Hilarious that the TSN guys didn't think the first CAN penalty should have even gone for 2.
I know. I am okay with having bias in announcing though. It is funny though. According to that guy Team Canada has never commented a penalty. 🤣Hilarious that the TSN guys didn't think the first CAN penalty should have even gone for 2.
I know. I am okay with having bias in announcing though. It is funny though. According to that guy Team Canada has never commented a penalty. 🤣Hilarious that the TSN guys didn't think the first CAN penalty should have even gone for 2.
The guy came off as some doofus they grabbed off the street and threw into the chair. Like the fan in between periods who can't hit an open net from 10 feet away, this guy had no clue.
Not once did he observe that the Canadian player extended his knee on the trip. That could have been a serious outcome and a 5-minute major. Canada was lucky that it wasn't. (NCAA probably would have been.)
The US had a very long stretch of pure domination yet I was afraid it would go for naught, but they get a late goal and the 1st ends USA 1 - CAN 0.
The US should be up by at least 3 goals right now, but as it stands it's 3-2 late in the 2nd with a bit of time left on the PP. How they haven't scored on the PP is a mystery, although the play of George in net has been a huge part of it.
Canada scores 2 goals on a major PP then another 5x5 and lead 5-3 with 5 minutes left. Ugh.
Ziemer with a redirect goal, 5-4 CAN with 4:24 left.
Dammit again.
George is the player of the game to me.
That major penalty was a killer. Very poor penalty kill.
That is a shame. The US had them but didn't score enough when they had the major play advantage.
I can't imagine what the US player was even thinking on that shoulder to the head check. It was one of the dumbest plays at the worst time. Truly a game killer.
The US speed and depth were levels higher than Canada. But they ran into a hot goaltender, had mediocre goaltending themselves, and handed their opponent the opportunity to get back into the game.
The kid on the US who was called for the 5 minutes will be haunted forever. That was even worse than giving the ref a chance to change the game on a meaningless play away from the puck with 4 minutes to play in a national title game. 😔
Really high level of play in the U18 gold medal game. All 3 future Gophers looked the part.
Too bad Connelly took the stupid penalty.
If Mooney hits a growth spurt watch out. His stick is crazy quick.
Huge Ziemer fan, interested to see where he will plug into the lineup next year.
Whipple isn’t flashy but he’s grown on me after watching most of the tournament as he plays a poised defensive game. Isn’t going to drive play on offense, more like a Cal Thomas style.
In non-U18 news. Three other future Gophers (Gruba, Pahlsson, Hendrickson) competing for USHL title.
Of the 6 incoming freshman, 5 still playing in May with significant roles is a great sign.
Really high level of play in the U18 gold medal game. All 3 future Gophers looked the part.
Too bad Connelly took the stupid penalty.
If Mooney hits a growth spurt watch out. His stick is crazy quick.
Huge Ziemer fan, interested to see where he will plug into the lineup next year.
Whipple isn’t flashy but he’s grown on me after watching most of the tournament as he plays a poised defensive game. Isn’t going to drive play on offense, more like a Cal Thomas style.
I agree with you on Whipple. His coach trusted him in big situations. That's positive. After watching the game, I felt he made good decisions and played his angles well. If he is another Cal Thomas type, that's good for Minnesota. Not every defensive player needs to drive offense, but they must move the puck and hit their passes into neutral ice. Ryan Johnson was that kind of player.
The defensemen in Lucia's later years were barely college average and set up the team and its fans for some painfully mediocre seasons. We don't want to go back there, but non-flashy types with great fundamentals like Johnson and Thomas are bedrocks for a good team. Hopefully, Whipple is one of those guys.
Really high level of play in the U18 gold medal game. All 3 future Gophers looked the part.
Too bad Connelly took the stupid penalty.
If Mooney hits a growth spurt watch out. His stick is crazy quick.
Huge Ziemer fan, interested to see where he will plug into the lineup next year.
Whipple isn’t flashy but he’s grown on me after watching most of the tournament as he plays a poised defensive game. Isn’t going to drive play on offense, more like a Cal Thomas style.
I agree on Whipple. Hadn't really watched him before this tourney and wasn't expecting much given how many people on here seemed to think he should be headed to USHL. But he looked very solid defensively when I focused on him, and being out there for the PK seems to indicate the coaches feel the same. He wasn't looking to do much more than hand the puck off in the O zone (drop the Charmin rather than give it a squeeze) most of the time, but having a solid stay at home wall to pair with a offensively skilled D gives that guy more freedom to create and is nice to have for PK situations and late in games where you have a narrow lead. I like how Whipple looked but also realize the USHL still might be best path given depth of D corp if Koster is coming back.
Really high level of play in the U18 gold medal game. All 3 future Gophers looked the part.
Too bad Connelly took the stupid penalty.
If Mooney hits a growth spurt watch out. His stick is crazy quick.
Huge Ziemer fan, interested to see where he will plug into the lineup next year.
Whipple isn’t flashy but he’s grown on me after watching most of the tournament as he plays a poised defensive game. Isn’t going to drive play on offense, more like a Cal Thomas style.
I agree with you on Whipple. His coach trusted him in big situations. That's positive. After watching the game, I felt he made good decisions and played his angles well. If he is another Cal Thomas type, that's good for Minnesota. Not every defensive player needs to drive offense, but they must move the puck and hit their passes into neutral ice. Ryan Johnson was that kind of player.
The defensemen in Lucia's later years were barely college average and set up the team and its fans for some painfully mediocre seasons. We don't want to go back there, but non-flashy types with great fundamentals like Johnson and Thomas are bedrocks for a good team. Hopefully, Whipple is one of those guys.
Depends upon what you call Lucia's final years.
Mike Reilly Michael Brodzinski Brady Skjei Jake Bischoff Pretty good top end D talent with guys like Jack Sadek who were much better than "average".
There is also no doubt in my mind that most of the D-corp on this team would have been recruited to U of M no matter who the head coach was including Faber LaCombe and Rinzel.
People forget that the Gophers were WCHA or Big Ten champions six years in a row that were Lucia's final 7 seasons.
Phase 2 of the USHL draft starts now. If John Whipple gets selected that should let us know what the plan is for next year. Beckett Hendrickson got selected very early in last year’s draft before we even knew he wasn’t coming in. Same could happen this year with Whipple.
Whipple to Sioux Falls. Might mean he’s not coming in this fall.
Interesting. Makes sense if both sides mutually decided heavy minutes were in his best interests.
Bob seems to have a very good relationship with Sioux Falls so I could see this being “arranged” with the Whipple pick. Would join Moore, Reid and Grimes on the roster for next year.
Bob seems to have a very good relationship with Sioux Falls so I could see this being “arranged” with the Whipple pick. Would join Moore, Reid and Grimes on the roster for next year.
Can we rename them the Sioux Falls Gophers and change their colors to maroon and gold?
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
Might be a sign Koster is coming back too
Might be a sign Koster is coming back too
This seems most likely. I would imagine you'd want Whipple as an option rather than relying on Begley or Rud nightly next year.
Really high level of play in the U18 gold medal game. All 3 future Gophers looked the part.
Too bad Connelly took the stupid penalty.
If Mooney hits a growth spurt watch out. His stick is crazy quick.
Huge Ziemer fan, interested to see where he will plug into the lineup next year.
Whipple isn’t flashy but he’s grown on me after watching most of the tournament as he plays a poised defensive game. Isn’t going to drive play on offense, more like a Cal Thomas style.
I agree with you on Whipple. His coach trusted him in big situations. That's positive. After watching the game, I felt he made good decisions and played his angles well. If he is another Cal Thomas type, that's good for Minnesota. Not every defensive player needs to drive offense, but they must move the puck and hit their passes into neutral ice. Ryan Johnson was that kind of player.
The defensemen in Lucia's later years were barely college average and set up the team and its fans for some painfully mediocre seasons. We don't want to go back there, but non-flashy types with great fundamentals like Johnson and Thomas are bedrocks for a good team. Hopefully, Whipple is one of those guys.
Depends upon what you call Lucia's final years.
Mike Reilly Michael Brodzinski Brady Skjei Jake Bischoff Pretty good top end D talent with guys like Jack Sadek who were much better than "average".
There is also no doubt in my mind that most of the D-corp on this team would have been recruited to U of M no matter who the head coach was including Faber LaCombe and Rinzel.
People forget that the Gophers were WCHA or Big Ten champions six years in a row that were Lucia's final 7 seasons.
In my head, I was thinking Glover, Steve Johson and the like.
Might be a sign Koster is coming back too
This seems most likely. I would imagine you'd want Whipple as an option rather than relying on Begley or Rud nightly next year.
I think that is safe to say at this point.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
There was nothing wrong with Steve Johnson per se (he had 39 points his last 3 years with a +6 and only 24 PIM) rather during his senior year for instance there was also Phillips, Rossini, Glover, Ramsey, Zuhlsdorf, Sadek and Lingren. Lindgren obviously has done fine for himself in the NHL, but Johnson led that core in scoring.
There’s nothing wrong with the Steve Johnson’s, Sadeks and Gates Jrs of the world that came through the only problem is that they shouldn’t be your go-to guys like they were when they were upperclassmen. They were good supporting player caliber. That showed a clear drop off in talent from where Gopher hockey should be. If there’s one thing Motzko has done it’s gotten recruiting back on track.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Impressive edge work by Beckett and that shot by Gruba reminded me of Nate Schmidt.
Brady Yakesh no longer has gopher hockey tagged on his instagram. Also has “LU Hockey #7” on his twitter. Lindenwood maybe?
Brady Yakesh no longer has gopher hockey tagged on his instagram. Also has “LU Hockey #7” on his twitter. Lindenwood maybe?
Good catch. Certainly seems that way. People on here have seen this coming for awhile. If he did make it to campus he never would’ve seen the ice so good for him.