Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

[Tiggsy]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Mostly below average, yes, but "mostly pathetic" is exaggerating just a bit, no? I will grant you one, however...

Point taken. You are correct. It's just that when teams are down you continue to kick them as hard as you can. See the MI season thread for great examples of that.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

I wouldn't look to PSU's results to suggest they're already a contender, but to state they're already much improved over last season and shouldn't be overlooked.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

True but in a conference such as this with mostly pathetic teams, it won't take much to establish that. If MI continues their swoon it could push it along and happen sooner than we think.

If we're just talking about this season, you could be right. I don't think this conference will be down long though, and I think PSU has a ways to go to be considered a powerhouse in college hockey. Not that I would be opposed to seeing them become one.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

I wouldn't look to PSU's results to suggest they're already a contender, but to state they're already much improved over last season and shouldn't be overlooked.

No doubt about that.

 

[Slap Shot]

If we're just talking about this season, you could be right. I don't think this conference will be down long though, and I think PSU has a ways to go to be considered a powerhouse in college hockey. Not that I would be opposed to seeing them become one.

Agree. MSU is typically good for a run here and there, UMi isnt a typical bubble team, UW is an unkown but also a 50% tournament team and PSU could be a team to,watch going forward. It was only last year that the BIG was the butt of all jokes in football yet this year a star, the BB pool is full of national powers and i think it's illogical,to assume the hockey conference won't rebound.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Not sure that there's any team that the Gophers should overlook. My guess is our chances at PSU are in line with our chances at MSU.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

I wouldn't look to PSU's results to suggest they're already a contender, but to state they're already much improved over last season and shouldn't be overlooked.

Watching them play, they can look quite excellent. I do think their age is a factor in that aspect.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

If we're just talking about this season, you could be right. I don't think this conference will be down long though, and I think PSU has a ways to go to be considered a powerhouse in college hockey. Not that I would be opposed to seeing them become one.

I think I might take issue with them becoming one since they are the team that completely upset college hockey. Got to do a little more to win me over after being the center of the B1G. I may have said this before, but maybe this will mirror the football season how everyone was saying the B1G was down this year and eventually producing the national champion. I see one team that may be starting to come on at the right time and make a title run. Don't want to get too far ahead of myself yet.

 

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

I think I might take issue with them becoming one since they are the team that completely upset college hockey.

We're stuck with this conference now, might as well have good competition within it....? Right?


Weren't there a couple PSU posters last year? I thought I remembered there being a couple...

 

[nappyvalley]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

This series had a much bigger luster to me before last weekend's huge letdown at MSU. Now we're likely out of contention in the Pairwise. But it's still Minnesota so I'm looking forward to it. Hoping we can get our first ever win against them out of the way.

 

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

This series had a much bigger luster to me before last weekend's huge letdown at MSU. Now we're likely out of contention in the Pairwise. But it's still Minnesota so I'm looking forward to it. Hoping we can get our first ever win against them out of the way.

Well that answers my above question

Any insight on PSU's squad this year? Players to watch? I haven't been able to watch many PSU games this year.

 

[nappyvalley]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Well that answers my above question

Any insight on PSU's squad this year? Players to watch? I haven't been able to watch many PSU games this year.

I wasn't here last year, but I'm the only one I've seen here this year. Oh so lonely.

We have a really talented squad, who on a great day can hang with anyone in the country, but it's accurate to say we're not quite "there yet". But I'm thrilled at how far we've come since last year. At this moment it feels a little down, just because making the tourney (without winning the B1G tourney) seemed like a real possibility before last weekend so were were on a real high. Maybe that's a little greedy; overall we're in a great spot considering 8 wins last year and it being year 3.

Watch our line of Bailey-Holstrom-Goodwin. Just a nasty top line. I saw a stat recently that they account for something like 42% of the total points. Bailey in particular looks like a special player. Jump to the 2:17 mark here -- that's an NHL caliber finish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqXNoKgiKqM

As someone said, they shoot... a lot. They will pepper the goalie from anywhere and everywhere. They've had their share of inconsistent performances, so who knows what version of PSU you'll see this weekend, but ****it they're entertaining to watch.

 

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Looks to me like if you can shut down the 1st line of penn state you will have success.

 

[nappyvalley]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Looks to me like if you can shut down the 1st line of penn state you will have success.

Probably accurate. So don't shut it down please, guys

 

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Probably accurate. So don't shut it down please, guys

The Gophers have gone through some defensive lapses at times this year. They will pay for it if they fall asleep against that line. Wilcox has started to look like his old self in net over the past two weekends, hopefully he is up to all the shots PSU pours on net.

I'm curious to see how the Gophers come out on the road with their recent success coming at home.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

I'm curious to see how the Gophers come out on the road with their recent success coming at home.

Me too. Can they get emotionally ready (psyched!) after that critically important Michigan series? Especially on the road as you point out? I'm concerned, even though I know that they know that they must keep winning.

 

[captain beefheart]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Me too. Can they get emotionally ready (psyched!) after that critically important Michigan series? Especially on the road as you point out? I'm concerned, even though I know that they know that they must keep winning.

I think they keep rolling. The last few games have shown a great improvement in offensive scoring and control, defensive play in their own end as well as puck control AND it seems that Wilcox is Twocox again. I am starting to get excited for the games again.

 

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

Not sure that there's any team that the Gophers should overlook. My guess is our chances at PSU are in line with our chances at MSU.

I don't know if the Gophers will be overlooking anybody with the position they are in.

 

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

IT'S GAME DAY!!​

It seems like the Nittany Lions' motto this season has been "shoot from all angles no matter how extreme". Their offensive strategy has been puck control, pucks on net by any means possible and a two-way physical game of intense backchecking and forechecking. They lead the nation in SOG at a whopping 41/game and much like the Gophers, have a host of players on their roster that can bury the puck (i.e. Top goal scorers: Bailey/20, Scheid/13, Goodwin/12). If Penn State has a weakness, it's been finding a "go to" netminder who performs consistently every week.

The Gophers are looking at a tough challenge to earn a sweep in Happy Valley. With the exception of a couple bumps in the road, Penn State has played fairly consistent "smashmouth" hockey all season. Prior to being swept last weekend by Sparty, they were unbeaten in their last 8 games (6-0-2). They're an extremely good home team (10-1-3), and support for hockey in Happy Valley has grown exponentially in only two seasons. So the Nittany Lions will most likely have a packed house this weekend cheering for PSU to upset the Gophers. Unfortunately, the Gophers have a losing record on the road this year and that must change drastically this weekend (3-5-2).

The Gophers will need every ounce of energy they demonstrated against Michigan and stellar goaltending from Adam Wilcox to defeat Penn State. The Maroon and Gold have been a very strong 1st period team this season ranked #2 in the nation vs Penn State at #32. But the Gophers are only 8-7-1 when scoring first vs Penn State's 9-1-2. Why? PSU gets stronger as the game progresses and they're ranked #9 in the nation in 3rd period goals vs the Gophers ranking at #26. They've been a "comeback" team and are also ranked #3 in the nation in goals scored when trailing.

So the Gophers will need a full 60 minutes of shutdown D and offensive zone pressure; and score often, or they could easily end up dropping both games. That could spell disaster for the Gophers in the PWR. Go Gophers!

 

[burd]

Re: Minnesota @ Penn State: 2/20 & 2/21

You always hear coaches speak of road trips as being an opportunity for the team to bond, with the increased time they spend together (though not usually this late in the year). I don't know if there were any locker room or leadership issues holding the gophers back before this latest surge, but if there were, this road trip might present an opportunity.