Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I was impressed that late in the game, UW's 3rd and 4 th lines owned DU in their own zone. What great depth UW has. My boy Thurber played well, in that I saw (the 1st and 3rd periods.) I guesss he made a bad play in the 2nd according to the radio guys. He crushed a DU guy in the 3rd. Just crushed him. I think he's veritile enough to play physical and finnese. He'll be a great top 2 line center next year.

UW showed a lot of character this weekend. Fell behind Friday and fought back nicely, just like at CC the Sat. before. They could have came out flat after the disappointment of losing the win last night, but they didn't. Last night, got up, lost the lead, but finished the game off strong. UMD is just as loaded as DU, so another great performance will be required. There's no indication that won't happen.

It's great to be in the thick of the race for the McN cup for once, instead of just hoping to hold on to home ice and sneak into the NCAA's. This is what I expect out of the UW program every 4 out of 5 years (I'll allow one rebuilding year out of every 5).

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I wonder if we have a shot to get to #1 if we sweep Duluth this weekend. Is anybody smart enough to figure out any scenarios where that could happen? I don't know about you guys, but I'm craving that #1 seed in St. Paul where we'd have a bit of a home ice advantage. I know I'd be making the trip up I-94.

What home ice advantage do you speak of? The couple thousand UW fans that will be there? Everyone else in attendance will be rooting against us, regardless of who their team is. It's M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A and last time I checked, they don't like us so much.

Top 3 seed is all that matters, is all that has ever mattered. Avoid the play-in game.

This is your first year following Badger Hockey, isn't it.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

It's great to be in the thick of the race for the McN cup for once, instead of just hoping to hold on to home ice and sneak into the NCAA's. This is what I expect out of the UW program every 4 out of 5 years (I'll allow one rebuilding year out of every 5).

I agree. This is where UW should be year in and year out.

My only question on the weekend is why Mitchell is still getting ice time. I don't usually like to be down on individual players, but I'm just not seeing him bringing a whole lot to the table right now.

Speaking of not ripping on individual players, Smith had a couple of cringe inducing moments late in the third. Do I remember correctly? Did Andringa call him our best defenseman?

 

[blockski]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I agree. This is where UW should be year in and year out.

My only question on the weekend is why Mitchell is still getting ice time. I don't usually like to be down on individual players, but I'm just not seeing him bringing a whole lot to the table right now.

Speaking of not ripping on individual players, Smith had a couple of cringe inducing moments late in the third. Do I remember correctly? Did Andringa call him our best defenseman?

Best D? Maybe not all around, but he's certainly the most talented.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Best D? Maybe not all around, but he's certainly the most talented.

You'll get no argument from me on the most talented issue, but a lot more goes into being a team's best defenseman.

 

[blockski]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

You'll get no argument from me on the most talented issue, but a lot more goes into being a team's best defenseman.

I agree, but I'm not going to hold Andringa's feet to the fire over a comment he said in the flow of the game about Smith's abilities. He could easily have meant to say "most talented" and had it come out as "best" instead. People are too hard on most TV commentators, but especially so on guys like Andringa who do this part-time.

 

[ansinator]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

What home ice advantage do you speak of? The couple thousand UW fans that will be there? Everyone else in attendance will be rooting against us, regardless of who their team is. It's M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A and last time I checked, they don't like us so much.

Top 3 seed is all that matters, is all that has ever mattered. Avoid the play-in game.

This is your first year following Badger Hockey, isn't it.

I believe he is referring to the NCAA Regional in St. Paul. Even then I'm not sure we'd get any kind of advantage. I would bet a lot of MN fans purchased tickets early, expecting the Goofers to be there. They might show up to boo us out of spite.

 

[bucky15]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

What home ice advantage do you speak of? The couple thousand UW fans that will be there? Everyone else in attendance will be rooting against us, regardless of who their team is. It's M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A and last time I checked, they don't like us so much.

Top 3 seed is all that matters, is all that has ever mattered. Avoid the play-in game.

This is your first year following Badger Hockey, isn't it.

Top 3 in WCHA is also big because the bottom 3 teams are a big drop off in talent than the other 7. It would be huge to play either Kato, Tech, or UAA and than like you said avoid the play-in game.

 

[Puck Swami]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Congrats to the Badgers. UW was the better team for about 75% of the weekend and got 75% of the points available, and DU was lucky to get the point they got. Right now, I think UW is the most complete team in the WCHA from offense to defense to goaltending, and it's due to depth. Other teams can beat UW with extraordinary performances, but I think UW is just deeper than everyone else. DU had really had no answer for Geoffrion's line all weekend, and UW's work ethic was flat-out better. If they play like they did this last weekend, they will be very tough come tournament time.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I agree, but I'm not going to hold Andringa's feet to the fire over a comment he said in the flow of the game about Smith's abilities. He could easily have meant to say "most talented" and had it come out as "best" instead. People are too hard on most TV commentators, but especially so on guys like Andringa who do this part-time.

That wasn't my intent. I actually really like Rob as a commentator and was just poking a little fun at him. He's actually very insightful and plays the homer card just right. Lots of respect for the other team when due, but clearly for us.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I believe he is referring to the NCAA Regional in St. Paul. Even then I'm not sure we'd get any kind of advantage. I would bet a lot of MN fans purchased tickets early, expecting the Goofers to be there. They might show up to boo us out of spite.

Sorry. I just assumed that he didn't know what the hell he was talking about. You know, going on past experience and precedent.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

My only question on the weekend is why Mitchell is still getting ice time. I don't usually like to be down on individual players, but I'm just not seeing him bringing a whole lot to the table right now.

Perhaps Mitchell hasn't had his best games lately, but I definately want him on the ice. Just his size alone can create problems for opponents, he's good on the back check, does little things right, has shown he can be quite capable with the puck when he needs to be, (15G, 3GWG last year) and seldom takes bad penalties. He is a role player on this year's team and while his numbers maybe aren't there, he's an experienced senior, and a player I'm not worried about with the game on the line. Depth is probably our biggest strength this year, and a guy like Mitchell playing on the 3rd and 4th line is where that depth comes from.

I think when you're 6'5" it's less apparent how much energy you're playing with. When a guy like PJ comes in and flies around to the puck we can really see he's efforting, but Mitchell just isn't going to be that type of player. His impact is often going to be much more subtle.


in my always brilliant opinion.

 

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

What home ice advantage do you speak of? The couple thousand UW fans that will be there? Everyone else in attendance will be rooting against us, regardless of who their team is. It's M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A and last time I checked, they don't like us so much.

Top 3 seed is all that matters, is all that has ever mattered. Avoid the play-in game.

This is your first year following Badger Hockey, isn't it.

Sorry for not making it clear enough, but I was referring to the NCAA's. There'd be a lot more Badger fans in St. Paul than Albany.

 

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Sorry. I just assumed that he didn't know what the hell he was talking about. You know, going on past experience and precedent.

Nice cop out.

 

[uwbadgers14]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Perhaps Mitchell hasn't had his best games lately, but I definately want him on the ice. Just his size alone can create problems for opponents, he's good on the back check, does little things right, has shown he can be quite capable with the puck when he needs to be, (15G, 3GWG last year) and seldom takes bad penalties. He is a role player on this year's team and while his numbers maybe aren't there, he's an experienced senior, and a player I'm not worried about with the game on the line. Depth is probably our biggest strength this year, and a guy like Mitchell playing on the 3rd and 4th line is where that depth comes from.

I think when you're 6'5" it's less apparent how much energy you're playing with. When a guy like PJ comes in and flies around to the puck we can really see he's efforting, but Mitchell just isn't going to be that type of player. His impact is often going to be much more subtle.


in my always brilliant opinion.

Grotting was terrible on friday and Mitchell was terrible on saturday. Grotting played better saturday as far as hitting and such but his choices with the puck are not the greatest, he had a few turnovers in the neutral zone this weekend that had me out of my seat.

mitchell just plays too soft at times, its hard to understand but i big guy like that shouldn't be going into the corners like Kyle Turris, he should be going into the corners like a Adam Burish. When he does that is when he is at his best

 

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Grotting was terrible on friday and Mitchell was terrible on saturday. Grotting played better saturday as far as hitting and such but his choices with the puck are not the greatest, he had a few turnovers in the neutral zone this weekend that had me out of my seat.

mitchell just plays too soft at times, its hard to understand but i big guy like that shouldn't be going into the corners like Kyle Turris, he should be going into the corners like a Adam Burish. When he does that is when he is at his best

Yeah Grotting played very well on the forecheck last night and so did Bombach. Mitchell is having an off year for whatever reason, but his off year is still better than most of our reserve forwards because of his talent level.

 

[uwbadgers14]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Yeah Grotting played very well on the forecheck last night and so did Bombach. Mitchell is having an off year for whatever reason, but his off year is still better than most of our reserve forwards because of his talent level.

I really think Podge should be in the lineup, maybe not instead of mitchell. him and C. Johnson would probably be on any other WCHA roster this season...

 

[sweatpants]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I believe he is referring to the NCAA Regional in St. Paul. Even then I'm not sure we'd get any kind of advantage. I would bet a lot of MN fans purchased tickets early, expecting the Goofers to be there. They might show up to boo us out of spite.

I beg to differ. I could see a ton of Badger fans at that game especially if they're going in there with the #1 overrall seed.

I remember Andringa's comment regarding Smith. I thought he said Smith was Wisconsin's "top defenseman". In other words- Wisconsin's top scoring defenseman. Andringa was absolutely livid when Smith made that boneheaded mistake at the end of Friday's game. I'm never seen him get that PO'd regarding a player on-air before.

 

[uwbadgers14]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Just got home from the KC after a foggy drive home. What a game. I kept having flashbacks from last year that DU was going to tie it up after they pulled their goalie and they very nearly did, but the goalie's best friend, the post, made a nice save in the final 2 minutes and then a late DU penalty erased their chances of forcing OT.

The Badgers had a heck of an offensive attack tonight. It's just weird that we're so good at scoring goals this year. I'm so used to the grind it out, defensive wins.

Not to short change the defense, though. They did a very nice job covering up Bennett's lack of talent in the goal. I just don't like it when he's in the net. 2 of the goals he gave up were very soft. One of them, he gave up a rebound that he never should have given up, and the other one, he got scored on the short side in which he broke the Cardinal Rule of goal tending. It was the right move for Eaves to go with him tonight after Goody's lackluster performance last Saturday, though. We are just fortunate to have a good defense to bail him out.

On a humorous note, the crowd really got on a guy wearing a Brett Favre jersey on the big screen. It's good to see that most Wisconsinites aren't rooting for the purple tomorrow. Go Saints.

Its tough to rip a goalie for giving up a rebound. I thought Bennetts rebound control was great all night. Your not going to hang on to them all. For his 1st start in a while i thought he played great and seemed to get better as the game went along which say's a lot about how he has stayed on his conditioning when he was hurt. he may not have the ability to keep UW in a game when they are getting out played like goody can do but i think Goody Friday and Bennett saturday is a good idea for the time being. I know us UW fans are not use to this goalie rotation thing but I think its good. It keeps them sharp and competitive, making each other better, less fatigue for sure which will be huge for the playoffs know matter who ends up getting the starts. I also like giving the opponent something different the next night, just maybe throws another thing for the opp. to think about.

The offensive pressure UW was able to get on DU was something they probably have not seen this season. I know cheverie had not seen that much traffic and speed coming at him that relentlessly all year and I think thats why UW was able to have success against him this weekend. But he is still the best goalie in the WCHA by far but i think other teams will be looking at that tape from saturdays game and using is as a way to have success against him.

 

[ansinator]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Sorry for not making it clear enough, but I was referring to the NCAA's. There'd be a lot more Badger fans in St. Paul than Albany.

I don't know. There are a lot of Badger fans on the east coast, especially in New York.