Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

[RPI fan 4 life]

Yah!!!! The hockey gods were smiling on us tonight, that's for sure!

Thank you Engineers!

You're welcome. Just happy to keep the cup in the Capital District. Bring on Clarkson and then U may be next...

[rdf8585]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

You do know they reseed after each round, right? They won't necessarily play one of those two teams.....There's still a possibility that U could see RPI in round 2.

My mistake... totally blanked on that. It's been a year ;-)

[Red Cloud]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Congratulations to Union fans. Enjoy.

[CollegeHCKYfan2323]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

I am thrilled that Union won the Cleary Cup, but I am looking for more, I want a ECAC Championship and a NCAA Championship. This team has the talent but its the small things that keep them from reaching that goal. The PP has been below par in my mind over the last few weekends. Good teams make crisp passes lately Union hasn't and has given up way to many chances while on the PP. A good team like Cornell and any other team in the NCAA tourny will make u pay for those mistakes. This team is not the type of team that I feel is satisfied with this accomplishment, I think they want more and hope that things will begin to click again in a few weeks. LETS GO U!!!!

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Congratulations on the Cleary Cup!

[LynahFan]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Congratulations on the Cup, Union. Back2Back is certainly quite an accomplishment, and it really seems like everyone in your program (administration, coaches, players, and fans) have really been pulling together to build a great program the right way - hard work, discipline, and focus. Best of luck in the playoffs until you face Cornell!

[aweise]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

I am thrilled that Union won the Cleary Cup, but I am looking for more, I want a ECAC Championship and a NCAA Championship. This team has the talent but its the small things that keep them from reaching that goal. The PP has been below par in my mind over the last few weekends. Good teams make crisp passes lately Union hasn't and has given up way to many chances while on the PP. A good team like Cornell and any other team in the NCAA tourny will make u pay for those mistakes. This team is not the type of team that I feel is satisfied with this accomplishment, I think they want more and hope that things will begin to click again in a few weeks. LETS GO U!!!!

This tells us how much Union's program has evolved over the past 4-5 years. From scratching & clawing for a home ice playoff series to "It's nice to win the Cleary Cup, but I expect more".

First of all, congrats to Rick Bennett, the coaching staff, and the players! This is not an accomplishment to be taken lightly or for granted. In my mind, the ECAC is easily the most competitive and exciting conference in the country. Playing consistently well over a 22-game stretch is not easy at all, and considering this is the second year in a row this group of players has done that, these kids should be proud and satisfied.

Second, you're right...there's still work to do. Union has a week off to rest everyone, make sure they're healthy, and get to work. The PP is a concern of mine, since they've done so well with it all year. Perhaps other teams are catching on, but it's going to be a big sticking point with Bennett if they can't get that working. We only need to look back to last year's NCAA regional against UMD to see how that's important.

[Wholin1]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Just got back from the Caribbean. Did I miss anything?

[sshablak]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Congrats on the "Cup". You have a very talented team, prob the best in the league !! Go far !

[UnionHockeyManiac]

Very happy about the Cleary Cup (winning two years in a row says A LOT about how far this program has come) but as everyone else is saying, there's a lot more work to do. I'd like to see us win a game or two or three or four in the National Tournament. Having said that, we need to just focus on winning games at this point to even make the National Tournament. Does anyone know how accurate this website is?

http://playoffstatus.com/ncaahockey/ncaahockeytournpartprob.html

It says that if we win out, we only have an 80% chance to make it while our current chances sit at about 50%?

[CollegeHCKYfan2323]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Very happy about the Cleary Cup (winning two years in a row says A LOT about how far this program has come) but as everyone else is saying, there's a lot more work to do. I'd like to see us win a game or two or three or four in the National Tournament. Having said that, we need to just focus on winning games at this point to even make the National Tournament. Does anyone know how accurate this website is?

http://playoffstatus.com/ncaahockey/...npartprob.html

It says that if we win out, we only have an 80% chance to make it while our current chances sit at about 50%?

I am going to say that the playoff website is a little off and maybe bias a bit to. Some of those odds just don't stand up in my mind after paying attention over the past few years to the tournament selection.

[aweise]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

I am going to say that the playoff website is a little off and maybe bias a bit to. Some of those odds just don't stand up in my mind after paying attention over the past few years to the tournament selection.

Not to mention that the tournament has pretty much gone the way of the Pairwise for the past several years. I haven't looked at that site yet, but as long as the committee goes by the PWR (despite other possible ranking systems being "better" or not), then that's what I'll follow.

On a side note, I still feel that the league's regular season champion should get an automatic berth. I just think that a team who consistently wins over the course of 5 months is more deserving than a team that puts it together for a two-week stretch. And before you critics think I'm just woofing for Union's chances, I've felt this way for a very long time...the 2001 Clarkson team rolled through the regular season, got upset by Vermont in the ECAC QFs and didn't make the NCAA tournament.

[Rolevio]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Wow, that was close! Congrats to the team on back to back Cleary Cups!

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

Not to mention that the tournament has pretty much gone the way of the Pairwise for the past several years. I haven't looked at that site yet, but as long as the committee goes by the PWR (despite other possible ranking systems being "better" or not), then that's what I'll follow.

On a side note, I still feel that the league's regular season champion should get an automatic berth. I just think that a team who consistently wins over the course of 5 months is more deserving than a team that puts it together for a two-week stretch. And before you critics think I'm just woofing for Union's chances, I've felt this way for a very long time...the 2001 Clarkson team rolled through the regular season, got upset by Vermont in the ECAC QFs and didn't make the NCAA tournament.

Only because you can count the number of times Union has won a playoff game on your fingers.

This is what's nice about an objective system. There's no playing favorites, and no hanky-panky. You know what you have to do going in.

Oh, and you're welcome.

[Goaliefan]

Re: Union Hockey 2011-2012 Season Thread "We Can See Cleary Now"

I have a question - maybe some of you out there have the answer.

In the Times Union this morning it was stated that the ECAC had the Cleary Cup at Cornell last night, ready to present it. I guess they were playing the odds. Since Cornell didn't win it, will it be presented to Union at the first game of the playoffs in two weeks?