Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

[Mike Hutter]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Harry Z News:

http://poststar.com/sports/phantoms-...a4bcf887a.html

[Mike Hutter]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

in whittet we trust.

amen.

[kdiff77]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

We need to continue to get two points a week and then sweep RPI and Union, which is a tough task. But this team hasn't buckled yet and I can't foresee it doing so anytime soon.

In Whittet We Trust.

[Mike Hutter]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Drove down to Hamilton to see the Colgate game. Though a loss, I did not come back completely disappointed.

Brown's defense was terrific. First, Borelli had a great game. He made several outstanding saves. He is on a roll. The Dmen played another great game. Goldberg was rock solid. Hard to believe he never played D before. Robertson seems to have gotten the gremlins out of his system that had been reappearing every now and then. He played mistake free against C, as he did the week before against Harvard. The 5 man rotation Brendan is using is working quite well. D is clearly the strongest part of Brown's game.

Brown's offense was frustrating, Lots of opportunities created by sharp passing and outhustling Colgate to the puck but Brown just could not finish. One of these days I hope the close calls become goals. Mark N seems ready to bust out soon. Following Jeff Ryan closely with Brunofan's comments on his play on my mind, Jeff had a terrific game. He was all over the ice and in many ways makes Lorito even better.

But at then another one goal loss with a power play goal the difference. Unless some more goals are forthcoming this trend may continue. However, some isigns of this happening are present, namely, the passion of its play and its never give-up attitude.

Having just seen the Cornell score, Brown 3 C 0, I am not surprised having seen the Colgate game. While I thought Brown would beat Colgate but not so sure about Cornell, I am not surprised by the win and Borelli's shut out based on what I saw at Colgate.

Two points next week are a must.

[Mike Hutter]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

The margin for error right now is razor thin.

I think Brown has a realistic shot at 8th place, and then a win in first round gives them momentum to take next round. 8th will turn into a fight with Colgate. H, I think you are underestimating RPI. The Engineers are dangerous, especially with Kasdorf in goal, but, having said that, RPI has had its Hekyll and Hyde moments and its coach seems to me to be one that can't keep it playing consistent hockey.

Anyways, this weekend is a doable 4 points. Cornell has lost a major contributor for the season and Iles has been beatable. Ryan can beat him as shown by his game last weekend. Colgate is a potential win by a goal with Brown playing solid D. Pfeil will be a a plus. BTW, is Wahl playing this weekend?

[Humanoid]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

So good news! Unless they pick up a win or a tie at some poitn down the stretch, the Sacred Heart Pioneers are on pace to eclipse the previous worst season in NCAA history. Sacred Heart has 11 games left on an 0-21-2 season. If they lose them all, the 0-32-2 season would eclipse the previous worst mark of 1-25-0 held by......... the 1988-1989 Bears. Bob Gaudet's first year was a doozy now wasn't it. I say SHU puts up the worst season of all time as long as they lose their next 4 games. That would make them 0-25-2, which would be an official mark worse than Brown (kind of like Maris breaking Ruth's record in 154 games instead of 162).

I haven't been able to find a worse record, and even Alabama-Huntsville's 2 win season a year ago was markedly better than Brown that year. But it's worth something to keep an eye on.

[vicb]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

.... But Princeton also has already passed through the toughest parts of the schedule, and their road trips left include winnable games at Harvard and the north country. ....

Princeton plays the North Coountry at Hobey Baker Rink.

[kdiff77]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Hey, like I said- on paper, it looks tough. But don't be surprised by a couple of big upsets. Whittet is willing this team to play good hockey right now, and he's not willing them to finish in 11th place again. I have a feeling about this team that I simply haven't had in...well, almost a decade. On paper, they're outmatched by almost everyone in the league. But they find a way to get points out of difficult games, and I think they'll find a way to spring an upset or two.

Yes, the margin for error is razor thin, but there's nothing to lose. And nobody believes in us. That's a perfect formula for an overachieving team.

[Humanoid]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

http://brownhockeyblog.blogspot.com/

My thoughts on the weekend, as well as our potential for home ice in the playoffs. I'll have a big piece on Matt Lorito posted tomorrow.

I agree with a couple of points, but I'll disagree on the prospect of home ice. Brown still has a good chunk of work to do in order to get to that point. A win over Harvard is huge, but Brown still only has 8 points. If the season ended today, I believe they would be hosting Clarkson by virtue of a tiebreaker.

I think Brown has their work cut out for them because, quite simply, they don't control their own destiny. They have four games left against Cornell and Colgate, including this weekend up at two complete and venerable houses of horrors where Brown hockey dreams typically go to die. And they have to go to Union, which puts the impetus on the season to win at RPI. We have to figure that Brown will not win at Cornell or at Union, nor will they beat Quinnpiac on the road or at home.

That means Brown has games left against Princeton (2), Yale (1), Colgate (2) and RPI. I wholly believe Princeton and RPI are bad hockey teams. Assuming Brown loses at Colgate because, well, Brown always loses at Colgate, we're looking at winnable points against Princeton, Colgate, Yale, and RPI. That's a max of 8 points. Assuming Brown would win all four of those, that gives them 16 on the year. Last year, 16 points was good enough for the 11 seed, but I get the feeling that 16 points might place a team in the 9-10 range this year.

My biggest problem right now with Brown is that as well as they're playing, they're going to absolutely HAVE to sweep Princeton and beat RPI. Colgate is a toss-up, and Yale is a good team that Brown historically can play well against. Still, I don't know that the Bears can hang with them. I don't think Princeton is nearly good enough to be considered a 5 seed, and I didn't think RPI would be where they are in the standings. But Princeton also has already passed through the toughest parts of the schedule, and their road trips left include winnable games at Harvard and the north country. So they could finish in the middle of the pack.

Realistically, if Brown wants to get a home series, they're going to need to beat Princeton twice, beat RPI, and then either take points from the Cornell/Colgate trip or beat Yale (or both). If they can somehow get 10 points, they'll also own tiebreakers over Princeton, who they might be near in the standings, and Colgate, who they also might be near. That's huge and will probably position Brown as the 8-seed, hosting a team like St. Lawrence or Clarkson.

If Brown does not get the 8-10 points, however, then they're looking at probably finishing in the 10-12 area. Since they hold tiebreakers over Clarkson and Harvard, they could end up as the 10, which puts them on the road at one of these places - Colgate, Clarkson, RPI. Bummer.

The margin for error right now is razor thin.

[kdiff77]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

http://brownhockeyblog.blogspot.com/

As promised, here's that story on Matt Lorito...or should I say "the Ontario Onslaught?"

[kdiff77]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

http://brownhockeyblog.blogspot.com/

My thoughts on the weekend, as well as our potential for home ice in the playoffs. I'll have a big piece on Matt Lorito posted tomorrow.

[Euler18]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Very proud that Brendan Whittet is our coach. This team has bought in, hook, line and sinker. They outskated Dartmouth for long periods of the game, and two mistakes cost them the game, as the Bears beat themselves. To bounce back against Harvard and dominate the Crimson was impressive. I like that this team has not used the "if only we had..." as an excuse, whether related to injury, defection, etc.

I couldn't agree more. Brendan and his staff are doing a tremendous coaching job, keeping the team focused and adjusting to injuries to different players on a weekly (and sometimes daily) basis.

An excellent measure of good coaching is how young players develop. Look, for example, at how much every first-year player has progressed in little more than half a season. (We played our eleventh ECAC game against Harvard.) It's not only Naclerio and Pfeil, but also Nick Lappin and Joe Prescott, who seem to get better with every game.

[Mike Hutter]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Hathaway had his best game in a Brown uniform yesterday. He was flying all over the ice, and his line (with Lorito and Jacobsen) was dominating almost every time they hit the ice. I can only remember seeing them in the defensive zone for an extended period of time once, and it came late in the third.

Hutter, you didn't even mention Brandon Pfeil in your list of returning defensemen. So, yeah, we're going to be in terrific shape in that front next year. We'll just need to find some stud of a goalie and our defense will be rock solid.


I don't know if anyone saw my previous post, but Brown entered the ice to "Kick Start My Heart" before the opening puck drop. It worked like a charm, as we played the best we have all season. Clearly, someone on this thread has sway with whoever controls the sound selection.

Who does control the music selections?

I would fully agree with your assessment of the Lorito/Jacobsen/Hathaway line. I was focused almost exclusively when that line was on the ice on Lorito and clearly Hathaway benefited from his presence. Also, Jeff Ryan and Chris Zaires played well together. Have they been playing together in the past? Ryan's goal was an absolute laser.

On to Colgate and Cornell. I had taped the U -Colgate game and I think Brown matches up well with Colgate. Hopefully that Starr jinx can be beaten

[Skate79]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Also: does anyone know why Harvard pulled Traber during a late PP but then put him back in with a minute to go? My friend and I were extremely puzzled.

With a power play, you can pull your goalie to get a two man advantage and have a better chance of scoring and making the final score more respectable. Once the PP is finished, it doesn't do you much good to keep the net empty when you are down by several goals. Game is essentially over. At least that is the rationale that most coaches use when explaining why they do it.

[kdiff77]

Re: Brown Hockey 2012-2013:Climbing the ECAC Ladder

Also: does anyone know why Harvard pulled Traber during a late PP but then put him back in with a minute to go? My friend and I were extremely puzzled.