Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Opening weekend is upon us!

Any thoughts by anybody as we gear up for the defending national runners up?

I hope you guys win. It looks like they had relative difficulty with their exhibition opponent (compared to Bowling Green), so I'm sure they'll want to fire on all cylinders.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Looks like that same sight did a full preview of AHA teams. Some interesting notes with Holy Cross at 2nd and Canisius at 11th?! I have to disagree there.

http://excalibursportspage.com/2011/...ckey-capsules/

On a side note, Michigan really struggled in their exhibition but I don't think they were overly trying. Boston U. also struggled with their preseason exhibition game and treated it like an intrasquad. The Terriers never got their legs off the ground. What I'm hoping is that Michigan takes the Bentley series as nothing more than glorified exhibitions and Bentley can pull one out by bringing intensity.

I've kept my ear to ground for the players' thoughts through channels close to the program, and they're hungry. Make no mistake about it. They want Michigan, and they want to bring it. This is a dream come true for some of these players and some of the alumni.

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

At #6, is this the highest ranked team the Falcons have ever faced?

Yes, Schiegs, I think that you are correct, as I believe that UMass was ranked #10 when Bentley and Mr. Rank beat them 4-1 on December 30, 2009.

Michigan put up 57 shots in their exhibition game this past weekend, but Mr. Hunwick proved to be mortal in letting three of 27 find the back of his net. Kyle Rank, assuming he gets the start (anyone in the know?), and Bentley's D-men will need to be on top of their game this weekend and stay out of the box. I am looking for Jamie Nudy to skate circles around the Wolverine D-men and beat Shawn Hunwick upper right.

Humanoid, I understand that there will be at least a dozen or so of us Bentley fans at Yost this weekend. I asked our campus bookstore if they would be carrying nylon hockey jerseys this season and they looked at me like I was insane.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Bentley isn't nearly as athletic as the Michigan team, but they proved tonight they can hang with them. Now they just have to do it for 3 periods! We can take these guys tomorrow! I still have the unrelenting optimism of a homer fan!

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Bentley isn't nearly as athletic as the Michigan team, but they proved tonight they can hang with them. Now they just have to do it for 3 periods! We can take these guys tomorrow! I still have the unrelenting optimism of a homer fan!

Two best games that I have seen Bentley play in a long time. We were only down 2-1 until less than 5 minutes remaining on Friday night and just over 2 minutes left in game Saturday night. Yes, the Wolverines put 49 shots on Rank and 42 shots on Komm, but the goalies and D-men did a great job on eliminating second opportunities around the net. Bentley played best in the middle periods both nights, matching Michigan in shots on net and puck possession. These two games should help Bentley with its self-confidence in the upcoming weeks. Bentley tailgater in a parking lot adjacent to Yost on Friday afternoon drew close to 60 Falcon fans, something a Wolverine fan said he had never seen before. Michigan's students and pep band were impressive, with close to 5000 in attendance both nights (the Michigan football team was away at Northwestern), but I am really proud for how the Falcons responded on the weekend.

[schiegs]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Great update, Snively. Wanted to make the trip out, but couldn't swing it. Hopefully the players got a lot out of this trip, at least from an experience standpoint. I look forward to the opportunity to make a trip to another game like this sometime.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

That's a tremendous update. The fact that there were Bentley fans in the stands is a great feeling, and hopefully this is the springboard of something special. I know a couple of the guys had family traveling to see the game due to the fact that the midwest fellas' families can go from Minnesota and Pennsylvania to Michigan a little easier than to Boston (cheaper, cost of travel, maybe a drive, etc.).

Michigan brings a lot of energy, so it was good to see the guys play up to them. I listened to the audio feed, and more than once the Michigan announcers said, "I can't believe this scoreboard right now. Bentley playing strong defense. Rank with a great save." Or something to that effect. I think Michigan thought they'd do to Bentley what Minnesota did to Sacred Heart (9-0, 6-0). And instead they took Michigan to the limit.

Michigan is now #4 after going 3-0 against Niagara and Bentley. Big weekend coming up for the Falcons against UMass and Quinnipiac to see if they can keep momentum rolling.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Scouring the internets - here's one from Masslive.com about a revenge factor in Amherst.

http://blog.masslive.com/umass-hocke...niversity.html

[streaker]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Little late here, but hats off to Bentley for their series last weekend at Michigan. Well played defensively, created a bunch of offensive chances but couldn't finish. Good luck this season.

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Little late here, but hats off to Bentley for their series last weekend at Michigan. Well played defensively, created a bunch of offensive chances but couldn't finish. Good luck this season.

Thanks for posting on our thread, Streaker. Hoping that the experience in Ann Arbor pays off for our Falcons over the coming weeks, including this weekend against UMass-Amherst, whom will be out to get even after we upset them last time at Mullen Center when the Minutemen were ranked #10.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

From Excalibur Sports - weekend report card of Bentley hockey

http://excalibursportspage.com/2011/...d-report-card/

[schiegs]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

... whom will be out to get even after we upset them last time at Mullen Center when the Minutemen were ranked #10.

That game was at the UConn tourney... but still true.

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

That game was at the UConn tourney... but still true.

Thanks for correction. So, now the Falcons have lost their first game at Mullen. Anyone at the game in Amherst tonight? Sounds like the Falcons were in this one right up to the end, giving up an ENG to lose 5-3. Out shot again about two to one, but scored two PPG, to give them three for the season; I am not sure that we that many into December last season. All good experience for the conference games coming up soon. But, first there is Quinnipiac on Tuesday night; would be nice to pick up a couple of points at the TD Bank Pavilion or whatever they call their rink.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

Thanks for correction. So, now the Falcons have lost their first game at Mullen. Anyone at the game in Amherst tonight? Sounds like the Falcons were in this one right up to the end, giving up an ENG to lose 5-3. Out shot again about two to one, but scored two PPG, to give them three for the season; I am not sure that we that many into December last season. All good experience for the conference games coming up soon. But, first there is Quinnipiac on Tuesday night; would be nice to pick up a couple of points at the TD Bank Pavilion or whatever they call their rink.

Bentley should have won this game, which is a statement in and of itself. Alex Grieve scored again on the powerplay, which is amazing to think that Bentley has 2 pp goals in 3 games....when they had 8 all year last year or something. Aaron Stonacek was great up front.

Interesting note that Ryan Kayfes is playing right wing, and he's entrenched there right now. He was top line winger in Game 1, fourth line winger in Game 2, and played third line yesterday. A LOT of freshmen are playing - Grieve, Brett Switzer, Weinstein on defense... Kubiak is in. Marginsky and Koudys were healthy scratches it looks like last night, and that's saying A LOT for this team. There's an embarassment of riches.

I will say this - out of the goals, only the GWG was really Komm's fault. I thought he should have been in a better position, but UM did a good job getting him off balance.

I can't wait to see how this team does in conference play. Quinnipiac should be a nice setup for the game against Sacred Heart, who is a very bad, bad bad team this year (they got shut out again yesterday I thought).

[schiegs]

Re: Bentley Falcons Official 2011-2012 Thread

I am trying not to get too discouraged, but I getting a little frustrated by the continual "2 Period Hockey" being played. This was a major problem last year, and it seems to be continuing this year. We are in every game going into the 2nd INT, then the wheels fall off the wagon, seemingly every night. What's the deal-e-o? Fatigue/conditioning? Focus? Are the opposing coaches figuring out the game plan and making adjustments in the third period? I know absolutely nothing about coaching hockey (so I should probably shut my pie hole), but is their an issue with not anticipating the opposing teams 3rd period adjustments, and not playing a little more of a chess match for the third period?