UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

[BigAl]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

next week do a top 60 poll, that way Maine will be in it

Hahaha now that would be hell

[Priceless]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Hahaha now that would be hell

Just copy and paste the pairwise.

[BassAle]

The problem was there was...

Look, Lomberg was the most popular player on the team, a scholar-athlete and the second most-skilled forward on the roster. It is true the team should have shaken it off, but many players on this team didn't. You can say they should have, but they didn't. They aren't strong mentally and taking that player off this team - the way they took him off this team - left scars. Call it an excuse if you like, but this is what happened. It sucks and I really wish this team was stronger mentally, but everything we've seen so far tells us this happened.

No, everything so far does not tell us that. You people blaming this on Lomberg getting the boot are pathetic. The team started stinking it up last season.

[Priceless]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

No, everything so far does not tell us that. You people blaming this on Lomberg getting the boot are pathetic. The team started stinking it up last season.

That's true. The dividing line is Stu Higgins getting injured in the New Brunswick game. Since then, disregarding the three wins over last-place Merrimack (last year) and two against last-place UMass (this year), Maine is now 3-19-2 (.167) in 24 games. If you insist on counting those games, Maine's winning percentage shoots up to .310 in 29 games.

Of course, it would be wrong to pin this on an injury too, right? So what does science tell us the reason is?

[Drew S.]

That's true. The dividing line is Stu Higgins getting injured in the New Brunswick game. Since then, disregarding the three wins over last-place Merrimack (last year) and two against last-place UMass (this year), Maine is now 3-19-2 (.167) in 24 games. If you insist on counting those games, Maine's winning percentage shoots up to .310 in 29 games.

Of course, it would be wrong to pin this on an injury too, right? So what does science tell us the reason is?

I went through it in detail a couple days ago, but it basically boils down to two things. The schedule has been a lot tougher and more importantly the combination of Shore, Higgins, and Lomberg being hurt/kicked off the team/out of form. They were an important part of Maine's success in the first two thirds of last year's season. Hopefully Shore and Higgins are back to their best for the second half this year.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

It's Black & White....they are 3-11-1 because they are playing like that record shows...they are just a bad hockey team...with many glaring holes...poor defense/lack of scoring/poor special teams/etc...they are playing like a bottom of the Conference team...no sugar coating it.

[Runsub5]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Saturday night's game with UML will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Of course, it would be wrong to pin this on an injury too, right? So what does science tell us the reason is?

Lack of ability? Occam's razor and all that. The simplest answer is usually the right one. Maine has a .300 winning percentage stretching back to whenever because Maine has the talent to be a .300 team.

[ck1969]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Lack of ability? Occam's razor and all that. The simplest answer is usually the right one. Maine has a .300 winning percentage stretching back to whenever because Maine has the talent to be a .300 team.

I would say they have the talent to be .500 team but lack the motivation, desire, work ethic and conditioning so they are a .300 team.

[BBDiehard14]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

At this point, the talent is certainly there but the hunger and mental toughness is definitely not there. They've given some games away that they should've won, and frankly, the more losses pile up, the more frustration we're gonna see.

[jcarter7669]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

At this point, the talent is certainly there but the hunger and mental toughness is definitely not there. They've given some games away that they should've won, and frankly, the more losses pile up, the more frustration we're gonna see.

You should have gone to BU, my hats off to your glass half full outlook on Maine Hockey. I hereby officially nominate BBDiehard for HE Fanboy of the year.

[blackbearbandie]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

I would say they have the talent to be .500 team but lack the motivation, desire, work ethic and conditioning so they are a .300 team.

Last year there were articles in the paper and comments from players and observers about how practices were really up-tempo and more intense than the previous practices under the old regime. Do we know that practices have changed since last year? If practices haven't changed, theoretically conditioning should be the same or better than last year. They should be motivated enough, have the desire, and by now the work ethic to get it done. Talent is a very subjective thing though, because we'd like to say, especially in America, that if you work hard you will succeed. Although it's true you probably won't succeed if you don't work hard, some people just are wired differently and are "naturals" and really excel with more hard work. It's possible they just don't measure up talent wise to where they should be for a division 1 team. Flynn, Abbott and Nyquist were a great recruitment class, and Shore and Hutton showed some promise too, but for the most part the recruits that they've had have all been supporting role characters, who have mostly been undersized and average skilled for Div 1. hockey. Until the new recruits cycle through it's hard to know what kind of a hockey program Maine has. Based on the hype from the new recruits hoping to play for Maine soon, it seems like they're all sold that Maine is the place to be if you want to play pro hockey. We just have to wait this out and see what happens.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

In reality little has changed since Tim was here, forecheck the crap out of Maine, they cough it up, get nervous and turn the puck over. Its been going on for years. Lowell is going to forecheck the crap out of Maine

[Fishman'81]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

A few thoughts on this weekend's opponent, UMass Lowell:

The Hawks have picked up right where they've left off the last couple of years. They've been the most consistent team in Hockey East, and they're the only team without a conference loss. That, of course, is going into tomorrow's game against UConn.

Maine has always played tough at Tsonags Arena, our struggles on the road not withstanding. This is one that Maine has potential to steal if their defense can pick up the slack a little bit here.

BB, I don't see it that way at all. I think that Maine would have a better chance winning at BU than at UML. The 'Hawks don't stun you with talent or speed, but that is a deep team that never gives up, kinda like Vermont.

I'll watch the game, but would not bet a dime on Maine to win it.

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

In reality little has changed since Tim was here, forecheck the crap out of Maine, they cough it up, get nervous and turn the puck over. Its been going on for years. Lowell is going to forecheck the crap out of Maine

This is what I've been saying all along. Nothing has changed. Same 'ol, same 'ol.