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Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

I thought all 3 lines played well, but loved Cara at center on the 3rd. That whole 3rd line showed a lot of energy and it was a shame they weren't rewarded with a goal. They all just need a little more time together for maybe different reasons and I think they will have 3 super lines. I hope.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

brookyone said:
Thoughts on the effectiveness of new lines as configured with the return of #8?
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I did not see a huge difference in the first line, they were excellent before (after what I saw as a slow start to the season) and excellent last night. I thought the second line did OK but needs more time (credit to UND second as I thought they did a better job against MN than the first did against their opposite). The third line owned the ice most of the night. I felt very often that they would be the group that would blow the game open. They just never lit the lamp but they were very close many times.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Bring back Betsy! I've been quiet the past couple of years concerning the Pioneer Press coverage of the Gopher women's hockey team. I've felt Betsy Helfand's articles have been generally excellent. But this in today's paper by Jace Frederick, "Kessel didn't show any signs of rust on Friday and didn't miss a shift." Okay, maybe the #5 and #8 can look somewhat alike, but the reporter could have asked someone. Also, I hate to nitpick, but Amanda had 46 goals in 2013 not the 45 as reported. Signs of rust? Maybe a little, but not much. I loved the wicked rip (though misfired) Kessel took at the puck close to the ND goal. It brought back an instant memory of her 1st goal against BU 3 years ago in the championship game. Good chance next time she'll connect and it will find the net.
 
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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

D2D said:
No doubt her return helped sell a few more tickets. Nice crowd of 2,635 left few good seats that were unoccupied.
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plus it's not often TV spends more time on the women than men, Fox9 really went with it last night, a few weeks ago they spent a fair amount of time highlighting the team, mostly a result of Johnson coaching the U18. Otherwise it's only a few seconds.
One time the the TV sports guy simply said "Gopher women win again, what else is new?" with no video and no mention of the score
 
So the Gophers tied & then lost the shootout. Does this mean our friends out East can stop wetting themselves and whining how unfair it that the eeeeevvvillleee Frost forced Kessel to return?
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Today it was the same problem that has cropped up a lot recently: not finishing chances in close. Some of that was the way UND packed everything in tight and clogged up space, but the Gophers also failed to control a lot of passes and whiffed on.a lot of shots. That said, North Dakota put together two good games in one weekend.

Kessel looked rustier today than she did last night.

How UND avoided a couple of goaltender interference penalties in the third period mystifies me.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Eeyore said:
How UND avoided a couple of goaltender interference penalties in the third period mystifies me.
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Apparently the WCHA has a new policy that charges referees for every penalty they call. The charges come out of the money paid for officiating the game so calling any penalty costs them money that comes directly out of their pocket. If they call too many they have to pay the WCHA. Nothing else makes sense.
 
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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Some observations from the weekend.

North Dakota is a difficult team to place against when they put forth the effort. They have the capability to give Wisconsin and Minnesota fits. If they can avoid the head scratcher games they have played against the likes of Syracuse they will be difficult to go up against in the playoffs. We sat by a few UND fans yesterday and it was kind of funny to see their loud celebration to what they thought was a goal when Leveille was taken down by another UND skater as it was fired into net. Only whioux fans would think that was a good goal. :)

The Gophers really are THE team that everybody wants to beat. As disappointed as I was in the result of yesterdays game I like that the Gophers are going through this stretch with some very difficult games when they are tested to the max.
 
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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

I agree. In fact I thought Kessel was the best player on the ice not wearing goalie gear. Maybe someone spent too much time selling his book and not watching the game?

I thought #2 was a little out of sync and a couple others as well. ND probably had something to do with that or maybe a flu bug? #13 not playing? Maybe just that time of the year or a slight letdown after an emotional game Friday...at least I was emotional, hard not to be.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

FiveHoleFrenzy said:
As disappointed as I was in the result of yesterdays game I like that the Gophers are going through this stretch with some very difficult game when they are tested to the max.
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I agree. Although looking ahead a best case scenario for us leaves the possibility of playing Wisconsin 4 times in 5 weeks. Maybe we could play UND in the WCHA final!

Gophers looked like a pretty good team in the latter part of the third period and overtime yesterday. And the first line had a great scoring chance in each of their first two shifts.

In a limited sample, I thought Potomak looked better playing with Brandt and Kessel than with the Pannek line, and Cameranesi was just as good with Pannek and Schipper as with the top line. The Pannek line could use a goose to get their production up again. Kessel led the team with 5 SOG Saturday.

Hopefully McMillen will back soon.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

D2D said:
Funny, I thought she looked less rusty out there.
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my thoughts too

however, the game has changed since she last played, they let much more physical play go that they would have called two years ago
she made need a little more time to adjust to that to return to previous productivity
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

pokechecker said:
my thoughts too

however, the game has changed since she last played, they let much more physical play go that they would have called two years ago
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Why would that be? Has the rule book changed? If not, it sounds like some kind of conspiracy. I always thought checking was a physical act to separate a player from the puck.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Golden Tuuk said:
Why would that be? Has the rule book changed? If not, it sounds like some kind of conspiracy. I always thought checking was a physical act to separate a player from the puck.
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Not sure I'd call it a conspiracy, I don't know if the WCHA has directed refs to call less or they are just slacking off but there have been a lot fewer penalties called (I have seen games other than MN so it is not directed for or against any one team). Maybe it is an aberration maybe it is the brave new world, too soon to tell. While I don't think the non-calls have favored anyone I do think the net result if it continues will be that weaker players will be able to drag down the top performers like they do on the mens side. The games will be closer the races tougher and the games less exciting as playmakers will not be able to operate the way they do now.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

ne7minder said:
Not sure I'd call it a conspiracy, I don't know if the WCHA has directed refs to call less or they are just slacking off but there have been a lot fewer penalties called (I have seen games other than MN so it is not directed for or against any one team). Maybe it is an aberration maybe it is the brave new world, too soon to tell. While I don't think the non-calls have favored anyone I do think the net result if it continues will be that weaker players will be able to drag down the top performers like they do on the mens side. The games will be closer the races tougher and the games less exciting as playmakers will not be able to operate the way they do now.
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Too much checking and interference period. Eradicate it from the game.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Timothy A said:
Too much checking and interference period. Eradicate it from the game.
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Agreed! I wouldn't have a big problem with checking as long as the teams are comparable & the checking is clean. (when there was a huge disparity in skills it would have been terrible to allow checking at all). It is the holding & hooking and interference that needs to be prevented and not just for the safety.

Checking is a different issue. If you watch a mens game watch how many of the big cheers for big hits come because the attacker left his skates to make the big impact. When I was a kid that was called charging & it is still defined that way but not called. The goal seems too often to "blow up" an opponent not disrupt the puck carrier. When the time comes that checking is permitted I hope they don't let it get to that.
 
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