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WCHA Thread IV

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... didn't look like the UMD goalies did too hot, two goals a piece with only 10/12 saves for both of them.
Neither of whom is their top usual starting goaltender. They got work, which I'm sure was the objective.
 
Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Final From Saturday, December 7th
Minnesota 9
Ohio State 2


Gopher Offense: As Good As Advertised
Very impressive; Hat's off to thee.

Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial and Just For Fun

Honorable Mention: Kelly Terry, Minnesota
Kelly was a solid 12-7 in the face-off circle, and had a truly beautiful assist on the Gopher's 4th goal. Terry stole the puck on the forecheck, then cut across the slot. Her reverse flow pass back across the crease gave Dani Cameranesi an easy tap-in.


#3 Star: (Tie) Cara Zubko, Ohio State, and Alexa Ranahan, Ohio State
Both players scored their first goal as a Buckeye. Both shots came on strong shots from up high. Nice to see.

#2 Star: Sarah Davis, Minnesota
Hat trick of assists. With assists on the first two Gopher tallies, Sarah's playmaking set the tone for the game.

#1 Star: Rachael Bona, Minnesota
Hat trick of the usual kind. Rachael scored the 2nd, 6th & 9th Minnesota goals. In other words she scored both early and late in a 4 point, +4 effort.


Overall? Burn the game tape and move forward. And while we're at it, let's burn the tape from tonight's football game too.:o

Next Up: Rematch With Minnesota. Early Bird Face-Off at 12:07PM.
 
Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Final From Sunday, December 8th
Minnesota 5
Ohio State 1


Buckeyes Push Back, But Gophers Still Outgun OSU
How do you lose an Amanda Kessel, yet seemingly become more dangerous on offense? Part of the answer is depth. But even more important is that fact that this edition of the Gophers is absolutely relentless. The Buckeyes gamely held the Gophers to a 1-1 tie in the first period. How did Minnesota respond? They turned it up a couple of notches and exploded for four second period goals -- while holding the Buckeyes to a single shot on net. Given that Minnesota is a two-time defending national champ, I know this sounds absurd: But the Gophers actually exceeded my expectations.

In the final stanza the teams basically played out the string. As has been noted by others already, it was a bit chippy. This is one of the least attractive aspects of our sport. When a team falls far behind and gets a little frustrated, it tends to be almost a reflex reaction. For the most part, all that occurred was run of the mill stuff. But there's no shrugging off the Checking From Behind DQ. I've lost track of how many years this penalty has been a Point of Emphasis. And yet we still see the infraction with discouraging regularity, on an across-the-board basis. I just wish everyone would finally "get the memo" and that these dangerous hits would be out of our game for good.

As for the more understandable frustration, it has been a tough Fall for the Buckeyes. Personally I had higher expectations, and of course the team did too. The good thing is that the break gives us a chance to regroup, and make a run in the second half. There's still a ton to play for. And as the Buckeyes have proven in the recent past, playoff success can be had on the road if it comes to that. Regardless of how it all plays out, I'll be behind these Buckeyes through thick and thin.

Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial and Just For Fun

Honorable Mention: Sarah Davis, Minnesota
Sarah certainly had a leading role in the relentless charge, bagging two of the second period goals. She also persevered through the above-mentioned check from behind. Not that this is a new thing, but Davis proved once again that she is player who won't be denied.


#3 Star: Danielle Gagne, Ohio State
One the bright spots for the Buckeyes was Gagne's nifty tip of a Sara Schmitt shot. Immediately thereafter, the PA system played Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Perfect choice! Danielle is becoming a regular on the Three Stars, and deservedly so. Even though we haven't gotten the team results we've wanted, Gagne has taken her game to the next level.

#2 Star: Baylee Gillanders, Minnesota
I've given Gopher forwards plenty of kudos, but haven't really mentioned the Gopher 'D.' That needs fixing; recognizing Baylee is a start. As it happened, Gillanders finished off the scoring with the 5th Gopher Goal. But more importantly she was a stabilizing anchor on defense all weekend long.

#1 Star: Milica McMillen, Minnesota
Milica's day on the blue line was a tour-de-force. Scoring-wise she had 2 goals and 2 assists, for a 4 point, +3 game. Defensively she and the rest of the Gopher 'D' corps held the Buckeyes to a mere 13 shots for the game. No doubt about it, that's getting the job done.


Next Up: Happy Holidays to all. See you on January 3rd when the Buckeyes host Penn State.
 
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So while the WCHA has indicated that Final Face-off tickets are on sale today... http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1314/201401/jan2wcw.php

... TicketMaster is only selling the single-session tickets. You can purchase for both days, but separately. It says the all-session tickets covering both days don't go on sale until next Friday (Jan. 10).
Isn't that the reverse of how it is typically sold? Usually they start selling the package if there are reserved seats so that someone can get the same seat for both days. Unfortunately, I doubt that it will be much of a problem in Bemidji, unless BSU can make a run and reach the semis. UND draws decent crowds, but I don't know how well it travels, particularly if the men are in town.
 
Re: WCHA Thread IV

Yikes! Caught napping during the break!

Wisconsin @ St. Cloud State

Penn State @ Ohio State: Buckeye blowout already in the books.

Bemidji State @ Minnesota State
 
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Re: WCHA Thread IV

So while the WCHA has indicated that Final Face-off tickets are on sale today... http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1314/201401/jan2wcw.php

... TicketMaster is only selling the single-session tickets. You can purchase for both days, but separately. It says the all-session tickets covering both days don't go on sale until next Friday (Jan. 10).
That's bizarre. Don't think I've ever heard of that being done before.

Are the all-session tickets being sold at a discount? In other words, would someone buying each session individually pay more than the fan buying the all-session ticket? That part wouldn't be unusual. And if so, that would mean that those wanting to be first in line to grab the very best seats would pay a bit of premium.

So there's at least one rational reason for doing it this way. But ticket offices generally want to take better care of fans willing to buy the full package of games...
 
Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Final From Friday, January 3rd
Ohio State 8
Penn State 0


New Year's Fireworks
Horrible turnovers. Laughably inept penalties. A game both teams tried to give away. That pretty much sums up last night's Orange Bowl football game.

Fortunately the hockey news is much, much better. First Night Ice Rink? Our Buckeyes team marked the arrival of 2014 with a wonderful display of offensive firepower.


Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial and Just For Fun

Penn State Honorable Mention: The First Line
PSU's first line of Shannon Yoxheimer, Emily Laurenzi and Taylor Gross held their own all night long. In fact, all three were even in the plus/minus; not easy to do in an 8-0 loss. These are good players who will definitely be heard from over the course of the season.

Ohio State Honorable Mention: Danielle Gagne
Danielle had a field day tipping pucks in the slot, ultimately earning a goal and two assists. Both assists came on the PP. Keep reading...


#3 Star: The Ohio State Power Play
The OSU Power Play launched the fireworks, bagging the first two goals of the game. Crisp puck movement and effective player rotation were the orders of the day. When one of the Schmitt sisters got the puck down low, the Penn State PK just couldn't cope. Sara and Kari each got a power play tally in this fashion.

#2 Star: Lisa Steffes, Ohio State
OK, she had a little help from the metal. And there was a disallowed goal. But you know what? Perfect is perfect. Lisa stopped all 19 Penn State shots she faced; it was great to see her get the shutout. Steffes did a fine job of controlling rebounds and erasing any danger that the Nittany Lions were able to create. Well done, Lisa!

#1 Star: Claudia Kepler, Ohio State
The Buckeye offense broke open the game in the second period, and Claudia led the charge with consecutive goals. The unassisted tally was particularly impressive. The play began with Kepler blocking a shot at the right point, then carrying the puck the length of the ice. Pulling the puck across the slot to her backhand, she beat the PSU goalie inside the right post. The freshman forward is coming on very nicely, and now actually leads the team in goals scored. OK, four teammates are just one goal behind. Nevertheless, it's been great to watch Claudia progress.


Next Up: Rematch With Penn State. Refreshingly Normal Face-Off at 4:07PM. No more football conflicts for the rest of the season!
 
Re: WCHA Thread IV

That's bizarre. Don't think I've ever heard of that being done before.

Are the all-session tickets being sold at a discount? In other words, would someone buying each session individually pay more than the fan buying the all-session ticket? That part wouldn't be unusual. And if so, that would mean that those wanting to be first in line to grab the very best seats would pay a bit of premium.

So there's at least one rational reason for doing it this way. But ticket offices generally want to take better care of fans willing to buy the full package of games...
All seats are general admission, so there's no benefit in that respect. Yes, the two-day package is cheaper (by about $12 after adding in Ticketmaster service fees) than buying two single-day tickets. I'm scratching my head about this too. I even called the Sanford Center Box Office phone number to make sure I was correct in my interpretation, but all I got was voicemail and no response to the message I left.
 
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Re: WCHA Thread IV

Huh; very puzzling.

I suppose they could be protecting the local single day buyer from those evil, wealthy Citiots who would snap up all the packages. Or, they're hoping that a substantial number of buyers will pay the extra $12 to lock in their seats during the first stage of the process. Trouble is, for either of those ideas to make any sense, you have to believe that the event might sell out during the first week. To the best of my knowledge, such an expectation would be all but irrational.
 
Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Final From Saturday, January 4th
Ohio State 4
Penn State 0


The Twelve Goals of Christmas
Coupled with Friday's result, the OSU Offense scored a dozen goals on the weekend. The OSU defense recorded a pair of shutouts. The Nittany Lions never quit either night, but it was a dominating performance by the Buckeyes from start to finish.

The normal class schedule resumes shortly. But as this holiday season winds down, it was great to find some more packages under the tree.


Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial and Just For Fun

Penn State Honorable Mention: Laura Bowman
The hardworking 2nd Line Center won 9 of her 15 face-offs. There were also zero goals against during her ice time. Laura probably won't take much solace in those facts, but they are evidence of a strong effort by #18.


Ohio State Honorable Mention: Sara Schmitt
Any shutout requires strong team defense. As usual, Sara was an integral part of the effort. Offensively Sara was on the ice for all of the Buckeye goals, finishing the game at +4. It might be said that this is just another day at the office for a Schmitt Sister. But such productivity should not go unappreciated.


#3 Star: Kari Schmitt, Ohio State
On the game's initial goal, Kari turned the rink into a giant bumper pool table. From one of the defensive corners, she banked the puck off the far boards near the center redline. From there, the puck caromed into the PSU slot. Reading the play perfectly, Danielle Gagne ran down the puck and approached the PSU net uncontested. The initial save was made. But in the meantime, Kari had charged the length of ice. She arrived just in time to slam home the rebound. By the way, Kari also finished at +4.

#2 Star: Lisa Steffes, Ohio State
Two Games, Two Shutouts, Two #2 Stars. Perfect twice over. OK, she had one less save on Saturday. But to my eye, Penn State attackers created more dangerous opportunities in the rematch. PSU fought hard until the final horn, forcing Steffes to make multiple saves in the final minute of the game. But in each case Lisa was up to the task, seeming to gain more and more strength as the weekend went on.

#1 Star: (tie) Ally Tarr, Taylor Kuehl, and Danielle Gagne, Ohio State
The Tarr/Kuehl/Gagne line was absolutely on fire today. The whole team played a fine game, but I found myself specifically looking forward to their shifts. Hogging the scoresheet, the line bagged three consecutive goals, with each player scoring once. Linemates accounted for each of the assists.

Halfway through the first period, Tarr received a cross-slot pass from Kuehl and swept a forehand shot into the net. The next scoring play begin with a Tarr drop pass to Kuehl. Kuehl's stiff shot didn't beat the PSU goalie, but the juicy rebound suited Gagne's purposes perfectly. On the final tally, it was Tarr's turn to deliver the cross-slot pass, with Kuehl steering the puck in with her backhand. In all cases it was playmaking par excellence.

They actually could have had more. Noteworthy were Ally's rather terrifying one-time slap shots from the off-wing. Kudos to Penn State's Nicole Paniccia for facing down that challenge.

Oh, and Danielle had a 4 point night.

Any of the three linemates would have been a worthy #1 Star. But how does one distinguish between these performances? In this case, you don't. Teamwork was the thing. Top honors all around.


Next Up: Road Trip to Minnesota.
 
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Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Next Up: Road Trip to Minnesota.

Your team will obviously be facing a much tougher opponent next weekend, but it will come at perhaps the ideal time for an underdog: the first series following the month-long (plus) Holiday break. Perhaps the only better time for playing a heavy favorite would be the first series of the season.

P.S. As always, great job and thanks for posting your "Unofficial Three Stars of the Game"!
 
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Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Re: Unofficial Three Stars of the Game

Next Up: Road Trip to Minnesota.
Your team will obviously be facing a much tougher opponent next weekend, but it will come at perhaps the ideal time for an underdog: the first series following the month-long (plus) Holiday break. Perhaps the only better time for playing a heavy favorite would be the first series of the season.
I repeat my comment from the OSU-PSU thread... I'm glad the Buckeyes got those 12 goals out of their system this weekend.
 
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