Was at the game tonite. Looked like SCSU was ready to start the game and UMD was not. UMD's defense, well, let me stop right there. What defense? Ziggy was left out to dry all night long. One goal he should have stopped but his boys didn't clear the puck in a scrum either. I don't know how SCSU only had 9 shots on goal for the first couple of periods the way UMD's defense was playing.
SCSU was all over UMD in the first, but UMD did do a good job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone for most of the 2nd period, but they couldn't capitalize.
SCSU did a good job of keeping UMD away from the front of the net, keeping the puck on the perimeter, and not allowing shots to get through to the net. UMD did get off a couple of shots that Goepfert never saw, unfortunately for them they weren't on net. At the end of the 2nd period SCSU woke up and decided to play and they carried that over into the 3rd period and that was pretty much that.
I was really disappointed in Niskanen. IMO he didn't allow opposing forwards enough room and got beat numerous times. He had trouble handling the puck and looked tentative on the ice. Hopefully its a matter of strength and maturity and he'll come on for the Dogs in the future.
Gergen and Raymond looked pretty good, as did Stapleton, who was probably UMD's best player all night long.
SCSU did a good job on the PK. They play pretty high in the zone and pressure the puck. Seemed like they had 3 guys working the perimeter so UMD had little time to set anything up. On the other side of the rink, UMD seemed to work a smaller box and allowed SCSU to work the perimeter at will, but still made it difficult to work it in close, except for the WIDE open cross ice pass for the PP goal SCSU scored early in the game. That passing lane was SO wide open I think Potulny would have scored 2 goals off that pass.
SCSU was opportunistic, but I don't think MN will have that much trouble with them. Goepfert will need the game of his life tomorrow night I suspect.
A question on Goepfert. My comrades and I were wondering, with his black pads, does he get a few extra quick whistles because the ref loses the puck in his equipment? Might not be a bad strategy.