Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

On a much more cheerful note, the Big Ten Network will be televising Saturday evening's game. Any word on who will be doing the broadcast? The school websites don't seem to have that info.

Not sure on the which play-by-play announcer and color analyst they'll assign to this game, but I can say that BTN has done a good job when they've televised Gopher men's games this season.

http://btn.com/2013/09/16/btn-to-air-27-big-ten-hockey-games-this-season/

 

[brookyone]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

On a much more cheerful note, the Big Ten Network will be televising Saturday evening's game. Any word on who will be doing the broadcast? The school websites don't seem to have that info.

In the past, I recall Gopher broadcasters doing a nice job with Women's Hockey telecasts, but of course those were on FSN... Anyhow, if you've got info, please share.

Likely a recent player grad doing color. Becky Kortum? Whomever...better than A.J....I can say with some confidence. Can't remember the kids name...does the ice level interviews for BTN...and does a good job IMO.

When your most used to internet streaming video as your access...the BTN is great...swell...wonderful!

 

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

When your most used to internet streaming video as your access...the BTN is great...swell...wonderful!

Brooky, don't tell me you're going to miss the Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday!

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Not sure on the which play-by-play announcer and color analyst they'll assign to this game, but I can say that BTN has done a good job when they've televised Gopher men's games this season.

http://btn.com/2013/09/16/btn-to-air-27-big-ten-hockey-games-this-season/

Good link; thanks. If the announcers are chosen from that list, U of M grad Ben Clymer is likely to be involved in some capacity. And yes, it would obviously be great if one of the Women's alums was involved.

 

[brookyone]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Brooky, don't tell me you're going to miss the Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday!

Not sure yet. Depends how my other every Saturday commitment goes.

 

[ARM]

Anyhow, if you've got info, please share.

In recent years when it has been on the actual BTN channel, not just the internet broadcast, it was Dan Kelly and Laura Halldorson.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Can't remember the kids name...does the ice level interviews for BTN...and does a good job IMO.

Matt Nelson. He is also host and producer of gophersportsupdate.com. It wouldn't surprise me if he is ice-side on Saturday.

Should be a good weekend. Word is that the $1 general admission seats for Friday are nearly sold out. Plus I haven't see a final tally, but I know that the Power Play Club sold quite a few of the Holiday Gift Packs during the 1st half of the season that each included a pair of tickets to Saturday's game.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

osualum86 and pgb -- We kind of got off-topic yesterday, but I'd like your take on the two points I made early in the day...

Is Lisa Steffes the #1 starter in goal now for the Buckeyes? She's clearly got the better numbers this year compared to Chelsea Knapp, including getting both shutouts against the Nittany Lions.

I'll be very interested in seeing how much jump the Buckeyes have. They had picked up a big sweep on the road at New Hampshire on Thanksgiving weekend... and then the Gophers came into Columbus and lit them up 14-3. Now the Buckeyes just picked up a big non-conference sweep of Penn State and now face Minnesota again.

 

[brookyone]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Matt Nelson. He is also host and producer of gophersportsupdate.com. It wouldn't surprise me if he is ice-side on Saturday.

Should be a good weekend. Word is that the $1 general admission seats for Friday are nearly sold out. Plus I haven't see a final tally, but I know that the Power Play Club sold quite a few of the Holiday Gift Packs during the 1st half of the season that each included a pair of tickets to Saturday's game.

Yikes! Never purchased a regular season game ticket in advance. Now wishing I would have. Hope I don't get turned away Friday night.

 

[ARM]

Yikes! Never purchased a regular season game ticket in advance. Now wishing I would have. Hope I don't get turned away Friday night.

Get there early, bring a little cash, and you're bound to find a ticket by some means.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Is Lisa Steffes the #1 starter in goal now for the Buckeyes? She's clearly got the better numbers this year compared to Chelsea Knapp, including getting both shutouts against the Nittany Lions.

I know of no announcement to that effect. Maybe the coaches are just riding the hot hand. Yes, I'd expect to see Steffes Friday night, but that's just my guess agreeing with your guess.

I'll be very interested in seeing how much jump the Buckeyes have. They had picked up a big sweep on the road at New Hampshire on Thanksgiving weekend... and then the Gophers came into Columbus and lit them up 14-3. Now the Buckeyes just picked up a big non-conference sweep of Penn State and now face Minnesota again.

They'll have jump. The opportunity to play the defending national champs in front of big crowds will provide lots of motivation.

As for the 14-3 differential, let's use a Bob Gainey quote. Sometimes when a team breaks, it breaks hard. If that sounds familiar, think 1991. I know you're plenty old enough.

But suppose history from Fall Semester repeats itself. It wouldn't be because the Buckeyes "lack jump." The current Gopher team is really talented and really deep. When they have the midas touch, they're too much for anyone to handle. But be assured that our kids will show up and try to interrupt the coronation.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

In recent years when it has been on the actual BTN channel, not just the internet broadcast, it was Dan Kelly and Laura Halldorson.

That would be a good situation. IIRC, Kelly had at least a brief connection with the CBJ. So besides being a good play-by-play man, he'd bring an interesting angle to the broadcast. And the benefits of having Coach Halldorson's insight are obvious.

Maybe '86 has a clearer memory of Kelly's time in Columbus?

 

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

osualum86 and pgb -- We kind of got off-topic yesterday, but I'd like your take on the two points I made early in the day...

Dave, thanks for the inquiry. Sorry I didn't address this sooner. I am not 100% sure that we have a #1 goalie at this point, although as you pointed out, statistically, Lisa Steffes has been better this season. I have no idea which goalie will start in the series against your team this weekend. If I had to venture a guess, I would say Lisa will be in net. After posting two shutouts against Penn State and being named WCHA Defensive PoW, I would say she has earned a couple starts vs Minnesota this week, but again, that's just a guess.

In regard to your second point, I am sure we will have some jump this weekend. Other than the series we had against the Gophers last month, the team has been playing much better hockey lately. Will that translate into more than a couple goals or an upset win? I'm not sure, we'll have to wait and see. Obviously, we will have to play the best games we have played all season to be competitive. Have fun! Too bad tomorrow's game isn't on BTN! I would like to see the sold out crowd and the atmosphere.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

As for the 14-3 differential, let's use a Bob Gainey quote. Sometimes when a team breaks, it breaks hard. If that sounds familiar, think 1991. I know you're plenty old enough.

That was about the only time I played attention to the team formerly known as the "North Stars" before their move. I really didn't become a full-fledged hockey fan until I started college at Minnesota in 1993 (despite being a MN native).

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Well, it was a wonderful playoff run; I'm not surprised it caught your attention. It was a shame the North Stars fell one step short of the Cup. I guess Mario's coming out party was destined to steal the stage...

Anyhow, I thought you'd appreciate the NS reference. But we digress.

 

[play-by-play guy]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

Dave, thanks for the inquiry. Sorry I didn't address this sooner. I am not 100% sure that we have a #1 goalie at this point, although as you pointed out, statistically, Lisa Steffes has been better this season. I have no idea which goalie will start in the series against your team this weekend. If I had to venture a guess, I would say Lisa will be in net. After posting two shutouts against Penn State and being named WCHA Defensive PoW, I would say she has earned a couple starts vs Minnesota this week, but again, that's just a guess.

Some food for thought. OSU goalies v. MN over the last 4 seasons:
Lisa Steffes career v. MN -- 11 GP, 0-9-0, 44 GA, 0.868 SV%, 4.93 GAA
Chelsea Knapp career v. MN -- 7 GP, 0-6-0, 36 GA, 0.829 SV%, 6.35 GAA

Combined stats: 0-15-0, 80 GA, 0.853 SV%, 5.48 GAA

Hope my central MN math is correct. If not, blame it on the education system in the state.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

And once again I was less than thrilled with the state of WCHA officiating. What a joke.

Normally I try to temper my outbursts when the score gets lopsided in the Gophers' favor, but tonight I was not amused. I thought the Gophers got robbed of a power play opportunity when Sara Schmitt (OSU) and Hannah Brandt (MN) went off for matching roughing minors. I thought for certain that a third player (wearing the all-red jersey) was going to go off as well. Then again, I only saw it from the opposite end of the ice...

Gopher goaltender Amanda Leveille got hit high (neck and head area) with an OSU stick in the third period that went for naught. One of the Gopher pep band members used one of my common heckling cheers when a Gopher got knocked down earlier in the game. I also saw a Gopher and a Buckeye go down together at one point, but the OSU player delivered an unnecessary additional shove that the refs let slide.

And there was another time (either first or third period -- I don't remember which) that Kari Schmitt skated into a pack of Gophers near the top of the Gopher goal crease while play was stopped -- a good three seconds after the whistle -- and for no apparent reason. She didn't make contact with anyone, but she had no business being there. It's that type of activity that leads to the flurry of comments we had in this thread earlier this week.



Now, switching gears and putting away my maroon-and-gold-colored glasses, I thought the Buckeyes had some really good scoring chances, and Leveille just shut them down; she also got a lot of help on several potentially juicy rebounds when her D corps pushed the puck away from the net and the OSU attackers.

I also thought that the Buckeye coaching staff had a legitimate beef on some of the icing calls against them and one that could have gone against the Gophers that wasn't called; I'm not sure what the linesmen were seeing, but that was poor too and it seemed to benefit Minnesota. And I thought OSU would get a penalty shot on the third-period hooking call against Gopher defenseman Baylee Gillanders; the fact that it was only a 2-minute minor surprised me a little.

That's my two-cents. As Linda Richman would say, "Talk amongst yourselves."

 

[ARM]

I also thought that the Buckeye coaching staff had a legitimate beef on some of the icing calls against them and one that could have gone against the Gophers that wasn't called; I'm not sure what the linesmen were seeing, but that was poor too and it seemed to benefit Minnesota.

It's like the linesmen had never heard of hybrid icing. Some of the races to the dots were close; maybe the Buckeyes won, or maybe they were ties. But the linesmen weren't even looking, just blowing the whistle when the puck crossed the line. I agree, OSU was shortchanged there.

And I thought OSU would get a penalty shot on the third-period hooking call against Gopher defenseman Baylee Gillanders; the fact that it was only a 2-minute minor surprised me a little.

Usually a penalty shot isn't awarded on a play where the attacking player still gets off a quality shot, which she did. The penalty shot is more for a play where the offensive player is denied a scoring chance. Here, she still had a scoring chance on which she very possibly could have scored.

 

[OldDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

It's like the linesmen had never heard of hybrid icing. Some of the races to the dots were close; maybe the Buckeyes won, or maybe they were ties. But the linesmen weren't even looking, just blowing the whistle when the puck crossed the line. I agree, OSU was shortchanged there.

ARM, this comment rang a bell. Is there hybrid icing in international play? I'm wondering if the linesmen have been working exhibition games leading up to the Olympics during the break and took a period or two to get back to NCAA rules.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/10 - 1/11

ARM, this comment rang a bell. Is there hybrid icing in international play? I'm wondering if the linesmen have been working exhibition games leading up to the Olympics during the break and took a period or two to get back to NCAA rules.

Excellent call out. International play (at least what I've seen of it the past 3 months) still uses automatic icing -- where it's whistled right when the puck crosses the end line, regardless of which team has the opportunity to play it first.