Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

[AnthonySaxe]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

2-0 Dartmouth after two. This so called powerplay is a freaking joke. They all just stand around and look clueless. They need a lot of work on the pp.

[UnionHockeyManiac]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

Well that sucked.

[Goaliefan]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Big time.

[Wholin1]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

I probably don't have to write what we all must realize, but I will anyway. The Harvard loss was a tough one, but yesterday's performance against Dartmouth was hard to swallow. The team is obviously in a bit of a scoring slump and in such situations the goal tending needs to pick up the team and it really wasn't able to do so. Also, I thought the team was far less physical than their usual selves which didn't help matters. Throw in some really dumb penalties and a suddenly MIA PP and this was a weekend of regression.

I really can't understand why this team has been so mediocre at home either, only 1 game over .500. It's a shame too, because there were two great crowds this weekend and they were basically taken out of it after the midway point on Friday. Maybe it's a good thing that they hit the road next weekend.

I don't mean to be totally negative, but it may be indicative of how far this team has come that I can be so whiny with the team in first place. Fortunately, the rest of the league is being its usually unpredictable self so we have some (rapidly diminishing) breathing room. I think the coaches will work hard to get things back on track and the team itself will come out with a chip on their collective shoulders next weekend. Let's hope so anyway. I'm still excited about this team, just a bit down in the dumps.

[UnionHockeyManiac]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

PWR this weekend went from #7 to #19. Ouch.

[aweise]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

I don't mean to be totally negative, but it may be indicative of how far this team has come that I can be so whiny with the team in first place. Fortunately, the rest of the league is being its usually unpredictable self so we have some (rapidly diminishing) breathing room. I think the coaches will work hard to get things back on track and the team itself will come out with a chip on their collective shoulders next weekend. Let's hope so anyway. I'm still excited about this team, just a bit down in the dumps.

This is exactly how I feel. Union could have really distanced themselves from the rest of the league with a 4-point weekend, but they're still in first place with 10 games to go. Compared to many previous seasons, they're playing with house money.

That said, I hope the players aren't happy with this and that this is a little bump in the road. Whatever their scoring problems are, they better figure it out this week - Yale will be an important game on Friday, not only for the standings, but to get the confidence back. It seemed like the boys were pressing once Harvard took the lead on Friday night and they've been having problems getting the puck on net ever since then. I know about the shot totals, but there were still plenty of good offensive chances where the puck never got to the goalie or was shot wide.

[aweise]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the ye

PWR this weekend went from #7 to #19. Ouch.

Perhaps this is (yet another) reminder that it's a long season.

Making the NCAAs would be a bonus for me. I'm more concerned about these guys getting to Albany at the moment.

[OsecnUC]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

crap

again

[SlyFoxMan7]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

A very humbling weekend for both players and fans. I certainly didn't expect a sweep but am not at all shocked either. Union doesn't seem to feed off the home crowd but perhaps gets nervous or tight instead. There were 2000+ people in attendance both nights which is much higher than the season average.

[ADK11]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Have been trying to digest what happened this weekend.. and I think what strikes me most is how both Harvard & Dartmouth seemed to have distinct defensive strategies for dealing with Union. It was really shocking to me to see Harvard play so passively and defensively conservative; basically willing to give up puck possession along the boards & in the corners in order to stay in position defensively and wait for U to make a mistake so could counter-attack. Dartmouth did a certain amount of the same, but were much more aggressive on the forecheck and along the boards in the defensive zone. In sum, both teams packed the slot with d-men & at least one forward and dared U to shoot from outside. Both teams also did a good job (especially Harvard) of clogging/trapping the neutral zone once the got the lead, which further frustrated Union, and they both attacked U's PP out by the blueline and forced passes into the corners, where passing/shooting options were limited.

On Friday, U still had many many A+ chances to score and just plain missed opportunities that they had been burying. On Saturday I thought the team looked surprised at how hard the Green took the play to them right off the bat - completely different from Friday's game. Then the softie on the first goal just seemed to deflate the team and made things easier for Dartmouth to defend. Mostly I think it was a matter of imperfect execution and not effort, so believe the boys can turn it around.

Overall, this is what happens when you are the hunted and not the hunter. Every team takes you seriously and devises strategies to negate your strengths. Still can't get over the irony of how Harvard frankly looked like Union used to look playing against top teams like Cornell, Clarkson, RPI, and yes Harvard - pack it in around Mayotte and hope for couple breaks to pot a goal or two. U can expect to see more of this stuff as the season goes on, and the players & coaches will need to be prepared and be able to adjust and/or stick to their systems.

As for next weekend, it already scares the crap out of me. Yale is one team that will NOT change its style of play against Union. They will try to out-quick and out-puck-possess Union and they have the horses to do it. Brown on the other hand is the exact opposite and will try beat-up Union every chance they get and rely on excellent goaltending. I do believe that most of last weekends problems are mostly just execution and not effort related, but the boys will need to show more poise and precision in the 3rd periods to closeout these games and get Ws.

[GRussinko]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

To all other union fans, I don't do this but because slyfox decided to troll on our thread a few weeks ago when our club had a set back I will direct this towards him only.

hope your not getting too used to being ranked over there sly...look who is back at #1 and who is slipping fast....Think twice before you poke your neck around with the big boys when you haven't won an NCAA game before. Ignorance is bliss....

If you wanted to direct it toward him only you would have used one of the contact methods available in his profile, rather than posting it like a tool on their season thread.

[GRussinko]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

already neg repped him so it was too soon. I called him out, he decided to come straight to our thread after we lost to Robert Morris so its obviously going to get returned. Blame him not us, got to earn the right to run your mouth when another team stumbles. He hasn't, talk to your own fan base first pal.

I'm not even a Union fan, which you can determine from about a half dozen spots in my post. Just somebody who knows there's a handy little link to email a user when you click on their name. Just because one poster is an idiot isn't an excuse to stoop to their level and troll the entire fanbase. You have a problem with one guy, deal with it one-on-one.

[GreatLakerMohawk]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

To all other union fans, I don't do this but because slyfox decided to troll on our thread a few weeks ago when our club had a set back I will direct this towards him only.

hope your not getting too used to being ranked over there sly...look who is back at #1 and who is slipping fast....Think twice before you poke your neck around with the big boys when you haven't won an NCAA game before. Ignorance is bliss....

Fun fact: Miami and Union have the same number of D-I men's ice hockey championships.

[SlyFoxMan7]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

already neg repped him so it was too soon. I called him out, he decided to come straight to our thread after we lost to Robert Morris so its obviously going to get returned. Blame him not us, got to earn the right to run your mouth when another team stumbles. He hasn't, talk to your own fan base first pal.

Interesting to see I made such an impression on you.

[SlyFoxMan7]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

I'm not even a Union fan, which you can determine from about a half dozen spots in my post. Just somebody who knows there's a handy little link to email a user when you click on their name. Just because one poster is an idiot isn't an excuse to stoop to their level and troll the entire fanbase. You have a problem with one guy, deal with it one-on-one.

Ironically enough me "trolling" on the Miami thread is what moved my account from red to green.