NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

[IceIsNice]

So, some say Wisconsin should be Pi$ $ed over getting this matchup, and others say they should be grateful.

For the Lakers, a win on Saturday may have meant a first round home game, but instead they draw the #1 seed.

Debates on both sides welcome, but..........

All I know is, I'm looking forward to some very intense action on Saturday night.

 

[JosephPSchmoe]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

The way Wisconsin is playing lately, an upset isn't all that hard to imagine. This could be the year the trophy goes east.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

I'm guessing that the Badgers are fairly neutral on their match-up with Mercyhurst. Personally, I'm glad they are playing some new blood. As far as the title going out East, those schools are going to have to earn it. Minnesota seems to peaking at the right time and the Badgers (even if they aren't playing great hockey right now) aren't going to go quietly.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

So, some say Wisconsin should be Pi$ $ed over getting this matchup, and others say they should be grateful.

For the Lakers, a win on Saturday may have meant a first round home game, but instead they draw the #1 seed.

Debates on both sides welcome, but..........

All I know is, I'm looking forward to some very intense action on Saturday night.

Welcome back. You heading West next weekend ?

 

[LakersFan]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Mercyhurst has looked good against tourney teams, but they also have looked horrible. It all comes down to goaltending. If Pattenden sees a steady diet of pucks (which she will) and starts hot, she could steal the game. Hopefully the result Saturday against Robert Morris will motivate them. The downside is that my ratings predict a Wisconsin victory 91% of the time. That sounds about right to me.

 

[IceIsNice]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Welcome back. You heading West next weekend ?

I am, actually. Never been to the Kohl Center, so why not enjoy another great new experience.

I imagine you'll be reporting from Ithaca?

 

[mattj711]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

I am, actually. Never been to the Kohl Center, so why not enjoy another great new experience.

I imagine you'll be reporting from Ithaca?

Nice to see you're posting again!! I'm definitely rooting for Mercyhurst to upset Wisconsin.

 

[IceIsNice]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Nice to see you're posting again!! I'm definitely rooting for Mercyhurst to upset Wisconsin.

Thanks Matty! In short.... I've had some stuff goin' on, but playoff hockey definitely gets one fired up! Kinda hoping this buzz last 2 weeks, not just one.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

I am, actually. Never been to the Kohl Center, so why not enjoy another great new experience.

I imagine you'll be reporting from Ithaca?

Yup, that is the plan. You still use the same Cell number from last year ?.


Enjoy Madison. The campus is very impressive. If you get the chance, tour the football stadium. Kohl is very nice as well. It's a large rink for college standards, and if I'm not mistaken it is an Olympic size ice sheet.

 

[Carter]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Kohl is very nice as well. It's a large rink for college standards, and if I'm not mistaken it is an Olympic size ice sheet.

I believe it's just 3 feet narrower than an Olympic ice sheet. Same length.

 

[MICZamboni]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Well, if history repeats itself, I will have to go with a Wisconsin win 6-1. Goaltending at Mercyhurst during the "big game" has always been less than stelar. I don't think Hillary will stand on her head but she will be tested, a lot. Mercyhurst just doesn't have the big guns anymore (minus a few) to stay with a team like Wisco. I hope I am wrong but I dont think I will be.

 

[IceIsNice]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Somehow this seems highly appropo.....

"Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, ladies. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the NCAA’s. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Badgers have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it."​

Three minor liberties......but, considering the odds as determined by both Doc Rutter and the USCHO poll, not to mention the coaching link, well............

 

[papulaisle]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Good job. Good job. Great peroration!
Too, I think Red with the Blue, maybe?

No?

Good luck with Badgers!
GREAT good luck!!!

Fear odds as displayed herein (vote) don't so far find you in, near, approaching...majority?
Am I reading them right?

But I am like you seem to be- DETERMINED.

Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam!

 

[Timothy A]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

I'm guessing that the Badgers are fairly neutral on their match-up with Mercyhurst. Personally, I'm glad they are playing some new blood. As far as the title going out East, those schools are going to have to earn it. Minnesota seems to peaking at the right time and the Badgers (even if they aren't playing great hockey right now) aren't going to go quietly.

UND is more beatable, I was surprised they didn't get the 8 seed. I'm excited to see a new team @ the KC.

 

[ARM]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

The way Wisconsin is playing lately, an upset isn't all that hard to imagine. This could be the year the trophy goes east.

This seems to be a very prevalent sentiment, along with a similar perception that Cornell is struggling. For all the reported struggles, those are still the two teams with the best winning percentages. Throw out the loss to OSU by UW; a soft goal on a backup, a fluke bounce, and there's the game. UMD played very well. The Badgers were a little off, but I'm betting that's the last time this season that will be the case. Wisconsin, Cornell -- yeah, they're both beatable. But the team that wants to do so better bring a heck of an effort, because they are going to be playing some great hockey from here on.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

This seems to be a very prevalent sentiment, along with a similar perception that Cornell is struggling. For all the reported struggles, those are still the two teams with the best winning percentages. Throw out the loss to OSU by UW; a soft goal on a backup, a fluke bounce, and there's the game. UMD played very well. The Badgers were a little off, but I'm betting that's the last time this season that will be the case. Wisconsin, Cornell -- yeah, they're both beatable. But the team that wants to do so better bring a heck of an effort, because they are going to be playing some great hockey from here on.

Wisconsin was more than a little off against UMD. The Bulldogs played a fantastic game, but Wisconsin looked clueless trying to move the puck up the ice against UMD's neutral zone pressure. In addition, the Badgers made numerous horrible choices on defense. At one point in the second, Haverstock went completely the wrong way, allowing McParland to come in alone. She didn't score then, but on the game winning goal, the Wisconsin backcheckers completely lost track of her at center ice. As for Ohio State, yes, it was a fluke bounce that led to the game winning goal, but the #1 team in the country shouldn't have allowed that game to be close enough for it to matter.

I think that there is legitimate reason to worry about Wisconsin's performance. I would have thought that dropping the game to OSU would have been enough to light a fire under them, but it didn't. If you make me guess, I'd say that I think that Wisconsin will most likely do as you say and play great hockey from here on out. However, I'm a lot less convinced of that then I was this time last week.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Wisconsin was more than a little off against UMD. The Bulldogs played a fantastic game, but Wisconsin looked clueless trying to move the puck up the ice against UMD's neutral zone pressure. In addition, the Badgers made numerous horrible choices on defense. At one point in the second, Haverstock went completely the wrong way, allowing McParland to come in alone. She didn't score then, but on the game winning goal, the Wisconsin backcheckers completely lost track of her at center ice. As for Ohio State, yes, it was a fluke bounce that led to the game winning goal, but the #1 team in the country shouldn't have allowed that game to be close enough for it to matter.

I think that there is legitimate reason to worry about Wisconsin's performance. I would have thought that dropping the game to OSU would have been enough to light a fire under them, but it didn't. If you make me guess, I'd say that I think that Wisconsin will most likely do as you say and play great hockey from here on out. However, I'm a lot less convinced of that then I was this time last week.

I discount the OSU loss, but the UMD loss, the way it happened, is worrysome for a Badger fan like me. I also saw UW late in the season struggle to beat Bemiji at home Saturday and Mankato Saturday night outplayed UW 2 out of the 3 periods.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Well, there is no doubt the Badgers aren't playing their best hockey over the last couple of weeks, but the stakes are now much higher. They still have great goaltending, a load of offense, great coaching and will be playing in front of a relatively big home crowd. Mercyhurst's goalie will have to play very well, because Rigsby isn't giving up more than 1-2 goals. While certainly possible (ie. last weekend up in Duluth), I just don't see them dropping another 2-1 kind of game.

 

[Nowheresville]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

While the Badgers haven't been playing great hockey, and the two losses are only a small part of that story, I think they've just got too much talent to lose this one on home ice. I'm going to say we'll see Wisconsin pull out a 2-1 win, quite possibly going into OT to actually decide it.

I'm also thinking we should see about 5,000 fans at the game. UW has actually done some radio advertising to promote the game, and there have been some impressive late season crowds, so I'd think there should be enough people to at least see the second deck opened up.

BTW, if we see a multiple OT game, will they be switching goals with every extra period, or will they stay with the long change until the game is over?

 

[IceIsNice]

Re: NCAA Quarters, 3/10/12: Mercyhurst @ Wisconsin - One more upset? Why not!

Somehow this seems highly appropo.....

"Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, ladies. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the NCAA’s. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Badgers have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it."​

Three minor liberties......but, considering the odds as determined by both Doc Rutter and the USCHO poll, not to mention the coaching link, well............

THIS is YOUR time!