopefully, they get the job done in Bemidji next week.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

It seems to me that over the years Senior Day has sometimes proved to be a distraction of sorts for the players. I don't know if they lose focus because it disrupts they usual routine and takes their minds off the task at hand, or what. In any case it sure took a while for the Gophers to get going tonight. The good news is that they ultimately found a way to win. A close game like this where you have to dig deep and come from behind to get the victory may offer more "teaching moments" than an easy blowout kind of game.

I was really po'd with this game but reading your post and Still Eeyore's has helped tame that. Disrepected Minnsota State as well as they deserve credit for playing better today compared to last night.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

...(plus the wasted 5-on-3 power play in the third)...

The coaches have to learn to not get too clever. The unit of 12-13-21-25-28 had a dynamic PP on Friday night that culminated in a goal by 13 just after the penalty expired. Didn't see much of that group again, even with about a bazillion minutes of PP time in the 2nd period Fri. Finally, they were out there again on a PP down a goal in the third, and 12 drew another penalty. Oh boy, they'll score no problem 5-on-3. Coaches call time out, I guess to rest this group. Nope, instead we're going to send out some grouping we've never seen before with 19 in the middle of it.

As a junior, she was as dynamic as any player in the country. Great hands, great vision, and played HARD. Had a great compete level. We haven't seen much of that player this year, but the coaches still use her like she is. If she isn't going to adjust, then it is paramount that the staff does. Squandered 5-on-3, and then leftover parts that don't usually play together for the 5-on-4. It seemed like a knee-jerk reaction, rather than a calculated move.

I think the most consequential decision came before the game even started. I understand, and approve, of making sure all of the seniors dressed today, but it meant deactivating Skaja and Boreen. Along with Oden, they were the best line Minnesota had last night, and they were badly missed. And having made that decision, especially given how lethargic the team looked for most of the game, Gunderson/Pieper/Smith really should have gotten some shifts.

I understand the intent of the decision, but I don't approve of it. This isn't the game that I started watching 21 years ago. The margins between teams have shrunk. More than anything, this is D-I, and it is important to coach like it. Do you want those seniors dressed? Great -- play them. Can you imagine a coach on the men's side who has played a fourth line heavy minutes all year and then doing what Frost did today? "Yeah, they like to put on the uniform and sit on the bench with their teammates." This isn't the same era as when Laura was the coach. She'd have dressed those kids, but she'd have started them as well. Frost wants to honor them, but you can only truly do that on senior day by playing them. Anything else is hollow, and just puts them in a no-win situation if things go badly. I don't think that you can roll that trio of seniors out as a unit, but you could spot 4 between 21 and one of the other seniors and they'd buzz around and wouldn't kill you.

I'm not sure if 3/21/22 were our best line on Friday, but they were the only one that scored a true 5-on-5 goal, and it certainly wasn't the first time this year where they provided a spark and scored a key goal. So to not dress them for symbolic purposes just sends a bad message all around. "Yes, you're very important, but we don't need you." Or, "We don't need you against MSU." Neither is a good message. If it is based on merit, then those two weren't the ones whose play has been shakiest of late.

On the whole, though, I don't think a bad effort today really means that much.

If you look back, there are about a half dozen things that you've described as either bad or not good. The line between winning and losing has grown very small. We started okay. MSU blocked shots. Too many dominant shifts produced a bunch of shots that weren't on frame. But we had decent control. Then we gave up a goal on the PK that looked very similar to the goal allowed Friday, with the same two forwards on the kill. The Mavericks got life, and we paid for it, because we didn't have our energy line to put out there to get the momentum back.

Early on, the shift where 25 scored was very nice. But 30 minutes later, the coaches were back to trying to solve the Rubic's Cube without any real idea of how to go about it. Blow up the lines, spin the pieces around, and hope something good results. I hope it doesn't mean we've now lost the one line that has consistently had a clue for the last 1.5 seasons. Eventually, it worked, because as you said, the opponent got tired. But it wasn't like there was some clear difference, like the Gophers were playing badly and then started playing well. It's little battles all over the ice, and some people have consistently been winning their battles, while others don't do as well as we'd expect. Not all or nothing. The other team has D-I players as well, and they're going to win puck battles, too. That's how it works. We like to lump all those together and describe it as playing bad or not trying. Frost does that same in his comments at times. But by that standard, the biggest problem today was that the coaching decisions were wrong more often than not.

If we need better on the ice, I think that we also need better on the bench. If you think that the players had an off game, then by that standard, the coaches were off as well.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

If we need better on the ice, I think that we also need better on the bench. If you think that the players had an off game, then by that standard, the coaches were off as well.

I don't get the sense that this staff is so full of themselves that that wouldn't be able to go Bill Belichick on bit and say, coaches need to coach better.

This program has fans (myself among them) that are spoiled and have extremely high expectations. I have to take a step back and think about being like the poor shlubs who root for all but one team out east who have never experienced a national championship.

 

[Still Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I largely agree with what ARM said. I phrased the ". . . and approve," part poorly, in that I approve of the sentiment, but not the execution. And, yes, the panicky line shuffling is a problem. I've had some issues with the coaching the last couple of years, especially players, mostly defensemen, who don't seem to be any better as upperclassmen than they were as freshmen. I think that is largely coaching. In the case of Skarzynski, as I've said, I think she was poorly served by bouncing around between defense and forward for three years.

At times, it feels like the coaching staff has gotten complacent. Frost's consistent refrain about how we expect them to win everything every year and that's unrealistic is certainly true in a literal sense and worth remembering as fans. As something for the coach to be saying all the time, it feels . . . off.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I've had some issues with the coaching the last couple of years, especially players, mostly defensemen, who don't seem to be any better as upperclassmen than they were as freshmen. I think that is largely coaching. In the case of Skarzynski, as I've said, I think she was poorly served by bouncing around between defense and forward for three years.

There has been some evidence of D not progressing at times, but there have also been many who've made huge strides on the blue line. What year did JJ come back -- 2010-11? Look at some of the success stories, like how much more confident people like Mira and Baylee became by the time they were seniors. The leaps happen at different times in their careers. Wolfe was huge in the postseason as a sophomore, after being one of those who looked a bit overmatched at the FF the year before. Brown was so shaky her first weekend, but she was solid by the end of last year, and I think she's had a great sophomore season. I think everyone involved would agree that it would have been kinder to Sophie to put her in a position and leave her there, but there were short-term reasons along the way why a move was best for the team. To her credit, she always worked her hardest at either position and there wasn't a puck or opponent that she wouldn't throw her body in front of to help her teammates.

It isn't all perfect, but it is tough to find a team in any sport that I'd rather watch.

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I see that Alex Rigsby is the latest addition to the WCHA 20th Anniversary Team so I thought I'd add my predictions for the remaining three.

The team so far: 1.Sara Bauer 2.Hannah Brandt 3.Dani Cameranesi 4.Natalie Darwitz 5.Brianna Decker 6.Ann-Renee Desbiens 7.Meghan Duggan 8.Amanda Kessell 9.Hillary Knight 10.Monique Lamoureux 11.Jocelyne Lamoureux 12.Gigi Marvin 13.Sarah Nurse 14.Caroline Ouellette 15.Jenny Scmidgall-Potter 16.Noora Ratty 17.Alex Rigsby and then maybe 18.Natalie Spooner 19.Jessie Vetter 20.Krissy Wendell

If not Spooner, then either Zuzana Tomcikova or Jinelle Zaugg.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

No love for D.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

No love for D.

I was going to comment likewise. Strictly from a Gopher perspective, the "nominees" might include Schleper, Bozek, Ramsey, McMillen and Stecklein. Which of these (plus others from other teams) should have made the list in your opinion?

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I was going to comment likewise. Strictly from a Gopher perspective, the "nominees" might include Schleper, Bozek, Ramsey, McMillen and Stecklein. Which of these (plus others from other teams) should have made the list in your opinion?

I think the WCHA should have made the list the top 25 players and then included all 5 of the players you named. Then again with 28 players they could have included Courtney Kennedy, Winny Brodt and Lyndsay Wall, too. I may be a little prejudiced toward just Gophers, especially D.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I was going to comment likewise. Strictly from a Gopher perspective, the "nominees" might include Schleper, Bozek, Ramsey, McMillen and Stecklein. Which of these (plus others from other teams) should have made the list in your opinion?

If I was going to pick five WCHA D that stand out to me, I'd probably go with Bozek, Bonhomme, MacCleod, Slusar, and Stecklein. It's hard, because some were better offensively, but I've also thought that D should also be very good and consistent at defending.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I was going to comment likewise. Strictly from a Gopher perspective, the "nominees" might include Schleper, Bozek, Ramsey, McMillen and Stecklein. Which of these (plus others from other teams) should have made the list in your opinion?

this list is similar to the the little paper's list of greatest MN women hockey players, or any such list for that matter
I did not vote for the simple reason I wanted no part of what surely was going to be a failure
it's hard to argue that any selected do not belong, but there are so many more that deserve to be

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

I'm glad I attended the game Saturday or I would have thought from the comments here that they had lost the game.

correct me if I am wrong, didn't the win come from Amy P motoring around the D and getting a good shot on goal and Wente putting in the loose puck? seems to me the line shuffling worked

 

[hockeytilIdie]

I'm glad I attended the game Saturday or I would have thought from the comments here that they had lost the game.

correct me if I am wrong, didn't the win come from Amy P motoring around the D and getting a good shot on goal and Wente putting in the loose puck? seems to me the line shuffling worked

Yes you are correct, AP blew right by a Minnesota State D! Doesn’t take much to be WCHA player of the week I guess!

 

[Still Eeyore]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

correct me if I am wrong, didn't the win come from Amy P motoring around the D and getting a good shot on goal and Wente putting in the loose puck? seems to me the line shuffling worked

At that point, MSU was dead on their skates and had been for almost 20 minutes of game time. Scoring a goal against a team that was that overmatched isn't an indication that the line changes improved the Gophers' chances of winning.

 

[Sieve1]

Sorry this is totally off topic but why is goalie Serena D’Angelo leaving? Was it injury related? Best wishes to her.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

Sorry this is totally off topic but why is goalie Serena D’Angelo leaving? Was it injury related? Best wishes to her.

I have no inside knowledge, nor have I seen anything made public on it. But I'll take a guess that it has to do with playing time, or the lack thereof, which would continue in what would be her senior season. Both of the starting goalies (Gulstene and Scobee) will be back, and they are bringing in a touted freshman tender, Makayla Pahl, who could also see some playing time in 2019-20.

Again, just a guess, or call it a strong hunch.

 

[shelfit]

I have no inside knowledge, nor have I seen anything made public on it. But I'll take a guess that it has to do with playing time, or the lack thereof, which would continue in what would be her senior season. Both of the starting goalies (Gulstene and Scobee) will be back, and they are bringing in a touted freshman tender, Makayla Pahl, who could also see some playing time in 2019-20.

Again, just a guess, or call it a strong hunch.

I would say you are on point with your strong hunch.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Gophers 2018-2019

At that point, MSU was dead on their skates and had been for almost 20 minutes of game time. Scoring a goal against a team that was that overmatched isn't an indication that the line changes improved the Gophers' chances of winning.

but, ... but, during that 20 minutes there were line changes

never would have guessed you would disagree with me

 

[Ahockeydad]

I've had some issues with the coaching the last couple of years, especially players, mostly defensemen, who don't seem to be any better as upperclassmen than they were as freshmen. .

The girls that come into UM are really good. There is not that much room to grow. These girls come in playing so much hockey year round and have their personal coaches from the age of 7.