WCHA 2016-17 Season

[KTDC]

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.

I think there is a .1 greater chance of UND beating the Gophers than UMD beating UW.

UND has beaten the Gophers each of the last 3 seasons so they have our number-although some people say it is not UND that is the problem but the green in the uniforms.

I bet Wisconsin spends most of the game in the UMD defensive zone. When Gophers played UMD the first 2 periods were even, the last 4 the Gophers dominated. But it's hard to be comfortable because the Bulldogs have weapons that can strike quickly.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

. . .But it's hard to be comfortable because the Bulldogs have weapons that can strike quickly.

They have speed that is for sure & like to spring Stalder, who is a beast and Brykaliuk who has a very nice shot. I could picture them taking points away from either MN or WI. MN had them at home & they put up a heck of a fight, at AmSoil they could be more of a problem.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

A bigger question is will both teams get to where they are going. It looks like the beet pickers aren't getting hit with the storm, it seems to be passing between the two cities so I hope the Gophers are flying or they may never get there.
The cheeseheads probably just have to contend with some rain getting there, and snow while they are there.

As for UMD's 2nd line, McGovern ( moved from the 1st for the UND series I believe) seems to be having a great year and Sydney Brodt might very well be the best freshman forward this year.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

WI is in Duluth already, no worries there. The ground isn't frozen yet, so worst case the rodents can tunnel their way to Grand Forks...I'd bet there's already one established from rodentapolis to Grand Forks, so it will be a quick scamper through them, unless the oil guys have hit it, in which case it's not a bad thing to have it full of oil.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

WI is in Duluth already, no worries there. The ground isn't frozen yet, so worst case the rodents can tunnel their way to Grand Forks...I'd bet there's already one established from rodentapolis to Grand Forks, so it will be a quick scamper through them, unless the oil guys have hit it, in which case it's not a bad thing to have it full of oil.

Says one burrowing creature to another...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI7E19iiDcs

 

[pokechecker]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

WI is in Duluth already, no worries there. The ground isn't frozen yet, so worst case the rodents can tunnel their way to Grand Forks...I'd bet there's already one established from rodentapolis to Grand Forks, so it will be a quick scamper through them, unless the oil guys have hit it, in which case it's not a bad thing to have it full of oil.

OK, I have to admit that is a good one.

But isn’t the Badger State named after miners burrowing SW Cheeseland for the ore that causes brain damage?
Modern Cheeseheads use beer to get there.

for those that have never been to North Dakota
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AHBsxlwG40
gravel roads, beet farmers!

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Bring it on home

If you ever...change your mi-ind
About scoring...four goals and winning toni-ight
Yeah-ah, bring it to me
Bring your sweet victory
Bring it on home to me
Yeah-ah-ah, yeah, yeah-ah-ah ,yeah, yeah-ah-ah, yeah.

Well, that felt good.

And a rare event it was.

Let`s see what happens tomorrow.

But even if UW wins...the `Dogs have served notice.

(And seriously, they did not play well).

 

[pokechecker]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

If you ever...change your mi-ind
About scoring...four goals and winning toni-ight
Yeah-ah, bring it to me
Bring your sweet victory
Bring it on home to me
Yeah-ah-ah, yeah, yeah-ah-ah ,yeah, yeah-ah-ah, yeah.

Well, that felt good.

And a rare event it was.

Let`s see what happens tomorrow.

But even if UW wins...the `Dogs have served notice.

(And seriously, they did not play well).

but isn't that a mark of a good team?
not play well for for part of the game, yet still get the W

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

So ARD is questionable to play, and from reading the rodent thread Woken and Potomak are in doubt. I really want to see both teams at full force, watch the best line in the country vs the best goalie/team D (whatever St. L).

Interestingly UW averages slightly more goals per game than the rodents, so will UW's scoring depth overcome the rodent top line?

 

[D2D]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

...Interestingly UW averages slightly more goals per game than the rodents, so will UW's scoring depth overcome the rodent top line?

Good question. We won't know until the games have been played.
If Potomak can't go, that changes everything. She's a real key to the Gophers' first line.
But if Potomak plays, but ARD can't go, advantage Gophers.
Then if that's the scenario, and Minny's second and third lines can hold their own - which they've done very well up to this point - Gophers sweep.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Good question. We won't know until the games have been played.
If Potomak can't go, that changes everything. She's a real key to the Gophers' first line.
But if Potomak plays, but ARD can't go, advantage Gophers.
Then if that's the scenario, and Minny's second and third lines can hold their own - which they've done very well up to this point - Gophers sweep.

How are my our neighbors to the west feeling about their goal tending situation? That could also be crucial. UW's top 2 lines are equal and the 3rd line is as good as most team's second lines (or first in some cases), will your goaltending be able to hold up under the pressure of a lot of quality shots?

 

[D2D]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

How are my our neighbors to the west feeling about their goal tending situation? That could also be crucial.

No worries, especially if ARD isn't cleared to play:

Comparisons: Peters vs. Cece
GP 16 vs. 4
W 13-1-2 vs. 3-1
GAA 1.15 vs. 1.75
SV% .929 vs. .907

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

How are my our neighbors to the west feeling about their goal tending situation? That could also be crucial. UW's top 2 lines are equal and the 3rd line is as good as most team's second lines (or first in some cases), will your goaltending be able to hold up under the pressure of a lot of quality shots?

If your top goaltender is available you have an advantage. If you have to go with your back up the Gophers will have an advantage. Peters was a little shaky early in the season but of late she has been a rock, making all of the saves that she needs to make.

How the forward lines match up will not really be evident until they actually start to skate against each other. Obviously if Woken and Potomak are available the Gophers are better than they are without them, particularly and obviously Potomak. Woken is a good player and I want her to be available but the Gophers have been playing two lines and a third center. The third center has been alternating with two sets of 3/4 line wings. Woken is one of that alternating group. She is a very good player but she is a frosh. She is earning her time but she has not yet earned a clear spot on the third. So? We think we have some other players who can fill that spot.

The obvious question is Potomak and which of those rotating 3/4 liners would be most likely to line up in her spot. The Gophers finished up against Bemidji with Agnew there. Agnew has a quality resume, captain of last year's Canada U-18, not Potomak but a very good player.

Perhaps the real question is how the defensemen measure up. We like our corps, led by Olympic veteran and returning All-America Stecklein. Last weekend 6 took regular shifts with a 7th rotating in on Sunday. The Gophers have quality on D.

I am hoping for high quality entertaining hockey and may the better team get most of the points.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

How are my our neighbors to the west feeling about their goal tending situation? That could also be crucial. UW's top 2 lines are equal and the 3rd line is as good as most team's second lines (or first in some cases), will your goaltending be able to hold up under the pressure of a lot of quality shots?

Don't know about ARD but Peters numbers are better than Cece's despite a shaky start to the season. She has been solid the last few weekends, better than yours. I am more concerned about the injury situation to the Gophers.

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

... will your goaltending be able to hold up under the pressure of a lot of quality shots?

We don't know; we've never seen Peters in that situation. Maybe she's the type of goalie who is better when she gets a lot of shots. I have no idea. We knew Leveille was going to be a keeper the first time she faced UW and all of her teammates disappeared, and she rose to the occasion. Peters hasn't had a similar defining moment yet. The best team she's ever played against as a Gopher was UMD, and they don't exactly fire a barrage of shots.

I think if everyone is healthy, it is advantage Wisconsin. The Badgers are more experienced in net, even though both goalies are four years into their careers. UW is likely to sweep and take the WCHA season title and get a higher seed. But with the injuries and youth on both rosters, that's about all that rides on this series. Both teams will look a lot different come March.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

Interestingly UW averages slightly more goals per game than the rodents, so will UW's scoring depth overcome the rodent top line?

I realized the scoring depth aspect of UW the other day after checking out the scoring leaders and goals leaders lists.

Nurse "only" weighs in tied with several other non UW players at #17...then you have to scroll down close to the bottom of the list before you find any other UW players, including Pankowski. (The 'Dogs helped her out there in the second game).

And Nurse is the lone UW player on the leading goal scorer's list!

So the goal production has obviously been spread around.


http://www.uscho.com/stats/overall/division-i-women/2016-2017/

 

[pokechecker]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

We don't know; we've never seen Peters in that situation. Maybe she's the type of goalie who is better when she gets a lot of shots. I have no idea. We knew Leveille was going to be a keeper the first time she faced UW and all of her teammates disappeared, and she rose to the occasion. Peters hasn't had a similar defining moment yet. The best team she's ever played against as a Gopher was UMD, and they don't exactly fire a barrage of shots.

I think if everyone is healthy, it is advantage Wisconsin. The Badgers are more experienced in net, even though both goalies are four years into their careers. UW is likely to sweep and take the WCHA season title and get a higher seed. But with the injuries and youth on both rosters, that's about all that rides on this series. Both teams will look a lot different come March.

While I agree the best team she's played is UMD I'm going to say her biggest challenge was this past weekend, and she rose to the occasion. It was also a good tuneup for the team, BSU played differently than in the past perhaps realizing they have to do something different to generate scoring and did a pretty good job of applying forechecking pressure in the Gopher zone which did generate some scoring opportunities, but as I mentioned, Peters was up to the task, they will likely see even more pressure this weekend.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

I think if everyone is healthy, it is advantage Wisconsin. The Badgers are more experienced in net, even though both goalies are four years into their careers. UW is likely to sweep and take the WCHA season title and get a higher seed. But with the injuries and youth on both rosters, that's about all that rides on this series. Both teams will look a lot different come March.

Agreed 100%. But it might be interesting to note who won the WCHA & tourney the last couple of times & how that worked out for them. I seriously thought last year was the Badgers year but the good gals prevailed on the big stage. I'm OK if this year is a repeat of that. Winning in December (particularly if MN is shorthanded up front) is nice but winning in March soothes a lot of Decembers hurts.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

We don't know; we've never seen Peters in that situation. Maybe she's the type of goalie who is better when she gets a lot of shots. I have no idea. We knew Leveille was going to be a keeper the first time she faced UW and all of her teammates disappeared, and she rose to the occasion. Peters hasn't had a similar defining moment yet. The best team she's ever played against as a Gopher was UMD, and they don't exactly fire a barrage of shots.

I think if everyone is healthy, it is advantage Wisconsin. The Badgers are more experienced in net, even though both goalies are four years into their careers. UW is likely to sweep and take the WCHA season title and get a higher seed. But with the injuries and youth on both rosters, that's about all that rides on this series. Both teams will look a lot different come March.

I respect your experienced eye and your evaluation. As for me, I am not ready to concede just yet. All of those years now in the past when the Badgers were better they showed up on the ice and absolutely without doubt established that they were better.

Until they play the games we don't really know.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: WCHA 2016-17 Season

This year's games will be interesting, but I'm still amazed at how even the two squads were last year...

- Each team won 3 games head-to-head, including 1 apiece in the postseason, one shutout apiece, and two 1-goal wins each.

- Three of the games required overtime to decide.

- Total shots on goal in the six games were 186 to 186.

- The teams posted identical 24-3-1 records in conference play, each going 2-1-1 vs NoDak and 20-0-0 against the other 5 WCHA squads.

About the only stat that favored one team was the head-to-head goal total, which Minnesota led 14-12. That said, UW fans could argue that that was due to Minny's 4-0 win when ARD was supposedly under the weather.