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bleedsmaroonandgold

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Thought I would try to track games which are relevant to us getting into the NCAA tournament and winning the B1G:

Big Ten:
We want Wisconsin to beat PSU tonight. This would guaranty Penn State can't catch us, and help us catch PSU in the PWR (we are currently two behind them). We also want OSU to beat Michigan tomorrow to help us lock up the B1G title.

ECAC:
Only series in this round of the tournament really affects us. We want Union to upset Cornell to try to keep Cornell from going on a run to catch us in the PWR (currently two spots behind us). All of the other teams in this round are potential bid stealers, so it doesn't matter who wins, we want them to lose later on in the ECAC tournament.

Hockey East:
If BU beats Mass. today or tomorrow, that knocks one potential bid stealer out of their tournament.

NCHC:
They are not in their tournament yet. If Denver beats Omaha that could help us catch Omaha in the PWR. Same with Miami beating Duluth.
 

Now if the Gophers can just do their part. It's 2-0 MSU. The second was on a breakaway. The second on a shot from the left wing that rattled off both posts and in.
 

The Gophers need to win the conference tournament to get in. Shaping up to be the second disappointing season in a row.
 

Yep, really just cheer for Ohio State to hang on today, and then hang a B1G banner next weekend.

After that, need to get the autobid. Will be no at large this year.
 

GophenGolder said:
Yep, really just cheer for Ohio State to hang on today, and then hang a B1G banner next weekend.

After that, need to get the autobid. Will be no at large this year.
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After last night, probably not. It would take a lot of help even if we win our next three. The good thing is, we are one win away from that banner.
 


If this Gopher team does make the NCAA tourney, have you seen anything that would make you think they could win a few games?
 

No, but we have the most appearances of any team and I'd like to keep that up. In this case it would mean at least one banner, and we should get the first banner next weekend so that would be two to hang.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
If this Gopher team does make the NCAA tourney, have you seen anything that would make you think they could win a few games?
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No, but stranger things have happened. The season is a success if you send North Dakota home in the NCAAs.
 

GophenGolder said:
No, but stranger things have happened. The season is a success if you send North Dakota home in the NCAAs.
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Okay thanks :)
I'm not sure if it's the poor talent in the Big Ten, but there have been times where the Gopher team has looked really good this season. I am not a good hockey mind, but the goaltending from Schierhorn has been very good at times (better than Wilcox?), and there are some exciting offensive players (Kloos, Novak Fasching, Bristedt...).
 



bonin21 said:
The Gophers need to win the conference tournament to get in. Shaping up to be the second disappointing season in a row.
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Shaping? It's been disappointing since week 1. We likely need to win the tournament to get in. Which isn't impossible, but unlikely. Michigan is better than us even though we split.

Doesn't matter, we're not going anywhere anyway. We likely have less chance than Holy Cross did to win a game in the NCAA's...
 

Sparlimb said:
Shaping? It's been disappointing since week 1. We likely need to win the tournament to get in. Which isn't impossible, but unlikely. Michigan is better than us even though we split.

Doesn't matter, we're not going anywhere anyway. We likely have less chance than Holy Cross did to win a game in the NCAA's...
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Most of us thought they'd be on the bubble coming in. The roster is just not very good. If they hang two banners and don't embarrass themselves in the first round, it's not as disappointing of a season as last year.

The Holy Cross comment is way off. This team beat Michigan twice and Notre Dame once, at least.
 

bonin21 said:
Most of us thought they'd be on the bubble coming in. The roster is just not very good. If they hang two banners and don't embarrass themselves in the first round, it's not as disappointing of a season as last year.
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I don't know a ton about hockey, but follow the gophers closely. Why is the roster not very good? Is the quality of recruits from the last few years declining? Are players not improving from their freshman skill level?
 

GophenGolder said:
I don't know a ton about hockey, but follow the gophers closely. Why is the roster not very good? Is the quality of recruits from the last few years declining? Are players not improving from their freshman skill level?
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I think I would disagree with Bonin on thinking that the roster isn't very good. It is very young. Right now, we have a freshman goalie starting every game, and six freshman forwards dressing regularly. A lot of them have looked pretty good, but made their fair share of freshman mistakes. Next year should be better, we only have 3 players graduating, none of whom are major contributors. The sophomore class is a major disappointment, we only have 5 sophomores, one is a pretty good forward (Bristedt), one is a backup goalie (Lehr), one is a solid but unremarkable defenseman (Johnson), and two are high round draft pick defensemen who haven't been very good (Collins and Glover). In the case of the last two, they were good looking recruits (2nd and 3rd round NHL draft picks) that haven't played as well as hoped. We can certainly fault the coach for overrating them (though NHL scouts also made that mistake) or not developing them properly, but they were sought after players.
 



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