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Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

HarleyMC said:
You're correct Koho. MSU and Michigan control their own destiny. MSU leads the B1G in pts and a sweep wins the B1G. If Michigan sweeps MSU, and the Gophers sweep Penn State, Michigan wins the B1G Title on the first tiebreaker...most wins in the B1G regular season.
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Aren't they co-champions, with MI only earning the #1 seed on tiebreak?

HarleyMC said:
Losing 3 shootout pts. this season bit us in the ***. Wisconsin and MSU are tied for the B1G lead at 2 shootout wins each this season. Penn State lost 1 shootout and the Gophers have lost 3 this season.
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I'm a little surprised their hasn't been more chatter about the fact that if these records were in the WCHA, Hockey East, ECAC or AHA then MN would be alone in first place heading into this weekend...

...and there would be no debate about who, exactly, controls MN's destiny ;)
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Odds of this, odds of that, pshaw.The Gophers ultimately DO control their own destiny. If they sweep this weekend, they avoid a play in game at the Joe. If they win two there, they are in the NCAA's. Even if they lose one:o or even two:eek: this weekend, win three next weekend and they're in as well. Am I missing something ?
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

captain beefheart said:
Odds of this, odds of that, pshaw.The Gophers ultimately DO control their own destiny. If they sweep this weekend, they avoid a play in game at the Joe.
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I believe the "control their own destiny" originally was with regard to first winning the B1G regular season conference title.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

D2D said:
I believe the "control their own destiny" originally was with regard to first winning the B1G regular season conference title.
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I never said that I'm smart :o , although it seemed to have nuances of both that and entry into the NCAA's. I'll get back to my Legos now... Go Gophers!
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Another strong Friday showing for the lads. PSU just really seemed to struggle with the pace the Gophers were playing at. Lots of bad passes and rushed decisions with a Gopher bearing down on them.

If the boys can carry the play to the same extent tomorrow night I just might start to feel a bit better about their postseason chances. I have a feeling PSU will be more prepared and better adjusted for the speed, so it's going to be more difficult.


How Conway only received a misconduct for that sucker punch he threw on Lettieri is totally beyond me. The NCAA went out of their way at the beginning of the season to tell officials that major penalty infractions (in particular hits from behind and contact to the head) occurring in the waning minutes of lopsided contests should receive game disqualifications. This was as obvious a situation to apply that rule to as any you will see. And the refs clearly saw it, otherwise they wouldn't have called the 5 and the misconduct.

I'd like to take a guess at the conversation in the officials circle as they were determining what to call:

Pochmara: "So, obviously a 5 and a DQ for contact to the head, eh?"
Marco Hunt: "DQ? Uhhmmmm....let's just let the league take care of that."

The referees should be ashamed, and the Big 10 should be embarrassed that they have officials in their employ who so gutlessly disregard their obligations.

If the league has any sense they will swiftly hand out a suspension before tomorrow night's rematch.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Stauber1 said:
...

The referees should be ashamed, and the Big 10 should be embarrassed that they have officials in their employ who so gutlessly disregard their obligations.

If the league has any sense they will swiftly hand out a suspension before tomorrow night's rematch.
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I have to agree. This shows intent, hit to the head, and after a goal? That's like Dale Hunter checking Turgeon into the boards after a goal. 2 game suspension minimum.

http://i.imgur.com/7P46cgt.gif
 
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Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

I can't really add anything to what you said about the call on Conway, Stauber1. There is no way he only has to sit in the box for less than 3 minutes, when the game has already been decided. I couldn't believe they did not give him a DQ. The league will definitely be reviewing the play and the call, and if they leave things stand as is I will be very disappointed. I honestly would feel the same way if a Gopher had done the same thing.

But that unfortunate incident aside, it sure was great to see the way the Gophers came to play this evening. They took control almost from the opening faceoff, and in the first played one of their best 20 minutes of the season. Better yet, they never let off the gas the rest of the game, keeping their focus throughout until the final buzzer. Also great to see Wilcox totally keyed in. He wasn't severely tested too often, but when he was he came up big, especially on that 2 on 1 early in the first. A well deserved shutout, for which all six defensemen deserve credit as well. I thought all of them played very well defensively tonight.

Of course, now the big question is, can they avoid the all-too-common Saturday night letdown? They are a much deeper team than Penn State, so fatigue should not be a factor. If they bring the same level of intensity that we saw tonight we SHOULD see a sweep, which would be the right way for this year's senior class to play their last game of their college careers at Mariucci...with an all-important win. As tonight clearly showed, they have the talent to do it.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Super Duper win by the Gophers tonight! Not happy to see PSU retaliate late in the game with such a low class goon shot elbow by Conway to Lettieri's jaw after Vinnie scores with 2:47 left in the game. From my seat, that was clearly a blindside hit to the head with intent to injure that sent Vinnie to the ice. Penn State down 5 Gs and at the point of no return, so the clown not only throws a hard elbow to the jaw long after Vinnie scores, but then goes Hollywood and acts like his hand is hurt, drops his stick and pretends to be bent over in pain...too funny.:D I'd be surprised if the league doesn't slap Conway with a game suspension by tomorrow. Lots of cheap shot, after the whistle jabs by PSU all game...real classy.:rolleyes:

Plain and simple, Penn State could not skate with the Gophers, who executed their game plan well and played Gopher style hockey. The Nittany Lions average about 73 shot attempts/game, but tonight they got only 41 and that was the B1G difference. The Gopher D played shutdown and MN dominated on puck possession all game, cycled the walls extremely well, forechecked in playoff mode, and had the determination to storm the net and bury a few.

I've only seen a handful of PSU games this season, but that has to rank up there as one of their worst performances of the season. So several PSU guys decide to play goon hockey for most of the game instead.

I expect tempers to flair in tomorrow night's game, as Penn will come back with even more physical/goon play. I would not be surprised at all if we don't see some targeted hits from PSU on key Gopher players. The Gophers need to come back tomorrow night with the same intensity and send PSU back to Happy Valley looking like their upstart season just died. Go Gophers! :D
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

After that cheap shot, I'd say Pedo St can suck my D, but they'd probably take me up on that offer. Bush league crap hit on Vinny.

I will say the 5 minute penalty was a very bad call. More than a few Gopher fans agreed that it was MAYBE a 2 (as in, MAYBE a penalty to begin with), but definitely not a 5.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

At least that cheap shot was really obvious on the replays, should be easy to get a suspension from that.

Please, no game 2 let down.
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

Couple of thoughts...

Another game for when anything really good happened, M Reilly was involved. He was instrumental in putting this one away in the first.

Our1st line is still the class of this team. They carry the mail. Wish the second and third were a bit more consistent.

While the first period was good for the team, it wasn't super stellar...its just that the goals came. The second and third periods we were either asleep or playing a great defensive game...oddly I'm not sure.

Coaches seemed confident if we win tonight we're pretty much in with an at large. I'm not so sure as we could drop the first game of the B1G tourney...but if true, I'll take it.

Michigan is looking hard to beat tonight. Its a shame that the Gophers may miss the title by any one of a dozen small missteps (tie with UW, dropping games to MSU at home or OSU, C Reilly going down for the season, etc).

This team can get charged when a goal is in front of them. We probably have as good a shot at winning two games next weekend as anyone (assuming we don't stumble and lose tonight :()
 
Re: Minnesota hosts Penn State: 3/13 & 3/14

D2D said:
The important thing is that he won't play tonight.
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And having two guys like Conway and Holmstrom out hurts Penn State's 1st and 2nd line quite a bit.

Stauber1 said:
Aren't they co-champions, with MI only earning the #1 seed on tiebreak?
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Yep...you're right, I wrote it wrong. Tiebreakers for the following are only for tournament seeding:

Scenario #1: Michigan and Minnesota end up co-champions
Michigan holds the tiebreaker over Minnesota with more conference wins (13 to 12 or 12 to 11).

Scenario #2: Michigan State and Minnesota end up co-champions
Minnesota holds the tiebreaker over Michigan State. To get a co-champion, both teams would have 11 conference wins. The Gophers take the second tiebreaker with a 2-1-1 head-to-head record with the Spartans.

Scenario #3: Penn State and Michigan State tie for 3rd
Penn State would hold the tiebreaker with more wins. (11 to 10).
 
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