Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Playoff time is at hand and so are the tickets. The weird thing is UW allowed me to do print at homes for Friday and not for Saturday.

Hopefully there are some creative "butter" chant/cheers. I can't wait to do something with the word rancid. It know it's not very creative, but I just love that word, it has such a vile connotation.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Check out the 5th Q, Tristar wrote an awesomely in depth article about Ms. Friedman. Great job as usual.

 

[NMH]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Here's the link, FYI http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/2/26/5448426/ilana-friedman-wisconsin-womens-hockey
Thanks - this was my favorite interview and piece. I'd been angling to talk to Ilana all season based on what I'd gotten from her via Twitter, but wanted to make sure i struck the right note. Not every player would be as open as she was - the inherent premise of the article is insulting, right? I mean, the first thing I asked was about her not playing. But she was really cool about the whole thing and I was so impressed with her. She really gave me a lot to think about and had me really mulling over the idea of perspective.

All of the Badgers I spoke to for these pieces this season impressed me. It's not that I expected them to be less than impressive, I just remember how little my friends and I had it together in college and at their age. I've really taken away an awareness of what great women they are, in addition to being top level hockey talent.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Well, I'm ready to throw some butters in the pan and cook up a purple cow tenderloin to medium rare.

Let's go RED!

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Well, I'm ready to throw some butters in the pan and cook up a like purple cow tenderloin to medium rare.

Let's go RED!

For people driving to LaBahn, remember that WIAA HS wrestling tournament is going on this weekend, meaning crowded parking lots that cost $8 to get into.

 

[John Sheehan]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Wondering if the game actually had 0 paying spectators as was reported on the box score.

Dear all,

My wife, myself, and three other Badger fans traveled to Mankato to see the last regular season series. No player parents were visible in the audience although Mr. Berg made it on Saturday from the Twin City Area. The trip up from Madison was dreadful; the friendliness of the Mankato fans and staff was awesome.

About 75 folks were in the stands on Friday Night and probably 150 on Saturday Night (Senior Night)--at most 8-9 sporting red.

I have to commend the Mankato State Women--10 minutes after having been swept by the Badgers on Saturday Night the Mankato Players were skating on the ice with dozens of young fans!!

Continued luck tonight in Madison.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

We had a lot of fun last night, loved that the band was there. That really made my night, that and the fact UW won of course. The first period was kinds back and forth, UW had some insanely great chances that just didn't connect into a sog. Kato controlled more stretches of the 2nd period than UW by a long ways, until UW scored, then that kinda got the gals going. The 3rd period was all UW. UW needs to play every period tonight like the did the 3rd period last night.

Credit must go to the the visitors, after the early ppg goal by UW, they more than just hung in there, it was a very territorially even game, with the edge to Kato as stated above, until the 3rd period.

Decker being there for fans pics was massively cool.

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

We had a lot of fun last night, loved that the band was there. That really made my night, that and the fact UW won of course. The first period was kinds back and forth, UW had some insanely great chances that just didn't connect into a sog. Kato controlled more stretches of the 2nd period than UW by a long ways, until UW scored, then that kinda got the gals going. The 3rd period was all UW. UW needs to play every period tonight like the did the 3rd period last night.

Credit must go to the the visitors, after the early ppg goal by UW, they more than just hung in there, it was a very territorially even game, with the edge to Kato as stated above, until the 3rd period.

Decker being there for fans pics was massively cool.

All the Mankato games have followed that same script this year, they hang tough and close for generally the first two periods, and then UW beats them in the third.

(The band being there was great, of course; but boy-oh-boy does there need to be better coordination between the band and the people running the audio/video. You've got the band there: LET "EM PLAY!)

 

[ARM]

All the Mankato games have followed that same script this year, they hang tough and close for generally the first two periods, and then UW beats them in the third.

The Mavericks games with UM are very similar. The score will be 1-0 late in the second period, and then the dam breaks. I don't know if MSU gets tired or if it is a case of no longer believing once the deficit grows to two.

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

The Mavericks games with UM are very similar. The score will be 1-0 late in the second period, and then the dam breaks. I don't know if MSU gets tired or if it is a case of no longer believing once the deficit grows to two.

My guess is 'tired'. Meaning they're probably a "fourth line" away from being even more competitive.

(I noticed last week and again last night that the UW's fourth line was getting a goodly amount of ice time. Mikayla Johnson was on the receiving end of across-the-crease backdoor pass last night, and she whiffed on it. Too bad. her dad was there, and I'm certain he would have enjoyed the goal.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

(The band being there was great, of course; but boy-oh-boy does there need to be better coordination between the band and the people running the audio/video. You've got the band there: LET "EM PLAY!)

I'm guessing that it would really help getting the band to more women's games if they didn't feel like they were in competition with other UW event staff. I went to one women's basketball game this year, and the band was much more better integrated into the game-night production. No reason this can't happen with women's hockey. Somebody in the athletic department just has to step up and make it happen.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I feel a little shellshocked and/or bewildered after that.

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I feel a little shellshocked and/or bewildered after that.

Sometimes the puck just refuses to cooperate. Mankato was good, Butters was great. But what I saw could just as easily have been last night's 4-0 Badger win. Except whenever possible, the puck bounced the wrong way.

Tip you hat, shrug your shoulders, and get'em tomorrow.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Sometimes the puck just refuses to cooperate. Mankato was good, Butters was great. But what I saw could just as easily have been last night's 4-0 Badger win. Except whenever possible, the puck bounced the wrong way.

Tip you hat, shrug your shoulders, and get'em tomorrow.

There were a few cases tonight where I agree with that in the offensive end. Defensive breakdowns are defensive breakdowns, however. They happened tonight, and not last night. There were also more missed connections in the offensive zone. Too many times I saw a forward fling the puck on goal from a sharp angle, but nobody to actually do anything with it at the top of the crease.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I feel a little shellshocked and/or bewildered after that.

I felt the same way as the game progressed. Mankato played like their season was on the line (which is was) and Wisconsin played it like an October afternoon game. Butters did have a solid game, but I'm just not sure how many of the 51 shots were high quality. I also think the Mavericks played really good team defense and were there to take care of rebounds and keep the Badgers on the outside. It was a well-deserved win for Mankato. I can only hope that the Badgers come out with a real sense of urgency tomorrow.

The only good thing I noticed was off-the-ice. It seemed like the UW event staff gave the band a lot more opportunity to play during breaks and kept the canned music to a minimum. The band and crowd were engaged, just didn't have much to cheer about. The place was ready to explode had they been able to score on the PP when down 2-0. Instead, the short-handed goal took the life out of the arena.

A little curious if the staff is thinking at all about giving Desbiens a start. Rigsby didn't have a great game (though wasn't done any favors on turnovers that led to goals) and three games in three days isn't ideal. Just curious...

 

[Nowheresville]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I agree, while the Badgers shot total was high, they didn't really force Butters to make a lot of hard saves. The biggest thing to me was their inability to get anyone in front of the net. When the Badgers got a good shot, there was hardly ever anyone around to push in the rebound.

I also think there was an element that the team really started pressing from the very beginning, after giving up the early goal, leading to a lot of low percentage shots. The game to me highlighted a lot of the big problems with the Badgers offense on this team, like the lack of go-to scorers, and really a lack of crisp passing and plays in the offensive zone. It wouldn't shock me at all to see those problems make it difficult for them to win against an Eastern team in the NCAA.

Also have to say I'm very disappointed in the attendance. Only 2500 or so on the weekend, total on the first 2 games? I really was expecting sellouts, or at least close to it. I wonder how much the regular season "sellouts" are keeping away potential fans, who didn't bother coming down, because they didn't think walk up tickets would be a possibility.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I agree, while the Badgers shot total was high, they didn't really force Butters to make a lot of hard saves. The biggest thing to me was their inability to get anyone in front of the net. When the Badgers got a good shot, there was hardly ever anyone around to push in the rebound.

I also think there was an element that the team really started pressing from the very beginning, after giving up the early goal, leading to a lot of low percentage shots. The game to me highlighted a lot of the big problems with the Badgers offense on this team, like the lack of go-to scorers, and really a lack of crisp passing and plays in the offensive zone. It wouldn't shock me at all to see those problems make it difficult for them to win against an Eastern team in the NCAA.

Also have to say I'm very disappointed in the attendance. Only 2500 or so on the weekend, total on the first 2 games? I really was expecting sellouts, or at least close to it. I wonder how much the regular season "sellouts" are keeping away potential fans, who didn't bother coming down, because they didn't think walk up tickets would be a possibility.

Well, last year's series didn't really get that close to selling out. These games are "extra" games on the schedule, and don't draw that many, in men's or women's hockey.

 

[KTDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I posted this is on Gopher's thread yesterday………


The WCHA first round games just don't draw very well. In the past they draw less than the season average for the Gophers and less than the first round NCAA. This year, if you take away the outdoor game, MN had average crowd of 2218, last night was 1102. It's not just Minnesota, though.
Wisconsin season ave (without fill the bowl)-1787, last night 1076
MN-Duluth season ave-1218, last night 525
North Dakota season ave (without their fill the bowl) 1059, last night 441

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

I feel a little shellshocked and/or bewildered after that.

I felt that way after the fill the bowl game. I just left thinking there's no way UW's gonna beat this years version of the rodents. Last night I left with the feeling that UW made too many defensive mistakes and kato buried every one of those. Those are correctable, which is a good thing, but I did see that problem against the sue and rodents too, so at this point they haven't fixed it yet. The D have to stop backing up and leaving room for the charging F to shoot. They need to close the gap and force them to move the puck or shoot when they don't want to. Butters really wasn't tested, Kato did an awesome job in front of controlling traffic and rebounds, but I'll tip my felmet to any sieve who stops that many shots. Overall Kato has played pretty darn well this weekend and they should be complimented.

The atmosphere is going to be very interesting, in terms of the fans and the players. The boys and I are pumped up ready to support the gals like never before, which may continue to annoy the kato moms sitting behind us. I thought the crowd was great last night. There were some former students sitting between us and the band and they got some great chants going. I hope the band is there today, if not I think that will suck some juice out of the crowd. Will the crowd get a little impatient? I'd hate to see the crowd get a desperate feel to it and that affect the gals. Will UW be tight under the pressure of the favorite to win? Will Kato be tight knowing losing means their season is over? Stay loose, play the system and everything will turn out fine.

Would a loss cost UW the chance to host the ncaa's?

ARD vs Rigsby?.....yeah a tough call to do it 3 days in a row, but I'd go with Rigsby. Butters has to be exhausted after seeing almost 100 shots in 2 games so far.

Almost time to hit the road....

LET'S GO REDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2013-2014 Season

Would a loss cost UW the chance to host the ncaa's?

My guess (and it's only a guess) is the the Badgers would slip to 3rd or 4th (depending on whether Boston Coll wins the Hockey East tournament), but no more than 4th. So still very likely to host NCAA.

Of course, I'd prefer to NOT find out whether I'm right!