Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

[osualum86]

Ohio State, which now sets in 5th place in the WCHA, begins an uphill climb to try and get back into the top four of the standings and the home ice that comes with it. This weekend, they will travel to Ridder Arena to take on the Gophers, a team that swept them earlier in the season by scores of 4-2 and 5-3. The Buckeyes had won six games in a row on the road, then returned home where they were swept by North Dakota. The final score in both games was 1-0. North Dakota did a nice job of keeping Ohio State to the outside and not allowing them to get in close to play the rebounds. After getting swept, the best thing for Ohio State may have been to get back on the ice right away. Instead, they had a bye week, which may not be a bad thing either as the girls were able to get a little rest and heal up. Minnesota is obviously playing some pretty good hockey right now as they have distanced themselves from 2nd-place Wisconsin (52 pts to 44 pts). Ohio State will have to play their best hockey of the season to be competitive and get any points. The sweep at home vs North Dakota put us in a tough spot. It's going to be a huge challenge to get points and climb back into the top four. This is the part where I normally ask the opponent's fans to chime in and tell us about your season and what we can expect. I know how Minnesota's season has gone, it has been business as usual! Bring in another stellar recruiting class, reload, then proceed to wipe out the rest of the league! What can we expect? I expect Minnesota to skate well, defend well, pass well, goaltend well, did I leave anything out? ARM, Brookyone, CrazyDave, Eeyore? I really do need to get to Ridder one of these years. You guys have made the trip down here plenty of times! Good luck to both teams, and hopefully we have an injury-free weekend!

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

I really do need to get to Ridder one of these years. You guys have made the trip down here plenty of times!

Yes, you do, but we might forgive you if you want to make a Frozen Four trip in March.

The Gophers are facing the middle of the WCHA pack to conclude the regular season -- OSU, at UND, UMD, and at BSU. The five points against UW three weekends ago were huge, and the team took care of business with sweeps of MSU and SCSU (by a combined 25-5 margin).

My personal expectations... hmmm... I'll make two predictions. (1) Amanda Leveille will start both games in net, and (2) Milica McMillen will be back on the ice after sitting out the last three games.

I'm also hoping for a crowd of at least 2,500 on Friday night. The Gopher marketing department has been pushing the $1 general admission tickets hard on social media, and the team got some TV coverage last weekend on the regional FOX Sports channel. The men's hockey team is on the road, but there's still another fairly big event going on across the street with the Gopher wrestling team hosting Iowa.

Finally (for now), I'd like a bunch more Gopher scoring on Friday, and not just for the win. Our final booster club Chalk Talk of the season is before Saturday's game with Coach Muzerall (unconfirmed, but we've already met with Coaches Frost & Johnson), and Nadine has made it clear she only likes to show the Gopher goals in the video review.

 

[KTDC]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Gophers played Ohio State 4 times in a row last year, 3 pretty comfortable wins for MN and then the Buckeyes pushed back and played a very good game and got a tie (SO w)Hopefully the Gophers won't forget that, I don't think they will!

The freshmen for the Gophers have been coming on. Kelly Pannek and Sydney Baldwin as major players, Piazza grinding like crazy at 3rd line center, and Rodgers making some good contributions. The Gophers look like they may be coming together pretty good and should be ready to start a strong push toward the end of the year after playing series against the bottom 2 teams of the WCHA.

I'll be at both games and I'm looking forward to them! Here's seconding osualum86 and both teams playing well and safe travels for all!

BTW, I notice that the Buckeyes haven't given up more than one goal in a game since UMD 9 games ago!

 

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

BTW, I notice that the Buckeyes haven't given up more than one goal in a game since UMD ...

If that's still true in a week, then I predict that we'll be in trouble.

Under Handrahan, the Buckeyes have done a good job of taking away our top scoring threat, so it is important that everybody chips in. Menefee is really coming on in goal scoring, and Lorence is looking good. I thought Bona was pressing a bit in St. Cloud. Luckily, Schipper is on the list of people who don't need to score to make an impact, because the puck isn't going in for her right now.

Will this be our last look for awhile at a Jincy-less OSU, or will it be in Grand Forks for the Final Face-Off?

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

The sweep at home vs North Dakota put us in a tough spot. It's going to be a huge challenge to get points and climb back into the top four.

And UND's sweep of BSU didn't help matters. OK, it helps a bit in the head-to head against Bemidji. But the real prize is home ice, and catching UND got even harder over the weekend. Much less UMD. All we can do is take it one game at a time...

I really do need to get to Ridder one of these years. You guys have made the trip down here plenty of times!

Yes, you do, but we might forgive you if you want to make a Frozen Four trip in March.

86, I can assure you Ridder is well worth the trip. The facility is a great fit for Women's D-1, the fans are very knowledgeable, etc. etc. And when you get there, don't miss Annie's Parlour for burgers and malts. Easy walk from Ridder, in Dinkytown.

Will this be our last look for awhile at a Jincy-less OSU, or will it be in Grand Forks for the Final Face-Off?

Basically you're asking for 1st Round Playoff prediction. I'm certainly not making any guarantees on that front. The "middle four" are evenly matched and pretty much anything can happen in #3 vs.#6 series and the #4 vs.#5 series. I will say this. If we're able to win in the first round, we'd most likely head to the Final Face-Off as the #4 seed, facing the #1 Gophers. That's just based on the current standings and, as the saying goes, simple math.

 

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Thank you for all the contributions everyone! We'll see what happens. Someone mentioned Jincy. Obviously, I cannot wait to see her in Scarlet & Gray. Now if Coach Nate can just recruit ten or fifteen more like her.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

The Gophers have posted their pre-series game notes.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

The Gophers have posted their pre-series game notes.

Somewhat off-topic...

Am I reading the notes correctly, that the 2015 Women's FF is already a sellout, with the exception of standing room tickets? If so, I'm impressed!

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Somewhat off-topic...

Am I reading the notes correctly, that the 2015 Women's FF is already a sellout, with the exception of standing room tickets? If so, I'm impressed!

Yup, that's the word from the ticket office.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Obviously most of the ticket buyers are counting on seeing the home team in action. Regardless, that's very cool. Congrats on the strong show of support.

 

[osualum86]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Minnesota gets a second point tonight with a shootout win. OSU's goals were scored by Danielle Gagne and Taylor Kuehl (2). Taylor Kuehl also had a goal in the shootout. Minnesota's goals were scored by Cara Piazza, Lee Stecklein, and Meghan Lorence. Scoring in the shootout for Minnesota were Hannah Brandt, Milica McMillen, and Dani Cameranesi. Stacy Danczak earned 29 saves for Ohio State. Amanda Leveille had 25 stops for the Gophers. The teams are back at it tomorrow.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Minnesota gets a second point tonight with a shootout win. OSU's goals were scored by Danielle Gagne and Taylor Kuehl (2). Taylor Kuehl also had a goal in the shootout. Minnesota's goals were scored by Cara Piazza, Lee Stecklein, and Meghan Lorence. Scoring in the shootout for Minnesota were Hannah Brandt, Milica McMillen, and Dani Cameranesi. Stacy Danczak earned 29 saves for Ohio State. Amanda Leveille had 25 stops for the Gophers. The teams are back at it tomorrow.

I was just starting to comment to a fellow Gopher fan who sits near me that the Gophers were standing around when Kuehl scored the game-tying goal.

I understand the review on the first Buckeye goal because it was originally waved off -- though the review was ridiculously long because the refs were likely trying to figure out how much time should be on the game clock... and then they didn't reset it. But they spent a lot of time looking at the two Kuehl goals and then stuck with the original calls on both.

 

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

But they spent a lot of time looking at the two Kuehl goals and then stuck with the original calls on both.

Don't blame the refs. It takes a long time for them to get a replay to look at. On the final goal, they never did, because the system upstairs was rebooting after the power cord had fallen out. Sad really. If this game is shown on BTN, I'll be interested to see if there is a replay showing whether a Buckeye was in the crease.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Well that was a game no one came out of looking very good. The Gophers were horrible in the first period and mediocre in the second. I thought they were actually pretty good for the third until Ohio State gooned them out of their game.

The Skating Tomatoes (honestly, those road jerseys may be the ugliest shade of red I've ever seen) played hard and used an aggressive forecheck that gave Minnesota fits. Given how good the rest of their game was I'd like to say more positive things about the Buckeyes but their imitation of the 1976 Flyers prevents me from doing so. The major they were called for wasn't even in the top three most egregious plays they made. The checking penalty two minutes later, driving Sydney Baldwin (I think) into the stanchion at the end of the bench was worse, as were two parts of the skirmish late in the third period that led to a 4-on-4. The Schmitt sisters like to cross-check opponents after the whistle even if they haven't come within three feet of the goalie. Someone (I couldn't see the jersey number) tried to kick Leveille in a scrum at the Gopher net; fortunately she failed to connect.

And on top of that, OSU dives shamelessly. There was one, right towards that end of overtime, that was flat out embarrassing; the Buckeye lost control of the puck in transition and then spun to the ice without a Gopher touching her.

The officials were in on the act, too. The linemen blew icing calls all night long in pretty much every fashion you can come up with: not waving them off despite the defensive player loafing; not waving them off even though the offensive player was going to get to the puck first; waving them off when there was no way the offensive player was going to get to it first; not waving them off despite the fact that it was the team in the offensive zone that botched a pass and sent the puck down the ice. Of course, there was one where the crowd thought they had blown an icing call when I'm pretty sure they were calling offsides on a stretch pass, though I'm not sure they got that right, either. (Admittedly, the puck was about ten feet in the air when it crossed the blueline so I can see having trouble with that one.)

And Storey and Gibbs lost control of the game inside the first ten minutes but thought that because they'd called a major penalty in that time that they had things in hand. If there's anyone that should be suspended for this, it's these two.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

A couple of quick thoughts from me (and most of this is carry-over from the Scores & Results thread)...

I didn't see the hit that got Gagne ejected, but I heard it from the opposite end of the ice and immediately looked up to see a Gopher face down on the ice against the boards. The officials ruled the hit was from behind, so the trip to the showers was automatic.

The subsequent hit by Gust was a beautiful hip check -- for a men's game. Completely unnecessary (and, of course, illegal). It was called as a body check, but boarding or charging could have also applied. Gust was lining up the Gopher skater all the way up the ice, which is why I understand Eeyore's desire for it to have been called a major.

The only additional opinion I have on the matching minors to McKinnon & Garzone is that, if the officials had called the penalty on McKinnon immediately, the scrum (and the Gopher penalty) would have been avoided. I didn't see the additional action by Kepler, so I will not comment further on that.

I thought the Gophers had a lot of momentum after Cara Piazza's goal made it 3-1. They were buzzing in the offensive end. And then Piazza herself made an open ice hit on a Buckeye player (in said Buckeye zone), Kuehl scored her first goal of the night on the resulting power play, and everything shifted.

It will be interesting to hear what the Gopher coach (likely Coach Muz, but not guaranteed) will have to say during our booster club Chalk Talk before tomorrow's contest.

 

[ARM]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Sportsmanship is usually far better in the women's game than the men's (players, not always fans). When a player doesn't show respect for her opponents, she stands out like a sore thumb. When it is the same player repeatedly, it's just disappointing. When Brook Garzone comes looking for you (I think that's her fourth penalty in three seasons), it's likely you've crossed a line.

 

[D2D]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

When a player doesn't show respect for her opponents, she stands out like a sore thumb.

Honestly, I was at the OSU-UM women's game this evening, and I had very close views of the two very cheap and dangerous hits in question. There was nothing even remotely comparable in the men's Gopher/Badger game that I watched when returning home.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Honestly, I was at the OSU-UM women's game this evening, and I had very close views of the two very cheap and dangerous hits in question. There was nothing even remotely comparable in the men's Gopher/Badger game that I watched when returning home.

One thing I noticed that was very 'men's game like' was the constant punches to the face in scrums or many times just when close. There was a lot of stick work too, crosschecks and spearing, maybe not big enough to draw 2 minutes because of the way games are called now but repetitive and consistent. I imagine there were a ton of ice bags in the locker room last night & a lot of bruises today. This was an ugly game.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

Sportsmanship is usually far better in the women's game than the men's (players, not always fans). When a player doesn't show respect for her opponents, she stands out like a sore thumb. When it is the same player repeatedly, it's just disappointing. When Brook Garzone comes looking for you (I think that's her fourth penalty in three seasons), it's likely you've crossed a line.

Some Buckeye was swinging her stick in that Garzone scrum & a Gopher (it might have been Frost) pulled the stick out of her hands & passed it down the bench to be tossed back out on the ice. Never saw anything like that before, certainly not at a women's game. Also the fact that he did it without changing expression or looking away from the action in front of him. It had a weird feel seeing it from across the ice.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: Ohio State @ Minnesota 1/30 - 1/31

After two periods I was planning to say something nice about Ohio State and how they'd cleaned it up over the intervening 17 hours. Then Sara Schmitt destroyed Paige Haley into the end boards and I discarded that idea. The way Haley went off the ice it looked like a shoulder injury.