Ohio State Buckeyes 2021-2022 ... Destination: Happy Valley

[Steamboat]

Don't do that. The Huskies and Tommies deserve more respect.

Absolutely agree with you on this. Any team that takes their opponent lightly will end up with egg on their face. The Duluth announcer said that tonight's game was like a playoff game for St. Thomas, and St. Thomas played with 100% effort. The WCHA is one tough league and no game is a gimme. Look at St. Cloud leading 2 - 0 after 1 period today.

 

[osualum86]

Yep, I stand corrected.

Yeah, honestly, we wouldn't be 22-6 if we disrespected our opponents. If we were disrespecting our opponents, we would have had some more losses. This is actually our first loss against a team not named Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, or Wisconsin. Somehow we are still second in the PairWise.

 

[robertearle]

Don't do that. The Huskies and Tommies deserve more respect.

Minnesota needs seven more standings points to clinch the championship.

A full loss (or three points lost in two games, etc) would push the door back open for either Ohio State or Wisconsin (who are back to dead-heat tied in the standings, with Wisconsin holding the tiebreaker, BTW)

 

[pgb-ohio]

So I get home from the Badger game, where they had announced that Bemidji was up 2-1 in the third, so I'm anxious to pull up the box score and see how it ended up.

And I see Bemidji empty net goal at 20:00?!?!?

Well, of course that isn't true. At 20:00 it would have been no goal. The Bemidji Website indicates the goal was scored at 19:59.7; which will likely stand as official. I haven't seen the video. Maybe the clock ran all the way down, and the officials had to add the 0.3 seconds to the clock.

What The F????

I just watched the end on BTNPlus. I guess if Muzzy is assuming Minnesota isn't going to give up any more standings points this year (despite the fact that they were trailing very late in the second period today), then pulling the goalie is the desperation move to get the three points necessary to win the conference. Second place by one point or three is still second place.

So you understand the strategy.

(Bulletin board material for Wisconsin, BTW)

But then you post this?

OK, most anything can be packaged up and used as a motivational ploy. But I highly doubt MJ or the Badger players would learn of this game and be genuinely offended. If anything, they're probably be pleased that they now have an improved chance of passing Ohio State in the standings.

But Holy Cow!! That is quite the bold move. And by "bold", I mean pretty effing questionable.

If we can calm down a little, I'd certainly agree it's a debatable strategy. Leaving a point or two on the table with 3 games still to play could definitely come back to haunt us. Big picture, it's probably not the best percentage play. But it certainly doesn't qualify as lunacy.

There are any number of situations in sports when going against the book is a legitimate option, risky though it may be. I'd say that pulling out all of the stops in pursuit of a championship is an honorable thing to do, not a disrespectful or crazy thing.

One last point. This was Senior Night in Bemidji. Sincere congratulations to the Beavers on a successful Senior night. You played the #2 team in the country to a standoff for over 59 minutes. Yes, you won in an unorthodox way. But Paige still had to cash in the unorthodox opportunity get that win. And who knows. Had Buckeyes had played the last 30 seconds of regulation more conservatively, maybe you would have found a way to win in OT anyhow.

 

[Steamboat]

One last point. This was Senior Night in Bemidji. Sincere congratulations to the Beavers on a successful Senior night. You played the #2 team in the country to a standoff for over 59 minutes. Yes, you won in an unorthodox way. But Paige still had to cash in the unorthodox opportunity get that win. And who knows. Had Buckeyes had played the last 30 seconds of regulation more conservatively, maybe you would have found a way to win in OT anyhow.

As a Gopher fan I can attest that the Beavers can give any team a run for the money. Our nickname for Bemidji is 'the pesky Beavers'.

 

[robertearle]

OK, most anything can be packaged up and used as a motivational ploy. But I highly doubt MJ or the Badger players would learn of this game and be genuinely offended. If anything, they're probably be pleased that they now have an improved chance of passing Ohio State in the standings.

I have no doubt whatsoever that MJ and Badger players will be very much aware of the outcome of this game; see the point Arlen made about MJ doing something similar in 2009. And I'm sure they'll be quite pleased that it greatly improves their chances of second vs third in the final standings; they're now once again tied, and with Wisconsin having the tie-breaker should the two teams split next weekend. Had OSU taken their one or two points tonight, that would not be the case.

But MJ gets in front of his players and says "the only way what OSU did here makes sense is if they assume they're going to sweep us next weekend. What do you think we should do about that assumption?"

 

[pgb-ohio]

As a Gopher fan I can attest that the Beavers can give any team a run for the money. Our nickname for Bemidji is 'the pesky Beavers'.

Understood. And having a Bemidji Goalie turn in a crazy good performance is hardly novel.

 

[Timothy A]

I guess the Muzzy yanking goalie play was the right call, though crazy, and it almost worked as #10 whiffed at the puck inches from the goal line. It's the only way they could have caught the rodents, in the moment anyway. With UW coming up and the rodents having the Tommies, it was worth the risk.

 

[Offsides Guy]

Wisconsin did the same thing against us a few years ago in an attempt to win a regular season title. And just curious, how is that bulletin board material for Wisconsin? We had to win tonight in regulation to give ourselves a chance to win the regular season title. Not sure how or why that's bulletin board material for Wisconsin.

Turns out everyone’s giving Muzz too much credit re thinking of the standings when deciding to pull the goalie. Her post game comments only made mention of the fact that she thought they were dominating the game and said nothing about where they were in the standings. Turns it was just a gutsy call. If they score, she’s brilliant. Because they didn’t, it was a dumb decision. Personally, I don’t think it was terribly fair to the OSU players who likely would’ve prevailed in overtime and got a win. I think she needs to own that loss.

 

[pgb-ohio]

I have no doubt whatsoever that MJ and Badger players will be very much aware of the outcome of this game; see the point Arlen made about MJ doing something similar in 2009. And I'm sure they'll be quite pleased that it greatly improves their chances of second vs third in the final standings; they're now once again tied, and with Wisconsin having the tie-breaker should the two teams split next weekend. Had OSU taken their one or two points tonight, that would not be the case.

But MJ gets in front of his players and says "the only way what OSU did here makes sense is if they assume they're going to sweep us next weekend. What do you think we should do about that assumption?"

I understood your point the first time, and acknowledge that something like that might be said as part of the overall preparation for next weekend. But I also think that the motivational value of this item is close to zero.

You insinuate that Muzzerall's decision to pull the goalie gives the Badgers a significant motivational advantage, and for that reason the move was a shocking gaffe. I believe that's nonsense. The Badgers will understand and respect the decision. Roles reversed, they might very well have done the exact same thing. As you acknowledged.

This is a non-issue.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Turns out everyone’s giving Muzz too much credit re thinking of the standings when deciding to pull the goalie. Her post game comments only made mention of the fact that she thought they were dominating the game and said nothing about where they were in the standings. Turns it was just a gutsy call. If they score, she’s brilliant. Because they didn’t, it was a dumb decision. Personally, I don’t think it was terribly fair to the OSU players who likely would’ve prevailed in overtime and got a win. I think she needs to own that loss.

Press conferences are, first & foremost, public relations. While the speaker should be held to a standard of truthfulness, there's no obligation for her to tell the full story. Spin goes with the territory.

I do agree with your second point, that most of the reaction will focus only on the result of the decision to pull the goalie. Sadly most fans are unable to grasp the idea of a good risk that didn't work out.

 

[KTDC]

Press conferences are, first & foremost, public relations. While the speaker should be held to a standard of truthfulness, there's no obligation for her to tell the full story. Spin goes with the territory.

I do agree with your second point, that most of the reaction will focus only on the result of the decision to pull the goalie. Sadly most fans are unable to grasp the idea of a good risk that didn't work out.

I tend to think she was trying to win the WCHA when she pulled the goalie. At this point in time I think the players would be into her decision, the belief and aggressiveness it shows.

 

[Offsides Guy]

I tend to think she was trying to win the WCHA when she pulled the goalie. At this point in time I think the players would be into her decision, the belief and aggressiveness it shows.

In today’s post game comments Muzz explained the points scenario being the reason for pulling the goalie yesterday. Not sure why she didn’t just say that yesterday but it does “officially” explain her decision.

 

[robertearle]

I understood your point the first time, and acknowledge that something like that might be said as part of the overall preparation for next weekend. But I also think that the motivational value of this item is close to zero.

You insinuate that Muzzerall's decision to pull the goalie gives the Badgers a significant motivational advantage, and for that reason the move was a shocking gaffe. I believe that's nonsense. The Badgers will understand and respect the decision. Roles reversed, they might very well have done the exact same thing. As you acknowledged.

This is a non-issue.

So why do you keep coming back to it?

 

[drewkal]

If the OSU fans don't understand Muz's decision to pull the goalie, they don't deserve a Division one team to root for. Back to Mites for them.

 

[osualum86]

Turns out everyone’s giving Muzz too much credit re thinking of the standings when deciding to pull the goalie. Her post game comments only made mention of the fact that she thought they were dominating the game and said nothing about where they were in the standings. Turns it was just a gutsy call. If they score, she’s brilliant. Because they didn’t, it was a dumb decision. Personally, I don’t think it was terribly fair to the OSU players who likely would’ve prevailed in overtime and got a win. I think she needs to own that loss.

Actually, if you get on twitter and listen to her postgame interview after today's game, it was definitely about the standings and getting three points. She didn't mention it after Friday's game, but she did after Saturday's game.

 

[osualum86]

I understood your point the first time, and acknowledge that something like that might be said as part of the overall preparation for next weekend. But I also think that the motivational value of this item is close to zero.

You insinuate that Muzzerall's decision to pull the goalie gives the Badgers a significant motivational advantage, and for that reason the move was a shocking gaffe. I believe that's nonsense. The Badgers will understand and respect the decision. Roles reversed, they might very well have done the exact same thing. As you acknowledged.

This is a non-issue.

Exactly, non-issue all the way. Muzz and the team were not even thinking about next weekend. They were doing what they had to do to give themselves a chance to win the regular season title. I am actually getting a chuckle out of all the misconstruction of this, especially considering other teams have done the exact same thing in the past in an attempt to win regular season titles.

 

[osualum86]

If the OSU fans don't understand Muz's decision to pull the goalie, they don't deserve a Division one team to root for. Back to Mites for them.

We understand and support the decision 100%. And it was a team decision, the girls wanted to do it, too. It's the rival fans that continue to troll about it. I am a numbers guy, so I knew what it was about the minute she did it. We had to win every game in regulation and get three points every time out in our remaining games to have a shot at winning the regular season title. Not sure why that is so hard for some people to figure out.

 

[osualum86]

Today was a different day, and the Buckeyes came out with fire in their eyes after last night's loss. Ohio State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period and tacked on four more goals in the final frame to win 8-1. The Buckeyes got four first period goals from Sophie Jaques, Riley Brengman, Jenn Gardiner, and Clair DeGeorge to take a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. Bemidji got on the board in the second period on a goal from Reece Hunt to make the score 4-1, but that was as close as the Beavers would get. There were no other goals scored in the second period so the teams went into the final intermission with the Buckeyes leading 4-1. Ohio State would put this one out of reach with four more goals in the third period to win it 8-1. The third period goals for Ohio State were scored by Paetyn Levis, Jenna Buglioni, Madisyn Wiebe, and Liz Schepers. Ohio State outshot the Beavers in this one 56-15. Raygan Kirk got the start in net in this one for Ohio State and stopped 14 of the 15 shots she faced to get the win. Nice to see Raygan get a start and the win. Beaver netminder Kerigan Dowhy stopped 48 of the 56 shots she faced. Ohio State returns home for a big series against Wisconsin next weekend. Bemidji will travel to Mankato next weekend to take on Minnesota State.

 

[pgb-ohio]

So why do you keep coming back to it?

Maybe because you keep pushing the idea that this is a relevant factor?