Gophers v Penn State 10 & 11 November 2022

[Gophers1992]

"Way worse start" last year...

7-5 last year
8-4 this year

The team with the most talent in the country is coming to town.

Well with how much talent that team has they surely would never lose to a team like Penn State

 

[bonin21]

Correction, going to Yost

 

[bonin21]

Tougher schedule this year. We absolutely should be better than 8-4, but none of our losses are terrible losses.

Prove this. I am thinking at this time last year the Gophers had a top 3 SOS.

Gophers have already had two terrible losses this year. Losses due to piss poor effort.

Basically, the start to the seasons has been about the same.

 

[Gophers1992]

Maybe you’re right with the numbers, I’ll take your word for it. But PSU and OSU look to be better this year than last year. Certainly games we should win, but calling them terrible losses is a stretch. The loss to UND was the most inexcusable IMO. This team has definitely left some meat on the bone so far, but to my eyes they look better than last year and I think better days are ahead. For the most part under Motzko this has been a better second half team.

Prove this. I am thinking at this time last year the Gophers had a top 3 SOS.

Gophers have already had two terrible losses this year. Losses due to piss poor effort.

Basically, the start to the seasons has been about the same.

 

[Crosby]

Prove this. I am thinking at this time last year the Gophers had a top 3 SOS.

Gophers have already had two terrible losses this year. Losses due to piss poor effort.

Basically, the start to the seasons has been about the same.

Man, the negative vibes here... Two losses to teams ranked in the Top 10 are "terrible?" I was not impressed with the effort there either but come on. You have to be blind to watch Ohio State and Penn State and not say they are pretty good. This season has gone about as well as many expected. Young players, lots of talent, and it will take a little while to figure it out. If I get frustrated with something, it's the cutesy extra pass that we always want to make. Need some blue collar, northern MN style goals occasionally.

 

[bonin21]

Nothing to panic about. Just said the starts have been about the same.

Next weekend is going to really tell a lot.

 

[BradDad]

Was at the Friday game. Penn State packed it in pretty good against us, made it difficult to get any shots through. Kids kept after it & finally got it done.

Close is solid in goal. There are a few kids - Knies in particular - who are very good.

Power play is too much station-to-station for my taste, too much "catch, stick handle, then shoot." Gives opposing G time to get squared up to where the shot will come from.

Caveats to that . . . .

• Living in Florida, I watch a lot of TB Lightning hockey. Very used to seeing the puck move around to set up one-timers. Thing is, those guys (NHL players) are best in the world at what they do, you'd expect their skills to be more developed.
• Gophers DID try to set up a one-timer on a few occasions. Guys kept fanning the shot / getting nothing on it. Obviously, it's more difficult than the best make it look.

 

[bonin21]

Lack of players that can take a one timer has been a known, and baffling, issue for years now. These are D1 players and it seems like they have not been taught or focused on it at all. Watch a power play like St Cloud and you'll see the difference it makes when you have many players that can launch a one time bomb. It even applies five on five. They always have big D men that can launch bombs from the point.

Big shot - Rebound - Goal

Thankfully we finally have Snuggerud who has an NHL shot and great one timer. Cooley and a few others try but none are great at it. Pitlick, Faber, and Chesley come to mind as at least being able to connect for the most part. At least they're trying more this year. But you still see a lot of whiffs.

 

[Gophers1992]

Lack of players that can take a one timer has been a known, and baffling, issue for years now. These are D1 players and it seems like they have not been taught or focused on it at all. Watch a power play like St Cloud and you'll see the difference it makes when you have many players that can launch a one time bomb. It even applies five on five. They always have big D men that can launch bombs from the point.

Big shot - Rebound - Goal

Thankfully we finally have Snuggerud who has an NHL shot and great one timer. Cooley and a few others try but none are great at it. Pitlick, Faber, and Chesley come to mind as at least being able to connect for the most part. At least they're trying more this year. But you still see a lot of whiffs.

Their PP% is 0.94% higher than ours.

 

[bonin21]

My point is they run (and most other NCHC teams, Michigan, etc.) run a pro style PP where there is a focus on getting shots on net and looking for rebounds, not this wait wait wait thing the Gophers often do.

21-22: SCSU 1st, UMN 22nd
20-21: SCSU 16th, UMN 33rd
19-20: SCSU 33rd, UMN 43rd
18-19: SCSU 7th, UMN 8th
17-18: SCSU 12th, UMN 52nd