All Things Denver XXXVI

[Dmann]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

really ???????

[Pablo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Just learned that we lost last night! What's up with that? From the summary on the DU website, sounds like it was almost a 2-1 shot advantage, but DU couldn't finish. Also sounds like the team has a lot to work on. I guess it's good to have the weaknesses exposed early. I imagine it will take a significant amount of time (esp. for the returning players) to adjust to Montgomery's system.

[du78]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Just learned that we lost last night! What's up with that? From the summary on the DU website, sounds like it was almost a 2-1 shot advantage, but DU couldn't finish. Also sounds like the team has a lot to work on. I guess it's good to have the weaknesses exposed early. I imagine it will take a significant amount of time (esp. for the returning players) to adjust to Montgomery's system.

The team had only one day of real practice on Saturday before playing last night. Eight of the 10 true freshmen played last night. The only two not to play were 3rd string goalie Greg Ogard who was dressed and injured forward Brad Hawkinson. The Pios dressed 23 players last night including the three goalies. The 20 skaters are two more than normally dress for an NCAA game. All 20 skaters got ice time which means the normal rolling of 3 lines was not utilized last night. In addition, there was a ton of special teams play which also disrupted a normal flow to the game. That game was the first chance for the whole team to play as one. As Monty said he saw improvement as the game went on and liked the compete level. This week will involve the implementation of their systems before they face Merrimack this coming weekend. This a very young team with only 2 seniors. It is going to take a while to gel.

[Pablo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

The team had only one day of real practice on Saturday before playing last night. Eight of the 10 true freshmen played last night. The only two not to play were 3rd string goalie Greg Ogard who was dressed and injured forward Brad Hawkinson. The Pios dressed 23 players last night including the three goalies. The 20 skaters are two more than normally dress for an NCAA game. All 20 skaters got ice time which means the normal rolling of 3 lines was not utilized last night. In addition, there was a ton of special teams play which also disrupted a normal flow to the game. That game was the first chance for the whole team to play as one. As Monty said he saw improvement as the game went on and liked the compete level. This week will involve the implementation of their systems before they face Merrimack this coming weekend. This a very young team with only 2 seniors. It is going to take a while to gel.

Good summary. Sounds like an "interesting" game, but always good to hear that the compete level is high. That is at least half the battle.

[FreddyFoyle]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

How about a teeny, tiny bit of respect for your opponent UNB last night? Shots were 10-9 for UNB in 1st and 10-7 for DU in the second. The third period was the difference shot wise, with DU blasting UNB 19-4. 16 of DU's shots in the game came on their 9 power plays (3 in each period).

It is normal that UNB would have the early jump. They've had a few exhibition games to work on their systems, and the Pioneers would understandably be a bit disorganized in their first game. By the third period, the second game in two nights at altitude probably hampered the V-Reds play (one of the UNB players was tweeting after the game wondering who put the cement in his skates). The night before UNB was 1-0 down with CC before the third period, before giving up 4 goals in the third period (3 on the PP). So similar script.

[BigBossMan]

Brittain and Cowley played well with little or no help in front of them. Danny Doremus' breakaway goal was a thing of beauty. The rest was ..... disappointing.

[du78]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

How about a teeny, tiny bit of respect for your opponent UNB last night? Shots were 10-9 for UNB in 1st and 10-7 for DU in the second. The third period was the difference shot wise, with DU blasting UNB 19-4. 16 of DU's shots in the game came on their 9 power plays (3 in each period).

It is normal that UNB would have the early jump. They've had a few exhibition games to work on their systems, and the Pioneers would understandably be a bit disorganized in their first game. By the third period, the second game in two nights at altitude probably hampered the V-Reds play (one of the UNB players was tweeting after the game wondering who put the cement in his skates). The night before UNB was 1-0 down with CC before the third period, before giving up 4 goals in the third period (3 on the PP). So similar script.

I thought UNB played well and their goalie was outstanding. He made a spectacular save on Ty Loney that looked like it was going to be a goal. They also clogged the area in front of the goal to prevent shots from getting through. I am sure there are some sore shins today. Both goals that UNB scored were through screens that Brittain never saw. Props to UNB for taking away Sam's view of the puck. Too bad that UNB is probably on their way home now as their game tonight against AF has been cancelled due to the government shutdown.

[Old Pio]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

How about a teeny, tiny bit of respect for your opponent UNB last night? Shots were 10-9 for UNB in 1st and 10-7 for DU in the second. The third period was the difference shot wise, with DU blasting UNB 19-4. 16 of DU's shots in the game came on their 9 power plays (3 in each period).

It is normal that UNB would have the early jump. They've had a few exhibition games to work on their systems, and the Pioneers would understandably be a bit disorganized in their first game. By the third period, the second game in two nights at altitude probably hampered the V-Reds play (one of the UNB players was tweeting after the game wondering who put the cement in his skates). The night before UNB was 1-0 down with CC before the third period, before giving up 4 goals in the third period (3 on the PP). So similar script.

Why? Who cares (aside from you, of course)? They came in with a team made up of 25 year old Canadians (a formula that brought us great success in the past) and beat a team that hasn't even named a captain yet. You want a trophy or something? Blow it out your barracks bag.

[32 Degrees!]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Well, We enjoyed ushering in the new era in DU hockey. Love the shootout, but it was too quiet in there during that. I guess it will be more exciting with a big crowd and CC or Dakota, when the game is on the line. We need to get the Peyton Manning thing going, where the crowd explodes with noise on cue, then gets quiet when its in DU's favor to be so. The UNB goalie was rock solid down low. The way to beat him, was to go top shelf. DU should have figured that out......a sign of a young team, plus, like you say...limited practices. Plus they've never seen him before.

[FreddyFoyle]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Why? Who cares (aside from you, of course)? They came in with a team made up of 25 year old Canadians (a formula that brought us great success in the past) and beat a team that hasn't even named a captain yet. You want a trophy or something? Blow it out your barracks bag.

That's not what I meant at all. I was speaking to some of the angst here from a few DU fans, who seemed perturbed/worried/disappointed that they didn't blow the doors off a very good CIS team, who yes, certainly have some older, more experienced players (but no NHL prospects). From my perspective, UNB should have beat CC as well, but got done in by penalties in the third period (and the Olympic ice and the altitude). UNB was a very good team last year and is working to repeat that while adjusting to several player changes. Losing to them shouldn't be a big deal.

[Pablo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

That's not what I meant at all. I was speaking to some of the angst here from a few DU fans, who seemed perturbed/worried/disappointed that they didn't blow the doors off a very good CIS team, who yes, certainly have some older, more experienced players (but no NHL prospects). From my perspective, UNB should have beat CC as well, but got done in by penalties in the third period (and the Olympic ice and the altitude). UNB was a very good team last year and is working to repeat that while adjusting to several player changes. Losing to them shouldn't be a big deal.

I don't think it's that big a deal that DU lost the game. I honestly don't know too much about the Canadian university teams. Other than the fact that DU usually wins these games, but I seem to recall some close games, too. The main thing is when your rival down the road beats a team 5-0, it's generally not a good sign when you lose to the same team the next night.

I'm not sure how you can really say that the team on the losing end of a 5-0 game "should have won," especially when 2/3 of your support of that argument is very flimsy (big ice and altitude???) and the other 1/3 (penalties) is your own team's fault! (Unless you're saying that the refs were horrible.)

Your hyperbole aside, the CC game was probably closer than the score indicated...and DU losing to UNB is not any kind of a shameful thing. It just reinforces that DU will probably not come out of the gate too strong this year, and that they will be a work in progress for at least a couple of months, maybe longer.

[Old Pio]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

That's not what I meant at all. I was speaking to some of the angst here from a few DU fans, who seemed perturbed/worried/disappointed that they didn't blow the doors off a very good CIS team, who yes, certainly have some older, more experienced players (but no NHL prospects). From my perspective, UNB should have beat CC as well, but got done in by penalties in the third period (and the Olympic ice and the altitude). UNB was a very good team last year and is working to repeat that while adjusting to several player changes. Losing to them shouldn't be a big deal.

Well, I didn't understand. In that case, I still don't give a sh*t.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Every year it amazes me that NCAA rules don't allow more team practices for hockey. I think Mitch Hyder said that basketball now gets 42 days of practice before the regular season. Doesn't make sense to me.

Looking ahead-- the Merrimack Warriors will be here Friday and Saturday. They tied McGill 1-1 last night. Next year Alex Carle, yes that Carle. will be skating for the Warriors. And that is my total knowledge of our first opponent.

[FreddyFoyle]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

I'm not sure how you can really say that the team on the losing end of a 5-0 game "should have won," especially when 2/3 of your support of that argument is very flimsy (big ice and altitude???) and the other 1/3 (penalties) is your own team's fault! (Unless you're saying that the refs were horrible.)

The more I type, the deeper I dig.

I'm not explaining my point of view very well. UNB is a very good CIS team, by CIS standards. They can normally hold their own with NCAA teams, especially since they've usually had several exhibition games under their belt by the time they play an NCAA team in the fall (a definite advantage). However, the difference in refereeing can be a challenge -- what might be considered just a solid hit in the AUS (UNB's conference) is often called roughing in the Hockey East games I've watched. So the CIS players start to question what is and isn't a penalty and get frustrated. Maybe you get the same effect when you play out of conference games. Then you add it third-period fatigue against often younger legs and you often start to see Canadian teams like UNB take obstruction penalties, especially their younger d-men who are playing NCAA teams for the first time.

Add in the challenges of the altitude in Colorado, which is certainly a new experience for the UNB players who play their whole season at or near sea level, combined with the Olympic ice width which is a first this season for UNB and a first-ever for some of their new players, and it is a bit of an extra challenge.

So in normal circumstance I would expect UNB to have a fairly close game score-wise with any NCAA opponent (based on their normal script of scoring early on a rusty opponent playing in their first game, and then perhaps holding on for a potential win, or taking advantage of a cold goalie who rotates into the game in the second or third period). Even when they lose, which is more often than not, they don't normally get blown out.

So "should have won" was a poor choice of words when I really meant was that based on the last few years going in I was expecting UNB to have a decent chance to win, but not knowing in the CC game how much effect the high-altitude or the Olympic ice would have. And that game was indeed close for two periods, and then ugly (for UNB) in the third. Before they left Fredericton I thought UNB had a chance to jump early on CC and maybe win if they went all-out, less chance against DU due to fatigue and facing a tougher opponent, and then perhaps a rebound win against Air Force as the V-Reds became more acclimated. Thanks to the Tea Party shut down of the government UNB won't get to play that third game.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVI

Freddy, appreciate your commentary on the V-Reds. The 1st period--they certainly outplayed the young Pios. The number of penalties was surprising and made me wonder if the refs called things differently in the CIS.
Best of luck in the your conference and the CIS.

Thought it was nice of you guys to let the Tiggies win one.

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