BringDeanBack Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Wheeler is doing quite well in the "Show" this year also, something nobody would have predicted based on his play at the UMN-TC. Something is wrong down there in regards to development. It is odd that a team starts off so well year after year, but tanks as the season goes on. Development does appear to be an issue. However, one has to wonder how someone like Wheeler can look so ordinary in college and then flick the switch and be a good player in the NHL. Also, guys like Irmen and R. Potulny were good college players, but I never got the feeling they got better during the time with the Gophs. Quote
AZSIOUX Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 they played well but their D and kangas are awful right now. they did have jump but arent clicking as a team right now which is very evident. uaa will take a game from them this weekend. kangas couldnt stop a beach ball right now and he has no help in front either. great recipe for failure Quote
Goon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 they played well but their D and kangas are awful right now. You're a lot more kind than I am. I compared their defenders to road cones or pylons. Also, it is funny to hear the Gophers fans calling for their back up untested goalie Patterson. I wasn't impressed with him when he played in Grand Forks, I would love watching him get lit up for a lot of goals as well. Quote
AZSIOUX Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 You're a lot more kind than I am. I compared their defenders to road cones or pylons. Also, it is funny to hear the Gophers fans calling for their back up untested goalie Patterson. I wasn't impressed with him when he played in Grand Forks, I would love watching him get lit up for a lot of goals as well. i thought patterson actually was very solid in the short time he played in grand forks along with others i talked to. way better than kangas (except 1st period friday) and getting thrown into a pack of wolves isnt easy. if i were a gopher fan and thank god and thank my grandpa that im not i would want to see kangas sitting for a night this coming weekend and probably friday, maybe it ignites him like it can do for a regular player. you never know. hes very shaky and very very shaky glove side right now. i love that the luciapet keeps running him out there as they are dropping like crazy in the pairwise but i agree with the gophers fans wanting patterson for just a game. not that hes better as we all know ak is ultra talented but the fact that maybe it sparks the team in front of him for a night as you can see its needed especially on the d saide of things. a bad night vs uaa and that can ruin ak overall for the season if hes not already shaken up by giving up 36 goals in his last 8 games or something like that Quote
The Whistler Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 i thought patterson actually was very solid in the short time he played in grand forks along with others i talked to. way better than kangas (except 1st period friday) and getting thrown into a pack of wolves isnt easy. if i were a gopher fan and thank god and thank my grandpa that im not i would want to see kangas sitting for a night this coming weekend and probably friday, maybe it ignites him like it can do for a regular player. you never know. hes very shaky and very very shaky glove side right now. i love that the luciapet keeps running him out there as they are dropping like crazy in the pairwise but i agree with the gophers fans wanting patterson for just a game. not that hes better as we all know ak is ultra talented but the fact that maybe it sparks the team in front of him for a night as you can see its needed especially on the d saide of things. a bad night vs uaa and that can ruin ak overall for the season if hes not already shaken up by giving up 36 goals in his last 8 games or something like that Grandpa got kicked out of the U of M, not only for life, but for all decendents as well? Quote
stickboy1956 Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Given: 1) They had pretty good jump this weekend. 2) They're coming into the soft part of their schedule. 3) Lucia has won two national titles there ... I think the whole sinking ship and poor coaching thing is somewhere between premature and off the mark. True - they have the talent to turn this around. Recent history suggests otherwise. Quote
Upper Deck Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 True - they have the talent to turn this around. Recent history suggests otherwise. There's still a lot of hockey left. They get AA at the John this weekend - I would say a 4pt weekend is a must for them to say the least. They also have the Final 5 in their backyard - and remember, they host the West Regional . . . and if comes down to UMtc or UND/UMD/etc making the tourney - guess who gets in. Quote
sagard Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 There's still a lot of hockey left. They get AA at the John this weekend - I would say a 4pt weekend is a must for them to say the least. They also have the Final 5 in their backyard - and remember, they host the West Regional . . . and if comes down to UMtc or UND/UMD/etc making the tourney - guess who gets in. PWR will decide who gets in like every year. The absolute most compelling reason to discount PWR and put CC (in the regional they would have hosted, I think you all remember it) into the field actually occured in 2004, but the NCAA went with straight PWR and CC stayed home. If the Gophers don't make the top 12-14 in PWR, they won't be in no matter how much we pay the refs. The Gophers need to hear the talk from the Don. Similar to last year they just aren't that great up front and need to make up for it with huge efforts in their own zone. Right now they aren't getting that effort. Last year they roughly nine periods with MSU where their NCAA lives were on the line, but managed to make the field thanks to Kangas. This years team is a potentially better than last years, but needs to come together and play all 200 feet every night from here out. The legs were willing both nights vs. UW, but the brains and goaltending wasn't where it needed to be. Quote
stickboy1956 Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Classic from GPL http://www.gopherpucklive.com/forum/viewto...art=200#p245232 Love the photo Quote
Goon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 There's still a lot of hockey left. They get AA at the John this weekend - I would say a 4pt weekend is a must for them to say the least. They also have the Final 5 in their backyard - and remember, they host the West Regional . . . and if comes down to UMtc or UND/UMD/etc making the tourney - guess who gets in. If UMN isn't ahead of UND and UMD in the PWR they don't get in. That's the way it goes. Quote
Goon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 i thought patterson actually was very solid in the short time he played in grand forks along with others i talked to. way better than kangas (except 1st period friday) and getting thrown into a pack of wolves isnt easy. if i were a gopher fan and thank god and thank my grandpa that im not i would want to see kangas sitting for a night this coming weekend and probably friday, maybe it ignites him like it can do for a regular player. you never know. hes very shaky and very very shaky glove side right now. i love that the luciapet keeps running him out there as they are dropping like crazy in the pairwise but i agree with the gophers fans wanting patterson for just a game. not that hes better as we all know ak is ultra talented but the fact that maybe it sparks the team in front of him for a night as you can see its needed especially on the d saide of things. a bad night vs uaa and that can ruin ak overall for the season if hes not already shaken up by giving up 36 goals in his last 8 games or something like that When Patterson was here I thought his flashy glove was a little over the top. He was waving it around like he was an all American. I don't think it matters who the Goofs play in net. Their defense is poor. Quote
Let'sGoHawks! Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 When Patterson was here I thought his flashy glove was a little over the top. He was waving it around like he was an all American. I don't think it matters who the Goofs play in net. Their defense is poor. The funny part, after that save, a gopher defenseman went over to Patterson and patted him on the head, said something that I assume went like: nice save kid, but check out the scoreboard, like the energy, but settle down. Quote
Big A HG Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 When Patterson was here I thought his flashy glove was a little over the top. He was waving it around like he was an all American. I don't think it matters who the Goofs play in net. Their defense is poor. I can't say I have a problem with this considering we all saw JPL's antics (which were only funny at the time) for 2 full seasons. On multple occassions, JPL even took some batting practice during games with the puck, and it almost cost us on a play last year. Quote
AZSIOUX Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Grandpa got kicked out of the U of M, not only for life, but for all decendents as well? nah just lucky his side of the family is from g-forks becoming a sioux fan Quote
AZSIOUX Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 When Patterson was here I thought his flashy glove was a little over the top. He was waving it around like he was an all American. I don't think it matters who the Goofs play in net. Their defense is poor. nothing that we havent ever seen jpl was wayyy over the top on every glove save actually very funny to watch. you are correct their d is very poor but kangas also seems in a major funk as well and he keeps getting put out there. fine with us sioux fans Quote
Bob in Wisconsin Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 If UMN isn't ahead of UND and UMD in the PWR they don't get in. That's the way it goes. Wasn't it last year that there was some controversy over Wisconsin getting in the Madison regional instead of Mankato? I may be wrong, but I thought some felt it was due to attendance concerns ($$$) and both teams being 16th in the PWR? Quote
Big A HG Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Wasn't it last year that there was some controversy over Wisconsin getting in the Madison regional instead of Mankato? I may be wrong, but I thought some felt it was due to attendance concerns ($$$) and both teams being 16th in the PWR? It was pure PWR/RPI. Quote
Goon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Wasn't it last year that there was some controversy over Wisconsin getting in the Madison regional instead of Mankato? I may be wrong, but I thought some felt it was due to attendance concerns ($$$) and both teams being 16th in the PWR? IIRC it was pure power and MSU-M losing to the UNO Mavericks twice kept them out of the tourney. I also heard that ND was the last team in the tourney. In fact UW staying home and not going to the Final Five helped them make the NCAA tourney. I maybe wrong but it wasn't political. It was pure PWR/RPI numbers. Quote
Goon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 The funny part, after that save, a gopher defenseman went over to Patterson and patted him on the head, said something that I assume went like: nice save kid, but check out the scoreboard, like the energy, but settle down. Yep I caught that too. I would love to see him get lit up as well. Its the defense. Wait till this weekend when UAA takes a piece out of the Gophers. It is going to be fun to watch the debris in MPLS. Quote
sprig Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 IIRC it was pure power and MSU-M losing to the UNO Mavericks twice kept them out of the tourney. I also heard that ND was the last team in the tourney. In fact UW staying home and not going to the Final Five helped them make the NCAA tourney. I maybe wrong but it wasn't political. It was pure PWR/RPI numbers. You're right, it was based on PWR; the controversy was that Wisco got in with an under .500 record. Quote
siouxweet Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 IIRC it was pure power and MSU-M losing to the UNO Mavericks twice kept them out of the tourney. I also heard that ND was the last team in the tourney. In fact UW staying home and not going to the Final Five helped them make the NCAA tourney. I maybe wrong but it wasn't political. It was pure PWR/RPI numbers. I think you are correct as wisc ended up a 3 seed and nd was the last team in as a 4 seed. if princeton wouldn't have won the ecac I think mankato would have got in. Quote
sagard Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Wasn't it last year that there was some controversy over Wisconsin getting in the Madison regional instead of Mankato? I may be wrong, but I thought some felt it was due to attendance concerns ($$$) and both teams being 16th in the PWR? It was only from a fairness standpoint. MSU had a better record, won the season series, and won the comparison vs. UW. Unfortunately they lost tight comparisons with ND, Princeton and NM, which allowed UW to jump up in PWR. Quote
Bob in Wisconsin Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 You're right, it was based on PWR; the controversy was that Wisco got in with an under .500 record. ah yes, you're right, now I remember, thanks. Quote
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