Scott Sandelin has preached patience. But that isn’t going to last forever, especially if UMD continues to struggle the way it did on Friday.
In a 5-2 Wisconsin win, the Bulldogs lost battles in all situations, something that Sandelin will not accept. Mistakes are going to happen, yes, but “battle level” is not a mistake. After the game, Sandelin bristled at the way the Badgers sealed the win in the third period.
“Battle in the corner, it’s three versus two, we don’t come out with it, they get an empty net goal,” he said. “That happened numerous times on the power play, numerous times defensively. You’ve got to win battles, and you gotta defend hard. Sometimes you’re not going to win every battle, but you’ve got to stay in those battles.”
What’s likely to bother Sandelin most is the fact the battles being lost are often being lost by veteran players. These aren’t freshmen who need to learn the importance of being ready every time they hop the boards. Instead, it’s players who have played one or two (or more) seasons for UMD, and are well aware of how they need to play to be successful.
“I think we got into a bit of a track meet, when that’s not how we should play,” said captain Tanner Laderoute in the video linked above from Matt Wellens and the great Clint Austin. “We’ve been super successful playing a shutdown, simple, more of a Bulldog hockey kind of way.”
That’s not the only reason UMD is 2-3 with three straight losses, but it’s a large factor. In order to get where they want to go, the Bulldogs have to commit to a defense-first style that is not sexy, but is instead quite successful. There are banners above the ice surface to prove that.
These are lessons that need to be learned, but there will come a point where UMD needs to show an ability to learn and adapt more quickly. Not sure we’re at that point yet, but we are less than two weeks away from league play getting started, so time is starting to get short.
8 THOUGHTS
1. As I said, the inconsistent battle level is not the only issue. Since Ben Steeves’ goal with 4:40 left in the second period of UMD’s 4-1 win over Arizona State on Oct. 2, the Bulldogs have scored exactly zero (0) even strength goals. Sandelin made it clear after Friday’s game that UMD had its chances, but the goals didn’t come. That wasn’t necessarily the case last weekend in Mankato, where the Bulldogs had precious few good scoring chances, especially at even strength.
Every game is different. It’s almost like they take on their own personality. Wisconsin wants to play fast, and UMD was loose defensively while not bearing down offensively. That’s a tough combination to win with, no matter the adversary.
2. There’s reason to be concerned that UMD’s top defenseman will not play Saturday. Junior Wyatt Kaiser was ejected from the game in the third period after officials ruled his high stick on Wisconsin’s Jack Gorniak made significant and direct head contact. Replays indicated Kaiser was being held, yes, but reacted by taking a baseball swing that hit Gorniak in the head/face. The Badgers bench challenged the initial call of a minor penalty and won that challenge, as it should have.
This was, to be blunt, bad. I shouldn’t have to say this, but it’s extremely out of character for the smart, soft-spoken defenseman. Now, we wait. The NCHC has the ability to issue supplemental discipline. It isn’t common, but NCHC officiating boss Don Adam was in attendance Friday, and he and his staff will surely discuss the possibility. We should know by 2pm Saturday.
- (UPDATE: The NCHC has indeed suspended Kaiser for Saturday’s 6pm game. He will be eligible to play Friday vs. Cornell.)
3. Sandelin wasn’t thrilled with the play of his defensemen Friday. This doesn’t even address the Kaiser hit, which took an all-situations defenseman out of what was — at the time — a one-goal game for the last 16-plus minutes.
It’s been a problem here and there. The Bulldogs are too loose in their own zone, not doing enough to stop plays or take ice away. Wisconsin’s first two goals came on plays that probably shouldn’t have happened. The first goal saw big center Charlie Stramel streaking down the middle to take a perfect centering pass and one-touch it home. On the second, Cruz Lucius, well, cruised into the slot after getting by a check at the blue line, whipping a slick back-hand shot by Zach Stejskal.
Feels like a broken record, but this isn’t how UMD plays. You typically have to earn what you get against the Bulldogs, and too many even strength goals so far have not been that way.
4. UMD chose to match its top line — Dominic James, Quinn Olson, and Blake Biondi — against Wisconsin’s top line of Brock Caufield, Mathieu De St. Phalle, and Lucius.
To be blunt, this did not go well. The James Gang was on the ice for both of UW’s first-period goals. And it’s a group that has struggled to finish at the other end. James has one even strength goal, none in the last four games. Olson has just two assists, both coming in that opening game. Biondi has one assist and scored his first goal of the season Friday when an Isaac Howard shot bounced off him and into the net on a second period power play.
Caufield’s line was a combined plus-six with three points. James’ line was a combined minus-10 with one point. It’s not the only reason UMD lost Friday or is struggling to score, but that line has to get going, and it has to sustain more offense.
Remember last Friday? I know you don’t want to, but that game started with the James Gang taking the puck into the MSU zone after winning the opening faceoff, and sustaining offensive zone possession for the first 36 seconds, drawing the game’s first power play. Sandelin wants more of that from them.
5. Speaking of offense, Ben Steeves’ second goal Oct. 2 against Arizona State is the last one UMD has scored at even strength. It’s a drought that has now reached 204 minutes and 40 seconds. That’s simply not going to get it done.
Again, it was not for a lack of opportunity. As Laderoute said, this was a game where the teams were trading scoring chances. That isn’t the Bulldogs’ style, but if a game is going to go that way, UMD has to bury more pucks than we saw Friday.
6. North Dakota led most of Friday’s game at Minnesota, but the Gophers got an extra-attacker goal to tie late, then Matthew Knies buried the game-winner in overtime to send 3M Arena into a frenzy. St. Cloud State scored goals in each period to knock off Minnesota State 3-2 in St. Cloud. Notre Dame got a couple in the second period and held off Western Michigan 2-0. Denver returned to the win column, beating Providence 4-1. Arizona State halted a comeback bid from Colorado College to win 5-3. Alaska-Fairbanks beat Omaha 3-2 in overtime, and Miami beat Canisius 5-3 in Buffalo. Rematches Saturday, with Western at home this time. And Omaha has to wait until Sunday for another shot at UAF.
7. Stop worrying about the PairWise. UMD has three non-conference losses, yes, but the Bulldogs still have five non-conference games to play. The Bulldogs were a .500 team in non-league play last season and still were the No. 5 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament.
Yes, there are things happening that Bulldog fans aren’t used to seeing. The team isn’t playing great at the moment, but things are still coming together. Lots of hockey left, and while every game counts, the big picture is going to matter most at the end.
8. The UMD women played a strong game Friday in Columbus against Ohio State, but it was the Buckeyes getting a goal late in three-on-three overtime to beat the Bulldogs 3-2. UMD got goals from Clara Van Wieren and Maggie Flaherty, but couldn’t get a third and have to settle for one WCHA point in their first loss of the season. The teams meet again at 2pm Saturday in Columbus, a game you can watch on Big Ten Plus.
Comments