Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

[topbill]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Ahhhh.....it appears the WCHA sucks. "The Boys Formerly Named Sue" and the "Rodents" both lose to Yale the last team in???? Denver appears to be goons and the UW can't score one on nobody. Thank God for SCSU. Qinnipiac appeared to be overated...what a shock!!!! Guess it is good most good teams are leaving WCHA. We can put that history behind us.

Let's start a thread about how the Big 10 (6?) is better than HE and the ECAC and the lack of history means nothing. Whatya think?

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

To me, the difference wasn't so much in the Badgers play compared to the rest of the playoffs was the play of Lowell compared to the WCHA teams.

I would agree with this. Wisconsin actually out-shot Lowell and dominated large stretches of zone time, but Lowell's transition game was incredible. There hasn't been a team in the WCHA all season that has consistently made UW's defenseman look that bad through the neutral zone. 24 and 55 had especially tough days on the defensive side and that wasn't expected. A lot of credit goes to Lowell for their speed and transition game -- and their ability to finish on their opportunities.

 

[Scottyp]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I would agree with this. Wisconsin actually out-shot Lowell and dominated large stretches of zone time, but Lowell's transition game was incredible. There hasn't been a team in the WCHA all season that has consistently made UW's defenseman look that bad through the neutral zone. 24 and 55 had especially tough days on the defensive side and that wasn't expected. A lot of credit goes to Lowell for their speed and transition game -- and their ability to finish on their opportunities.

They basically bet that their offense vs. our goalie was better than our offense vs their goalie. They shot people out to get odd man rushes knowing they would be giving up a number of their own. I believe UW had at least 10 3-2 rushes, several 2-1, at least one or two breakaways, a penalty shot and 5 power plays, not to mention the number of times we had someone lined up for a good shot on the back door or in the slot. We just couldn't put it in the net as well as they did. Their goalie was good but more often than not it was our shooting.

This team got the most out of their talent. A great run, but eventually you will hit a team that can exploit your weakness. Basically the same way BC did it in 2010. We'll see if the coaching staff can start to correct this next year. I have my doubts. And we will have to watch the 2014-15 recruiting class.

 

[GoBucky!]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

BC is down 5-0 to Union. So far for the Frozen Four we have UML & Yale. Tomorrow we get one of Union/Quinnipiac and one of St. Cloud State/Miami.

Some of these teams have been highly ranked all year, a couple have been on the upswing for a few years, but from a historical perspective you have to say who the *%# are these guys???

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

BC is down 5-0 to Union. So far for the Frozen Four we have UML & Yale. Tomorrow we get one of Union/Quinnipiac and one of St. Cloud State/Miami.

Some of these teams have been highly ranked all year, a couple have been on the upswing for a few years, but from a historical perspective you have to say who the *%# are these guys???

my Dad and I got rid of our FF tickets a few weeks back. I hope it sells out but man no matter who makes it now from the remaining two games that field from a casual fan's perspective (not MY perspective) is quite possibly the least interesting field to ever make the FF.

I'm going to have to go all in as a temporary St. Cloud fan.

jesus did the WCHA **** the bed this year. who would've thought 4 of 6 teams would be one and dones?

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

my Dad and I got rid of our FF tickets a few weeks back. I hope it sells out but man no matter who makes it now from the remaining two games that field from a casual fan's perspective (not MY perspective) is quite possibly the least interesting field to ever make the FF.

I'm going to have to go all in as a temporary St. Cloud fan.

jesus did the WCHA **** the bed this year. who would've thought 4 of 6 teams would be one and dones?

I'd say it's pretty interesting, now that a first time champion is guaranteed!

 

[Almington]

I'd say it's pretty interesting, now that a first time champion is guaranteed!

Of the remaining teams, SCSU is by far the least objectionable choice.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I'd say it's pretty interesting, now that a first time champion is guaranteed!

totally agree, I was just thinking about the casual fan, and also how this may affect promotion.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY FANS YOU BETTER SHOW UP CAUSE THE HOCKEY WILL BE TREMENDOUS!

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

totally agree, I was just thinking about the casual fan, and also how this may affect promotion.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY FANS YOU BETTER SHOW UP CAUSE THE HOCKEY WILL BE TREMENDOUS!

I think it's great. First time in a long time that there isn't a single team that would be personally painful (in a sports-hate way) for me if they won.


Wasn't the FF in 2008 Notre Dame, Michigan, BC & NoDak?

Ugh. I could barely watch as I wanted them all to lose.


I'm starting to feel like I could root against Jan though based upon the way a few of their posters are (mis)handling their newfound level of success. I'm not really someone who roots for conference mates just coz they're in our conference anyway. Duluth being the exception, not the norm.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I could not bear to come to this site until today. I cannot believe how badly UW defended UMASS in transition. I have not seen that many odd man rushes allowed in the sum total of games of the year I saw (about 12) as I saw Friday. Just a huge disappointment to play the worst game of the year defensively by far in the biggest game yet.

Thanks to the Sr's, I wish them all well in their future endeavors.

Next year's team looks awesome on paper. I thinking it would be really cool to win the B6's inagural regular season and tourney championships. This team can do it.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I'm still pulling for a hurricane to hit Pittsburgh.

I realize that hoping for a huge natural disaster possibly affecting millions of innocent people soley because of my personal distaste for anyone other than Bucky winning is a bit extreme, but I think come judgement day when the possibility of Quinnipiac or Union winning the Frozen Four is taken into consideration, I'm pretty sure I'll get a free pass.

Well, what can you say? It went from terrible and depressing to a thrilling and hopeful season ending only when we ran up against a very good team with a red hot goalie. The boys pressed hard, probably much too hard trying to make something happen. Perhaps if we had slipped something past Hellebuyck in the first and taken the lead we could have gone into a shell the rest of the way and had a chance at a 1-0 or 2-1 kind of win. But it was not to be, and UML is looking very good right now. Someone has to solve Hellebuyck and I'm not too sure anyone will.

So long to a group of Seniors that weathered the stormy seasons and led this team back from the brink to the Broadmoor trophy. Congratulations guys and best of luck in the future. The lessons learned on and off the ice at UW will carry each of these young men far in life.

Time now to shift gears. The WCHA sucks. The B1G is now the best conference in college hockey! Zengerle, Mersch, Kerdiles, McCabe, and the rest have unfinished business and every reason to return next year. Here's hoping they all do, and we are only at the beginning of something really special. Let's GO RED!

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I couldn't watch the game since I had an informal "Shiva" at my house following my Dad's passing on Thursday.

Also, condolences MCR. It is always a difficult transition to lose one's parent at any age. (Unless I suppose one's parent is a gopher fan, then I imagine some sort of weird guilt mixed with relief.) Best wishes for a quick transition through grief for you and your loved ones.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Next year's team looks awesome on paper. I thinking it would be really cool to win the B6's inagural regular season and tourney championships. This team can do it.

Hopefully that happens, and hopefully the athletic department hypes it up over the summer.

Edit: I do remember them saying at football games, "Did you know that [high number] of the Badgers top [high number + 1] goal scorers are returning from last year?" But I don't remember Kerdiles getting any hype. I don't want these student-athletes to get big heads, but advertising your high-end recruits generates quite a bit of buzz around a fan base, because (let's face it) we like to irrationally assume they'll be magical superheroes.

 

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Of the remaining teams, SCSU is by far the least objectionable choice.

I'll be cheering for St Cloud, ECAC has already gotten a big enough head. Plus I find it ironic that the NCHC didn't really want St Cloud and now they are the last one standing from college hockey's new best conference...

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

If it weren't for this board and all the annoying Jan Brady stuff, I'd be cheering for the Huskies, I suppose.

Quinnipiac's been one of the best teams in the country (if not the best team in the country) for pretty much the whole season. Part of me likes the logic of them coming away with the title.

Not sure I can really get behind either of the other eastern teams in the FF. Lowell, in addition to being the team that embarrassed us, also gave off an annoying SCSU-esque Jan Brady vibe on the boards, which shamefully does color my perspective on the team. Plus, there's kind of a Harlan County vibe that the town of Lowell gives off. So I can' really cheer for them. And, as much fun as it would be to see all those downtrodden Yale folks finally have something go right in their lives, I guess I'm just not feeling it, even if they single-handedly eliminated our two worst enemies (okay, that does kind of make it a little bit of a sentimental favorite).

 

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

If it weren't for this board and all the annoying Jan Brady stuff, I'd be cheering for the Huskies, I suppose.

Quinnipiac's been one of the best teams in the country (if not the best team in the country) for pretty much the whole season. Part of me likes the logic of them coming away with the title.

Not sure I can really get behind either of the other eastern teams in the FF. Lowell, in addition to being the team that embarrassed us, also gave off an annoying SCSU-esque Jan Brady vibe on the boards, which shamefully does color my perspective on the team. Plus, there's kind of a Harlan County vibe that the town of Lowell gives off. So I can' really cheer for them. And, as much fun as it would be to see all those downtrodden Yale folks finally have something go right in their lives, I guess I'm just not feeling it, even if they single-handedly eliminated our two worst enemies (okay, that does kind of make it a little bit of a sentimental favorite).

Cheering for UML might be good only because it will p***off the BC, BU, Harvard and NE fans - especially the first two.

I'd like to find that TV clip from a few years ago when a Badger was in the penalty box jawing with a Q player, asking "what the ******* is a Quinnipiac?"

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Cheering for UML might be good only because it will p***off the BC, BU, Harvard and NE fans - especially the first two.

I'd like to find that TV clip from a few years ago when a Badger was in the penalty box jawing with a Q player, asking "what the ******* is a Quinnipiac?"

ha ha! that was Ryan Suter. It would be great to get a clip of that, it was hilarious

 

[TUSCHWI]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I think it's great. First time in a long time that there isn't a single team that would be personally painful (in a sports-hate way) for me if they won.


Wasn't the FF in 2008 Notre Dame, Michigan, BC & NoDak?

Ugh. I could barely watch as I wanted them all to lose.

I couldn't agree more. While I'll be rooting for Jan, there really aren't any of them I dislike. Watching Union punch BC in the mouth made my whole weekend. If I had to watch or listen to Barry M drool over how awesome BC and their Coach, Jack Sparrow, are...I'd puke. Go Jan!

 

[badgerhawk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

ha ha! that was Ryan Suter. It would be great to get a clip of that, it was hilarious

I thought it was Blake Geoffrion and he said "Where the hell is Quinnipiac anyway ?

 

[I Like the Badgers]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I’ve been feeling a bit glum since Friday and looking forward to next year is providing me with some optimism. The other way I’ve been distracting myself from the disappointment is thinking about what could have been. Specifically – what if none of the Badgers had left early the past two years and everyone stayed healthy (note - I’m not trying to make a dig on Eaves or the injustice of early departures ... just dreamin’). For some reason I find solace in thinking that this could have been our line-up this year:

Barnes – Zeng – Craig Smith
Michael “Baby Bull” Mersch – The General Lee – Kerds
LaBate – Woods – Jason Clark/MZul
Little – Dahl – Little
&
Justin S. on D

Can you imagine? Justin and Craig would have been unstoppable. The depth would have been amazing.

Next year's team looks awesome on paper. I thinking it would be really cool to win the B6's inagural regular season and tourney championships. This team can do it.[/QUOTE]