What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

[pokechecker]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Give credit to North Dakota for coming out and dominating the Gophers in the first period. I don't recall exactly at what point the Gophers got their first shot on goal, but it took a very long time. Meanwhile, UND not only created and took advantage of their offensive opportunities but they played stifling defense, not allowing the home team practically any time and space whatsoever. Also have to give credit to their coaches for setting up a great game plan.

I recall joking about playing poorly one day to lull the opposition into thinking they didn't have to play 100% the next game, and getting your butt handed on a platter was a good way to motivate for the next game, but I doubt UND coaches actually implemented that as their strategy.

Seriously, what game plan did they implement?
and when did the stifling defense happen?

it's been nearly 20 years since I coached but it appeared to me their 2-1-2, if it was intended to force the MN defenders into bad passes to the forwards, or to mishandle the puck was ineffective (OK, one time one of the defenders attempted a deke when there was nobody to back them up and got the puck stolen, but it resulted in nothing), Kudos to Ramsey, McMillan, and Gillanders for their play in carrying it near the blue line (and occasionally deeper) and delivering a crisp accurate pass to the MN forwards who for the most part were able to gain the UND zone. Maybe your idea of a stifling defense is one that doesn't give up a goal irrespective of what happens? Perhaps like the WCHA POTW award you only saw the stats?

In fact one of the Gophers hit the pipe the first period, McMillan hit the top pipe and the puck nearly went in, and in the 3rd she had the upper right corner nailed except her shot sailed a bit high. Yes, I know, wouldda, coulda, shoulda. But I really do question if you were at the same game. yes, UND were tenacious in the offensive zone in the first period, at least up until a Gopher gained possesion of the puck, then nearly every time the puck went to one of the veteran Defenders who proceeded to skate out of the zone, Ramsey was especially effective at this. How can anyone call that a stifling defense? the Gophers simply failed to convert on their chances, while the Fighting Sioux did. It didn't help that one of the Fighting Sioux goals was the result of one of the Gophers kicking the puck away from Leveille to Layla Marvin (all alone with 2 or was it 3 Gophers) who cashed it in.

Lexie Shaw looked pretty shaky to me the first period, why the Gophers didn't pepper her with shots is beyond me. Certainly having Menefee in the game would have helped (if you ask why, review Wolfe's 2 goals the previous day, never a bad idea for the off wing to be near the empty goalmouth as the puck arrives on net)

No, this isn't sour grapes, just fact.

if it's too much for you ( not referring to D2D here, but rather the Fighting Squaw fans) go to Facebook or Twitter and have your fun there (or use the ignore feature, you'll do us both a favor)

 

[D2D]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Seriously, what game plan did they implement?
and when did the stifling defense happen?)

I was referring to the first period only. If you read Coach Frost's post-game comments, even he was critical of the Gopher's poor effort. It took the Gophers roughly half of the first period before they registered their first shot on goal. During that time UND seemed to anticipate what the Gophers were trying to do and were immediately all over whichever Gopher had the puck. They played a marvelous first period, going up 3-0 and gave the Gophers very little. After that, the game turned on a dime, and the Gophers made a very strong comeback, but fell just short.

The game's over, and hopefully 'lesson learned' and the team can get back on track this coming weekend.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

I don't recall them EVER taking a period off or putting it on cruise control last year

Then you have a short memory. I can think of four games off of the top of my head where it happened: the first game in Grand Forks; both games in Columbus; the OT game against Bemidji. There would probably be others if I went and looked.

No one, team or individual, gives 100% all the time, in any walk of life. You can't. Last year's team was good enough that a failure to do so caused them to lose a game, but it happened.

 

[puckluck15]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

It didn't help that one of the Fighting Sioux goals was the result of one of the Gophers kicking the puck away from Leveille to Layla Marvin (all alone with 2 or was it 3 Gophers) who cashed it in.)

Layla Marvin was not even in the lineup on sunday. What game were you at?

 

[pokechecker]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Then you have a short memory. I can think of four games off of the top of my head where it happened: the first game in Grand Forks; both games in Columbus; the OT game against Bemidji. There would probably be others if I went and looked.

No one, team or individual, gives 100% all the time, in any walk of life. You can't. Last year's team was good enough that a failure to do so caused them to lose a game, but it happened.

the Bemidji game last year that ended in a tie at regulation ... maybe, it was senior night

if the Gophers took the night off the first night in Grand Forks last year, what does that say about UND? they beat UND 5-1 without Kessel
same thing for OSU, it doesn't compliment OSU very well

 

[pokechecker]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Layla Marvin was not even in the lineup on sunday. What game were you at?

this is why you should never go by what the media says, I saw the play clearly, but one of the media outlets said it was Marvin, I took their word for it

 

[Eeyore]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

the Bemidji game last year that ended in a tie at regulation ... maybe, it was senior night

if the Gophers took the night off the first night in Grand Forks last year, what does that say about UND? they beat UND 5-1 without Kessel
same thing for OSU, it doesn't compliment OSU very well

The Gophers played well in the second and third. They had a poor first period.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

I was referring to the first period only. If you read Coach Frost's post-game comments, even he was critical of the Gopher's poor effort. It took the Gophers roughly half of the first period before they registered their first shot on goal. During that time UND seemed to anticipate what the Gophers were trying to do and were immediately all over whichever Gopher had the puck. They played a marvelous first period, going up 3-0 and gave the Gophers very little. After that, the game turned on a dime, and the Gophers made a very strong comeback, but fell just short.

The game's over, and hopefully 'lesson learned' and the team can get back on track this coming weekend.

Coaches aren't news reporters, they say things for effect.

The Gophers weren't outplayed, they were outhustled.

OK, stifling is a better description of the Sioux defense, but only in their own zone, the Badgers dominated the first period of their first game with the Gophers, the Sioux stifled in the first of Sunday's game.

The fore-check the two employed were opposite, the Badgers tried to prevent the Gophers from clearing the puck out of their zone, and it worked, although the second part of that equation, score a goal as a result, only happened once. The Sioux's fore-check was meant to take away the Gophers speed and it allowed the Sioux to retreat and bunch up between their blue line and the red line to hopefully prevent the Gophers from entering their zone (or at least slow them down and allow themselves to regroup between in front of the goal keeping the Gophers to the perimeter). It takes longer to skate the puck out than it does pass. Essentially doing so allowed them some control of how and where the Gophers entered the offensive zone. It did slow them down and occasionally turned them away, but I thought the Gophers handled it pretty well.

And with their type of fore-check there is always the possibility the Gopher defensemen would mishandle the puck skating it out (only happened once that I recall, Ramsey, McMillan, & Gillanders did an excellent job) or make a bad pass to their forwards near the red line (again, rarely happened) which left the Gopher forwards with the option of carrying the puck through the Sioux defense or dump and chase. I thought the Gophers did well at both; they won at that far more than they lost.

The Gophers tend to use their speed and skill to run their offense similar as if on a power play. The Sioux seemed to be content to let them do it. Because they are highly skilled themselves and have better speed than other teams, combined with their tenacity, and as you pointed out were well disciplined to their plan, were able to keep the Gophers from their usual game of working the puck around the perimeter and from behind the goal to catch someone out of position and get a quality shot. The Gophers are also good at winning battles for the puck along the boards; the Sioux matched them at that.

The Gophers weren't outshot because they couldn't shoot, it was because they wouldn't abandon their game and adapt to what the Sioux were giving them in the early first period. The Gophers could have shot more, taking a pass and then winding up for a slap shot takes too much time, it allows the defense to come out to block that shot plus all the others to better position themselves to beat the Gopher to any rebound or block their path to the net. If the Gophers had one timed it or taken the pass and gotten off a quick wrist shot (doesn't allow the other team to react as quickly giving a better opportunity to score) the outcome may have been different. Running your offense as if it's a power play when it isn't means there are 2 extra legs, one extra body, and one extra stick for the puck to get through. So if the defense is disciplined and talented it's difficult to generate an open shot by someone being out of position for the simple reason there is one more defender. As I said before, it would have been nice if Menefee was in the game, she is especially effective at creating trouble in front of the opponents net and good at redirecting shots and banging in rebounds. The Gophers are speedy but they are on the small side although that really isn't that much of a negative in women’s hockey as it is in men's with checking. Review Megan Wolfe’s goals on Saturday. The other problem with the slap shot is you often hit your teammate, as happened to Bona, which left the Gophers shorthanded for about 10 seconds and ended one of their attacks.

But the bottom line is the Sioux converted on their chances, while the Badgers didn't, and that's why the Sioux won and the Badgers lost. Note that the Gophers scored 2 goals in both the Badger & Sioux games mentioned.

While Leveille was probably a bit sharper against the Badgers, she still played a pretty good game against the Sioux, goaltending was not the problem.

It should be an interesting series in Grand Forks this coming weekend, if they only draw a little over 1000 fans like they have been doing, the fans don't deserve a victory, it should be one of the better battles considering both teams are only a game behind the Gophers.

 

[D2D]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Coaches aren't news reporters, they say things for effect.

True, although from what I've observed Coach Frost seems to be very objective in his post-game assessments of his team's play, and I don't recall him ever being as critical as he was of the Gophers' first period in that Sunday game.

The Gophers weren't outplayed, they were outhustled.

Sometimes, in the game of hockey, those two things are one and the same.


[/QUOTE]

 

[mnpokecheck]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Streak is alive. Gophers have a 35 game road winning streak.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: What team ends the Minnesota winning streak?

Streak is alive. Gophers have a 35 game road winning streak.

Maybe the Bulldogs can put an end to that. (Sorry that just sounded to good to pass up)