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Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

I did forget that Kohl had larger ice. Coach Gadowsky was trying not to make too much of a big deal about the larger ice this week. Still, we are down a few d-men from the series with Michigan at home (including Shorewood's own Nate Jensen - hope they will let him travel with the team). Kenny Brooks (forward) has been doing a great job filling in the blue line. We do block a lot of shots and we are going to have to do that again this weekend for any chance at a win.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Heard Gardiner won't be playing either. I'm sure both he and Jensen are disappointed. Should be a good series.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Rodman said:
I did forget that Kohl had larger ice. Coach Gadowsky was trying not to make too much of a big deal about the larger ice this week. Still, we are down a few d-men from the series with Michigan at home (including Shorewood's own Nate Jensen - hope they will let him travel with the team). Kenny Brooks (forward) has been doing a great job filling in the blue line. We do block a lot of shots and we are going to have to do that again this weekend for any chance at a win.
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Lots of people forget that Kohl is almost Olympic-sized.

And I think you're definitely correct that clogging up the lanes and blocking shots is going to be the only way that PSU has a chance this weekend. Even with that, I see a Gopher sweep, they just don't have the speed/talent of Minnesota and I don't think they'll be able to keep up.

Having said that, I've been very impressed with what I've seen of PSU so far this year, and they're obviously going to get better much faster than a lot of people were predicting. I was one of the "optimists" in some discussions when I said it would be 5-7 years before they got the program really going (I heard/saw several comments of a decade or more)... and the more I see, the more I think that they will at least be a factor in the B1G race probably by the time any current freshmen are seniors, and with a bit of luck could end up winning the B1G tournament and making an NCAA appearance by then as well.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Steve_MN said:
Lots of people forget that Kohl is almost Olympic-sized.

And I think you're definitely correct that clogging up the lanes and blocking shots is going to be the only way that PSU has a chance this weekend. Even with that, I see a Gopher sweep, they just don't have the speed/talent of Minnesota and I don't think they'll be able to keep up.

Having said that, I've been very impressed with what I've seen of PSU so far this year, and they're obviously going to get better much faster than a lot of people were predicting. I was one of the "optimists" in some discussions when I said it would be 5-7 years before they got the program really going (I heard/saw several comments of a decade or more)... and the more I see, the more I think that they will at least be a factor in the B1G race probably by the time any current freshmen are seniors, and with a bit of luck could end up winning the B1G tournament and making an NCAA appearance by then as well.
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They don't have as much speed or talent, but they have already shown that they can keep up and keep the game close. They're an enormous team, full of guys over 6 feet tall. Big and strong and they skate pretty well. They also play really hard and never quit. They just don't have the finishing skills. But losing by one goal to Minnesota once and BC once and beating Michigan twice, they have shown that they can beat anyone if they get the right bounces.
 
UND92UMNLaw99 said:
They don't have as much speed or talent, but they have already shown that they can keep up and keep the game close. They're an enormous team, full of guys over 6 feet tall. Big and strong and they skate pretty well. They also play really hard and never quit. They just don't have the finishing skills. But losing by one goal to Minnesota once and BC once and beating Michigan twice, they have shown that they can beat anyone if they get the right bounces.
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Agreed. Penn State does play hard, never quits, and don't seem to see any shots they don't like to take. I have no doubt Penn State can keep up with the top teams in this nation.

That said, they have been stronger at home than on the road this season. But I think the conversation shouldn't be as much about how well Penn State can play as it should be about how tough the Gophers have been to play at home.

From the UMN Press Release:

This weekend’s series marks the final two games at Mariucci Arena this season for the Gophers. The 2013-14 season marks the 20th campaign in which the Gophers have called Mariucci Arena home. The facility was officially opened on Aug. 21, 1993 with an alumni game. Since opening Mariucci Arena, Minnesota is 288-113-45 (.696) on home ice. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, the Gophers are 46-10-6 (.790) on home ice including an 13-1-3 (.853) mark this year (Minnesota’s outdoor game at TCF Bank Stadium was technically scored as a home game, but does not factor into this record).
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I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both games be close this weekend if Penn State can hold Minnesota's offense down. However, a run-and-gun style of game, they just don't have the horses to keep up. They will need to defend well this weekend to have a chance to upset IMO.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Slap Shot said:
PSU will be a tough out at least once this weekend if not both nights.
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I agree with once. Also, I'd say it will have as much to do with a softer Gopher effort that night as it will with a scrappy PSU game.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Weekend preview from Gophersports

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/022614aab.html

The No. 2 Minnesota men’s hockey program returns to action this weekend with this year’s final series at Mariucci Arena. The Gophers host Big Ten Conference rival Penn State for a pair of contests as the inaugural Big Ten season enters the home stretch.

Friday’s series opener is set for 8 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.com (Matt Shepard, Ben Clymer, Mark Strobel) while Saturday’s finale is slated for 6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network (Dan Kelly, Ben Clymer). Friday’s radio broadcast will be on 1500 ESPN while Saturday is on MyTalk 107.1. Both games will also be on the Gopher Radio Network (Wally Shaver, Frank Mazzocco).

Celebrated Seniors

For Minnesota seniors Nate Condon, Justin Holl, Jake Parenteau, Tom Serratore and Michael Shibrowski, this weekend’s series with Penn State will be their final games at Mariucci Arena. Among their many accolades, this year’s group of graduating seniors earned a trip to the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four, won back-to-back MacNaughton Cups as WCHA regular-season champions, set a Minnesota attendance record at the 2014 Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium and helped the Gophers capture the inaugural North Star College Cup. The Gophers will honor this year’s senior class prior to Saturday’s home finale.
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Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Steve_MN said:
And I think you're definitely correct that clogging up the lanes and blocking shots is going to be the only way that PSU has a chance this weekend. Even with that, I see a Gopher sweep, they just don't have the speed/talent of Minnesota and I don't think they'll be able to keep up.
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Yep - 14 versus 4 NHL draft picks...Yikes. The speed it one thing, but to be able to have that AND make the plays at the same speed it what really impressed me in January. Koudys is a machine at blocking shots for us.

UND92UMNLaw99 said:
They also play really hard and never quit. They just don't have the finishing skills. But losing by one goal to Minnesota once and BC once and beating Michigan twice, they have shown that they can beat anyone if they get the right bounces.
Click to expand...

mnstate0fhockey said:
Agreed. Penn State does play hard, never quits, and don't seem to see any shots they don't like to take. I have no doubt Penn State can keep up with the top teams in this nation.
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Bingo as well. Don't know how many times we would get the open shot and just not be able to bury it. Casey Bailey and David Glen aren't putting up the numbers like they did last year, but it looks like Bailey is starting to come on a bit.

Steve_MN said:
Having said that, I've been very impressed with what I've seen of PSU so far this year, and they're obviously going to get better much faster than a lot of people were predicting. I was one of the "optimists" in some discussions when I said it would be 5-7 years before they got the program really going (I heard/saw several comments of a decade or more)... and the more I see, the more I think that they will at least be a factor in the B1G race probably by the time any current freshmen are seniors, and with a bit of luck could end up winning the B1G tournament and making an NCAA appearance by then as well.
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I thought the "decades" time frame was a little ridiculous to start with. I was fortunate enough to be able to do the "virtual" tours of the arena and how impressive it looked then. After seeing the building come together and seeing Gadowsky's approach and energy, I am convinced that four or five years is more like it. What "really going" means is subjective. Signature victories like last week at Yost are a nice interlude to what is to come - receiving votes to being ranked to making the tourney.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Rodman said:
Is this the sort of behavior that we should learn to expect on these boards? :D
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Pretty much. Here it all is in a nutshell.

Wisconsin - sucks. Boring hockey and stupid fans.
Michigan - also suck and a bunch of hacks. Their arena is also not as impressive as they seem to think.
OSU - huh? They have a hockey team? How about that!
MSU - boring hockey but don't suck as much as WI or MI. Still looking for that 2nd or 3rd fan of their program.
Penn State - still new-ish and a pretty nice arena. Plus you beat Michigan, so we'll give you the benefit of the doubt... for now.

:D
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

What Tiggsy said plus I would add:

Wisconsin - fans drink paint thinner and "date" dead deer and they play really boring hockey.
North Dakota - coach sucks he can't win a NC and they use overage Canadians, their fans can't read or write either.
St. Cloud - Jan Brady U, they also like to hang participation banners and are jealous of the Gophers because the only hockey that matters in Minnesota is at the U.
Kato - who cares
UMD - see above
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

SanTropez said:
North Dakota - coach sucks he can't win a NC and they use overage Canadians, their fans can't read or write either.
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So that must be a North Dakota thing. When we were a club team, Minot State seemed to follow the same pattern - although I can't speak for their fans.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 2/28 & 3/1

Rodman said:
So that must be a North Dakota thing. When we were a club team, Minot State seemed to follow the same pattern - although I can't speak for their fans.
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That's okay. I doubt they had any fans.
 
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