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National Championship.


flatspin7

Who Will Win?  

67 members have voted

  1. 1. Who Will Win?

    • U of M
      35
    • UNH
      23


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I must throw support behing the WCHA team on this one. I know I was sitting on the fence for a while but after watching UNH play I really don't like them. Even though we all know damn well that 2 minutes after the gopher fans sober up after the national championship game they will be here knocking the Sioux for not being there.

The U of M/ U of M game was really back and forth good game, really could have gone either way but Vanek caught Montoya a little off guard and put a bad angle shot passed him.

I think we are in for a good game on saturday.

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Flatspin,

Just so I don't become one of those Gopher fans you hate, I promise not to sober up. Then you won't have to listen to my ramblings. :)

I don't hate gopher fans. I think they (most of them) provide some good conversation. I just dont like the ones that come here with the sole purpose of lighting fires. I am just bracing for the onslaught of overly jubilant Gopher fans. I am not saying that we would not do the same thing if the situations were reversed, but I know its coming.

Good luck. ;)

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from what i could tell...UNH plays dirty hockey....i didnt get to see the game, but i saw highlights and stuff, and i don't like UNH. i watched the game when the Gophers tied UNH earlier in the season, and i really, really don't like how they play. i hope the gophers kick their butts, and send them home w/o a championship. but i think that the Gophers will come out stronger saturday than they did today, because now they have all some experience, and i don't think they want to get caught behind 2-0 again, especially with Ayers in net.

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from what i could tell...UNH plays dirty hockey....i didnt get to see the game, but i saw highlights and stuff, and i don't like UNH. i watched the game when the Gophers tied UNH earlier in the season, and i really, really don't like how they play. i hope the gophers kick their butts, and send them home w/o a championship. but i think that the Gophers will come out stronger saturday than they did today, because now they have all some experience, and i don't think they want to get caught behind 2-0 again, especially with Ayers in net.

Its called hockey, not every team plays the same style of play...

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from what i could tell...UNH plays dirty hockey....i didnt get to see the game, but i saw highlights and stuff, and i don't like UNH. i watched the game when the Gophers tied UNH earlier in the season, and i really, really don't like how they play. i hope the gophers kick their butts, and send them home w/o a championship. but i think that the Gophers will come out stronger saturday than they did today, because now they have all some experience, and i don't think they want to get caught behind 2-0 again, especially with Ayers in net.

It is funny that two Gopher fans could have two opposite opinions. In October, I thought both teams played wide open hockey. All season, I thought UNH was the best team the Gophers played. Now Michigan may be that team, they really seemed to be in control of the game.

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It is funny that two Gopher fans could have two opposite opinions. In October, I thought both teams played wide open hockey. All season, I thought UNH was the best team the Gophers played. Now Michigan may be that team, they really seemed to be in control of the game.

Out of all the teams MN played this year, I still consider CC the best opponent overall. Michigan played us well and UNH is a pretty good team but I don't feel either of them is as scary as CC was at their peak as far as an overall team. The only problem that CC seemed to run into was that they weren't playing their best hockey as a collective team when it counted the most and they seemed to tighten up and not play as well when the stakes got higher.

I have respect for UNH. They have a darn good team. But I feel good about MN's chances to win on Saturday night.

I really hope Gopher fans won't come on this board (or any other team's board) and rub it in anybody's face if they do repeat as champs.

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I really hope Gopher fans won't come on this board (or any other team's board) and rub it in anybody's face if they do repeat as champs.

I could not agree any more with this statement. It's ok to woof on POI or Jupiter's POI Lite, but here it's not cool.

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Having watched both semis, they should have re-seeded the tournament. (Highest PWR Cornell vs lowest Michigan; UNH vs Minnesota)

I believe I watched a championship game in National Semifinal #2.

I believe Saturday night will bear that out.

CC at their peak this year probably would have gotten all of them, but you need to peak in March and April, not February.

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I don't think you can compare the 4 teams by watching the semis, they were completely different types of games.

That being said I think the Gophers are the favorite because of more forward talent and the play of Weber. Although I don't think Minnesota can afford to slog through the opening period again.

I think the more highly touted goaltender stumbled in each game. As Sica mentioned in another thread, Montoya was asleep on Vanek's OT winner (which was a beaut). On UNH's game winner (scored in the 2nd), I thought LeNeveu got caught looking away from the puck.

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The possible way I think UNH could win is if their aggressive, physical defense can keep Minnesota from carrying the puck to the net, and leave them dumping and chasing. The ideal UNH battle plan should involve keeping UMN under 25-30 shots. Clearly Ayers being on his game could magnify that problem dramatically.

"Wait, Jim," you say? "Wasn't Minnesota tested just recently against a similar team in Ferris St?" Not a bit -- Ferris was thuggy, but they were SLLOOOWWW. The Gophers had plenty of room to just skate around the backcheck (think of how many times that happened). I don't think UNH is quite that slow and I don't think the Gophers will quite have the room.

So how does Minnesota win in this situation? Plenty of ways -- be willing to move the puck through traffic in the zone, or put up a mighty defensive effort and hold UNH to a couple goals. The UNH offense wasn't particularly impressive yesterday (the only time I've seen them play), but I don't how much of that was the mighty Cornell D.

Keep in mind that I've seen UNH play one opponent who is very different from UMN. However, if UNH plays like they did on Thursady, I'd be surprised if Minnesota won this game on forechecks or breakaways. It's always interesting to see a finesse team clash with an aggressive D, and very tough to predict the outcome.

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UND hockey is every bit the program that Minnesota is. Both schools have enviable hockey programs. Your time will come again. But now, it's the Gopher's time. It runs in cycles, folks. We need all the karma we can get. Let's keep the national title in the west! And, I will not come on this board (if we win) and spew garbage, just as I hope no one from this board will come on to POI and spew garbage if we lose. :)

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"Wait, Jim," you say? "Wasn't Minnesota tested just recently against a similar team in Ferris St?" Not a bit -- Ferris was thuggy, but they were SLLOOOWWW. The Gophers had plenty of room to just skate around the backcheck (think of how many times that happened). I don't think UNH is quite that slow and I don't think the Gophers will quite have the room.

FSU/Minnesota was on the glacier called Mariucci. This will be on NHL ice. That might actually work in UNH's favor more than Minnesota's.

Still, I'm not sure UNH has the depth. Add on no Gare (shoulder) and a dinged Ayers and Minnesota seems to have things leaning their way.

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UND hockey is every bit the program that Minnesota is. Both schools have enviable hockey programs. Your time will come again. But now, it's the Gopher's time. It runs in cycles, folks. We need all the karma we can get. Let's keep the national title in the west! And, I will not come on this board (if we win) and spew garbage, just as I hope no one from this board will come on to POI and spew garbage if we lose. :)

How can we, it's been shut down!

Just kidding. I would hope that wouldn't happen either.

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