Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

It's an unfair assessment of this team to call for a collapse at this point. They are battered and broken; they played last night with 5 defensemen and 12 forwards and that was essentially it.

It's also unfair to say that Komm has been ridden too far without the trust of the backup goalies. You have a senior goalie like Branden Komm, you ride that card as long as humanly possible until it reaches the end. To be honest, I expected Komm to sit out next Saturday against AIC at the very end for a rest because he will have started every single game. If Bentley has sealed up a bye (they only need 2 points), he likely won't play in Springfield. As a goalie playing that many minutes, he's far and above the best goalie in the league. Regardless of trust issues or whatever you speculate, playing someone else is putting the team at a worse position than when he's in there. Not a knock against Doc or Antoni; Komm is just that good. So you play him every night until the ride ends. It ended Saturday.

Sacred Heart is not a bad team. Last year, they'd get a 3-1 or 4-1 lead on a team, give up a goal, and they would go to hell. In 2013-2014, they still take those goals and go from 3-0 to 3-2, but they have a new atittude to shut the door. Bear in mind that the 4th goal was on the back end of dueling too many men penalties. Also, Bentley missed open nets. I finally have a good case study to review this week, and I'll have more details on it this week that while a loss and sweep, this isn't a knock against Bentley.

This is a preseason 10th place team that is still in 3rd, 2nd all season. Bentley last year was overrated as a 4th place team. Bentley this year was underrated as a 9th place team. Ultimately, I remind people that you're never as good as when you kill teams, and you're never as bad as when you get swept. The glass is still 75-80 percent full as opposed to 25-20 percent empty.

I'm sorry quick edit - RIT beat Air Force on Saturdya, meaning Bentley is still in 2nd place.

[wwjg1158]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

That being said even pro players do not play every game. I would have no idea why he was played every night. If you have three goalies I think you might want to play one of them a few times during the year. Anyway Komm has had a great year and this weekend doesn't change that. He was tired and the team has injuries so it is a blip which they need to change on Friday night. No complaints it happens and I think this team has proved a lot of people wrong as they did not give up all year. They played hard against the out of conference teams and stepped up to the plate at Fenway. they put themselves in a good position and one would hope they can get two points next weekend.

Great year boys!

[beenthere77]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

. Bear in mind that the 4th goal was on the back end of dueling too many men penalties. Also, Bentley missed open nets. I finally have a good case study to review this week, and I'll have more details on it this week that while a loss and sweep, this isn't a knock against Bentley.

.

I think you are confusing SH's 3rd goal, early in the 2nd period following the too many men penalty. The killer 4th goal was a full up goal midway in 3rd. There were no penalties in the third period.
Not shutting it down on Friday set the team up poorly for Saturday's match. Under 3 minutes, one goal lead, all personnel decisions made focus on your own net and keeping the puck out of it with no concern toward the open net down the other end. Repeat of Air Force.


Looking for excuses(ie injury etc etc) for the loss rather than finding a way to win the game at hand with the roster available is useless. This team with a healthy roster lost to both SH and AIC. If you keep sending the message that only a few players are able to score or defend it can become reality. You have to trust and be able to play the bench. Many times you hear of 3/4 th liners getting key goals in championships. Good Coach= Good bench management=Good outcomes.
This team mid season had a 9/10 game undefeated streak. So no panic, no big shake ups, just TEAM focus and back to basics, hard clean defense first hockey.

This is a good team and has been for a couple of seasons now.
Good luck to the Falcons and Good Luck to the seniors in all they do post Bentley.

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Good article for USCO.com today, Dan. But, how are you doing in the pick 'em contest with your fellow AHA columnist? Have not seen those tallies lately.

I plan to be at my favorite Div 1 hockey rink for Seniors Night this Friday. Falcons need to stay out of penalty box on Friday night, avoid too many men on ice or embellishment calls, and let the Yellow Jackets go the box for their overly physical play. Bentley is within 1% of best PP in Div 1; they need to make the most of this advantage in lieu of 5-5 goals, and play team D in front of Komm.

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Good article for USCO.com today, Dan. But, how are you doing in the pick 'em contest with your fellow AHA columnist? Have not seen those tallies lately.

I plan to be at my favorite Div 1 hockey rink for Seniors Night this Friday. Falcons need to stay out of penalty box on Friday night, avoid too many men on ice or embellishment calls, and let the Yellow Jackets go the box for their overly physical play. Bentley is within 1% of best PP in Div 1; they need to make the most of this advantage in lieu of 5-5 goals, and play team D in front of Komm.

I think I have a 1 game lead after the weekend - RMU helped me out while Chris picked the wrong ends of a split. We'll have them up on Friday with the weekly pick 'ems.

One more week of regular season history chasing. Andrew Gladiuk is hot on the heels of the season goal scoring record Brett Gensler set a couple of years ago.

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/24/chasing-history-aic/

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

While I"m at it, welcome to the JAR to Matt Sieckhaus!!

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/24/matt-...ts-to-bentley/

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

If everyone gets a minute today, give this a quick read and send some positive thoughts to a young lady who loves AIC hockey undergoing a procedure today.

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/25/unite...aic-for-emily/

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Some observations from my end and some talks with Ryan Soderquist ahead of this weekend's games:

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/26/coach...-back-forward/

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/26/storylines-sacred-heart/ (my view)

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

A look at the clinching scenarios for Bentley - win lose or draw - this weekend.

http://jarpride.com/2014/02/27/frida...ing-scenarios/

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Should be nearly a full house at the JAR tonight.

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Should be nearly a full house at the JAR tonight.

USCHO posted attendance at 1095; is that a record for the JAR? Falcons Nest students were great in their chants tonight, with "It's all your fault" at the AIC goalie, "You can't do that" at the AIC penalty takers, a creative Miranda rights chant at one AIC penalty taker, and "Gloria" for the Bentley president who made an appearance.

Big offensive night for Grieve with 2 goals and 2 assists, Blomquist with 3 assists, and Gensler with a goal and an assist to move up to 4th place for points in Div 1 (Grieve now tied for 7th). But, more important, Bentley played excellent team defense in front of Komm, who also had a fine game tonight. All of Bentley's 5 unanswered goals were at even strength. At least third place, first round bye, and home ice for second round now assured for post-season.

Nice final regular season home game for the 7 seniors and their parents honored at the beginning of the contest.

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

I never received an AHA record book so I couldn't report on it. But Gensler broke the AHA scoring record held by a guy from sacred heart

[schiegs]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Transcript of a conversation in the lift line at Mammoth today, between me and the guys behind me, one of whom was wearing a BU hockey sweater.

Me: "I take it your a big BU fan."
BU: "Absolutely, both of us were when we were undergrads."
Me: "Tough year with the departure of Jack Parker."
BU: "We're still good. You must be a BC guy."
Me: "No, actually Bentley. We've got a pretty decent squad this year."
BU: "Ha. Do they actually have a team? I thought they were a bunch of skinny bean counters."
Me: "Yeah, it would really suck to lose 4-1 to a bunch of skinny bean counters."
BU: (Blank stare. Gets out his iPhone)
Guy behind him: "I believe that's called a 'burn'."

[Snively65]

Transcript of a conversation in the lift line at Mammoth today, between me and the guys behind me, one of whom was wearing a BU hockey sweater.

Me: "I take it your a big BU fan."
BU: "Absolutely, both of us were when we were undergrads."
Me: "Tough year with the departure of Jack Parker."
BU: "We're still good. You must be a BC guy."
Me: "No, actually Bentley. We've got a pretty decent squad this year."
BU: "Ha. Do they actually have a team? I thought they were a bunch of skinny bean counters."
Me: "Yeah, it would really suck to lose 4-1 to a bunch of skinny bean counters."
BU: (Blank stare. Gets out his iPhone)
Guy behind him: "I believe that's called a 'burn'."

Too funny!

Congrats to Falcons for sweep on their final weekend. Time to get rested over next two weeks, but not lose edge for first round at the JAR.

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Great run to the end to wrap up the best regular season. Still a lot of work left for this team since the ceiling's been raised. The expectation is there. They're expected to compete at the highest level, and now it's on them to go out, practice, and get it done. I can't wait for the playoffs.

Great job by the fans making the trip to Springfield. I admittedly didn't go, but they made the OIC a bad place to play for the home team.

We'll be doing a kickoff special broacast at 7 PM on Wednesday in the student center to help kick off the AHA playoffs since the students are on spring break next week. If you can make it, great. If you can't make it, I'll have it up live. Still working out the final details, so stay tuned this week for more. I can say that i know I'll be in the pub doing the broadcast, so hopefully we'll be able to drum up a good crowd with some good people listening in.


http://jarpride.com/2014/03/02/help-...ffs-this-week/