Gopher Hockey

[PierBridge]

We continue to look like a 7th or 8th place team...

1-0 CC after 1 period.

[jwhjr]

Seems like they've picked it up a little bit after scoring one in the second. We'll see if they can keep it up. 2-1 CC after 2.

[cbrooks]

It's tough to be a one the top teams when you got players leaving early every year.

[so haaad]

Again, poor play defensively, and CC was able to capitalize on our mistakes.

[Get-em-good]

It's tough to be a one the top teams when you got players leaving early every year.

Excuses, excuses. Maybe they should recruit guys that will stay then. I do however agree they should have to stay at least 2 or 3 years, it is getting old watching all these kids just use NCAA hockey as a stepping stone and nothing else.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

It's tough to be a one the top teams when you got players leaving early every year

North Dakota does not seem to have this problem.... they lose players and still do fine.

To list a few

Zach Parise

Brady Murray

Darcy Zajac

Drew Stafford

Jordan Parise

Brian Lee

Taylor Chorney

T.J. Oshie

I watched the Gophers game last night, their D-Zone looked flat! Hopefully they'll play better tonight!

[PierBridge]

Quote:

North Dakota does not seem to have this problem.... they lose players and still do fine.

I guess that would depend on your definition of fine....we don't really need to get into the recent NCAA, WCHA, WCHA Playoff titles between the 2 teams again do we?..

I think some of our pre-season fears have come to fruition. We're a young team and with 3 defense-men playing right out of High school we kind of suspected a bad year may in the works.. I guess I'll lay a little blame on Lucia for this. Not an excuse but there's a big difference between a 17 year old Freshmen Aaron Ness and a 20 year old Canadian Jr Freshmen thug.

Anyway back on topic. It was a carbon copy of late for the Gophers 2 some what poor periods and one good one. The 3rd period of this game was actually quite good. Bachman really stood on his head and saved it for CC.

Gophs~

[cbrooks]

UND have been fortunate to be getting the best recruits IMO. Have to give credit to Hakstal and his staff for what they have accomplish. I don't see east teams losing the under classmen like the teams in the WCHA especially UND, Minnesota and Denver. Eventually that catches up.

It must put alot of pressure on those coaches finding replacments for those positions and on the team who has to find its identity and chemisty every year. Minnesota is definately having this problem.

[Charley]

They haven't played well since Lucia was sick it seemed to affect the team.

[AugieAngler1010]

UND lately has been better at keeping players, and some key ones as well. The Gophs don't just lose stud guys, they often lose some younger less talented guys too. I think UND's success the past couple years has been in part due to keeping a talented core together. Duncan, Zajac, and Finley are still there, and that kind of leadership in college hockey is enough to make the difference.

The top 5-6 teams in the WCHA are loaded with top tier talent. It's just a question of getting hot at the right time and having those leaders to get the talented youngers playing right. The only guy that can be a leader this year is Stoa, and he has been streaky.

[surfs]

UND RULES!!

[Charley]

Gophers got the talent.

[Charley]

Every one wants to beat the gophers.

[PierBridge]

Well we can kiss the NCAA's good by for the first time it what 10 years?

Its Ova!..

[archerystud]

I don't think its over for the Gophers yet. Still could win the FF. The WCHA tourney is more wide open than ever. I think the current 1-8 could win it.

The Gophers have lost too many players after 1-2 years which is too fast to lose them. It's hard to get the right recruits every year and how can you know if they are going to leave or not.

[wingnut38]

hey archerystud. you think the huskies will get home ice for the playoffs? the way i see it they need to win 2 of the remaining 4 and need some help to get the 5th spot. 2 wins and a tie would probably do it. it's gonna be tough going to denver. however, cc has to do to nodak and denver. they might not win another game. sconny hosts nodak and goes to mankato. we could catch them too. duluth goes to the chokers and hosts alaska. it will be very interesting the next couple of weeks. the huskies definately need home ice to make the final five. they seem to really struggle on the road. how fun would it be to host the gophs for the first round?

[Shorelunch]

I don't think its over for the Gophers yet. Still could win the FF. The WCHA tourney is more wide open than ever. I think the current 1-8 could win it.

The Gophers have lost too many players after 1-2 years which is too fast to lose them. It's hard to get the right recruits every year and how can you know if they are going to leave or not.

Archery, every upper-level WCHA team (actually, every upper-level NCAA team) loses their top recruits each year or two. UW, UND, MN, DU all lose their top players each and nearly every year. Heck, look at Duluth, they'd have a nice roster this year if they kept their top players. I think to be consistent, teams need a balance of "star players" along with the four-year lunch bucket guys.

I agree, I wouldn't put the last nail in the coffin for the Gopher season yet.

[Team Otter]

I don't think its over for the Gophers yet. Still could win the FF. The WCHA tourney is more wide open than ever. I think the current 1-8 could win it.

The Gophers have lost too many players after 1-2 years which is too fast to lose them. It's hard to get the right recruits every year and how can you know if they are going to leave or not.

Every time a player leaves early, they should have to pay their remaining scholarship back.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

I guess that would depend on your definition of fine....we don't really need to get into the recent NCAA, WCHA, WCHA Playoff titles between the 2 teams again do we?..

Nah Pier you do not, I already covered that to a response of your message saying I'm insane that I thought Hakstol is a better coach than Lucia in my opinion, I already stated out this years statstics, head to head of Lucia/Hatstol. Where were you on this response???

Quote:

did I say, its my opinion?

oh its Hakstol...not Hatstol

I may be one of the few Gopher and Sioux fan you will meet.

last I seen... Sioux is on a roll when Gophs are not. Right? Last 20 games- Sioux 14-4-2 Gophers 8-9-3...that don't mean anything, Of course.

Hakstol gets the nod...for now.

I can make you happy by saying Lucia is a better coach than Hill!!!

But if you want to compare the first 4 full season of Lucia and Hakstol, sure I'll say Lucia was a better coach.

Hakstol 106-56-15 .641 -4 Frozen Fours, Best Finish- 2nd

Lucia 107-48-17 .671- 2 Frozen Fours, Best Finish- 1st (Two times)

Head to Head

Hakstol wins 7-6-1 (not including both wins at the Ralph this year)

Yes I know I have lots of times with my hands, I was bored and thought I'd do some math.

I'd like them both to be my coach, whoever I play for, I'd be happy...but if I played for the Sioux you'd think we're cheap....every 100% gopher fan probably thinks that way? Just kiddin'

Lookin' forward to March!

Now that you brought up WCHA/WCHA playoff results...I got too bored stating out the facts but you and I know what the results are. Now that I will point out some stats from 1990:

WCHA- Sioux 5 Gophers 4, Both teams share 96-97 WCHA Conference Title

WCHA Playoff Champions- Sioux 3 Gophers 6

NCAA Apperances- Sioux 11 Gophers 16

NCAA Champions- Sioux 2 (1997 and 2000) Gophers 2 (2002 and 2003)

Gopher/Sioux fan I am.

oh just a reminder, Sioux sweep Alaska over the weekend in Alaska. Gophers couldn't do it at home vs Alaska!

last 22 games- Sioux 16-4-2 Gophers 8-11-3 but....

Gophers are gonna win their last 4 games to make this conference more comepetitive! oh it is already.

[bhs91]

they are young, they will be fine next year. Lucia needs to recruit more grant potulny's and less tony lucia's and Jay Barribals. If not, hand the reigns over to another gopher alumni named Dean Blais!!!

[Quackaddict9]

I agree with you, but Barribal is a good player, I think he is his Freshmen year was good because he had more help around him. Grant Potulny is a good one, great leadership, hard working player.

man I wish I was Donny's son!

[cbrooks]

So Minnesota can't win without a Grand Forks kid on there team.JK I just think it's funny that Doug woog only recruited strictly Minnesota and then Don took over and got a few kids from North Dakota, Thomas Vanek and then a couple of championship.

[Bear55]

I've been waiting for the gophs to turn things around now for a month or so, it looks like that is not going to happen. In reality the team just isn't as good as we are use to. I thought last year was a fluke but it might take a little time to turn things around. Overall we have the talent but something is really missing on the defensive side of things, maybe the departure of Guentzel was a bigger deal than I would have thought.

I certianly won't give up on them but I would be very suprised if they made any noise in the playoffs or the NCAA's if we are lucky enough to get in.

Its too early to talk about next year but after going 3-8-1 since the ND series what else do we have to look forward to.

[fishingMN4eyes]

They just need to have an improbable run to the Final Five like they did last year. It would be unfortunate to go on the road for the first round of WCHA playoffs but they did it last year with a far less talented team and managed to escape. There is something about the X for the Gophers the past couple years. The energy in there with 18,000 Gopher fans gets them goin I think. This isn't over yet either. I'm not saying this is likely, but they could still finish third in the WCHA if everything falls into place. A couple sweeps in a row is enough to get them back into the tournament equation and a nice little run in the Final Five would most likely get them a bid in the tournament...I hope.

I have to be positive because I have tickets to both the Final Five and the West Regional at Mariucci and I want to watch the Gophers, not some teams I don't care about haha.

[Bear55]

I hope you are right fishingMN4eyes but at this point I don't see us competing for a national championship and I'm wondering if its better for next years team to have them sit home and watch. It might light a fire under their arse.