WCHA 2016-17 Season

[pgb-ohio]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Final Score From Friday October 28th
UMD 6
Ohio State 0

Game Goes Quickly To The Dogs​

Cinderella's carriage is supposed to turn into a pumpkin. At midnight. But not at 2:37 at the first period. A soft goal sucked... the air right out of the Buckeyes. Cinderella went home early to do some extra cleaning. Hopefully they got some things cleaned up in preparation for the rematch.

If the Buckeyes played the role of a dysfunctional Cinderella, were the Bulldogs the Ugly Stepsisters? Not at all. They came to town ready to rock, and were the life of the party.

The 3 Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

Honorable Mention: The Ohio State Power Play
OK, the Buckeye PP went 0-5. But with the man advantage OSU had excellent puck movement and put 8 shots on goal, including their best scoring chances of the evening.


#3 Star: (tie) Maddie Rooney, UMD; and Catherine Johnson, UMD
The UMD keepers combined for the shutout. Though not severely tested during for much of the game, they were stellar during the penalty kills. UMD fans, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe this was Catherine's first appearance as a Bulldog. It went well.

#2 Star: (tie) Sydney Brodt, UMD; and Maria Lindh, UMD
UMD's second line was magnificent tonight. Yes, the early Lara Stalder goal set the tone. But the second line went out and won the game with three goals in a span of 2 minutes and 30 seconds late in the first period.

That group certainly had a nose for the net. A shot chart would show a crowded slot littered with numbers #14, #17, & #66. The entire line was +4 for the evening.

#1 Star: Katherine McGovern, UMD
#17 was the most efficient in pulling the trigger: 2 goals and 2 assists for a 4 point night. A very productive outing for McGovern, who more than deserves the top honor.


Up Next: Rematch With Minnesota-Duluth. Face-Off at 1:07PM. Let's hope the Fairy Godmother casts a different spell this time.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Final Score From Saturday October 29th
UMD 3
Ohio State 2

Good Tips For Your Hockey Viewing Pleasure​

Special teams continued to be a strong point for the Ohio State. The Buckeye goals came on 2 pleasing tip plays. One came on a 5 on 4 Power Play; the other a 6 on 5 Extra Attacker Goal near the end of the game.

But alas, in 5 on 5 play, the Bulldogs had a significant territorial advantage, as well as a big edge in SOG. It was enough to gain the victory, and thus the sweep.

Despite the score and the shot totals, the Buckeyes performed much better in the rematch. In particular they were stronger in the defensive slot, keeping more shots to the outside, clearing rebounds and in general making things more challenging for their Bulldog opponents.

The 3 Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

Ohio State Honorable Mention: (tie) Samantha Bouley, Maddy Field & Lauren Spring
These are the players that provided those skillful tips. On the PP Goal, Maddy was stationed in the high slot. She steered the puck to Lauren, who finished the bang-bang play with a tip of her own. The EAG was a bit more straightforward, but no less special. Parked a little above the slot on the left, Samantha directed a shot from the point into the net.

UMD Honorable Mention: Jessica Healy
There aren't a lot of stats to back up this choice, although Jessica did contribute an important assist. Rather I felt that Jessica was an effective leader on the Bulldog defense -- a defense that largely smothered the Buckeyes for the first two periods, then was able to hold the fort in the 3rd.


#3 Star: Jincy Dunne, Ohio State
Jincy doesn't overpower you. But she's calm, smooth, quick and smart. These qualities were much in evidence on special teams. Quarterbacking from the point, Jincy launched the initial shot on both tip plays. Not that this is some great secret, but the impact of the best players goes beyond their individual contributions. They make their teammates better. That's Jincy.

#2 Star: Ashleigh Brykaliuk, UMD
With Ashleigh, the stats help bolster my case: 7 SOG, 1 Goal and the Assist on the GWG. +1 for the game. But Brykaliuk also had the intangibles on her side. As always, she was a dynamic force on the ice. No stranger to my 3 Stars lists, it's been a pleasure to watch the Senior perform over the years.

#1 Star: Sidney Morin, UMD
Another defensive stalwart for the Bulldogs, Sidney deserves recognition for that reason alone. But this day, she also showed her scoring touch. With precision placement, she put the GWG just inside the right post, a few inches off the ice. An insurance goal at the time, it wound up being the difference-maker.

Morin is another member of the strong Senior Class at UMD. These Bulldogs are a veteran team, and are going to be a force to be reckoned with all year long.


Up Next: The Homestand continues with a pair of games against Lindenwood. Face-Off Times are 6:00 PM Friday and 2:00Pm Saturday. Note the Non-Conference Starting Times! Don't miss the first 7 minutes of the action.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

I really think since Harrington took over, Mankato is the new queen of the chippy team, passing up the sue. I thought that last year and after seeing the games this last weekend, that thought is only reinforced. Anyone else see enough of them to agree or disagree?

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

I really think since Harrington took over, Mankato is the new queen of the chippy team, passing up the sue. I thought that last year and after seeing the games this last weekend, that thought is only reinforced. Anyone else see enough of them to agree or disagree?

Last year I thought they were aggressive but not out of line. I'll let you know Sunday, have not seen them yet this year. losing can get under your skin so it is not hard to imagine.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Last year I thought they were aggressive but not out of line. I'll let you know Sunday, have not seen them yet this year. losing can get under your skin so it is not hard to imagine.

They had a great first period/UW had a bad first period Saturday, then UW clamped down on them and that must have been frustrating to think you have a chance, then you just can't do anything offensively.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Final Score From Saturday, November 5th
Ohio State 3
Lindenwood 0

Rolling Boyle Cooks Up A Storm​

Three uninterrupted goals is a Pure Hat Trick. But what do you call it when a single player scores the only three goals of the entire game -- by either team? My Answer: The Perfect Storm. Brilliant presentation by Lauren. Boyle gave us the whole 212 degrees.

"Talent gaps" have been a simmering topic on the board lately. In particular, posters have wanted to point out that despite courageous performances, the Buckeyes don't quite yet have the personnel to match up with the top few teams in the nation. So let's not sugarcoat. This weekend, the skate was on the other foot. It was the Buckeyes' turn to face an opponent making a determined defensive stand. Mission? Take care of business by cracking that defense. Mission Accomplished.

The 3 Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

Honorable Mention: Tae Otte, Lindenwood
The Captain of the Lions played an honorable game indeed. Hardworking, skilled and quick to enter the fray, her leadership helped make Lindenwood a tough out. Despite the loss, her plus/minus was even for the day. (Yes, her PK unit did yield a goal) Tae certainly earned our respect this weekend.


#3 Star: Kassidy Sauve, Ohio State
Though not severely tested, Kassidy shut out the Lions all weekend long. A pair of shutouts demands a mention. In the Saturday game, Sauve stopped all 26 shots put up by the Lady Lions. Kassidy also corralled most of Lindenwood's dump and chase efforts, essentially preventing the visitors' offense from gaining any real traction.

#2 Star: (tie)Maddy Field, Ohio State; Breanne Grant, Ohio State; and Lauren Spring, Ohio State
The Primary Assist Club. On the empty netter, Lauren cleared the defensive zone with an bodacious backhander, Springing Boyle on a solo dash. On the insurance goal, Breanne poked the puck free from a scrum along the boards, Granting Boyle possession and a path to the slot. On the GWG, Maddy delivered a crisp diagonal pass across the slot. Boyle had a Field Day with open net.

#1 Star: Lauren Boyle, Ohio State
Lauren's performance was vigorous, even turbulent. She played at a high level without interruption; she simply couldn't be stopped.

The first goal was an authoritative finish of a slick-passing PP. On the second, Boyle nailed the upper-left hand corner of net from the high slot. The third was a satisfying tap into the empty net, after a hard charge up the ice.

All that said, Lauren's efforts certainly had the strong support of her teammates and coaches; particularly on the empty-netter. Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure that Boyle's presence on the last shift wasn't the result of a long line change.


Up Next: Road Trips to St. Cloud & Mankato. Next Appearance at the Ice Rink is Friday, December 2nd; The Buckeyes Host North Dakota at 6:07 PM.

 

[ne7minder]

MN 8. MSU 1
Nothing even mildly untoward happened.

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

MN 8. MSU 1
Nothing even mildly untoward happened.

Brianna Quade missed the series and A-R D was able to play in Madison, so perhaps the Badger faithful version of the goaltender collisions from UW@MSU the weekend before was not the whole story.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Brianna Quade missed the series and A-R D was able to play in Madison, so perhaps the Badger faithful version of the goaltender collisions from UW@MSU the weekend before was not the whole story.

I watched the last 10 minutes of the WI/MSU game online. I didn't see anything worth a 1 game. As a goaltender I didn't like either collision but didn't really see any intent to injury in either, they looked like the usual stuff that goes on although the Maverick does give a bit extra hip at the end but I would not expect less.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Brianna Quade missed the series and A-R D was able to play in Madison, so perhaps the Badger faithful version of the goaltender collisions from UW@MSU the weekend before was not the whole story.

Well, the WCHA clearly made 1 call against Keys and didn't against Mauermann. I never did not see the Keys hit, I saw the Mauermann play and it was clearly a chippy penalty, but not worthy of 4 or 5 minutes. All because a player gets hurt on a play it doesn't mean there was intent to injure and thusly deserve further sanction. At least now I can understand why the rodents so easily beat MSU.

BSU was not impressive at all. OSU looked better than they did. As I said the in the poster's poll, I think UMD's wins over BC and BSU are not that impressive as time rolls on. We'll see how they play at the sue.

 

[ne7minder]

Well, the WCHA clearly made 1 call against Keys and didn't against Mauermann. I never did not see the Keys hit, I saw the Mauermann play and it was clearly a chippy penalty, but not worthy of 4 or 5 minutes. All because a player gets hurt on a play it doesn't mean there was intent to injure and thusly deserve further sanction. At least now I can understand why the rodents so easily beat MSU.

BSU was not impressive at all. OSU looked better than they did. As I said the in the poster's poll, I think UMD's wins over BC and BSU are not that impressive as time rolls on. We'll see how they play at the sue.

Huh! That tune is different than the one you were singing a week ago. I guess whatever allows you to get through the week.

 

[D2D]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

League play really heats up next weekend with Minnesota travelling to North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth hosting the Badgers. With the higher-ranked team on the road, both series should be very closely contested, with an upset or two very likely. So, any fearless predictions from the fans here?

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

League play really heats up next weekend with Minnesota travelling to North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth hosting the Badgers. With the higher-ranked team on the road, both series should be very closely contested, with an upset or two very likely. So, any fearless predictions from the fans here?

Having seen UMD and Wisconsin I believe the dogs are good enough to keep it close but maybe not good enough yet to steal a game. They have gotten a lot better a lot faster than I expected & Crowell (thanks thirdtimes!) deserves a lot of praise. Maybe next year. Have not seen UND play but their record does not indicate concern . . . except, can the Gophers actually score some goals? BSU did them in by tying up everyone and clogging the lanes. If they do that the hawks could get a point or 3.

But who knows? the Beavers manage to stuff the Gophers but can't beat anyone else in the league? There is something wrong there that I don't understand.

Edit because I need an editor to proof read my posts

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

They have gotten a lot better a lot faster than I expected & Crowley deserves a lot of praise.

Yeah, but probably not as much as Crowell.

 

[KTDC]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

No way I can predict a UMD victory over Wisconsin. Wisconsin is just too tough to beat, defense too good, and UMD despite their vast improvement looking like they are vulnerable to being trapped in their own end most of the game.

-I went to the WCHA semi-final last year right after the Bulldogs swept Bemidji hoping to see them put up a fight against the Badgers, and they looked to me like they didn't believe they had a chance in h-e- double hockey sticks. Stalder's performance put me off so much I jumped off her bandwagon.

But I am back on the Stalder bandwagon. I think UMD has better scoring capability this year than all but a very few teams in the country. It will be interesting to see if UW keeps an eye out behind them when the Bulldog first line is on the ice to try to prevent the breakaway. Can they go a whole game without giving up a breakaway? I don't think UMD will beat them, but I do think they have a good chance to do so.

Bulldogs are thinking to themselves this is a year they do not want to get 8 losses in the regular season against just MN and WI. If they can't get any points this weekend they are half way there. Big series for UMD.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Did some looking at ARD's stats last year and suffice it to say she (with help from UW's defense) turned in a season rarely matched in the history of college hockey. If UW loses, it will be an extremely rare event.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Did some looking at ARD's stats last year and suffice it to say she (with help from UW's defense) turned in a season rarely matched in the history of college hockey. If UW loses, it will be an extremely rare event.

I'm looking forward to such a rare event this weekend.

But the 'Dogs will have to play like they did a few weeks ago against OSU. While solid, their performance last weekend against UND should have no expectation of cutting it from what I gather, not having yet seen UW play this season.

If they play like they've shown that they are capable of playing I suspect UW might be in for a surprising weekend.

But even if they do, my concern is that Ard will contribute to making it a medium rare event.

 

[KTDC]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

If UW loses, it will be an extremely rare event.

I'm looking forward to such a rare event this weekend.

Bring it on home

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

UW has more speed this year and any of the top 3 lines are capable of being dominant, depending on the match-up. I don't know how deep UMD is forward-wise, but UW's 3rd line is more than likely significantly better than UMD's, and I'd bet UW's 2nd line is better than UMD's. UMD's pk is horrible, UW's PP is horrible. UW's pk is awesome, UMD's pp is very good. UW's been in some tight games this year with 3rd period comebacks, so they can play from ahead or behind. I expect 2 close 1 to 2 goal games, can UMD pull out a win? It's not probable, but certainly possible. I don't think they've played a team with UW's defensive talent yet this year.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Is it more likely UW or UM loses this weekend? UW has the tougher match-up, but UW is a bit better than UM at this point defensively. My gut tells me UW is more likely to lose.