Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Will the Gophers carry four goalies next year? Is Alex Gulstene good enough to start as a freshman, if need be?

Good question...I think she has a good chance of doing that.

And Zumwinkle is a forward who, because of her shot, may be utilized on the point on the power play. You never know, but it seems unlikely she will be asked to switch to defense.

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Good question...I think she has a good chance of doing that.

And Zumwinkle is a forward who, because of her shot, may be utilized on the point on the power play. You never know, but it seems unlikely she will be asked to switch to defense.

I don't really follow the high school players that closely. I went by Joe Christensen's list of the players coming in next year to the Gophers in the Star Tribune. He shows Zumwinkle as a defenseman. Still can't trust what you read in the paper, I guess.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Maybe Frost goes with a two-goalie mix and lets them battle it out for starts down the stretch. The other option is one more season with Peters as No. 1, and then four years of a lot of Gulstene, but if she gives them a better chance to win, the future is now.

I think ARM nailed it. I would add that as the returning senior who has put in her dues I think Peters will be given every opportunity, with the job being hers to lose, at least initially. Frost will obviously be looking for a lot more consistency throughout the entire season. He knows how good Sid can be, but better consistency - game in and game out - will determine how long she will hold her position as the primary starting goaltender.

Meanwhile, I would expect Gulstene, as the highly touted freshman, to be given opportunities to display her wares. As the games are played and assessments are made I would expect Frost to lean more heavily toward the tender who he thinks gives the team the best chance to win, down the stretch and through the postseason, as ARM said.

Needless to say it will be very interesting. Ideally the competition for playing time will be friendly and helpful to both of them in terms of skill development. And from the coaches' point of view, with no disrespect to May and D'Angelo, it'll be good to have two primary options.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

... and yet those two lines outplayed their counterparts in the semi IMO

They were recruits with resumes superior to the top recruits at most other schools. And they had the opportunity to train with the top line (arguably in college hockey) with the Frost brain trust. They should have outperformed their counterparts in the semis and most of the rest of the year.

I know often expectations are extremely high. But its simple this was not a national title team...there must be some opportunity for improvement somewhere.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

A couple of weeks old, but a very interesting article on the Gopher/Badger rivalry that I don't recall seeing posted here previously:

Wisconsin and Minnesota Await Latest Round in Ice-Melting Rivalry
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/sports/hockey/wisconsin-badgers-minnesota-golden-gophers.html

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

A couple of weeks old, but a very interesting article on the Gopher/Badger rivalry that I don't recall seeing posted here previously:

Wisconsin and Minnesota Await Latest Round in Ice-Melting Rivalry
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/sports/hockey/wisconsin-badgers-minnesota-golden-gophers.html

Thx. Berkman is good. He seems to be the Times' go-to guy for women's sports. He's certainly been keeping his eye on women's hockey.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

They were recruits with resumes superior to the top recruits at most other schools. And they had the opportunity to train with the top line (arguably in college hockey) with the Frost brain trust. They should have outperformed their counterparts in the semis and most of the rest of the year.

I know often expectations are extremely high. But its simple this was not a national title team...there must be some opportunity for improvement somewhere.

I am optimistic, I thought Agnew played better at center, after 2 years perhaps Skarzynski can spend the entire year at one position, forward. They are losing a lot of experience at D, but I thought the two freshman progressed and played well.
In the NFL it is tough to repeat because the coaches have the off season to study the tapes of all games and figure out a strategy to defeat the division, conference, and SB champs. Plus they can fill holes by stealing players from other teams.
No doubt the other coaches have been trying to figure out a way to beat the Gophers these past 6 years, now they have to figure out how to beat the Badgers and Bulldogs too. Making it to the final four and falling by one goal is a successful season. They should do well again next year, if they can score more often, there will likely be more banners flying at Ridder.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

They graduated 3 D and recruited 2 in this class, so if #5 stays up front, they'll have to find another D from somewhere. It doesn't look like any current D are going to be centralized, so depending what happens with the forwards may determine where the greatest need is. Maybe one of the four goalies can play D.

 

[KTDC]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

They graduated 3 D and recruited 2 in this class, so if #5 stays up front, they'll have to find another D from somewhere. It doesn't look like any current D are going to be centralized, so depending what happens with the forwards may determine where the greatest need is. Maybe one of the four goalies can play D.

I thought Patti Marshall was playing great by the end of the year. And I was feeling good about Robinson. Hopefully Sydney Baldwin can raise her decision making and positioning up closer to the level of her talent and ability! And I think Sydney needs to concentrate on shooting a little bit harder and more effectively. She scored twice in 104 shots (.019)

I was one who thought the Strib calling Zumwinkle a 'd' recruit was a typo. But when Eeyore called it out it was very intriguing. It's all theoretical because I haven't seen her play (lol) but the slapshot is more effective from a d in the women's game than a forward. And we really missed the big cannon from the point this year. So now, with all my knowledge of Z's game, I love the idea of moving her to defense!!

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

And I think Sydney needs to concentrate on shooting a little bit harder and more effectively.

She has a very nice snap shot. The problem is that too many of them get blocked. Bozek had an innate ability to get her shot past the top defender, while others like Albrecht and Gagnon always seemed to hit the nearest shin pad. The play can go in the other direction in a hurry when it gets blocked that high in the zone.

Odds are good that we'll see Zumwinkle on the point on the PP at some point; MLam played there immediately as a rookie. But a big shot alone won't warrant shifts on D when it is 5-on-5. She has the size to play D, but I haven't seen her skating backwards, defending the net, or handling the puck low in her D-zone enough to say if that is an option.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Thinking back on this season, one thing that stands out is how seldom the Gophers had leads. A lot of the wins required late-game heroics. In the eight losses combined, they had one lead, that came in the first period of the second game in Duluth, and it lasted less than three minutes. I bet if I added up the minutes where they held a lead this season, I'd have to go back a number of years to find a season where a similar problem existed. They didn't get that many opportunities to just relax and play.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

Today's game was emblematic of what we saw all year from the Gophers. They would control play for long stretches and then a couple minutes of sloppy play and the game is tied or they're behind. Without Kloos and Lettieri next year it could be a tough year for the Gophs. That was quite the assist by Notre Dame's goalie Cal Petersen on ND's 1st goal.

Even though the Gophers beat them twice at home fairly easily, I was impressed this year with Penn State. I think they are a team on the rise.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Today's game was emblematic of what we saw all year from the Gophers. They would control play for long stretches and then a couple minutes of sloppy play and the game is tied or they're behind. Without Kloos and Lettieri next year it could be a tough year for the Gophs. That was quite the assist by Notre Dame's goalie Cal Petersen on ND's 1st goal.

Even though the Gophers beat them twice at home fairly easily, I was impressed this year with Penn State. I think they are a team on the rise.

PSU apparently has grit, determination and . . . pride on ice.

 

[shelfit]

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

Take this to the men's threads where someone might actually give a sh*t about the Gopher men's team.

 

[ARM]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Even though the women's season was somewhat disappointing, I was reminded again how good a stretch this team has had by watching the Gopher men, once again flame out today.

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

PSU apparently has grit, determination and . . . pride on ice.

Pride on ice? Ouch!

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

Yes, that's true. But with Connor Reilly's first goal of the year I thought the "Luck of the Irish" was on the Gopher's side yesterday. But then I thought the men and women would win in 2014 and both teams would be meeting Obama at the White House as the Badger's did in 2006 with Bush. "All I Have To Do Is Dream, again."

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

14 years...It time to make a change on that side of things.

My wife has been saying for a couple of years it's time to hire a new coach for the men's team and she repeated that yesterday. I told her Lucia just signed a two year extension on his contract before this season and that with Claeys there's already been enough money paid out to someone for not coaching. In two years if they don't win it all, yeah, it'll be time for a new guy. 14 years is enough. Don't want to wait 24 years as we did after 1979.

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

When I watch the men, it seems like they don't have quite the same intensity as the women in big games, almost like NCAAs are just a stepping stone to something more important. Even with their struggles at times this year, I just get an overall sense the every game is more precious to the women.

I was going to send kudos for a seamless thread re-direct, but I see that it is still under review.