The temperature rises this weekend.
7:00 pm
Minnesota at North Dakota
6:00 pm
Minnesota at North Dakota
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Alright, Rhett. If you score a goal this weekend, whatever you do, do not throw your stick over the glass please!
At the beginning of the year I would have said sweep but with some of our key injuries and Nodak looking better this year I’d say split and I’m happy. Odds are they don’t tank our pairwise like last year.
The Ralph is a tough place to play. If they played like they did Saturday they could come up with a sweep. There gonna have to tighten up the defense
5-1 & 3-2 Gophers sweep the whioux
Predicting a road sweep (after losing so many key players from last year) is dicey to say the least. They showed this past weekend they have a strong team, but they’re not loaded (talent & experience wise) to the level of last year.5-1 & 3-2 Gophers sweep the whioux
Sounds like two defensemen out. Koster and possibly Chesley. Obviously Nevers out as well. The boys need to play a sound defensive game because North Dakota looks much improved this year. I’m predicting a split. 4-2 NoDak win on Friday and then a hard fought 3-2 win on Saturday. But I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty nervous for this weekend. The team looked decent against St Thomas but a lot to get better at. By January they should be humming. By next Friday? I guess we’ll have to see. All hands on deck for this one.
Chesley out on the ice for the ENG late in the game. Hoping it isn't too serious.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
I'm thinking split at best. This team is beaten and bruised going into a methed-up bunker full of people calling for blood.
Survive and maybe steal a game.
Do we have any sort of confirmation on if there’s yet another injury?
Update: just now reading the other thread. Crap. Chesley now too…
Bring it on Sue
Have to go to the Ralph with a big "who is Sue?" sign on Saturday haha
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Update: just now reading the other thread. Crap. Chesley now too…
What are the options? Can they add an extra player onto the roster? As is the extra skater would need to be a forward.
Michel will suit up. No other option. Limiting their top line to about 2 goals each night will be the goal.
Update: just now reading the other thread. Crap. Chesley now too…
What are the options? Can they add an extra player onto the roster? As is the extra skater would need to be a forward.
Let's wait and see what the extent of the injury is. It could be just a minor thing. Maybe just a week type thing. Also, Koster should be back in a few more weeks. We could always have Snuggy play defense when he is not playing forward. ?
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Trial by fire to start the year for the D. Split would be big. UND shouldn’t be the PWR bomb this year but gotta try find a way to get one. Hoping they come out ready Friday and then Saturday can be for the bonus
Close might have to stand on his head. Koster and Chesley might be our two best D. Definitely not ideal.
Outscoring our problems is the other option which would make for some entertaining games.
Fish-Rinzel
Mittelstadt-Rud
Thomas-Begley
Trial by fire indeed
Fish-Rinzel
Mittelstadt-Rud
Thomas-Begley
Trial by fire indeed
Mittelstadt and Rinzel will need to be on their “A” game when it comes to distributing pucks and being smart when deciding whether or not to jump into the rush. The other four need to get mean and, without doing anything stupid, use all of their piss and vinegar to battle the Sioux players out from in front of Close and keep it simple. Fourth line needs to play like they did on Friday and Nelson needs to be rock solid at center and be the steady captain we know he can be. Pitlick-Huglen-Kurth line needs to cause chaos and spring on loose pucks. Top line needs to get pucks on net every chance they get and not let the Sioux get under their skin. Gosh, it’s only Sunday and I’m already nervous for next weekend. Please just don’t get swept. I’d be happy with a split. Especially if the game we lose doesn’t get out of hand.
Was checking to see that the games were listed on the guide.
Glad to see the rivalry is intact.
?
Stop sandbagging. Eff the Whioux. I'm not scurred.
@bearpaw28 While the gophers lost a lot of experience on the D line with Faber & Lacombe, overall I view this team as more experienced than last year. Less Freshman, a lot of seniors and super seniors in top roles....Predicting a road sweep (after losing so many key players from last year) is dicey to say the least. They showed this past weekend they have a strong team, but they’re not loaded (talent & experience wise) to the level of last year.5-1 & 3-2 Gophers sweep the whioux
| Year | 2022 | 2023 |
| Freshman | 10 | 6 |
| Sophomore | 4 | 9 |
| Junior | 4 | 2 |
| Senior (+) | 5 | 6 |
*FYI I am excluding the depth players like Nik Michel and Thrid Goalie Weise from the #s above
@bearpaw28 While the gophers lost a lot of experience on the D line with Faber & Lacombe, overall I view this team as more experienced than last year. Less Freshman, a lot of seniors and super seniors in top roles....
Year 2022 2023 Freshman 10 6 Sophomore 4 9 Junior 4 2 Senior (+) 5 6
*FYI I am excluding the depth players like Nik Michel and Thrid Goalie Weise from the #s above
Obviously when you have a huge freshman class the team will look more experienced the next year. The forwards will likely be okay because yes there is some good experience there now. But D, especially minus Koster and Chesley, is a major problem. And D is important not only to shut down the other team but to be able to start almost every counter attack.
@sufferingsotafan The numbers above are interesting. The experience they lost was largely on the blue line (Johnson too). Having three 5th year seniors (including Close) certainly helps a lot this year, FR Moore is clearly the real deal, Lamb has taken a step forward & Snuggy is Snuggy, Blues will sign him at seasons end. Rinzel is also an impressive FR. This weekend, it’s time for Huglen to shine (back near his old neighborhood) & Pitlick, that combo needs to step it up. As I’ve noted previously, they clearly have a strong team, despite losing NHLers Faber, Cooley & Knies & 2 borderline NHL players in LaCombe & Johnson. With the injury to Koster (and now evidently Chesley) the sledding will be tough at The Ralph & a road split is a reasonable expectation for this weekend.
There was gonna be a learning curve anyway with the D but losing Koster and Chesley certainly doesn’t make it any easier. Time to grow up fast. Freshman Sam Rinzel is gonna be leaned on heavy in just his 3rd and 4th college games.
I agree that upperclassmen Brodzinski, Nelson, Huglen and Pitlick need to step up this weekend. My guess is 81 gets all of the Fawks attention. Need scoring from secondary options. Kurth I’m looking at you too.
@bearpaw28 While the gophers lost a lot of experience on the D line with Faber & Lacombe, overall I view this team as more experienced than last year. Less Freshman, a lot of seniors and super seniors in top roles....Predicting a road sweep (after losing so many key players from last year) is dicey to say the least. They showed this past weekend they have a strong team, but they’re not loaded (talent & experience wise) to the level of last year.5-1 & 3-2 Gophers sweep the whioux
Year 2022 2023 Freshman 10 6 Sophomore 4 9 Junior 4 2 Senior (+) 5 6
*FYI I am excluding the depth players like Nik Michel and Thrid Goalie Weise from the #s above
Sure they're more experienced, but it's also true they lost arguably their top 3 defensemen and their top two forwards--four of which are rookies playing in the NHL.
I know there is a lot of optimism around this team, and they will be good. However, their season arc will look a lot different than last year. They are definitely more vulnerable on defense (they lost their 3 best puck movers) and they are minus a couple of superstars who pulled out wins late in games last year.
This year they'll need to grind out wins and come together as a team to stop the puck from going into their own net. A good example of this came as recently as last weekend. The shot volume they gave up to St. Thomas on Friday night was exciting and all, but if they did that to a top-ten team, that game would be a two or 3 goal loss. The next night, while there were defensive lapses, the team shut down UST and forced more turnovers that put the Gophers back on offense.
It's bad luck for Minnesota to be down three key players this weekend, but that stuff happens. The new players in the line up as a result will pay dividends in the long run. Coming back with a split would be an accomplishment all things considered.
they lost arguably their top 3 defensemen and their top two forwards
Not arguable. All five were absolute stars.
@rau4skiumah Bob confirmed on his radio show that Chesley is indeed nicked up headed into this week. I'll swing by practice this week a couple times to see if he's skating, but it'll definitely be a weekend to throw the young kids into the deep end of the pool if Chesley and Koster are out.
Also Wally Shaver let it be known that it was a shoulder injury for Huglen on the show.
One other intersting tidbit from the show was Motzko maybe changing his tune a bit about NIL. It is something that will matter here at some point.
Changing his tune after losing recruits because of it? That will certainly make any coach change their tune.
@rau4skiumah Bob confirmed on his radio show that Chesley is indeed nicked up headed into this week. I'll swing by practice this week a couple times to see if he's skating, but it'll definitely be a weekend to throw the young kids into the deep end of the pool if Chesley and Koster are out.
Also Wally Shaver let it be known that it was a shoulder injury for Huglen on the show.
One other intersting tidbit from the show was Motzko maybe changing his tune a bit about NIL. It is something that will matter here at some point.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-gopher-podcast/id1466088193?i=1000631541615
New #1. Couple of top 5 teams. Should be a good Couple of games. Close is going to have to play lights out with a few defenseman missing. And we have to stay out of the box.
Heard the guys are stopping and practicing in Alex on the way up to the frozen tundra. I was wondering if that would be an open practice I could watch? I just wanted to know before I drove 45 mins! lol
IALTO
How many fights break out this weekend? I’m putting the over/under at 3.
New #1. Couple of top 5 teams. Should be a good Couple of games. Close is going to have to play lights out with a few defenseman missing. And we have to stay out of the box.
Close will have to play in this series how DeRidder played against us last year.
New #1. Couple of top 5 teams. Should be a good Couple of games. Close is going to have to play lights out with a few defenseman missing. And we have to stay out of the box.
Close will have to play in this series how DeRidder played against us last year.
He was absurd.
Out of his mind. We sweep that weekend if it wasn’t for us taking dumb penalties in Game 2 and him standing on his head for 120 minutes.
How many fights break out this weekend? I’m putting the over/under at 3.
Were there any in the series last year?
Gophers don't have fighters, will only have 6 D so none of them can fight and get kicked out. Johannes will probably try to start something. The only option the Gophers have to send out to try to fight someone is Michel. Doesn't look like a fighter.
How many fights break out this weekend? I’m putting the over/under at 3.
Were there any in the series last year?
I don’t think there was anything big. But I have a different feeling about this year.
An actual fight/brawl where players get tossed or skirmishes where players get roughings?!?!?!
Keep your stick on the ice...
How many fights break out this weekend? I’m putting the over/under at 3.
Were there any in the series last year?
I don’t think there was anything big. But I have a different feeling about this year.
An actual fight/brawl where players get tossed or skirmishes where players get roughings?!?!?!
If the games are tight then just the latter. If one of the games gets out of hand either way, especially if it’s Saturday night, I think we might see an actual fight/brawl. Plenty of chirping material to go both ways. North Dakota missing the tournament. Minnesota losing in the championship. North Dakota seems to have their swagger back and it feels like there’s a bit of a chip on the shoulder of this Gopher team between losing in OT last year and Cooley leaving late over the summer. Who knows, I could be completely wrong but I don’t know, just feels even more intense going into the series this year.
I'm willing to put money down that there won't be more that a couple skirmishes at best that leads to matching roughings.
Keep your stick on the ice...
Gophers don't have fighters, will only have 6 D so none of them can fight and get kicked out. Johannes will probably try to start something. The only option the Gophers have to send out to try to fight someone is Michel. Doesn't look like a fighter.
I can't believe Johannes is still playing college hockey. He's older than his high school teammate Casey Mittelstadt.
He was a senior for EP like eight years ago, what are we even doing here?