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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

ne7minder said:
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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I hope the time never comes that current rules regarding checking are changed. The disparity between the more skilled / less skilled remains a factor at present in my opinion. A factor still present to the degree it begets body contact outside that which rules allow by teams at a disadvantage, talent wise. I know it's not an easy job per the distinguishing of contact within the rules and checking but the focus for change, or improvement should be with officiating. It can obviously never be perfect. Don't think the game needs any change.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

brookyone said:
I hope the time never comes that current rules regarding checking are changed. The disparity between the more skilled / less skilled remains a factor at present in my opinion. A factor still present to the degree it begets body contact outside that which rules allow by teams at a disadvantage, talent wise. I know it's not an easy job per the distinguishing of contact within the rules and checking but the focus for change, or improvement should be with officiating. It can obviously never be perfect. Don't think the game needs any change.
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I assume that checking will be allowed eventually. It is already tacitly approved by the officials as long as it does not make too much noise. It is not a matter of me wanting it as much as I think it is inevitable.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

ne7minder said:
I assume that checking will be allowed eventually. It is already tacitly approved by the officials as long as it does not make too much noise. It is not a matter of me wanting it as much as I think it is inevitable.
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If it goes that way the women's game would start to emphasize size and strength at the expense of speed and stick skills. Ironically at the college level the men's game has been going in the opposite direction, where there is now less body checking than there used to be (I have a brother who laments this). I especially like the enforcement of open ice high hits and checking from behind, which has led to players becoming more respectful of their opponents' health and future than what you saw even 5-10 years ago. Flagrant violations now lead to major penalties and game suspensions, which has caused the men to become more cautious when it comes to how they apply physical force.

Meanwhile the women's game is becoming more and more physical, which I suppose is inevitable as players do whatever they can get away with in trying to neutralize other players having more quickness and puck skills. That's OK as long as the refs do their jobs and call holding and interference when they see it. But I'm with Brooky in believing the women's game doesn't need any change in the rules when it comes to body checking; I enjoy it just as it is, thank you very much. In fact if the rules were changed to allow "obvious" hard body checking I believe I would become less of a women's fan and go back to devoting more of my time and attention to the men's side. Just my opinion/preference - I know others disagree.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

D2D said:
If it goes that way the women's game would start to emphasize size and strength at the expense of speed and stick skills. Ironically at the college level the men's game has been going in the opposite direction, where there is now less body checking than there used to be (I have a brother who laments this). I especially like the enforcement of open ice high hits and checking from behind, which has led to players becoming more respectful of their opponents' health and future than what you saw even 5-10 years ago. Flagrant violations now lead to major penalties and game suspensions, which has caused the men to become more cautious when it comes to how they apply physical force.

Meanwhile the women's game is becoming more and more physical, which I suppose is inevitable as players do whatever they can get away with in trying to neutralize other players having more quickness and puck skills. That's OK as long as the refs do their jobs and call holding and interference when they see it. But I'm with Brooky in believing the women's game doesn't need any change in the rules when it comes to body checking; I enjoy it just as it is, thank you very much. In fact if the rules were changed to allow "obvious" hard body checking I believe I would become less of a women's fan and go back to devoting more of my time and attention to the men's side. Just my opinion/preference - I know others disagree.
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I totally agree with you on this. One thing I like about the womens game is the no body checking.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

D2D said:
If it goes that way the women's game would start to emphasize size and strength at the expense of speed and stick skills. Ironically at the college level the men's game has been going in the opposite direction, where there is now less body checking than there used to be (I have a brother who laments this). I especially like the enforcement of open ice high hits and checking from behind, which has led to players becoming more respectful of their opponents' health and future than what you saw even 5-10 years ago. Flagrant violations now lead to major penalties and game suspensions, which has caused the men to become more cautious when it comes to how they apply physical force.

Meanwhile the women's game is becoming more and more physical, which I suppose is inevitable as players do whatever they can get away with in trying to neutralize other players having more quickness and puck skills. That's OK as long as the refs do their jobs and call holding and interference when they see it. But I'm with Brooky in believing the women's game doesn't need any change in the rules when it comes to body checking; I enjoy it just as it is, thank you very much. In fact if the rules were changed to allow "obvious" hard body checking I believe I would become less of a women's fan and go back to devoting more of my time and attention to the men's side. Just my opinion/preference - I know others disagree.
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I am more than OK with checking remaining outlawed but it is currently allowed by the on ice officials. That is the problem. Either enforce it or allow it so as to avoid selective enforcement. Its not that I want it its that I expect it will be happening. I admit to having given up on the mens game a decade ago but what little I have seen I have not noticed a reduction of the crap, is there ever a whistle not followed by a pushing match & flapping gums? I have seen charging, cross-checking and a lot of slashing not called but more attention to hits to the head. Small sample size in my case so I could easily be wrong but it is what I have noticed. I see it a lot in the boys high school games we go to also.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

brookyone said:
http://www.twincities.com/2016/02/11/gophers-hockey-math-amanda-kessel-addition-three-solid-lines/

With Kessel, you get ink.
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With the way things have turned out, the league title is all but Wisconsin's unless they implode this weekend. That being said, the Gophers have 4 games to work on getting their lineup adjusted to Kessel's return against some very good to great competition in UMD on the road and Wisconsin at home. I like that Minnesota has had very good competition down the stretch and the WCHA tournament will be excellent as well. I certainly like this position better than the team out east with a voracious confectionary appetite. :)
 
brookyone said:
#13 on the ice @ Amsoil.
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And (after a scoring change post-game) she had a goal and two assists.

Interesting to see that Frosty moved Potomak back to Brandt's line and put Cameranesi with Pannek and Schipper last night. I don't know how much effect that had on the overall result, but I'll take a 7-goal performance any day of the season.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Overall, I thought the Gophers looked really good this weekend. They didn't have anything close to 68 shots on Friday; I'm not sure I've ever seen an official scorer who was quite so generous with calling the goalie covering the puck as an additional shot. But they were good. They controlled the puck and the play, and worked the puck into good scoring areas. I'm not sure that what UMD did could accurately be called "playing defense," but the line combos, with Potomak back up on the first line and Camaranesi with Pannek and Schipper clicked.

The concerning part was that almost all of the Bulldog goals came on really bad defensive lapses by Minnesota. Megan Wolfe deserved an assist on their first one on Friday for a gorgeous centering pass. Syd Peters got hung out a couple of times in the third period; I don't think Amanda Kessel has much of a future as a defenseman. I'll chalk a lot of that up to a bad day, combined with UMD sending multiple cherry pickers deep. (Did Maria Lindh even apply for a visa to enter the defensive zone?) The ongoing concern I have is that I'm just not sold on Brooke Garzone as a defenseman. She's never looked comfortable back there and I was hoping that when she spent the entire first half as a third line wing that it was permanent. She looked really good there, but not so much in the last two weeks.

If Amanda Kessel can continue to miss on a breakaway every game, the Gophers should be invincible.
 
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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Eeyore said:
Overall, I thought the Gophers looked really good this weekend. They didn't have anything close to 68 shots on Friday; I'm not sure I've ever seen an official scorer who was quite so generous with calling the goalie covering the puck as an additional shot. But they were good. They controlled the puck and the play, and worked the puck into good scoring areas. I'm not sure that what UMD did could accurately be called "playing defense," but the line combos, with Potomak back up on the first line and Camaranesi with Pannek and Schipper clicked.

The concerning part was that almost all of the Bulldog goals came on really bad defensive lapses by Minnesota. Megan Wolfe deserved an assist on their first one on Friday for a gorgeous centering pass. Syd Peters got hung out a couple of times in the third period; I don't think Amanda Kessel has much of a future as a defenseman. I'll chalk a lot of that up to a bad day, combined with UMD sending multiple cherry pickers deep. (Did Maria Lindh even apply for a visa to enter the defensive zone?) The ongoing concern I have is that I'm just not sold on Brooke Garzone as a defenseman. She's never looked comfortable back there and I was hoping that when she spent the entire first half as a third line wing that it was permanent. She looked really good there, but not so much in the last two weeks.

If Amanda Kessel can continue to miss on a breakaway every game, the Gophers should be invincible.
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"YES" to your post.
Megan Wolfe is not listed in the box score as being on the ice for that first goal on Friday. That miscue is a figment of our imagination :p Last year they played the frozen four with 5 defensemen. I could see them trying to play the top 4 as much as possible during the NCAA's this year.

Sometimes I think when they are playing these lopsided games this year's team cannot maintain their discipline on defense. They just get loose thinking they can get away with anything.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Eeyore said:
The ongoing concern I have is that I'm just not sold on Brooke Garzone as a defenseman. She's never looked comfortable back there and I was hoping that when she spent the entire first half as a third line wing that it was permanent. She looked really good there, but not so much in the last two weeks.
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I thought Garzone looked very good against UND on D, especially on Saturday when she was playing 1/4 of the shifts down the stretch. I think KTDC is right, and that in the games that really matter, she'll be asked to be the fifth D, so when she's out there, it will be with one of the top four. While Garzone was not as good this weekend, Wolfe had her share of breakdowns as well, so it wasn't just 18.

As for the third line, Williamson, Reilly, and Skarzynski all played well, at wing, so I think that line will be fine even in the absence of Garzone. They are all at least as fast, so I think the reconfigured lineup has gotten faster.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

KTDC said:
"YES" to your post.
.......

Sometimes I think when they are playing these lopsided games this year's team cannot maintain their discipline on defense. They just get loose thinking they can get away with anything.
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Saw the same issue with BC in today's Vermont game. Played the 1st and 2nd periods as if they were on the PP the entire time and ended up giving some odd man rushes to Vermont that could not be converted.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

Got my tickets...time to set the tone for the tournament eh!

I thought #8 made some progress towards "game shape" in Duluth vs. her first series back. Good to see.

Nevertheless...all lines will have to bring it vs. the glorified skunks. All lines played well at AMSOIL
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

brookyone said:
Got my tickets...time to set the tone for the tournament eh!

I thought #8 made some progress towards "game shape" in Duluth vs. her first series back. Good to see.

Nevertheless...all lines will have to bring it vs. the glorified skunks. All lines played well at AMSOIL
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The Gophers are a bit of an enigma this year. There is all this forward talent that on occasion has been dominant, but for whatever reason at times has been just a bit off. Whether that is due to health (like Brandt) or slight changes to the lineup, I can't quite put my finger on it. It seems like some great plays and setups are left on the table due to something just slightly off with the shot, or not quite handling the pass to finish, etc.

On the blue line they have a very solid group of 4 to 5 but how many times has it been that shots from the point have been high or wide? Plus, all of the top group have had a hand in some glaring turnovers. Wolfe's on Friday being the latest example.

With their personnel it is hard to believe they have a penalty kill that operates around 80% (although it has been better of late). On the other hand, the power play has been just plain ridiculousl at 50%! And not just a few games but for basically the whole season! That is part of the enigma that is GWH this year.

Hard to figure out where this is all headed and going into this weekend I especially don't know what to expect other than they should be very good games. It is too bad there isn't the WCHA championship on the line to up the ante but it is still Wisconsin. I do think Minnesota has the highest potential to "put it all together" to win the national championship but if I was to bet on it I would bet on Wisconsin's defense and consistency.

PS BC would have a better matchup with Minnesota's style of play IF they are both able to make the final
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2015-2016: Confection Free

I think FiveHoleFrenzy's assessment of the season, to date, is spot on. Now the question is, can everyone on the team from the goaltender on out become more consistent the rest of the way? Will the forwards be able to capitalize on more of their glorious opportunities, will the D take care of the puck and not turn it over unnecessarily, and will the goaltending be rock solid when it has to be? They will need all of these to come away with a sweep this weekend, which no doubt would do wonders for their confidence heading into the playoffs.
 
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