Minnesota @ UND Saturday GameDay Thread

[brianvf]

Seems a bit more optimism after tonight.   
Close for MN made a ton of point blank saves tonight...it could have been a much more lopsided score.
Great to get the win and finish our B10 OOC record at 2-1.  Those wins over UW and UMN will be great for PWR down the road.

Moving on to Mankato.  Got to keep that momentum rolling from tonight and play similar. 
MSUM is sitting at 2-2...swept a somewhat struggling SCSU team and got swept by UMass.  They allowed a PPG each night against UMass...maybe we can finally break that seal and get the PP rolling again.

[tnt]

15 minutes ago, brianvf said:

Seems a bit more optimism after tonight.   
Close for MN made a ton of point blank saves tonight...it could have been a much more lopsided score.
Great to get the win and finish our B10 OOC record at 2-1.  Those wins over UW and UMN will be great for PWR down the road.

Moving on to Mankato.  Got to keep that momentum rolling from tonight and play similar. 
MSUM is sitting at 2-2...swept a somewhat struggling SCSU team and got swept by UMass.  They allowed a PPG each night against UMass...maybe we can finally break that seal and get the PP rolling again.

Got to put a big rivalry win to the side and sweep Minnesota State, so we have momentum going into BU series.

[burd]

Two of our big scoring guns, Blake and Gaber, seem to be among the biggest celebrators when others score, which is an intangible I like.  

[Oxbow6]

Lots of new faces on this team but through 4 games Ludvig is the get this team needed.

[Oxbow6]

Emerson needs a consistent spot in the lineup. 

Strinden needs more ice time.

IMO those two on wings with Schmaltz at the center spot is a great 2 way 3rd line.

Schmaltz was moved and was centering his line with McLaughlin on a wing after about a period and change.

Wiebe took a big step last night. Thought he was terrific.

The big guns need to bury the puck. 

 

[Parkers Pros]

Minnesota is for real. Close is as good as advertised and their speed is ridiculous!  That being said, I am sure that’s the same thing they are thinking about us. And I think we’ll only get better!  Great atmosphere great win! Loved the salute. Everyone stayed and expected it…

[shep]

Not sure if this is the place to request this, but I want to see the Hrcac one more shift. Did not see it on YouTube.

[Goon]

10 hours ago, siouxforce19 said:

he definitely came back because he took a penalty after that blocked shot. 

He tried coming back but must have been pretty banged up. 

Quote

 

Bennett Zmolek, UND's time on ice leader through the first three games, was injured blocking a shot and didn't come back.

"It was a hard shot," Berry said. "If anybody knows Bennett Zmolek, he tried to come back, and if you don't come back in the game, he must have been really hurting. He's played through that a little bit this year."

 

 

[jk]

Key takeaway for me is that the two teams are pretty even, which is a big step up from last year, when they decidedly weren't.  Last year's split was a gift from the hockey gods, as MN had the puck much of the weekend, but this year UND matched them in possession and chances.  

[Kevin G]

Just a few incredible thoughts:

• Albrecht was really impressive amongst the forwards last night. He hustles so hard. Plays physical. Like old-time Sioux hockey.
• Zmolek, when he was out there, was really impressive amongst the defenseman. Please heal fast.
• Persson. So glad he portalled up from the beaches of Miami.
• There was total commitment in the defensive zone. So many sticks in passing lanes to break up legitimate scoring opportunities for Minny. That's how this team needs to play if it wants to reach its potential. Loved it. 
• PP is total barf right now. Like, it's gonna take all year to get back to decent percentage. But the silver lining: nowhere to go but up.
• None of the freshmen defensemen look out of place.

[thUNDer]

Minny will go as far as their 26 yr old Canadian will take them. He should be put on the Mexican border, amazing!

GPL abound with Kudos to our announcers & Midco production in general

[Oxbow6]

5 minutes ago, Kevin G said:

Just a few incredible thoughts:

• Albrecht was really impressive amongst the forwards last night. He hustles so hard. Plays physical. Like old-time Sioux hockey.
• Zmolek, when he was out there, was really impressive amongst the defenseman. Please heal fast.
• Persson. So glad he portalled up from the beaches of Miami.
• There was total commitment in the defensive zone. So many sticks in passing lanes to break up legitimate scoring opportunities for Minny. That's how this team needs to play if it wants to reach its potential. Loved it. 
• PP is total barf right now. Like, it's gonna take all year to get back to decent percentage. But the silver lining: nowhere to go but up.
• None of the freshmen defensemen look out of place.

As bad as Albrecht was Friday he was as good last night. Kudos to him. 

[Godsmack]

59 minutes ago, jk said:

Key takeaway for me is that the two teams are pretty even, which is a big step up from last year, when they decidedly weren't.  Last year's split was a gift from the hockey gods, as MN had the puck much of the weekend, but this year UND matched them in possession and chances.  

Agreed. Alex reminded the viewer this weekend about how UND was only 70 seconds away from sweeping the Gophers last year but if we’re being honest with ourselves, Minnesota dominated play for much of that weekend. If not for cashing in on timely power plays and DeRitter saving our bacon, things probably would’ve been different.

This year’s UND team looks faster, deeper offensively and much more responsible defednzively.

[Godsmack]

43 minutes ago, Kevin G said:

Just a few incredible thoughts:

• Albrecht was really impressive amongst the forwards last night. He hustles so hard. Plays physical. Like old-time Sioux hockey.
• Zmolek, when he was out there, was really impressive amongst the defenseman. Please heal fast.
• Persson. So glad he portalled up from the beaches of Miami.
• There was total commitment in the defensive zone. So many sticks in passing lanes to break up legitimate scoring opportunities for Minny. That's how this team needs to play if it wants to reach its potential. Loved it. 
• PP is total barf right now. Like, it's gonna take all year to get back to decent percentage. But the silver lining: nowhere to go but up.
• None of the freshmen defensemen look out of place.

To your fourth point about defensive commitment and sticks in lanes, was that Schmaltz who got a critical poke check on a Gopher player in the dying seconds of last night’s game that prevented them from getting a grade A shot off? Whoever it was, it was a huge defensive play! 

[Godsmack]

Any chatter from Gopher fans about the officiating last night? I think we had 6 power plays to their 2. Lots of tripping calls made. I do know the Gophers got away with a hook on Blake during a second period UND power play that would’ve given us a 5 on 3. It was so obvious too and right in front of the ref. Stick up high around Blake’s neck area as he was marching toward the net with the puck. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

The difference between last years series and this is I didn’t see the panic in the d zone with this team. So many times last season a defender would get pressured and throw the pass to the point for the opponents defender or worse up the middle. There’s a lot more taking time to find an outlet pass this year. Also, my buddy made the point that zmolek was the only guy consistently getting pucks through traffic, he’s gonna be fun to watch I think. Keep in mind he didn’t play all last season so he’s still finding his legs. 

[Godsmack]

Clearly this fan didn’t bother to check and see that Justin Close is 2 months older than Hunter Johannes. Both are 25 years old. 

[Godsmack]

Trolling GPL, Gopher fans have pegged Blake as the next Robbie Earl. Lots of comments about how he takes dives and how that won’t work at the NHL level. Fun reading. 

[siouxforce19]

22 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

Any chatter from Gopher fans about the officiating last night? I think we had 6 power plays to their 2. Lots of tripping calls made. I do know the Gophers got away with a hook on Blake during a second period UND power play that would’ve given us a 5 on 3. It was so obvious too and right in front of the ref. Stick up high around Blake’s neck area as he was marching toward the net with the puck. 

Yes they are complaining about it. Every one of their penalties was a dive apparently… 

They thought on Friday that when Logan Britt was cross checked into the goal post that that was a dive. Which is absolutely ridiculous. 

[tnt]

39 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

Agreed. Alex reminded the viewer this weekend about how UND was only 70 seconds away from sweeping the Gophers last year but if we’re being honest with ourselves, Minnesota dominated play for much of that weekend. If not for cashing in on timely power plays and DeRitter saving our bacon, things probably would’ve been different.

This year’s UND team looks faster, deeper offensively and much more responsible defednzively.

There have been many times where UND has looked totally lost and hesitant on the large pond at Mariucci.  If you are hesitant against that kind of speed on that ice surface, you’re going to always be chasing rather than be on the offensive.  Thankfully, when the rivalry renews, that won’t be an issue anymore.   On the other hand, Minnesota won’t have to make as much of a transition when it comes to tournament time.

[siouxfaninseattle]

I noticed in the Herald article on Hrkac that he played at UND in 84-85 and 86-87. What happened to 85-86?

[tnt]

3 minutes ago, siouxfaninseattle said:

I noticed in the Herald article on Hrkac that he played at UND in 84-85 and 86-87. What happened to 85-86?

Canadian National team.

[Brett0909]

Two top teams with a ton of speed, I thought UND managed to stay very disciplined and surprisingly structured (given all the roster turnover). Only taking two penalties, and one of those being a clear even-up, is a huge improvement over the chasing, reaching, and panic penalties that plagued the team last year. Talk about a fun start to the season. 

I can’t fully argue that there’s some gamesmanship going on with Blake making sure the refs see he’s being tripped or hooked. They were all good calls in my eyes, but suspect he could’ve skated through one or two..but while I thought the refs missed a few overall, I appreciated them letting the guys play on both sides…each team had some collisions with goalies, etc but they kept the game under control.

Also have to say I wasn’t sure what to make out of the coaching decisions on roster last year and heading into this. Great to see the team is just getting to work and aren’t nearly as worried as I was!

[petey23]

36 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

Any chatter from Gopher fans about the officiating last night? I think we had 6 power plays to their 2. Lots of tripping calls made. I do know the Gophers got away with a hook on Blake during a second period UND power play that would’ve given us a 5 on 3. It was so obvious too and right in front of the ref. Stick up high around Blake’s neck area as he was marching toward the net with the puck. 

When one team has the puck almost the entire second period penalties on the team trying to get it are likely to happen.

[farce poobah]

Minnesota forechecked hard, bringing two guys in deep and trying to force the turnover.   (Which was a strategy that worked last year for many teams against us.)   Already this year, we're showing excellent awareness of where teammates are, and making good choices in our own zone.   For the most part, and especially in the first period, we cleared our own zone effectively and that speed in transition was a key part of our success last night. 

A sign of good team chemistry. Count me as very happy to see that.