Michigan Hockey at Minnesota Open Thread II
#6 Michigan at #20 Minnesota
Big Ten Network
Michigan has a two point lead on Minnesota on top of the Big Ten. Given the schedules, Michigan has to get out of today with a lead in the standings to have a realistic shot at a banner.
Big Game, Lets go Blue
February 27th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^
Who is this "we" you speak of?
February 27th, 2016 at 12:26 AM ^
Ah, right on time. Just like I expected.
Do you now know why I was so upset when we lost to terrible MSU and couldn't not tie OSU and Wisconsin?
Look at the standings. If WE win any of those games, WE are ahead in the standings.
It's okay to be frustrated with recurring themes, people. Despite what ol Bando says to me after losses, you're not a bad fan if you're upset about losses and ties in games that hurt the team.
You must have the patience of a monk if you aren't even a little frustrated with the same thing happening over and over and over and over and over and over. Not Racine, but not getting the job done when it needs to happen.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:58 AM ^
Another loss, another "the sky is falling" take.
They split a series against a top-20 opponent. The horror.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:58 AM ^
Another loss, another "the sky is falling" take.
They split a series against a top-20 opponent. The horror.
February 27th, 2016 at 1:30 AM ^
February 26th, 2016 at 11:38 PM ^
The defense will never be good with this staff if it hasn't improved in 5 years. The defense went kaput like clockwork after Mel left. There's your man.
February 26th, 2016 at 11:55 PM ^
Score more than 2 fucking goals on their freshman goalie.
With all of our speed and skill this should have been a comfortable 4 or 5 to 2 victory.
Hell, even 3 regulation goals gets you the win.
February 27th, 2016 at 1:57 AM ^
Yeah, I agree. 0 for 4 on the power play with only 2 shots didn't help either.
February 26th, 2016 at 11:38 PM ^
Racine had an off night but only gave up 3. Our average is damn near 5.
Put more pucks behind their freshman goalie. They play in a cavern, stop taking shots from the blue line and tops of the circles.
Most importantly, stop turning the puck over in your own end.
February 26th, 2016 at 11:49 PM ^
That's fucking stupid. So this was the same as a regulagtion loss? So idiotic.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:08 AM ^
It's not up to the NCAA. It's a conference rule.
February 26th, 2016 at 11:53 PM ^
I mean, we lost one period on the road against a good team, dominated yesterday.
Clearly we're doomed.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:08 AM ^
February 27th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
I can see us winning the first game in the tourney 7-3 then losing the next 4-3 or something. I can't remember the last time we strung together 4 wins in a row this year. Maybe the GLI?
February 27th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^
3-2 has become the most evil score in history for us.
If a game is 2-2 in OT, forget about it.
Ever since that Miami 2010 NCAA game, that score has fucked us over and over.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:27 AM ^
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February 27th, 2016 at 12:36 AM ^
That's the sick part.
Look at this. Tell me this is not an evil omen.
- 2010 NCAA Regional Final: L 2-3 (2OT)
- 2011 NCAA Championship: L 2-3 OT
- 2012 CCHA Tourney final: L 2-3
- 2012 NCAA First Round: L 2-3 OT
- November at BU: L 2-3
- vs MSU in Detroit: L 2-3 OT
- Tonight: L 2-3 OT
Those are off the top of my head. Was winning two national titles almost 20 years ago really throwing the universe off balance so much that we needed to be hurt by that score all these years later just to balance back out?
Does this mean we'll win two more soon?
February 27th, 2016 at 1:11 AM ^
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February 27th, 2016 at 12:10 AM ^
Minnesota's non-conference record is hilariously awful and their conference record is great.
Tells you everything you need to know about this piece of shit, one-bid conference.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
By my count, Racine has let in 4 goals from the blue line or beyond in the last 4 weeks.
at PSU
at Wisconsin
Twice tonight.
That's unbelievable. Especially since he's been good in and around the crease.
I have no idea.
February 27th, 2016 at 2:04 AM ^
That is pretty crazy. Hard to imagine that continuing though. Hopefully his confidence remains high.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:38 AM ^
The fact that this shit Minnesota team is probably going to win the Big Ten while simultaneously not getting an at-large bid is humiliating for the Big Ten.
A split while disappointing, is not surprising. Hopefully MSU or Wisconsin can steal a few from Minny...
February 27th, 2016 at 1:54 PM ^
We should hope for those things but winning out is far from certain for this team. OSU on the road is not a sure win. Also, recall the last few years when all we needed to do was win a game against a lesser opponnent and we could not do it. Last year was a particularly bitter example when we could not beat our badly outmanned in-state rival AT HOME in the last game of the year. I've been watching UM hockey since 1973 and that was the most humiliating game I've experienced.
February 27th, 2016 at 1:56 AM ^
February 27th, 2016 at 2:01 AM ^
Me too, but former CCHA teams aren't exactly killing it this year either.
February 27th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^
How about everybody have a breakdown about it?
Last night sucked. Minny needed a fluke dump-in bounce just to get 2 behind Racine, and it needed to be coupled with a slow offensive night just for them to get it to OT. Shit happens. Bummer about OT.
But this team, over their last 16 games has won 10 games by 3 goals or more. They're blowing people out regularly. Two more wins came by 2 and 1 goal.
The 4 other games? All went to OT. That means nobody has gotten the better of Michigan in a regulation hockey game since mid-December, and nobody will until the calendar reads March. -- That's pretty good.
Of those 4 OT games? Minny needed the afore-mentioned bonkers, bad-hop dump-in. Wisconsin needed a tying goal with 30 seconds left, and OSU needed to dodge about 5 empty net opportunities before scoring their equalizer with 7 seconds left.
With a couple of breaks and one-more save, Michigan might have won all 16.
With a couple more bad breaks the other way? Michigan may have only throttled a team by 3 goals instead of 4.
This is not smoke and mirrors. This team is really, really good. They are an offensive juggernaut playing in front of a solid goalie and a shit-yer-pants defense (Good grief, Downing).
The conference isn't decided. Wisconsin and MSU are actual hockey teams. They are both capable of beating Minnesota. Get your shit together and ride this out.
February 27th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
Another way is to say Racine let in 3 horrible goals last night, basically blowing a 2-0 win that would have cleared a path for a conference title. The second goal wasn't a fluke bad bounce goal. It was a goal tender who wasn't in front of a bouncing puck who tried to catch it with his glove to his side. It was bad goal-tending. Goals 1 and 3 were bad goaltending like Racine is prone to on long shots. Wisconsin and OSU both capitalized on horrendous break-downs in the last minute that should never happen to a well-coached team that has much more talent on the ice than the opposition. Even the highest powered offense cannot score 4 or 5 every night and last night and the Wiscy and OSU games are examples of why this team is not likely to succeed in the tournament. The goaltending is unreliable and the ability to close out close games is not there. Winning close requires discipline, hard-work, and dedication to defense and this team, for all its shiny offensive capability, is not consistently disciplined, hard-working, or dedicated to the kind of effort at both ends of the rink that leads to success in the tournament where there are teams that will play harder and with consistent effort at both ends of the rink.