WCHA 21-22 Season

[Lurky McLurkface]

Check out UMD's game-winning OT goal by Maggie Flaherty on Saturday:


She was slightly behind the goal line and managed to thread the needle and find the back of the net anyway with a ricochet off the Gophers goaltender.

And UMD's first two goals were real beauties, too, with Elizabeth Giguere feeding Gabbie Hughes with absolutely textbook passes. That combination is going to give the league problems if they continue to work together like they did. Granted, allowing the Gophers to come back from a 4-1 deficit to force overtime is something the Bulldogs need to stop doing, but otherwise there were some gems in that game.

Watts' goal was nice, but I think Flaherty's was way more impressive. Reminded me of Junior Lessard for those of you old enough to remember him.

 

[Cornholio]

It is really tedious to figure out who played when now. If you go to the team page, click on the roster, click on the individual and click on stats, you can see what games they played in. You really have to care and go dig. For NU, Mueller did not apparently play in any games. Frankel picked up the L against Providence, and Philips the L against BU. Amazing what one player can do for a team. NU is not a top 10 team w/o Mueller.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

So for those who saw the UMD UM series, who is the better team?

I think it comes down to who has the better first line...And that belongs to UMD

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

It is really tedious to figure out who played when now. If you go to the team page, click on the roster, click on the individual and click on stats, you can see what games they played in. You really have to care and go dig. For NU, Mueller did not apparently play in any games. Frankel picked up the L against Providence, and Philips the L against BU. Amazing what one player can do for a team. NU is not a top 10 team w/o Mueller.

Since it is a WCHA thread I think the correlation I can make is that in spite of NU's struggles, they are still better than Minnesota.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

So for those who saw the UMD UM series, who is the better team?

My thought would be that it came down to who has the better goalie.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

My thought would be that it came down to who has the better goalie.

After posting Minnesota goaltending stats so far this season in the Minnesota thread, that would also lean towards UMD.

 

[Offsides Guy]

So for those who saw the UMD UM series, who is the better team?

Only watched game 1. I had predicted a Bulldog sweep and was wrong. I was more impressed with MN than UMD in the end. And, while I didn’t see game 2, the Bulldogs giving up the big lead even though they won it in OT also leans me the Gophers way.

 

[D2D]

One of the things I'm curious about is since Ohio State FINALLY broke the jinx and won at Duluth last season is how well we'll do there this season? I'm sure the score of our last game against them in the playoffs will be a massive chip on their shoulder!

If Muzz can find a way to put the clamps on Giguere and Hughes (especially on the PP) I like your chances.

 

[Steamboat]

So for those who saw the UMD UM series, who is the better team?

Being early in the season, should we start to speculate on who will be the better team? Anyone wishing to predict how the WCHA finishes? Obviously last season was an anomaly. This season has so many exciting storylines going on already. I am truly excited to welcome every weekend of women's college hockey. Hopefully the covid rules will never need to be invoked.

 

[D2D]

Hopefully the covid rules will never need to be invoked.

Needles to say if those rules do need to be invoked it could very well change everything. It sure would be nice if both men's and women's college hockey, including their respective playoffs and NCAA's, could just get back to normal.

 

[Timothy A]

This week's games, 3 of the 4 are very compelling matchups:

UW @ UMD. I'm gonna get cocky and say UW sweeps.
St. Cloud @ Tommyettes. I liked how St. Cloud looked last week. St. Cloud sweeps. I'd like to watch these games, but time will not allow.
BSU @ OSU. Muzzinator's crew rolls to 2 wins.
UM @ Kato. hmmmmmmmm......MN breaks out the brooms. They need a sweep badly.

 

[Steamboat]

UM @ Kato. hmmmmmmmm......MN breaks out the brooms. They need a sweep badly.

This series is a home and home series, one of many the U of M are playing this season. We will see if playing Mankato at home awakens the survival instinct, or if we get a repeat of recent years when the Gophers would play an excellent first game, then collapse for the second game of a series. I am hoping for the best, and am wary of Mankato right now.

 

[Offsides Guy]

This week's games, 3 of the 4 are very compelling matchups:

UW @ UMD. I'm gonna get cocky and say UW sweeps.
St. Cloud @ Tommyettes. I liked how St. Cloud looked last week. St. Cloud sweeps. I'd like to watch these games, but time will not allow.
BSU @ OSU. Muzzinator's crew rolls to 2 wins.
UM @ Kato. hmmmmmmmm......MN breaks out the brooms. They need a sweep badly.

I like UW for the sweep.
I think St. Cloud splits with UST.
While I hate to say it, an OSU sweep is the logical prediction.
Kato steals one from the Gophs for a split.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Kato steals one from the Gophs for a split.

With the way Minnesota has played this year, this seems likely to happen. Although, if I remember reading the stats correctly, Mankato has only ever beaten Minnesota 3 times in over 100 games. Would be big for the landcows to put up number 4 (or, what the heck, go for 5).

 

[Lindsay]

Heck of a third period and OT by the Hockey Canada rejects.

 

[Timothy A]

Well the Tommyettes sure did account for themselves well. Got outshot 41-17 in game 1 and I'd say stole one, game 2 shots 25-28 and got the tie.
Rodents and Muzzyettes too care of business.
UW solid game 1 win and it looks like the wheels fell off against UMD's top line (and completely in the first period getting Lindenwooded by UMD) but the eeked out the win in OT. I will have to try and find UMD highlights/UW lowlights to see Watts went wrong on the UMD goals.

 

[ARM]

Although, if I remember reading the stats correctly, Mankato has only ever beaten Minnesota 3 times in over 100 games.

If I'm remembering correctly, the first one happened in Ridder in OT in 2004 while Darwitz was out with an injury. The other two were via a sweep in Mankato during the 2006-07 season. If those are it, that would mean that Frosty has never lost to MSU as head coach. So there's that ...

 

[Timothy A]

This week's intriguing matchups with 2 series being east west pride matchups and a clash of the Titans:

OSU @ UW - UW is coming off their worst game of the year playing the biggest 2 games of the year. OSU still has to feel bitter about UW knocking them out of the ncaa's last year (well half the team will feel bitter anyway LOL). A homer has to be a homer, UW sweeps.
UM at Colgate - major east west matchup. UM can re-assert themselves nationally here, Gate hasn't really played anyone yet. UM sweeps.
UMD @ St. Thomas - another great gauging the Tommies series. UMD sweeps.
Clarkson @ BSU - Beaver sweep. I will never make a pick in favor of Clarkson, no matter who they play. NEVER.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

This week's intriguing matchups with 2 series being east west pride matchups and a clash of the Titans:

OSU @ UW - UW is coming off their worst game of the year playing the biggest 2 games of the year. OSU still has to feel bitter about UW knocking them out of the ncaa's last year (well half the team will feel bitter anyway LOL). A homer has to be a homer, UW sweeps.

Do you really believe UW will sweep OSU or is this just wishful thinking?

 

[ARM]

Do you really believe UW will sweep OSU or is this just wishful thinking?

It is more likely to happen than Bemidji sweeping Clarkson, or sadly, UM sweeping Colgate. However, that still likely leaves it in wishful thinking territory.