#1/1 Gophers vs #7/7 Fighting Hawks

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bonin21

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Friday 10/21 @ 7PM (Bally Sports North Extra aka FSN+)
Saturday 10/22 @ 7PM (Bally Sports North aka FSN)

The Gophers are #1 in the polls for the first time since 1/11/21.

The last time UND visited Mariucci it was a flat out disaster. At that time UND was 10-1-2 and the Gophers were unranked. There was more green than maroon/gold in the arena and I expect the same this weekend, unfortunately. The Gophers will need to come out fast and getting the first goal would be important to take the highly annoying visiting crowd out of it. Justen Close actually played the last six minutes of the first game in 2019 after LaFontaine gave up 5 and Moe gave up 4. UND is coming off of giving up 11 goals to Quinnipiac at the Ralph. They will be ticked off and fired up.

On paper a split is by far most likely. Gophers can definitely sweep if they play a solid 120 minutes, though. The defense will need to shut down EP's Jackson Blake and Riese Gaber as they are the two most dangerous UND forwards. I would like to see Cooley have a bigger impact than Blake in the freshman vs. freshman battle.

This is the biggest rivalry for Gopher hockey. Big Ten apologists deny it, but during every series they interview the players and they say the same thing. badger hockey sucking is one reason that rivalry remains in 2nd.

Motzko's record against UND:
10/27/2018​
North Dakota1-3LOrleans Arena, NV
11/28/2019​
North Dakota3-9L3M Arena at Mariucci, MN
11/29/2019​
North Dakota2-3L3M Arena at Mariucci, MN
11/26/2021​
North Dakota5-1WRalph Engelstad Arena, ND
11/27/2021​
North Dakota2-3LRalph Engelstad Arena, ND
 
Last edited:

bonin21 said:
Friday 10/21 @ 7PM (Bally Sports North Extra aka FSN+)
Saturday 10/22 @ 7PM (Bally Sports North aka FSN)

The Gophers are #1 in the polls for the first time since 1/11/21.

The last time UND visited Mariucci it was a flat out disaster. At that time UND was 10-1-2 and the Gophers were unranked. There was more green than maroon/gold in the arena and I expect the same this weekend, unfortunately. The Gophers will need to come out fast and getting the first goal would be important to take the highly annoying visiting crowd out of it. Justen Close actually played the last six minutes of the first game in 2019 after LaFontaine gave up 5 and Moe gave up 4. UND is coming off of giving up 11 goals to Quinnipiac at the Ralph. They will be ticked off and fired up.

On paper a split is by far most likely. Gophers can definitely sweep if they play a solid 120 minutes, though. The defense will need to shut down EP's Jackson Blake and Riese Gaber as they are the two most dangerous UND forwards. I would like to see Cooley have a bigger impact than Blake in the freshman vs. freshman battle.

This is the biggest rivalry for Gopher hockey. Big Ten apologists deny it, but during every series they interview the players and they say the same thing. badger hockey sucking is one reason that rivalry remains in 2nd.

Motzko's record against UND:
10/27/2018​
North Dakota1-3LOrleans Arena, NV
11/28/2019​
North Dakota3-9L3M Arena at Mariucci, MN
11/29/2019​
North Dakota2-3L3M Arena at Mariucci, MN
11/26/2021​
North Dakota5-1WRalph Engelstad Arena, ND
11/27/2021​
North Dakota2-3LRalph Engelstad Arena, ND
Click to expand...
I have never heard anyone deny this, B10 or not.
 

Anyway, to the topic at hand. I said in another thread and will say it again. We are the better team, and a sweep is a reasonable expectation. A split is acceptable albeit disappointing. UND is sloppy on the back end and Cooley/Knies/Snuggerud/Pitlick/Huglen should be able to exploit that. They have some high flying forwards but if our D plays the way they can, we can contain them. Need the good version of Close this weekend as well. Let's send those hillbillies back to GF disappointed.
 





Ignatius L Hoops said:
To me, it remains the Badgers. I don't give North Dakota a second thought outside the hockey season.
Click to expand...
Well yeah I don't care about UND football or basketball, but on the ice they are rival #1 by a good margin.

If the debate is whether I hate badger football or Fighting Hawk hockey more, that's a close call.
 

Wouldn't mind seeing Staudacher get in the mix this weekend to bring some experience and size. Ideally we have a consistent pair with:
Johnson/Faber
Staudacher/Lacombe
Chesley/Koster
Extra: Mittelstadt or Thomas
 

Staudacher is an ok d man, but I'd rather put out the more talented freshmen and have them grow and develop so they are the guys getting important minutes at the end of the year.
 



I agree his physicality would help in this series, but I would have thought he'd have gotten at least one game by now.
 

Physicality is great and all, but I'll take the guys with more skill and talent 10/10 times. Faber can be a physical player when he needs to be, but we don't always see it because when he's on the ice we usually possess the puck.
 

Gophers1992 said:
Physicality is great and all, but I'll take the guys with more skill and talent 10/10 times. Faber can be a physical player when he needs to be, but we don't always see it because when he's on the ice we usually possess the puck.
Click to expand...
I get that but also I think having a guy with 90+ games played including 4 against UND could make a difference. Also I think we have enough skill that taking out Thomas or L. Mittelstadt wouldn't be a huge loss.
 

Yes, especially considering Staudacher could be the 7th D and only go out as needed. If there is one series all year you could use him, it's this one. If he doesn't play I'm not sure he'll see a game outside of injuries/Chesley to WJC.
 



I'm a little surprised Staudacher didn't hit the transfer portal this offseason, but glad to have the depth.
 

game will be fast and physical. gotta be ready to go from the front. arena should be electric
 

Hawks just laid an egg Saturday night against Quinnipiac losing 6-2. They will be eager to try and get that taste out of their mouths
 

Are we sure this isn't the UND Bisons? (From the football forum).
 

Whioux fans have decided to convene at Sally's before both games. If you know any students tell them to hit the pregame EARLY and in numbers at Sally's to make it a very crowded and annoying experience for the least respectful fan base in college hockey.
 

bonin21 said:
Whioux fans have decided to convene at Sally's before both games. If you know any students tell them to hit the pregame EARLY and in numbers at Sally's to make it a very crowded and annoying experience for the least respectful fan base in college hockey.
Click to expand...
Someone on GPL posted and I agree this is a surefire way for some 43 year old UND fan to start a fight with some college kids.
 

That's fine, just expose their immaturity.
 

bonin21 said:
That's fine, just expose their immaturity.
Click to expand...
That's not really a smart mentality these days. I would do anything in my power to avoid a physical confrontation, too many negative outcomes (charged with crime, civil lawsuit, somebody pulls a knife/gun, get jumped by their buddies, etc.). Things have changed.
 

The point is get to the bar early and in numbers to make it uncomfortable. Not to provoke or even necessarily interact with much.
 

Yeah I was half joking about the fighting but if any fan base is prone to starting a stupid fight it's those guys. Nastiest fan base in sports IMO.
 

Gophers1992 said:
Yeah I was half joking about the fighting but if any fan base is prone to starting a stupid fight it's those guys. Nastiest fan base in sports IMO.
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You haven’t been to Philadelphia have you?
 

I’ve always had a good time with Wioux fans. Yes they have assholes but what fanbase doesn’t. Hell Duluth fans are worse from my experiences over the years
 

Gophers1992 said:
Well yeah I don't care about UND football or basketball, but on the ice they are rival #1 by a good margin.

If the debate is whether I hate badger football or Fighting Hawk hockey more, that's a close call.
Click to expand...
Hawks for sure.
 


Yes. They travel better than any other college hockey team. But there are also a lot of them that live in the Twin Cities and Denver (aka places someone would want to live) so those games look extra taken over.

There will be a ton of Whioux fans. I expect 3500-4000 in the arena, and about 5000-5500 Gopher fans there. I don't expect a full 10K tickets scanned.

The students will keep it from being a majority, which I had previously mentioned and had happened because they were on break.
 

TRF Guy said:
I’ve always had a good time with Wioux fans. Yes they have assholes but what fanbase doesn’t. Hell Duluth fans are worse from my experiences over the years
Click to expand...
Every fan base has assholes, but they have more than most. That's always a lazy defense to use. UMD fans are terrible too I agree.
 

Both games are sold out and with student overflow sales, both announced attendances should be above 10,000. Hoping for 9,000 bodies in the arena, 8,500 probably about as low as it'd be.

Hopefully students are aware standing in non student sections will not fly so no need to even try if any non student is behind you.
 

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