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

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

Many casual fans of the men's game don't fully appreciate how much the college hockey landscape has changed in the last 10 or so years. With all the parity in the men's game today it's become increasingly difficult to consistently:
(a) make the 16 team NCAA tournament, then
(b) win your two regional games, and then
(c) win two more in the FF to claim the national title

An excerpt from and a link to a good article that explains the current situation:

"As evidence, four of the past six N.C.A.A. champions were first-time winners. Only half of the 16-team field of last year’s N.C.A.A. tournament returned for this year’s tournament, and no conference tournament champion repeated in 2017. More than half of all Division I teams (34) have reached the N.C.A.A. tournament in the last five years."

More here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/23/sports/hockey/ncaa-college-teams.html

Obviously in the men's game you no longer have a team or two or three that can consistently dominate their opponents as we're seen on the women's side. In the last two days we saw BU - a team that has 7 players from the USA World Junior Team (and I believe 4 NHL first round draft picks) - get outshot 59-29 by North Dakota (but still managing to win in double overtime) - only to fall yesterday to Minnesota-Duluth, also in OT.

As far as whether Lucia should retain his job or not, I guess I’m of the opinion that, barring a complete meltdown next season, he should be allowed to finish out his two-year extension, and then retire. As “SteveO” posted in the men’s forum this morning:

“Fire Don Lucia?? This must be the "entertain me" crowd. In the last 6 seasons the Gophers have won 6 consecutive RS championships, a conference tournament and made the NCAAs five times with two FF appearances (inc. a 2014 runner-up). No team in the tournament that can make that claim.”
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

ARM said:
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. ;)
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Yes, from a numbers perspective #5 would play D, but 2 years now she has been switched to F when they are setting the roster for the strtch drive
I keep thinking back to 2014, nearly everyone questioned the Gopher's and specifically Ramsey & McMillen's defensive ability, we all know how that turned out. In addition converting two forwards to D turned out well, Garzone played very well paired up with McMillen. IMO, they will enter the season ahead of that group, at least on paper.

Yeah, a big booming slap shot from the blue line would be nice, but I'd settle for someone Dan wouldn't have to say "(...shot wide...)"
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

shelfit said:
LOL, that is awesome vintage footage of a very young Rolling Stones. If you watch/listen all the way to the end, the next guest on the show after the commercial break was going to be Prince Charles! :)
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Surprised but glad you liked it. ;)
 
D2D said:
If you like vintage Rolling Stones also check out "The T.A.M.I. Show" from 1964. Skip to the 1:35:30 mark at the end. Hilarious!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pdZJ7TkJQU
Click to expand...

Wow, I had never heard of this show, and I'm a fan of old music from that era. The Stones had a very tough act to follow in a young James Brown! Fastest most furious moving feet in show business! Chuck Berry kicks off the show too! This is something else man! You made my day! :D
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

shelfit said:
Wow, I had never heard of this show, and I'm a fan of old music from that era. The Stones had a very tough act to follow in a young James Brown! Fastest most furious moving feet in show business! Chuck Berry kicks off the show too! This is something else man! You made my day! :D
Click to expand...
I happen to own the DVD...I was pleasantly surprised to see the full show, in high-def no less, on youtube.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

D2D said:
I happen to own the DVD...I was pleasantly surprised to see the full show, in high-def no less, on youtube.
Click to expand...

If I'm not mistaken I think I saw this on PBS...Either that or maybe it was on HBO. It really is quite extraordinary for it's video quality and the quality of the performances.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

D2D said:
Short comment on the state of the women's program included:

Gophers hockey, basketball and football: the state of the programs
http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...ssessing-the-state-of-the-programs/417204563/
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The short answer to the Big Question on Coach Frost: Yes, he can (with apologies to the late great SD Jr). But without the three P's it would be tough. Of course, without the Badger's big P it would be tough for them, too.

The not quite so short answer to the Big Question on Coach Lucia: Yes, it would be time to consider it in two years when his current contract runs out. I've been a big supporter of Coach Lucia since he first stood behind the Gopher bench in the fall of 1999. He should definitely not be fired. I don't remember ever thinking any Gopher's hockey coach should be fired and I've been following them since Taylor's grandfather was on the freshman team. Well, maybe Ken Yackel should have been fired, but that was because he had played for the Millers and I was a Saints fan. BUT with Lucia, when his current contract expires in two years a coaching change should be strongly considered. Winning 6 league titles in a row is remarkable, but there are 6 teams that would not trade places with the Gophers in those years (BC, Yale, Union, Providence, North Dakota and whoever wins this year). A few years ago I read that Coach Lucia had said it would have been better if there had been a few years between the championships of 2002 and 2003. If they don't win in the next two years it will be 16 years since the last one and it may be time for a change.
 
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Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

bluffrinkrat said:
The short answer to the Big Question on Coach Frost: Yes, he can (with apologies to the late great SD Jr). But without the three P's it would be tough. Of course, without the Badger's big P it would be tough for them, too.

The not quite so short answer to the Big Question on Coach Lucia: Yes, it would be time to consider it in two years when his current contract runs out. I've been a big supporter of Coach Lucia since he first stood behind the Gopher bench in the fall of 1999. He should definitely not be fired. I don't remember ever thinking any Gopher's hockey coach should be fired and I've been following them since Taylor's grandfather was on the freshman team. Well, maybe Ken Yackel, but that was because he had played for the Millers. BUT with Lucia, when his current contract expires in two years a coaching change should be strongly considered. Winning 6 league titles in a row is remarkable. A few years ago I read that Coach Lucia had said it would have been better if there had been a few years between the championships of 2002 and 2003. If they don't win in the next two years it will be 16 years since the last one and it may be time for a change.
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I gave up on Woog because he ran undisciplined teams and that started with him. It was an NCAA game, late in the third with MN up by one (I think, may have been down by one) when they got called for a penalty (legitimate) the mic caught him calling the ref names that USCHO turns into *s - For an extended period until he drew a bench penalty for unsportsmanlike. Woog put the team down 5 on 3. When asked at the presser he claimed he only asked about the time instead of being a stand up guy. He needed to go. When Lucia came in he seemed to end the undisciplined crap. The last few years it seems the boys have decided it is OK to play 3 periods every weekend despite there being 6 periods a weekend. It might be time for Don to go but they just gave him a new contract so it is unlikely.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

ManBehindTheCurtain said:
Kathleen Ridder obituary.
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My Kathleen Ridder story. About 10 years ago my wife and I were having dinner at Kincaid's restaurant in St Paul. Sitting a few tables away from us was Mrs Ridder. Our waitress was with us and I asked her if she was waiting on Mrs Ridder. She said she was and she was about to go over and collect her bill. I asked her if she would tell Mrs Ridder how much we appreciated everything she has done for the University and especially Gopher women's hockey. The waitress did that and as we watched Mrs Ridder looked over at us and started blowing us kisses. We laughed and she then proceeded to come over to our table. We talked for awhile, mostly about Gopher women's hockey. She said she was so pleased to hear we were members of the Gopher women's power play club. What a delightful, funny, generous person.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

bluffrinkrat said:
My Kathleen Ridder story. About 10 years ago my wife and I were having dinner at Kincaid's restaurant in St Paul. Sitting a few tables away from us was Mrs Ridder. Our waitress was with us and I asked her if she was waiting on Mrs Ridder. She said she was and she was about to go over and collect her bill. I asked her if she would tell Mrs Ridder how much we appreciated everything she has done for the University and especially Gopher women's hockey. The waitress did that and as we watched Mrs Ridder looked over at us and started blowing us kisses. We laughed and she then proceeded to come over to our table. We talked for awhile, mostly about Gopher women's hockey. She said she was so pleased to hear we were members of the Gopher women's power play club. What a delightful, funny, generous person.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for sharing that. :) :)
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

After watching Worlds, I will not be surprised if Kelly and Sarah make their respective Olympic teams. Add in the fact that GWH graduated three of their top six D and only have two D coming in, and there are some roster decisions to be made. So I wondered if there was a senior-to-be on the UND squad who could come in to fill the void using one of the Olympian’s scholarships for her last year. Surprisingly, there was not one junior on the UND roster this past season. So much for that idea.
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

Congrats to Breck School's Grace Zumwinkle on being awarded American Family Insurance ALL USA "Player of the Year". Gopher recruits honored were:

First Team
Taylor Heise, Red Wing (2018-19)
Madeline Wethington, Blake (2019-20)
Grace Zumwinkle, Breck (2017-18)

Second Team
Emily Brown, Blaine (2017-18)
Taylor Wente, Maple Grove (2018-19)
Gracie Ostertag, SSM (2018-19)

http://usatodayhss.com/?p=101176292
 
Re: Minnesota Women's Hockey 2016-2017 (aka Season 20)

D2D said:
Congrats to Breck School's Grace Zumwinkle on being awarded American Family Insurance ALL USA "Player of the Year". Gopher recruits honored were:

First Team
Taylor Heise, Red Wing (2018-19)
Madeline Wethington, Blake (2019-20)
Grace Zumwinkle, Breck (2017-18)

Second Team
Emily Brown, Blaine (2017-18)
Taylor Wente, Maple Grove (2017-18)
Gracie Ostertag, SSM (2018-19)

http://usatodayhss.com/?p=101176292
Click to expand...

Minor correction and one addition...

Third Team
Emily Oden, Edina (2018-19)
 
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