Gophers 26-27 season

Long time member, haven't posted in years...hurricane in Florida decimated life for awhile.

Both watched and listened to both games, since that seems to matter...lol

First thought that came to my mind is unfortunately, Clemson...easy to get lost in college sports very quickly if you don't keep with the times.

No idea if we're a .500 team for F4. No one does. 

I was looking forward to seeing what I had head was the new path, "hard in the corners, battles, hard to play against." Didn't see that...saw a lot of lifts/punts in our d-zone...

we are not uber talented. 

goalie was good...

Sky is neither falling nor rising.

I can imagine improvement coming, but this season schedule is front loaded, better get better pretty quick...

I, like most, will never get over 2023 Q Natty game...I think a lot of my frustration with the team is really just wanting that last 3 minutes back, and that's not how life works...

besides, Minnesota is a football school now! Today is the best day of my life, Row the Boat, SKI U Mah, and go gophers!  Lol 

Quote: Vegas Gopher

I, like most, will never get over 2023 Q Natty game...I think a lot of my frustration with the team is really just wanting that last 3 minutes back, and that's not how life works...

that day I was in the rural Philippines for my cousin's wedding, watching on an iPad with a janky VPN connection and it was 9am local time for me. All my old college groupchats were buzzing, everyone I knew back home in MN and Chicago were all glued to the TV.

When OT was just about to start, my stream went into a death spiral of buffering and when I finally got it working again all I saw was Qpac celebrating. Got really confused for a minute before I realized what happened. Sat there in shock hoping it would turn out to be offsides or something. I've still never seen the actual GWG; in my mind we are still tied 2-2, waiting for the puck to drop and Knies-Cooley-Snuggerud to get to work.

Quote: Walker? I Barely Know Her

Quote: Vegas Gopher

I, like most, will never get over 2023 Q Natty game...I think a lot of my frustration with the team is really just wanting that last 3 minutes back, and that's not how life works...

that day I was in the rural Philippines for my cousin's wedding, watching on an iPad with a janky VPN connection and it was 9am local time for me. All my old college groupchats were buzzing, everyone I knew back home in MN and Chicago were all glued to the TV.

When OT was just about to start, my stream went into a death spiral of buffering and when I finally got it working again all I saw was Qpac celebrating. Got really confused for a minute before I realized what happened. Sat there in shock hoping it would turn out to be offsides or something. I've still never seen the actual GWG; in my mind we are still tied 2-2, waiting for the puck to drop and Knies-Cooley-Snuggerud to get to work.

Funny.

I watched the regional games in the Philippines, the FF semi in Bangkok and the championship game in Myanmar. My feed also went out at the start of OT, but came back on in time for me to actually see the GWG. Not sure which version is worse. 🤣 😡 

Alright I took the day to digest and think this over while hiking up in the UP (so at least I've got that going for me, which is nice).

The Good

The complete and utter breakdowns we had multiple of all last year were massively reduced. we won the xG (5.1-5), Corsi (55% share), Fenwick (55% share), all of which we got absolutely fucking pummeled in all last year (xG last year was 6.5-4.9 Tech and our Corsi was good for 4th last at 41.8% and Fenwick 5th last at 42.5%). It's not an earth shattering improvement, but Larson has mentioned using the analytics so they are going to be raging pissed at our shot on target percentage, but have to be pleased with the improvement in shot share and possession metrics despite the ass ice.

LDP saw the puck well overall and looked calm. the xG metrics are pretty bleh in college as they don't account for passing prior to the play like others do (ie a pass cross crease should have a much higher xG than a shot taken from there without a pass, same as a time after a prior shot/rebound)

Kvasnicka gets my shoutout for the freshmen. He seemed to like the physicality and has that extra bit of compete. Probably will take some time to come on the stat sheet, but he will be a great 4 year player and should be a solid PK guy

The Bad

The lack of intensity. This team should have been roaring to go with an extra day off, extra long offseason and they looked like they all spent the night before the game drinking fishbowls and eating tostada pizza. This to me was probably the most frustrating/upsetting aspect of it. I believe in this captain group and believe this has been what Larson has preached (was mentioned on multiple interviews as well). Was very disappointing to not see that be there from the drop. 

The attempts on target. Watching Ziemer wide open in the slot almost shoot it out of the rink felt like the weekend encapsulated. Kudos to Tech for blocking shots on Saturday (18 of them), but 28/59 on Saturday and 18/48 on Sunday missing the net or being blocked is terrible. 

The "top" line. 0 points, -6 on the weekend, minimal sustained pressure. Didn't really love either of the pairings with Ziemer and Cullen. 

The Ugly

The ice. Unacceptable for a D1 program and we've heard locals talking about it for several days after how it was crazy it was that warm in the rink and that they've never seen it before. Was "better" the next day but only in the sense that the standing water was gone but the softness and unpredictability remained. Both teams had passes going very askew all game and it's why we had probably a thousand icings

The refs. Not so much about the penalties or lack thereof, but rather just doing a really poor job letting the game flow where it should (tossing one guy from the circles very randomly for infractions both teams are doing at the same time, every draw had a double pump, letting a bunch of, we'll call it hugging, go in the middle of the ice and away from the play) and just made it a bad set of games to watch. Was not the reason we lost, just made for really unfun hockey to watch

The where we go

The feet got wet in a hostile environment against an old team that has played together in that style basically since their infancy with us breaking in a lot of new faces to college and with different roles than they were used to. Sometimes you need carrots, sometimes you need sticks and this will be an epic stick to show them if they can build together as a cohesive unit. This is the exact type of team Kato smothered us with for years (20-21 and 21-22 for example). 

There is untapped potential in a lot of these players. I do think we have coaches on this staff that can make it happen as if some of these guys don't tap into aspects of their game they're not using, they won't make the show. I'm not going to call those out by name as I don't really want to harp on any one guy as it's 2 games of the season

@upnorthkid 

Where did you go hiking today? The colors were gorgeous this weekend!  We had planned to do some biking yesterday, but we had a thing… 🏒

Was still a fun weekend apart from the game outcomes.   Hope anyone that was in the Keweenaw for the first time enjoyed it! 

Quote: Cowgirl

@upnorthkid 

Where did you go hiking today? The colors were gorgeous this weekend!  We had planned to do some biking yesterday, but we had a thing… 🏒

Was still a fun weekend apart from the game outcomes.   Hope anyone that was in the Keweenaw for the first time enjoyed it! 

we have been trekking east but pregame Sunday we went up to Copper and Eagle Harbor (Hunter's Point, drove Brockway Mtn as well as hit Hungarian Falls and the Estivant Pines) then today we're out by Pictured Rocks but did Sugarloaf, Presque Isle, and some falls along our way. The game timing really kind of threw a jam in our plans to do Mt Baldy unfortunately. But the colors have been stunning just driving and hitting vistas along the way

Not sure where to ask this. Does Brett Larson have a Monday evening Podcast/radio with Wally Shaver like Motzko & Lucia have done in the past? Thanks

Quote: wincav

Not sure where to ask this. Does Brett Larson have a Monday evening Podcast/radio with Wally Shaver like Motzko & Lucia have done in the past? Thanks

I’m also wondering this. Haven’t seen one posted so far in the early weeks.

Here is the weekly show: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-gopher-podcast/id1466088193?i=1000796025039

Quote: Walker? I Barely Know Her

...in my mind we are still tied 2-2, waiting for the puck to drop and Knies-Cooley-Snuggerud to get to work.

That's a special kind of purgatory.  😆 

Quote: Mike Eruzione 11

Here is the weekly show: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-gopher-podcast/id1466088193?i=1000796025039

Thanks

Looks like both nights vs UND are sold out. Now the big question mark is how many of those tickets got bought up by Sioux fans? With the current so-so vibes around the Gophers and the Sioux riding high after their FF run last year I’m a little nervous that we’re going to see a repeat of Thanksgiving 2019. 

Quote: Rau 4 SkiUMah 2.0

Looks like both nights vs UND are sold out. Now the big question mark is how many of those tickets got bought up by Sioux fans? With the current so-so vibes around the Gophers and the Sioux riding high after their FF run last year I’m a little nervous that we’re going to see a repeat of Thanksgiving 2019. 

It won’t be anywhere close to 2019. People forget just how bad the vibes were back then.

Quote: maroon and gold

Quote: Rau 4 SkiUMah 2.0

Looks like both nights vs UND are sold out. Now the big question mark is how many of those tickets got bought up by Sioux fans? With the current so-so vibes around the Gophers and the Sioux riding high after their FF run last year I’m a little nervous that we’re going to see a repeat of Thanksgiving 2019. 

It won’t be anywhere close to 2019. People forget just how bad the vibes were back then.

Also in 2019, the football team was 9-0 and ESPN College Gameday was coming to campus the very next morning for the Axe game. It was my junior year at the U, i was social chair of my fraternity and I distinctly recall everyone had other plans that week / no one even mentioned the hockey games.

That 2017-2020 period was likely our all-time rock bottom just in terms of vibes. It was a weird time for college hockey in general, Bemidji and Cornell both spent much of that 2019-20 season ranked top 5.

Kinda why the Tech series has me so rattled, in the modern era we should never have to waste multiple seasons rebuilding ever again. I mean just look at how other blue bloods have managed to reload consistently.

Quote: maroon and gold

Quote: Rau 4 SkiUMah 2.0

Looks like both nights vs UND are sold out. Now the big question mark is how many of those tickets got bought up by Sioux fans? With the current so-so vibes around the Gophers and the Sioux riding high after their FF run last year I’m a little nervous that we’re going to see a repeat of Thanksgiving 2019. 

It won’t be anywhere close to 2019. People forget just how bad the vibes were back then.

Good point. Thank you for the reminder and for putting it into perspective. Still just a little scarred from that awful weekend seven years ago. For all of the, unfortunately, plenty of examples of Minnesota sports letting their fans down that Thanksgiving of 2019 might have been the worst. At least at the collegiate level. Swept at home by Nodak in front of a heavy Nodak crowd and then blow the best opportunity the football has had in a very long time to have some real success by keeping the Axe and booking a trip to the B1G championship. Granted we would have gotten smacked around by Ohio State but would almost definitely still punched our ticket to the Rose Bowl with the way things had shaken out that year. Anyway, now we’re way off topic and that’s my fault so I apologize. Looking forward to a great weekend against the old foe in a couple of weeks to kick off the season at home. 

Quote: Walker? I Barely Know Her

Quote: maroon and gold

Quote: Rau 4 SkiUMah 2.0

Looks like both nights vs UND are sold out. Now the big question mark is how many of those tickets got bought up by Sioux fans? With the current so-so vibes around the Gophers and the Sioux riding high after their FF run last year I’m a little nervous that we’re going to see a repeat of Thanksgiving 2019. 

It won’t be anywhere close to 2019. People forget just how bad the vibes were back then.

Also in 2019, the football team was 9-0 and ESPN College Gameday was coming to campus the very next morning for the Axe game. It was my junior year at the U, i was social chair of my fraternity and I distinctly recall everyone had other plans that week / no one even mentioned the hockey games.

That 2017-2020 period was likely our all-time rock bottom just in terms of vibes. It was a weird time for college hockey in general, Bemidji and Cornell both spent much of that 2019-20 season ranked top 5.

Kinda why the Tech series has me so rattled, in the modern era we should never have to waste multiple seasons rebuilding ever again. I mean just look at how other blue bloods have managed to reload consistently.

Agreed on the last part, though in fairness to Larson he had no control over last year and that was entirely on Motzko. Therefore it's technically (so far, if the center position improves next year) a one year rebuild at least as far as he's concerned. 

The Gophers had a historically bad season last year, so the fans aren't going to show up until they start winning again--and that means there are going to be a lot of North Dakota fans in the seats.

Quote: rowshkex

The Gophers had a historically bad season last year, so the fans aren't going to show up until they start winning again--and that means there are going to be a lot of North Dakota fans in the seats.

Agreed

ive got 6-8 extras for Thursday for gopher fans only if someone needs some /p>

PM me if so!

If memory serves, there were probably close to the same amount of North Dakota fans in 2019 as in 2016 and 2022, but what made 2019 so bad was the lack of Gopher fans. 

Selling out leads me to believe the Gopher fans will be there. Expecting similar crowds to 2022.

The TV schedule has been released. Also, most of the game times. Lots of 6pm Saturday home starts, which is great.

https://twitter.com/GopherHockey/status/2110445541125681199

6 p.m. Saturday starts are awesome for this guy as they are 7 or 8 a.m. Sunday here, and my wife is usually ok letting me finish the game before it's time to start the day.  

Quote: frozen 4 champs

The TV schedule has been released. Also, most of the game times. Lots of 6pm Saturday home starts, which is great.

https://twitter.com/GopherHockey/status/2110445541125681199

Pretty hilarious that we're 2 weeks into a new season already and B1G is just now giving us the full TV/BTN schedule for it. Clown stuff really

Quote: Walker? I Barely Know Her

Quote: frozen 4 champs

The TV schedule has been released. Also, most of the game times. Lots of 6pm Saturday home starts, which is great.

https://twitter.com/GopherHockey/status/2110445541125681199

Pretty hilarious that we're 2 weeks into a new season already and B1G is just now giving us the full TV/BTN schedule for it. Clown stuff really

To be honest, the tv schedule really doesn't bother me that much since I know most conference games will be streamed on B1G. I get more irked about the actual lateness when releasing the game schedule as my wife needs to ask for time off to attend the home games. 

Is there a timeline on Tarin Smith's return?

Quote: YoungEagle

Is there a timeline on Tarin Smith's return?

Posted by @frozen4champs in the Gophers v Tech thread a couple weeks ago...

Mooney is skating. I would bet he is back for DUHluth.

Smith's timeline per Larson is late October/early November.

Strahl took a puck to the helmet during practice I read somewhere. TBD on him.

The Gophers are offering "Minnesota Memories" upgrades for hockey games. Fans can pay for various upgrades including watching warmups from the penalty box, leading the band in march around, a visit from goldy to your seat, pregame fist bumps, visiting the locker room during the game and others. The lowest priced upgrade is club access for $56 to $170 for penalty box and tunnel player fist bumps. Other add ons are priced somewhere in between. 

It appears to be operated by a company called FEVO. 

It's not for me, but I guess maybe some fans will do it. 

Quote: frozen 4 champs

The Gophers are offering "Minnesota Memories" upgrades for hockey games. Fans can pay for various upgrades including watching warmups from the penalty box, leading the band in march around, a visit from goldy to your seat, pregame fist bumps, visiting the locker room during the game and others. The lowest priced upgrade is club access for $56 to $170 for penalty box and tunnel player fist bumps. Other add ons are priced somewhere in between. 

It appears to be operated by a company called FEVO. 

It's not for me, but I guess maybe some fans will do it. 

$171 to ride the Zamboni?!  You can sign up and do that for free - well, wonder if they’ll stop that now… Lead the band for march around? It’s more fun if you follow them after you’ve had a pitcher of beer.  Not that I have any personal experience with that…🤔

Quote: Cowgirl

Quote: frozen 4 champs

The Gophers are offering "Minnesota Memories" upgrades for hockey games. Fans can pay for various upgrades including watching warmups from the penalty box, leading the band in march around, a visit from goldy to your seat, pregame fist bumps, visiting the locker room during the game and others. The lowest priced upgrade is club access for $56 to $170 for penalty box and tunnel player fist bumps. Other add ons are priced somewhere in between. 

It appears to be operated by a company called FEVO. 

It's not for me, but I guess maybe some fans will do it. 

$171 to ride the Zamboni?!  You can sign up and do that for free - well, wonder if they’ll stop that now… Lead the band for march around? It’s more fun if you follow them after you’ve had a pitcher of beer.  Not that I have any personal experience with that…🤔

So cowgirl is a drunk band creeper? This explains why the band filed for a restraining order. Any picture of a guy doing the band following/walk around tradition that happens to look like me is just my doppelganger. 😉 

Quote: College Hockey Addict

Quote: Cowgirl

Quote: frozen 4 champs

The Gophers are offering "Minnesota Memories" upgrades for hockey games. Fans can pay for various upgrades including watching warmups from the penalty box, leading the band in march around, a visit from goldy to your seat, pregame fist bumps, visiting the locker room during the game and others. The lowest priced upgrade is club access for $56 to $170 for penalty box and tunnel player fist bumps. Other add ons are priced somewhere in between. 

It appears to be operated by a company called FEVO. 

It's not for me, but I guess maybe some fans will do it. 

$171 to ride the Zamboni?!  You can sign up and do that for free - well, wonder if they’ll stop that now… Lead the band for march around? It’s more fun if you follow them after you’ve had a pitcher of beer.  Not that I have any personal experience with that…🤔

So cowgirl is a drunk band creeper? This explains why the band filed for a restraining order. Any picture of a guy doing the band following/walk around tradition that happens to look like me is just my doppelganger. 😉 

Ha, it’s been maaany years since we did what we called the “drunk hockey march around.” Pretty sure our group started it back in the day as we had some ex band members in the group who taught some of the cheers. Some good times; following them down and up the stairs through the lobby, sometimes through the bathrooms 🫣, and regularly they’d go around the rink twice before a big matchup to really try and fire up the crowd!  Not sure it’s really a thing anymore but was certainly a fun time back when we were younger and less smart…(let’s just say this was back when the “real” Sally’s still existed). 😉

Glad they're trying to at least be a little creative with finding new ways to make money so they don't start price gouging harder on tickets or beer or what have you. At the very least beer doesn't cost what you pay at the Mystic Amphitheater, I think beer was like $16 but I apparently got a bigger one for $22 without realizing it until it came across the Ipad 🙄 🤣 .

Ok, large home stand ahead. Need to take some of our season back over the next month.

- Split against Nodak like we always do

- Sweep a rebuilding PSU team at home

- Split with Hasty’s Badgers (hot take this is the hardest series in the home stand)

- Sweep Anchorage

- Split or better with Mankato, for the sake of argument let’s call it W/T

That would put us at 7-5-2 heading into December. Is it doable?

Probably not but I'd be happy with that outcome if they could somehow pull it off.

The lack of sustained offense and possession and having played 2 mediocre opponents super close (not yesterday) to end up 0-3-1 is not really leading me to think they're gonna start splitting vs better opponents or sweeping anyone.

Quote: trixR4kids

Probably not but I'd be happy with that outcome if they could somehow pull it off.

The lack of sustained offense and possession and having played 2 mediocre opponents super close (not yesterday) to end up 0-3-1 is not really leading me to think they're gonna start splitting vs better opponents or sweeping anyone.

I’m disappointed with the start too but I’m gonna throw a flag on “two mediocre opponents”. Both Tech and UMD are probably both tournament teams. Veteran led teams on the road no less.

This team they just played is without their former Hobey winner lol, they have every center playing up a line like we did vs Tech last week. Tech is maaaaaybe a tourney team, we'll see. 

Quote: maroon and gold

- Split against Nodak like we always do

can't go into it thinking a split is certain or likely. UND appears to be a much better team than Duluth w/o Max Plante.

I just hope WisconSIN!! does not buy as many tickets for their meeting here at Mariucci as the Fighting Whioux did

Quote: gopher6

I just hope WisconSIN!! does not buy as many tickets for their meeting here at Mariucci as the Fighting Whioux did

Doubt they will, they'll have a presence but that fanbase barely even shows up for their home games. Their attendance stats are obviously cooked

Do I have to buy a game ticket to get the Gophers Yeti?  I just realized that there doesn't seem to be a way to buy just the Yeti if I'm a season ticket holder...

Quote: rowshkex

Do I have to buy a game ticket to get the Gophers Yeti?  I just realized that there doesn't seem to be a way to buy just the Yeti if I'm a season ticket holder...

There was an email on Sep. 28th for STH to put in an order: 

https://gophersports.evenue.net/promotions?promoCd=MHO26-STH&seasonCd=MHO26&eventCd=YETI-STH&type=M

you do need a password (should be your account no.)

If that link no longer works I would suggest contacting fan relations to see if there’s anything they can do for you.  

Not to be a downer on this glorious weekend, but was there any info on whipple injury — I’ve seen speculation about dislocation or broken collar bone but didn’t know if there was anything more definitive on it

Quote: TheBirdman

Not to be a downer on this glorious weekend, but was there any info on whipple injury — I’ve seen speculation about dislocation or broken collar bone but didn’t know if there was anything more definitive on it

Everything has been speculation. I would argue slightly reckless. We’re not going to hear anything from the team other than “he will be out for a few weeks” or he’s “week to week.”

@cowgirl 

Thank you!  I completely forgot about that and was able to find my password...

I missed last year's skating Goldy Yeti in gold and I was pretty bummed when I saw dx's...  I'm a sucker for it so I'm not going to miss it this year.

Quote: Snowcool08

Quote: TheBirdman

Not to be a downer on this glorious weekend, but was there any info on whipple injury — I’ve seen speculation about dislocation or broken collar bone but didn’t know if there was anything more definitive on it

Everything has been speculation. I would argue slightly reckless. We’re not going to hear anything from the team other than “he will be out for a few weeks” or he’s “week to week.”

I’ve never broken a collarbone, but I would imagine if there was a fracture, it would still hurt quite a bit if you moved around too much in general - watching the tunnel video @jupiter posted, I can’t imagine being that animated with a broken bone. 🤷‍♀️

Wishful thinking I guess that it’s something less serious. 

Is this going to be another "clavicle" discussion?  😉