robertearle
Well-known member
Yes it is.
Half of the 'tough' is winning the first game.
Wisconsin doesn't have to beat them "twice in a row"; they only have to beat them once more. Not the same thing.
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Ohio State Buckeyes 2020-2021 ... Unfinished Business
- Thread starter osualum86
- Start date
Yes it is.
Half of the 'tough' is winning the first game.
Wisconsin doesn't have to beat them "twice in a row"; they only have to beat them once more. Not the same thing.
I had that thought, right after UW bagged their overtime goal. Made me feel a little better. But that theory certainly comes with no guarantees!
Offsides Guy
Active member
it doesn’t have to be back-to-back games. I’ve seen it too many times in several sports at all levels when two good teams are involved. I put my $100 on the Buckeyes for that reason alone (CAVEAT is Schepers is on the ice).
Hockeybuckeye
Well-known member
Has anyone heard anything on Schepers and Saekkinen's injuries?
Correct. However at some points of college hockey history, it's been really tough for the regular season champ season champ or playoff champ to duplicate the feat in the NCAAs. Not sure if you're old enough to remember the Men's WCHA of the 1970's & 1980's. But I remember it being almost uncanny how many times a runner-up at the earlier stages bounced back to win a natty.
Without checking any records, I'm guessing this has been less true in recent years. Also, less true in Women's Hockey generally.
But hey, from a Buckeye perspective it's a reasonable motivational ploy. And this season the two teams have split games both before & after the holidays. Why not the post-season as well? (insert winking emoticon here)
robertearle
Well-known member
No, it does not.
You hear that kind of thing in the NFL when the playoffs come: "hard to beat a team three times!"
Yeah, it is. Mostly because winning the first two is hard. But by the time of the third game, two-thirds of the work is done. You're not trying to beat them "three times", you're only trying to beat them once more.
Wisconsin doesn't have to beat them twice in a row, they only have to beat them once more. Will they? Maybe, maybe not. But the outcome of the prior game has little to do with it.
Offsides Guy
Active member
Sorry but I disagree. I think it impacts the mindset both teams bring to that second game and that’s part of why it’s hard to get two wins in a row. And, yes, it is “two wins in a row” if it’s the second time you’ve played the same team regardless of how much time was in between games.
Hockeybuckeye
Well-known member
Motivation will be high for both teams if they meet again. I'm sure Rosenthal is seeing those two misses of hers in her sleep and wants to bury the next one worse than you can imagine!
Agreed.
I'd add that motivation is an art rather a science. A recent loss to close rival might have any number of effects. It might make a team crazy hungry & play with great urgency. Or, it could be a little intimidating & lead to tentative play. Or anything in between. Or have no effect at all.
If the claim is that the most recent head-to-head game always "makes no difference, or virtually no difference," I definitely disagree. But beyond that, there's lots of uncertainty. Still, isn't such uncertainty part of why sports are fun?
I'd add that motivation is an art rather a science. A recent loss to close rival might have any number of effects. It might make a team crazy hungry & play with great urgency. Or, it could be a little intimidating & lead to tentative play. Or anything in between. Or have no effect at all.
If the claim is that the most recent head-to-head game always "makes no difference, or virtually no difference," I definitely disagree. But beyond that, there's lots of uncertainty. Still, isn't such uncertainty part of why sports are fun?
robertearle
Well-known member
It's an NCAA semi-final. Pretty sure "motivation" won't be a problem. And if it is, then that team has bigger problems than just that.
TonyTheTiger20
#SOAR
Yes, yessss, good, an entire page of this thread dedicated to what it's going to be like playing your *semifinal* opponent... I like where this is going ; )
robertearle
Well-known member
Yes, yessss, good, an entire page of this thread dedicated to what it's going to be like playing your *semifinal* opponent... I like where this is going ; )
As long as you sort-of bring it up, and in an entirely inappropriate location... what's the story with Providence and their 'short bench' during the playoffs? They had one forward - Annelise Rice - disappear from the stat sheets after the Feb 6th game, and then they went into 'COVID protocol' and three more disappeared - Isabelle Hardy, Delaney Couture, and Ciara Barone. In their HE tournament games, they had defensemen playing forward on their second and third lines! And only had three lines and five D players altogether even dressed.
(And BTW, 'player availability' was supposed to be part of the selection criteria - just sayin')
Are they getting any of them back? Are they injured, or COVID, or a mix of both? I can find zero into anywhere on the web. Do you know anything?
(Sorry Buckeye fans.)
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Hockeybuckeye
Well-known member
Hey, no complaints here as it's interesting and your question is a good one.
FiveHoleFrenzy
Well-known member
OSU can look to how Minnesota (when Minnesota was actually good) attacked an undefeated bc team in the 2016 National championchip game. That was a more talented team than the current bc squad. OSU very much plays that kind of game and can be a headache all over the ice for the opponent. bc is used to being able to easily get out of their own zone and freewheel through the neutral zone. No other team (maybe with the exception of the Sinners) contested teams all over the ice like OSU this year. I expect that the muzzzinator will have her squad properly motivated.
Like I said in the Sinners thread...No pressure but don't blow it against a Hockey Least team.
Like I said in the Sinners thread...No pressure but don't blow it against a Hockey Least team.
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Offsides Guy
Active member
Another kicker relating to the tournament field is that UMD may have an easier path to the championship than OSU. Regardless of NE’s seeding, I think a lot of Buckeye fans would rather play them than WI. I’d certainly pick WI over NE in a game.
ARM
Fan of chipmunk-like mascots.
I was reading this thread and thinking they need Muzz in here to kick some butt. Pgb is usually too smart to get sucked into talking about a game that might never happen, but even he is joining in.Yes, yessss, good, an entire page of this thread dedicated to what it's going to be like playing your *semifinal* opponent... I like where this is going ; )
Word of advice to OSU fans: kick the Badger fans out of your thread or ignore them totally. Focus on Grant. Respect the heck out of BC. In 2011, Minnesota was very happy to get a "favorable" first-round game at BC. Right up until we weren't. You don't want to lose to Grant and BC, because he won't let you forget it. Ever. Doesn't matter how many times you beat BC before or how many times you exact revenge. For now, there are only two teams in the women's hockey universe: Ohio State and BC. That's it.
Hockeybuckeye
Well-known member
I am SO glad it's the later game and I can watch it at home!
Timothy A
Let's go RED!
I'm rooting for BC so UW gets a cupcake matchup in the semi (haha). WI could then just roll the 3rd and 4th lines and rest the top 2 line for the final (haha). Go BC! Yeah Eagles. I love those shades of maroon and gold. Hey me and T3 and Logano fans. (smiley face) Practically brothers from another mother LOL.