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UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

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  • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

    Devin's going to get his points and make whoever is on the ice with him better. Balanced scoring and tight D play will be the key in my opinion. Too many times in the last few years our D were physically dominated in the D zone especially in the corners, and in the slot losing the battles you can't lose. Hopefully another year of physical maturity and strength training and another year under Red and Jay will cure this weakness. Great D play will make the goalies job much easier.

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    • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

      Originally posted by BBDiehard14 View Post
      But who is going to put the puck in the net for the Huskies? And I kind of think Vermont is rated a bit too high as well.
      i am wondering if you have had many chances to see Roy and Szmatula. They are special when they are healthy... (Although Roy has Luc Aquino's disease where he does not seem to know that there IS a defensive end of the ice), Roy is an NHLer (as is Shore, and Shore is a lot bigger), but Szmatula and a bunch of other sophomores and juniors are pretty special on Madigan's team (Szmatula is one of Jimmy Montgomery's boys from the USHL). Plus iirc the Northeastern D is BIG. (most are lumbering and slow, but big).

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      • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

        Originally posted by BBDiehard14 View Post
        I can see a first-year guy stepping up and contributing right away. This can be a frozen four team if things fall the right way
        One big IF in that statement though... goaltending is a huge question mark... all three guys are largely unproven... this is a team that was .500 with great goaltending last year (2.25GAA and .925 Save%)... one of the new guys has to perform at that level to have a chance at the ncaa's, let alone the frozen four... Maine went 5-8-4 (half of their schedule) in games decided by a goal or less... that's a slim margin for error... it could go either way, maybe they get some more scoring, or maybe they give up 1 more goal a game because the goaltending isn't at the same level as Ouellette... Right now, claims of the Frozen Four "if things fall right" is like saying the weather will be nice tomorrow if it doesn't rain....

        don't get me wrong, I want to see things go perfectly for Maine... I've been to the FF every year since 2003 and hope like hell that they'll get there every time, but there are so many question marks right now i think it's a bit premature to be thinking anything more than a bubble NCAA team...

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        • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

          Originally posted by TERRIERFANinLA View Post
          Plus iirc the Northeastern D is BIG. (most are lumbering and slow, but big).
          Both sides of this statement are accurate. Of the six that I expect to be in the lineup for the NU blue line, four are all at least 6 feet tall, all over 200lbs. A fifth is close at 5'11/205, and then we have one smaller defender known more for his offensive game. At least two of these players qualifies as "lumbering and slow" but I am hopeful that this year they use their size more to shut down passing lanes.

          As for scoring, NU lost only 22.2% of their offense last season, most of that coming from one player (Braden Pimm). Madigan has brought in a handful of players I expect to contribute right away, potentially even collectively pass Pimm's 37 points from last season. Roy and Szmatula will get theirs, no doubt. Similar to one poster's belief that Shore will get 50 (which I can also see happening), I anticipate Roy to crack 50 and Szmatula to break 40.
          "Never tell me the odds"

          http://northeasternhockeyblog.com/

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          • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

            Originally posted by TERRIERFANinLA View Post
            i am wondering if you have had many chances to see Roy and Szmatula. They are special when they are healthy... (Although Roy has Luc Aquino's disease where he does not seem to know that there IS a defensive end of the ice), Roy is an NHLer (as is Shore, and Shore is a lot bigger), but Szmatula and a bunch of other sophomores and juniors are pretty special on Madigan's team (Szmatula is one of Jimmy Montgomery's boys from the USHL). Plus iirc the Northeastern D is BIG. (most are lumbering and slow, but big).
            That's a reasonable assessment. While Roy isn't likely to be considered for the Defensive Forward award, he will surprise you as he uses his speed to compensate for his lack of heft to make some clever defensive plays. I got the feeling that he wasn't completely healthy last year. Szmats is a perpetual motion machine with serious offensive skill. The D isn't all that big, but has lumbered a bit (more than a bit at times). The coaches are mixing in smaller puck movers in the next couple of classes.

            Having a home in Lyman, Maine qualifies me to root for UMO when NU isn't involved. You've got some pretty good talent, but I'm not sure that you're a home ice candidate unless you find a real gem among your goaltenders. We all know how frustrating "strange" goaltending can be.

            BTW, any clues about where Lomborg winds up next year? He was a royal pain to play against.

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            • Originally posted by gscott13 View Post
              One big IF in that statement though... goaltending is a huge question mark... all three guys are largely unproven... this is a team that was .500 with great goaltending last year (2.25GAA and .925 Save%)... one of the new guys has to perform at that level to have a chance at the ncaa's, let alone the frozen four... Maine went 5-8-4 (half of their schedule) in games decided by a goal or less... that's a slim margin for error... it could go either way, maybe they get some more scoring, or maybe they give up 1 more goal a game because the goaltending isn't at the same level as Ouellette... Right now, claims of the Frozen Four "if things fall right" is like saying the weather will be nice tomorrow if it doesn't rain....

              don't get me wrong, I want to see things go perfectly for Maine... I've been to the FF every year since 2003 and hope like hell that they'll get there every time, but there are so many question marks right now i think it's a bit premature to be thinking anything more than a bubble NCAA team...
              Maybe I'm insane but I'm not super worried about the goaltending. Red has had 15 months to get this resolved and it's hard to believe he would go into this season without one or two guys he was really confident in. Another important thing to keep in mind is that Maine's defense should be much better this year. I also think that Maine will have one or two lines that can really shut down the other team, which was an area they were sorely lacking in last year. Higgins was a lot bigger loss than people realized, especially the Notre Dame weekend.
              Originally posted by BobbyBrady
              Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

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              • Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
                Maybe I'm insane but I'm not super worried about the goaltending. Red has had 15 months to get this resolved and it's hard to believe he would go into this season without one or two guys he was really confident in. Another important thing to keep in mind is that Maine's defense should be much better this year. I also think that Maine will have one or two lines that can really shut down the other team, which was an area they were sorely lacking in last year. Higgins was a lot bigger loss than people realized, especially the Notre Dame weekend.


                Bingo. We have the size that can protect Morris and Co

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                • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                  Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
                  Maybe I'm insane but I'm not super worried about the goaltending. Red has had 15 months to get this resolved and it's hard to believe he would go into this season without one or two guys he was really confident in. Another important thing to keep in mind is that Maine's defense should be much better this year. I also think that Maine will have one or two lines that can really shut down the other team, which was an area they were sorely lacking in last year. Higgins was a lot bigger loss than people realized, especially the Notre Dame weekend.
                  You're insane. . No really, agree with the goaltending. I fail to see it as a problem. Think they will be fine. You can bet your azz the Redster prepped one of those guys for this season.
                  Last edited by all bear; 09-16-2014, 06:11 PM.
                  sure why not

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                  • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                    Originally posted by BBDiehard14 View Post
                    I can see a first-year guy stepping up and contributing right away. This can be a frozen four team if things fall the right way
                    I realize fan is short for fanatic but I'll have whatever you are smoking. This team won't even be top 4 in HE. They might be better than last year but given what happened at the end of last season, that ain't saying much.
                    I swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell.

                    Maine Hockey Love it or Leave it

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                    • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                      Originally posted by walrus View Post
                      I realize fan is short for fanatic but I'll have whatever you are smoking. This team won't even be top 4 in HE. They might be better than last year but given what happened at the end of last season, that ain't saying much.
                      Agreed. They are still a year away IMO. And until I see what's going on between the pipes I will be keeping my expectations very low.

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                      • Originally posted by ck1969 View Post
                        Agreed. They are still a year away IMO. And until I see what's going on between the pipes I will be keeping my expectations very low.
                        Probably two to three years away as they'll have to replace Hutton and Shore after this season most likely.
                        https://www.hockeyjournal.com/author/jeffcox/
                        Follow on twitter @JeffCoxSports

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                        • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                          Originally posted by walrus View Post
                          I realize fan is short for fanatic but I'll have whatever you are smoking. This team won't even be top 4 in HE. They might be better than last year but given what happened at the end of last season, that ain't saying much.






                          Don't be so pessimistic Every season should be NCAA or bust. We should all have high expectations for our teams here. Winning is everything.

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                          • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                            Originally posted by HHound View Post
                            The D isn't all that big, but has lumbered a bit (more than a bit at times).

                            BTW, any clues about where Lomborg winds up next year? He was a royal pain to play against.
                            Jeez, I just looked a the NU stats, you are right, they are not all that big, I remember Gunn looking like a mountain out there, with a cannon for a shot.

                            and Lomberg will end up in the USHL, Youngstown, I think.

                            Lomberg WAS a royal pain, and iirc, he sent Madigan straight to the nut house... I have NEVER seen a coach scream crazily about an opponent player like Madigan did about how Lomberg should not even be on the ice after an inadvertant collision (that DID NOT EVEN INCLUDE LOMBERG) in front of the NU bench. The collision sent Smatula (?) to the ice in a heap, looking and acting like his career was over... only to come back on the ice one shift later and move laterally like Gretzky--- not quite the knee injury he had pretended to have).

                            there were a few of us in the balcony praising Jesus for the miraculous recovery and one or two Academy Award voters casting their votes right then and there.

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                            • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                              Originally posted by CollegeHockeyRinkReport View Post
                              Probably two to three years away as they'll have to replace Hutton and Shore after this season most likely.
                              well wec an hope for another year like the one when they had to replace Jean-Yves Roy and Scott Pellerin (that was at least 4 all American trophies, maybe 5 and one Hobey)

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                              • Re: UMaine: No Cure for the Summertime Blues but to BEAR the Months 'till October!

                                Originally posted by walrus View Post
                                I realize fan is short for fanatic but I'll have whatever you are smoking. This team won't even be top 4 in HE. They might be better than last year but given what happened at the end of last season, that ain't saying much.
                                I agree. First of all this team needs to demonstrate they can win on the road. Secondly, they need to develop as the season progresses and peak at the end. last year they peaked way too early and "tanked" at the end.

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