Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

So the team starts doing well and everyone bails the message board? Come on now! I know I have not been feeling it this season myself after the horrible start, but we need to give credit to the team for fighting their way back to respectability. We have spent to much time complaining about the coach, and may have lost some of what attracted us to this thing to begin with. So set the coaching stuff aside for now, and lets get behind what we have.

Now with all of four home games left, which is really weird to say on January 23rd, only so many more chances to enjoy an evening at Matthews with the ice down instead of that silly wood thing with hoops attached to it.

Should be a fun two games, though we shall see what the weather does for people like me who live out in the suburbs tomorrow night. Under JM NU has played ND pretty well in South Bend. I am interested to see if that continues at home. ND has more high end talent, but for whatever reason, cannot seem to pull it together in league play.

I asked this question on another message board, but at this point, which team has had a better start to Hockey East play based on expectations? Notre Dame or UCONN? I lean towards UCONN myself, even with ND having made the final four of Hockey East at the Garden last year. They were forecasted to come in and maybe not dominate, but people a top half home ice team. Instead they have been more like NU. UCONN was supposed to be pretty bad, but have really played well this year. Good coaching and goaltending has kept them from battling UMASS for the worst of the worst.

Anyway, my interest in this team has perked up a bit. And that is without discussing who the goalie is, Witt or Roy! I bet JM goes Roy again tonight.

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Nice post H'01
Witt has played ND before.. hopefully he gets the start tonight (perhaps Roy tomorrow). Although, more important.. is the team in front of them and how they execute & capitalize on opportunities. Hoping we get a decent crowd tonight. Let's go Huskies.

[Split-N]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Totally agree with all of H01's sentiments. For the first time this season, I find myself anticipating this series with actual enthusiasm, instead of trepidation. Although ND is 5-2-3-13 in the league, it hasn't exactly been a dominating team and is barely .500 overall. They skate nine freshmen (don't know how many of them play regularly) as opposed to only three who play regularly for NU. So advantage NU in terms of experience.

Personally, I would be very disappointed with anything less than a sweep. Taking both games would vault NU over ND in the league standings, negate two of the three games-in-hand that ND currently holds, and give them a legitimate shot at home ice in the playoffs. And then there's the whole matter of going into the Beanpot on a high note.

I'd also look for a very healthy crowd. There seems to be a lot of promotions targeted at the students going on and the new East Village dorm located only a half-block from Matthews is now open.

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

[QUOTE=Split-N;6083363]
Personally, I would be very disappointed with anything less than a sweep. Taking both games would vault NU over ND in the league standings, negate two of the three games-in-hand that ND currently holds, and give them a legitimate shot at home ice in the playoffs. And then there's the whole matter of going into the Beanpot on a high note.[QUOTE]

They will still have the three games in hand with us no matter what happens this weekend. Any points we get off them will just keep them closer to us in the long run.

You can make the case that we have a bit of an easier league play schedule then they have though. We both have two with Maine and two with bu left. But ND also has a UNH team that can surprise on any given night, a good PC team, and BC to end the season.

We have 1 with UMASS, two at Maine, two with UCONN, and two with bu to end it.

In the end, its probably to late to make a run at any team in the Top 4 right now. But how they play against ND could determine if we could make a legitimate run at the 5-7 spots. Keeping in mind Merrimack is 1 point behind us, but with three games in hand, and a more realistic chance of climbing in front of us based on their schedule, two with UMass this weekend, and they also have Maine on the schedule, at home.

So realistically 6-9 seems the most likely spot for this team. But we will have a better idea after this weekend.

It would be hard to draw up a better schedule for us at this point.

[NU_Husky]

Been waiting impatiently for these games this weekend, a serious chance to make a statement against a n underperforming Notre Dame team. Lock up some points, give ourselves some breathing room with us down in terms of games in hand. Heck, even the two Uscho HE writers picked us to get some points. Third time all year maybe? I expect to see Witt in net both games, but if Roy was in one of them, I wouldn't be that upset.

Notre Dame is underperforming but they have talent. Their goalies aren't Summerhays level, but they still sport Lucia, Hinnestroza, and Russo as their top offensive talent. All guys to keep marked when they hit the ice. I think a split is coming but a sweep is highly capable of happening.

Students will be out in full force for the first time this year. Not only is there a lot of promotional force, but there is genuine interest on campus in the games and the team. Beanpot fever is starting up fast, and this gram has been rolling. I expect a loud, packed barn to night. This will be a fun weekend.

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Our views have not always been the same. But I have been mentioning this several times this year. Everyone comes out after losses, quite after wins. Seems like people are rooting against the team instead of for them. Huge weekend.

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Our views have not always been the same. But I have been mentioning this several times this year. Everyone comes out after losses, quite after wins. Seems like people are rooting against the team instead of for them. Huge weekend.

You have, and I would agree to your 2nd point, which is a shame.

I know I have not posted as much as I have in the past, but its more of a busy thing then anything else.

[NU_Husky]

I know I have not posted as much as I have in the past, but its more of a busy thing then anything else.

+1 here. I wish I could talk hockey all day, every day. It's just another reason why hockey on the weekends is beautiful. Minimal to no work to do, can just focus on the games.

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

You have, and I would agree to your 2nd point, which is a shame.

I know I have not posted as much as I have in the past, but its more of a busy thing then anything else.

The team has been doing what we originally expected. Notice how scarce, or brief, the posts from the major complainers/whiners have been. No one has called for the coach's head for several weeks, although if we get swept this weekend, the dumpers will be back on Saturday night!

We will have to be very good to pull off a sweep of this team. Any slump on D will cost us. Tonight's game is the most important to me, as a sweep will be kind of difficult unless we win it. Happily/sadly I can't go, as I have grandpa duty. I'll be watching the stream and explaining icing and offsides to the next generation of Husky.

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

The team has been doing what we originally expected. Notice how scarce, or brief, the posts from the major complainers/whiners have been. No one has called for the coach's head for several weeks, although if we get swept this weekend, the dumpers will be back on Saturday night!

I am done dumping until the end of the season. If warranted.

I am starting to get into the run this team has been on, not sure if it has legs though. Time will tell. I think the defense has played a bit over its head and that earlier in the streak we did not get teams A game due to the record this team had. Now with them heating and getting press, we will see if they can handle it. In the past, they fell flat, like last year. Maybe this year they can continue the run past the Beanpot.

[Split-N]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

DRoy in goal. So much for the "Witt is being rested" theory.

[Split-N]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

The hounds made it much harder than it needed to be but it's two points and I'll take it.

[RossiRules]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Nice job Huskies ! They say the most difficult game to "Win" is a 2 goal lead, and we nearly gave it up. I was there and I had great seats in the 1st row at center ice in the balcony. NU controlled this game in all but 45 of the 60 minutes. ND played well in the 3rd when their backs were against the wall. However NU maintained nearly a 2 to 1 shots on goal advantage for most of the game and were up by 20 shots at one point in the 2nd.

They were the victims of some marginal penalties and Madigan spoke with refs at the end of the 1st and again at the end of the 2nd, this time he went nuts and yelled at the ref for a good 2 minutes before he went into the locker room. Nice to see that from JM too, he looked to actually be coaching, calling time outs and setting up plays and doing his job tonight too. NU was up 2 goals with 1:50 left on a ND power play at the start of the 3rd. Then it happened a 10 or 12 minute span where ND turned up the heat and we looked tired, however ND could not sustain it.

We killed that penalty at the top of the 3rd and immediately took another marginal penalty call for covering the puck, which is normally a Penalty Shot, but ND declined and asked for a PP, which worked because a minute later, ND scored on a rip and a clangger off the post that deflected in. Roy then let in a bit of ****ter to tie it up, granted he was screened, but he was too far back in the net and needed to be at the top of the crease to both see and stop a shot from blue line, to his credit played very well most of the night.

However KROY's play is back where it needs to be with 3 points tonight. He looks amazing with time and space. NU skated circles around the ND team most of the night and cycled the puck at will in the offensive zone. Hedges goal with 90 secs remaining was one of the prettist you will see.

They are playing spirited and hard nosed hockey right now and that’s all we can ask for. They need to stay out of the box and grind. ND is a much bigger team but they didn’t seem as skilled stick handlers and skaters to me. They have some kids that can fly and deliver tremendously powerful shots, however NU played far better team hockey tonight.

I can't say I saw a major fault in anyone player over the 60 minutes. A couple of mental lapses but it was fun to watch.

The ND coach lost his cool at the ends after the handshakes and he berated 2 of the refs for 3 minutes as he thought Hedges slashed his D mans stick to get the winner, I was watching and his D man reached for the puck swung around and his stick flew out of his hands, it was one of the best non calls all night as the officiating was marginal at best.

Tomorrows game should be pretty good but I can't make it as my sons HS team is playing Newton North. Way to go NU! Who knows perhaps we can steal a Beanpot win after all. I suppose this is the kind of hockey potenetial that had them picked 4th in that HE pre season poll. They dug a pretty big hole, but too their credit, if they keep playing like this, they still might get there.

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Great effort tonight.
BTW, no one is 'quiet' on the threads when NU is winning. (speaking for myself).. prior to last month's play.. team did not have anything to get fans excited about. Now they seem to have a grit that is fun to watch. Posts on message boards go both ways. Get used to it.

I thought NU controlled the first 2 periods handily.. & ND controlled the third. We got a bit undisciplined and also stopped moving our feet last 20 mins. The Irish capitalized. Lucia's slapshot was a beauty. Herr's goal to tie the gm was partially screened by a Husky in front of Roy. I thought Roy tracked it.. then the screen..and it was in.

Hedges goal in the third was a beauty itself & on a nice pass but I can see why Jeff Jackson was mad. He thought one of his players was slashed.. certainly went to pick up his stick (which resulted in the ensuing NU 2 on 1).. I did not see it.. apparently so didn't the HE refs & they do not give NU favors.

Should be another good one tomorrow.. winter storm & all. ND has a lot of young skilled players with size. NU just has something else going on right now. Enjoying it while it lasts.

Nice effort team! Pls do not give up 2 goal leads.. you don't always get 'em back. Go Huskies.

[Happy Husky Victory!]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Hedges goal in the third was a beauty itself & on a nice pass but I can see why Jeff Jackson was mad. He thought one of his players was slashed..

Just because a guy loses his stick doesn't mean that he was slashed, Jeff....Granted, in HE the officiating is so atrocious that it usually results in an unwarranted slashing call, but if you watch the replay, it looked to me like a forceful stick check and the ND player just lost his stick. Good non call IMO. Great to get the 2 points.