Bemidji

[It's the Journey...]

Hopefully we have all thrown that batch of koolaid out, it has turned...............

[BGhockeyfan94]

Maybe we will start out bad and end strong this year? One can hope....

[Critical Thinker]

I just don't get it. What happened to the team from fall of 2014? For the past year and a half, we keep wondering what's going to light a fire under their asses to get them to play to their potential. With every bad loss to a team we have no business losing to, we think the team has just had it, that this will be the loss where they realize they can't coast their way into the postseason. They may come back and win their next game, but then they come out the next weekend flat with little effort and sloppy play. I've always thought the potential was there to make it to the NCAAs, but they just didn't want it enough. I don't know.

[BGDrew]

Here's the recap from tonight's game: http://www.bgsuhockey.com/2016/10/bsu-c ... eat-of-bg/" target="_blank

While it certainly wasn't a fun weekend, just a reminder that these were games one and two of 36 this season.

[BGhockeyfan94]

We just don't have a go to guy that can continue to score goals and produce offense. We are average at best across the board on offense, and that will not get it done.

[bgsurick]

When was the last time we had a "pure" goal scorer? Wansbrough? How many times in the past 20 years have we had someone score 20 in a season? Has the game changed that much, or is the talent more diluted?

[Falconfreak90]

Certainly was a very disappointing weekend...

[bgbill]

When was the last time we had a "pure" goal scorer? Wansbrough? How many times in the past 20 years have we had someone score 20 in a season? Has the game changed that much, or is the talent more diluted?

'07-'08 - Derek Whitmore
5
good goaltending

[Flipper]

Scoring is down across the sport vs 10-15 years ago or so...I would suggest a larger ice surface, but Euro leagues play on bigger ice and their games aren't exactly Gretzky and the Oilers affairs either. I'm at a loss to explain it because the players are jut as skilled before...if not more so as they're better conditioned athletes

[jpfalcon09]

Scoring is down across the sport vs 10-15 years ago or so...I would suggest a larger ice surface, but Euro leagues play on bigger ice and their games aren't exactly Gretzky and the Oilers affairs either. I'm at a loss to explain it because the players are jut as skilled before...if not more so as they're better conditioned athletes

Easy to explain...everyone employs similar systems in an attempt to keep games close. Creativity has been sucked out of the game (see comments made by Datsyuk and Larionov on the matter) in the name of defense, board play and grind it out wins. You're right, a larger ice surface would likely make things worse, not better, as has been evidenced by the Sochi games which were rather tame on a bigger surface.

[Flipper]

You're probably right...but Dats and Larionov have very little room to speak as KHL games are some of the dullest hockey I've ever watched. At least I can go on You tube and catch that Red Army/Montreal game from Super Series '76 that was played at the forum in MTL on 12/31/75.

Fantastic game...

[pdt1081]

Scoring is down across the sport vs 10-15 years ago or so...I would suggest a larger ice surface, but Euro leagues play on bigger ice and their games aren't exactly Gretzky and the Oilers affairs either. I'm at a loss to explain it because the players are jut as skilled before...if not more so as they're better conditioned athletes

A goaltender now covers 75% of the net by just by being in front of it. Most of them practically play on their knees for an entire game, taking away everything less than 18 inches off the ice. Offense doesn't encourage shooting. It's all about traffic in front of the net, tipping shots, and goal mouth scrambles. The garbage goals.

[Flipper]

Aniother excellent point...the NHL has begun taking some steps in streamlining goalie equipment to open some space, but when you have hulks like Bishop and Dubnyk becoming the norm, there's only so much space left to play with.

I do know one thing..I'm not sure I can handle another season of chip and chase, forecheck for the turn over and then throw it out front for the deflection hockey. Before you know it, evry d pairing will be a 5-10 185 guy with some wheels and vision to beat the forecheck to the puck and make that clearing pass and a 6-5 230 guy who can push guys away from the cage when the 5-10 guy fails.