Wisky hockey: 0-4 and falling

[Screw_Michigan]

Wisconsin is 0-4 and proving itself to be the nation's most overrated team entering the season. Losing two in Green Bay against WCHA doormat Northern Michigan and dropping two in Alaska to UAA and UAF, who other WCHA doormats. Unluckily for the Badgers, it doesn't get any easier. They host North Dakota for a pair this weekend, then they're at CC and Denver, then they host Ferris.

they'll be lucky to be 1-9 after that stretch. Suck on that, Gobbles McTubesteak.

PS...Big 11 hockey blows.

[Shoalzie]

BU is going to wreck State and Michigan this weekend...Eichel is a beast.

[Goober McTuber]

Eaves is horrible. If Wisky is overrated, that's on the pollsters.

[Shoalzie]

In the USCHO.com poll they were 18th the week before when they were at 0-2 and now they're not in "Others receiving votes" at 0-4. They're where they belong. College hockey rankings are weird but they won't rank an 0-4 team in the top 20.

[Shoalzie]

For the prospect watchers...Eichel vs. Hanifin on NBCSN (Boston U. vs. Boston College)

[Goober McTuber]

Wisconsin is 0-4 and proving itself to be the nation's most overrated team entering the season.

There aren't that many teams to rank, you know. A lot less hockey teams than there are BBall teams, Corky.

Wisky has 10 or 13 freshman on the roster. Going to be a pretty shitty year. Should get better and better if the majority of the kids stay three years.

[Screw_Michigan]

Wisconsin is 0-4 and proving itself to be the nation's most overrated team entering the season.

There aren't that many teams to rank, you know. A lot less hockey teams than there are BBall teams, Corky.

Wisky has 10 or 13 freshman on the roster. Going to be a pretty shitty year. Should get better and better if the majority of the kids stay three years.

Aren't you guys 2-8 now? Pathetic.

Big 11 hockey = the suck.

[Screw_Michigan]

When will Wisky win a game?

?

[Goober McTuber]

When will they fire Mike Eaves?

[Screw_Michigan]

You're the one who's been saying Eaves is such a great coach. Why now?

I guess Big 11 hockey wasn't such a good idea, eh?

[Goober McTuber]

You're the one who's been saying Eaves is such a great coach. Why now?

I guess Big 11 hockey wasn't such a good idea, eh?

Why don't you link me up to where I ever said Eaves was a great coach. I was opposed to his hire from the start. He won a national championship, yes, due to a wealth of talent, not his coaching. He also has had sufficient talent to win more. I would have preferred to see Mark Johnson hired. He's won several national titles with our mop-squeezer hockey team.

If you were paying attention, I was opposed to B1G hockey from the get go. Tons of tradition and long time rivalries in the WCHA.

Anything else you want to be wrong about, Corky?

[Goober McTuber]

A tie and a win over the weekend. We're back!!!!

[Screw_Michigan]

A tie and a win over the weekend. We're back!!!!

LOL, I was just going to post belated props. Then you follow it up with a pair of losses against Penn State.

Baby steps, I guess.

[Goober McTuber]

A tie and a win over the weekend. We're back!!!!

LOL, I was just going to post belated props. Then you follow it up with a pair of losses against Penn State.

Baby steps, I guess.

PSU is a traditional Big 10 hockey powerhouse.

[MuchoBulls]

I remember when we played Penn State when they were still an ACHA member.

They've made a nice transition to the highest level.

[Shoalzie]

US U-18 4, Wisconsin 1...granted, there are some studs on that US team. Auston Matthews might be the #1 pick in 2016.

Speaking of prospects...intrigued to see how Michigan does against Noah Hanifin and the BC Eagles.

[Goober McTuber]

US U-18 4, Wisconsin 1

They've already beaten better college teams than Wisky.

[Screw_Michigan]

The U-18 team beats college teams all the time, no big surprise there.

[Screw_Michigan]

better college teams than Wisky.

Quite the low bar, there. That's like saying there are smarter, slimmer people than shutyomouth or more sober than AP.

I think only Alabama-Huntsville is worse than Wisky.

[Shoalzie]

Hate to say it but their next best chance for winning will be a month from now against Michigan. I don't know what to make of them. They won't stand a chance against Tech in the GLI with Larkin, Compher, Motte and Werenski playing in the world juniors.

[Goober McTuber]

I don't know what to make of them.

The team is largely freshmen with suspect skill levels, the upperclassmen they have are not that good, and the coach is a tool.

[Screw_Michigan]

I watched the Minnesota-Dane County Vocational College game today and Dane County looked pretty good. I know the Goofers are nothing to write home about, but how does DCVC only have three wins? How is that possible? Jesus, even UAH and Mercyhurst are better than DCVC.

[Shoalzie]

Total meltdowns the last two weekends at home for them. They've been competitive but they give up goals in bunches. They had Michigan down 4-1 last Friday and then the Wolverines ripped off the last 6 goals of that games and then shut them out 6-0 on Saturday.

There's enough parity in college hockey right now that they shouldn't be this bad. Rumpel is an adequate senior goalie but he's overmatched with how little of talent they have in front of him. They're seemingly doubled up in shots every game.

As for the Gophers, they seemed to be the easy favorite to win the conference this year but they've been underwhelming since mid-November. With the way Minnesota State and UMD have been...they're definitely not the best team in the state right now.

Michigan's winning because they can light up the scoreboard but I'm still not sold on their goaltending. They'll be an easy out in a one-and-done scenario if they face a hot goalie.

[Screw_Michigan]

I recently dumped cable and bought a new TV (should have done both earlier) so I've been watching a lot Big 11 hockey, even replays. I watched the scUM-MSU game from Joe Louis Friday. Great game, surprising to see MSU play so well after being so god awful earlier this season. They even, gasp, looked competitive and capable offensively!

I can't believe Penn State was able to climb to first place in the Big 11. They are total paper tigers, all offense, no defense. Northern looked decent enough against PSU, though it blew big leads both nights. Minnesota isn't so great. I watched the Minn-Minn St game from a few weeks ago and the Mavs ran circles around them.

Bottom line is simply that the Big 11 isn't a very good league. Any league with six teams is going to be hard to measure. Michigan is certainly the best of the bunch and the only team with a real shot at the Frozen Four. Minnesota, PSU, MSU? Get real. Though if MSU plays like it did Friday night, I can see them upsetting someone in the first round...if they make the tournament.

[Shoalzie]

State has decent talent but they know what they are and they need to win low-scoring games. Hildebrand is their best player.

I'm with you though...this has been a down year for that league. Minnesota was supposed to be elite with that talent and a great goalie. Michigan is the leader because someone has to be in first. Nobody in that league will make much noise in March. Hockey East, the NCHC and the WCHA are much better leagues right now.

[Shoalzie]

These outdoors games in college are just getting sad. Chicago is a Blackhawks town but not an overall hockey hotbed compared to Minnesota or Michigan. The crowd at Soldier Field looked like if the Florida Panthers hosted the Winter Classic at Joe Robbie. Women's college hoops thinks that was a small crowd.

I guess it's for the players when it's all said and done but it's gotta be old hat for Michigan and Michigan State. They still draw good crowds when they play at the Joe. It's ambitious to play outdoors in Chicago and expect a decent turnout. It's a B1G city but there's not really any college hockey to speak of in that state. Notre Dame might draw a few fans there.

[Shoalzie]

...and Sparty wins the B1G regular season title. (because someone had to)

[Screw_Michigan]

...and Sparty wins the B1G regular season title. (because someone had to)

Big 11 regular season isn't over until next weekend.

[Screw_Michigan]

These outdoors games in college are just getting sad. Chicago is a Blackhawks town but not an overall hockey hotbed compared to Minnesota or Michigan. The crowd at Soldier Field looked like if the Florida Panthers hosted the Winter Classic at Joe Robbie. Women's college hoops thinks that was a small crowd.

I guess it's for the players when it's all said and done but it's gotta be old hat for Michigan and Michigan State. They still draw good crowds when they play at the Joe. It's ambitious to play outdoors in Chicago and expect a decent turnout. It's a B1G city but there's not really any college hockey to speak of in that state. Notre Dame might draw a few fans there.

I posted basically the same thing at the MSU bbs. The outdoor games have become a joke. It's the same god damn teams over and over again (MSU, scUM, BC, BU, "power teams), the ice is a joke, the weather is awful and there simply aren't enough fans to make these games successful for as often as they play them. I watched the MSU-scUM game and I thought the crowd was sparse there, I bet there were 500 people at the Miami/Kzoo Tech game. The novelty has completely worn off and every god damn dollar possible has been wrung out of outdoor hockey.

The only outdoor games I endorse anymore are the non-major market ones. They had an outdoor game in Toledo at the Mud Hens stadium. It was BG/Robert Morris and an OHL game, I believe. That is great because those BG/RMU guys probably hadn't played in an outdoor game. They probably had decent attendance at that game too because it wasn't in a place like Chicago where there are a million competing things to do.

Ratings bottom out for the Winter Classic this year. These promoters and the NHL really need to dial down their expectations.

[Shoalzie]

...and Sparty wins the B1G regular season title. (because someone had to)

Big 11 regular season isn't over until next weekend.

I'll be damned...and Michigan-MSU lock horns to boot. Just assumed this was it since we're conference tourney season.

[Shoalzie]

Friggin' Hildebrand strikes again...

[Goober McTuber]

Can't wait till Wisky gets bounced out of the first round of the Big 10 tournament and this historically God-awful season is over.

[Shoalzie]

Minnesota is probably the only B1G that could make any noise in the tourney so I have no problem with them being the only team in. State had probably the best goalie in the conference and Michigan had the best offense but too many flawed teams this year.

I think BU is the team to beat and Miami is one of the teams heading into the tourney...the bracket is coming out shortly.

[Screw_Michigan]

Super pissed BG didn't make the tournament. And the team that beats them out, Providence, gets a home game. Complete garbage.

I watched the new WCHA final last night, fantastic game. I like Minn State vs. Miami in the final with Miami taking it all.

I also watched the Big 11 final last night, though it wasn't on my primary television.

[Shoalzie]

Yeah, Miami having to play at Providence is a joke.