One of the overlooked holiday highlights in college sprots: the annual matchup (or ass-kicking) the CCHA half of the Big 11 hockey programs lays on the WCHA half. As usual, home ice advantage plays a huge factor. But we're seeing some traditional properties from the teams: The Badgers are underachieving as usual, Michigan is looking to rebound from a humbling by Miami, Minnesota is still pretty strong and Michigan State is at rock bottom, but I see it shaking down like this:
Michigan at Minnesota: scU-M 4-2.
Michigan at Wisconsin: scU-M 12-1.
Michigan State at Minnesota: MN 6-0.
Michigan State at Wisconsin: MSU 16-3.
BALLEEE DAT!
2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
Moderator: Shoalzie
Re: 2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
State is having a helluva time scoring goals and Lerg in spite of having a solid goals against and save percentage just hasn't gotten the support. I think the Spartans lose the game against Minnesota and I think eek out a close win against the Badgers. Lerg will steal one of the two games and I think he's got a better shot against Wisconsin. If Red's pattern holds true, Sauer starts against the Gophers tonight and Hogan against the Badgers on Saturday. I think Michigan gets a split in that scenario. If they flip-flopped starters, I wouldn't put it past them to win both games. If I was to put money on which team is most likely to get two wins out of the weekend, I'd go with the Gophers...Kangas has been strong in goal and they have a pretty balanced offensive attack.
Re: 2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
Low and behold, Red flip-flops his goalies like I hoped and it worked out well against the Gophers. Hogan didn't have to play a great game because his offense did most of the work...especially in the first 25 minutes of the game. Another great thing was that the offense was clicking and it wasn't Palushaj and Caporusso leading the way. A pair of goals from Hagelin and the freshman Wohlberg were enough to get them a winner in the opener over the #1 team in the nation. That was definitely their most impressive win of the season.
Over in Madison, Lerg was a sitting duck having to face 50 shots. Conversely, the Spartans can't score goals as it is...let alone on only 11 shots. And it took a 5-on-3 to get that lone goal. Lerg kept that from being real ugly.
This just doesn't look like a very strong State team. It's not like some of the teams they had when they had Miller in net and he would lead them to a win but they had a good team around him. This team just doesn't have a lot of offensive punch. It's a lot like what Michigan's had to deal with in recent years...very few upperclassmen to serve as leaders and the incoming freshmen have had to shoulder more of workload. They just don't seem to have any dynamic young players right now.
For tonight's action, I can see the Gophers putting on a shooting gallery on Lerg after a bad loss last night and they should win quite easily. In Madison, I see Michigan carrying momentum from Friday night and hopefully Sauer plays well as the Saturday starter rather than the usual Friday role.
Over in Madison, Lerg was a sitting duck having to face 50 shots. Conversely, the Spartans can't score goals as it is...let alone on only 11 shots. And it took a 5-on-3 to get that lone goal. Lerg kept that from being real ugly.
This just doesn't look like a very strong State team. It's not like some of the teams they had when they had Miller in net and he would lead them to a win but they had a good team around him. This team just doesn't have a lot of offensive punch. It's a lot like what Michigan's had to deal with in recent years...very few upperclassmen to serve as leaders and the incoming freshmen have had to shoulder more of workload. They just don't seem to have any dynamic young players right now.
For tonight's action, I can see the Gophers putting on a shooting gallery on Lerg after a bad loss last night and they should win quite easily. In Madison, I see Michigan carrying momentum from Friday night and hopefully Sauer plays well as the Saturday starter rather than the usual Friday role.
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Screw_Michigan
Re: 2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
Great analysis, Shoalz. I'm this close to signing up for the Comcast sports package so I can get the BTN, the NHL Network and the FCS stations for college hockey. I'm fiending down here.
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Goober McTuber
- World Renowned Last Word Whore
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Re: 2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
Well, what do you know, Screwball. Wisconsin wins two against their peewee league opponents. BTW, how did Kalamazoo Tech do this weekend? Lucky for you Northern was matched up against mighty Ferris State, or they might have caught up with you. Watch for the Badgers to make the NCAA Tournament again. Tard.
Re: 2008 College Hockey Showcase: CALL IT!
Props to you Goobs for the Badgers' performance this weekend. Surprised to see them shutout Michigan after the Wolverines dropped 6 on the Gophers on Friday. Sauer was let down by his offense...the second time in a row he's on the receiving end of a shutout loss. Also surprised to see the Spartans put up 4 goals on the Gophers but have to settle for a tie after dominating most of that game on Saturday. I wouldn't have guess that the Gophers would get just a single point out of the action this weekend and the Badgers get 4 points.